The Australia Skilled Nominated Visa (Subclass 190) provides a pathway for skilled workers to gain permanent residency if nominated by an Australian state or territory government.

As Australia’s economy continues thriving, many states have demand for qualified professionals in fields ranging from healthcare and engineering to education and I.T. The Subclass 190 visa enables states facing labor shortfalls to nominate eligible skilled migrants based on local market needs.

Compared to options like the Skilled Independent 189 visa, the 190 visa offers the advantage of streamlined processing and additional state-specific assistance for migrant settlement and job placement. However, applicants must be willing to live in the nominating state for at least two years after being granted the visa.

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore all aspects of the 190 visa, from application criteria and nomination procedures to benefits afforded successful applicants who receive state sponsorship for permanent Australian residence with extensive work and lifestyle perks.

Benefits of the Skilled Nominated Visa (Subclass 190)

The Subclass 190 visa provides a range of valuable benefits, rights and privileges to sponsored skilled migrants. Some of the most attractive perks of this permanent residency visa include:

Permanent Residency and Pathway to Citizenship: The 190 visa grants full permanent resident status to live and work indefinitely in Australia, with a pathway to apply for Australian citizenship in the future after meeting eligibility criteria.

Freedom to Live/Work Australia-Wide: While you must stay in the sponsoring state for the first two years, the 190 visa allows you to eventually live and pursue work opportunities anywhere in Australia after fulfilling initial nomination obligations.

Access to Healthcare, Schooling and Social Services: 190 visa holders can access Australia’s highly-ranked public healthcare system Medicare, schools, subsidized higher education and certain social welfare benefits like Australians.

Sponsor Eligible Relatives: Once becoming an Australian permanent resident or citizen down the road, 190 visa holders can also sponsor eligible family members for permanent residence under family reunion programs.

In addition, 190 visa recipients avoid issues with international student visa transitions after graduating from Australian institutions, have liberty to easily travel abroad and return, can access disability/widow allowances meeting requirements and have protections against exploitation that temporary migrants often face. These generous provisions make the sponsored 190 visa a coveted option.

Skilled Nominated Visa (Subclass190) Requirements

While the Subclass 190 visa offers faster processing and additional state-based support, applicants must meet several baseline requirements set by the Department of Home Affairs to ensure sponsored migrants have needed skills and language abilities. Core criteria include:

Skills Assessment: You must obtain a positive assessment from the relevant authority that evaluates your degree, expertise and work experience against current Australian occupational demands in your field.

English Language Proficiency: Applicants need to meet minimum scores on IELTS, PTE or other approved English tests as dictated by their skills assessment body to demonstrate functional English skills.

Age Limit: You typically need to be under 45 years of age when applying, with some exceptions for certain niche occupations based on state discretion. This aligns applicants with long-term workforce needs.

Recent Work Experience: Documentation of 2+ years of recent professional experience in your nominated occupation is generally required within the past 5 years.

State or Territory Nomination: The core requirement for the 190 visa is obtaining formal sponsorship from an Australian state or territory government via an Expression of Interest or direct application.

In addition, good character checks, Australian qualifications or sponsorship from family in Australia may help strengthen your nomination case if other applicants also meet minimum criteria.

The Points-Tested System

The Subclass 190 visa utilizes a streamlined points-based system to assess applicants against key categories like language, age, qualifications and experience. This allows states and territories to pick top candidates to address localized skills shortages.

English Language Ability: Higher English test scores in IELTS/PTE receive more points towards the overall score, reflecting stronger linguistic skills.

Age: Additional points are awarded to young professionals in peak working condition who can contribute to Australia’s economy over a longer timeframe.

Educational Qualifications: Points increase incrementally for higher degrees including bachelor’s, master’s and doctorates in specialized fields from Australian institutions.

Work Experience in Field: More years of proven experience working in high demand occupations related to the visa application accrues more points.

The current eligibility pass mark is set at 65 points, significantly lower than the Skilled Independent 189 visa. But higher overall points can make your visa candidacy more appealing to states reviewing abundant Expression of Interest submissions. Maximizing language, qualifications and niche experience is key for prospects.

The streamlined system allows efficient assessment of skilled migrant potential to address pressing state labor force needs in both metropolitan and rural regions.

State and Territory Nomination

Gaining nomination from an Australian state or territory is the pivotal application requirement for the Skilled Nominated 190 visa. This section provides an overview of this important process:

Each state publishes detailed lists of occupations facing talent shortages updated periodically based on labor market analysis. Thorough research into in-demand roles maximizes nomination prospects.

There are two main pathways: 1) Submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) via SkillSelect for states to cherry pick from national pool applicants or 2) Apply directly to state migration bodies based on their unique criteria.

States prefer applicants with Australian tertiary qualifications, localized work experience or strong language/niche skills fitting economic objectives. Consider tailoring your application to state needs.

Nomination timeframes vary greatly, ranging from weeks for quick direct applications in less popular states to many months for competitive EOIs in economies like NSW and Victoria. Patience or alternative visa pathways are required.

If nomination is granted after thorough assessment, states will issue formal approval letters for applicants to then promptly lodge full visa applications while valid. This culminating stage confirms your state sponsorship.

Gaining that all-important nomination approval underscores the 190 visa pathway, so aligning your qualifications, experience and traits with published state talent targets is key for securing elusive state support.

Visa Application Process

After securing the pivotal state or territory nomination approval, 190 visa applicants will receive a formal invitation to apply from SkillSelect and can then commence the full visa application process including:

SkillSelect Invitation to Apply: Notification of your confirmed nomination will outline next steps to formally lodge online application through your SkillSelect account within 60 days.

Documentation Preparation: Required documents like skills assessments, English tests, resumes, qualifications, police checks and more need to be updated and ready to attach.

Health and Character Assessments: You must undergo medical exams to prove health/public safety standards are met. Police checks also screen background.

Online Application Submission: Finally, applicants complete and submit the 190 visa application with 4,640 AUD fee through the ImmiAccount online portal, attaching all documents.

Additional Info Requests: During assessments, the Department of Home Affairs may request you provide any supplementary materials in support of claims made to consolidate evidence.

Visa Decision: Timeframes range widely but most 190 visa outcomes arrive 6-18 months after lodgement. Applicants will receive either visa grant notification or refusal reasons by mail/email.

While comprehensive, methodically meeting all documentation and assessment requirements tick by tick maximizes positive prospects for 190 visa applicants who have done the hard work securing state nomination earlier on.

Life in Australia After Visa Grant

Receiving that golden visa grant notification letter is a massive achievement. But the real excitement begins when you land in Australia to activate your new Skilled Nominated 190 visa! Here’s what new migrants can expect:

Visa Validation & Entry: Ensure you enter Australia before the “must enter by” date on your 190 visa grant notice to validate permanent residence.

Connect with State Government Bodies: Check in with the state agency that sponsored you for helpful job finding services, local area guidance and business startup support if relevant.

Fulfill State Commitments: Don’t forget you pledged to remain living in the sponsoring state for the first 2 years of your visa, accessing their specialized assistance.

Eventually Relocate Elsewhere if Desired: After satisfying initial nomination conditions, 190 visa holders have the freedom to live or pursue employment opportunities anywhere in Australia long-term.

Apply for Australian Citizenship: Once meeting residency requirements, apply to become an Australian citizen for unparalleled rights and protections 4+ years later.

In summation, the Subclass 190 Skilled Nominated visa provides an accelerated pathway to permanent residence for migrants with skills states urgently need. With diligent application effort, skilled workers can reap outstanding benefits and liberally live/work across Australia permanently by tapping helpful state sponsorship support networks.

For next steps, determine your eligibility, thoroughly target appropriate states maximizing prospects, and tap authorized migration experts to optimize submissions. The future livelihood of you and your family down under awaits!