State and territory nomination for the 190 and 491 visas

A state or territory nomination gives you extra points and unlocks an invitation to apply for a 190 or 491 visa. A nomination is not a visa: Home Affairs still decides your visa application.

To start, you lodge an Expression of Interest (EOI) in SkillSelect. Some states also ask you to submit a separate registration of interest (ROI) on their own website. Others invite you straight from your EOI.

The 190 visa is permanent and you are expected to live and work in the nominating state. The 491 visa is provisional and you must live, work and study in a designated regional area. It can lead to permanent residence through the 191 visa.

Settings change during the year, so always check the state's official website on the day you apply.

• Victoria: open for 190 registrations of interest with 900 places. 491 places are not finalised and 491 registrations are not being accepted. See Victoria.
• New South Wales: 190 nomination is by invitation only, and NSW describes it as exceptionally competitive. The NSW 491 page says applications are closed because all places have been allocated. See NSW.
• Queensland: the 2026–27 program is published and registrations of interest opened on 6 November 2026. See Queensland.
• South Australia: open for registrations of interest from people living and working in SA whose visas expire by 31 January 2027. Offshore candidates are invited from their EOI. See South Australia.
• Western Australia: invitations are expected each month, and WA has published 2026–27 invitation figures. See Western Australia.
• Tasmania: opened to new registrations on 17 August 2026 with 2,050 places. See Tasmania.
• Northern Territory: has received enough 2026–27 applications and accepts new ones only by exception. See Northern Territory.
• ACT (Canberra): the 2026–27 allocation had not been confirmed by the Australian Government when checked. Canberra Matrix rounds continue. See ACT.

Start with where you live and work now. Most states give priority to people already living and working there, and some offshore streams are small or closed.

Then check that your occupation is on the state's current list, and look at the work, residence and commitment rules. Finally, compare your points for the 190 and the 491. The 491 usually gives more points but comes with regional conditions.

1. Get a suitable skills assessment and an English test result.
2. Work out your points with our points calculator.
3. Lodge your EOI in SkillSelect. See our EOI guide.
4. If the state requires one, submit its registration of interest.
5. If invited, apply for state nomination, then lodge your visa application within 60 days of your Home Affairs invitation.

State nomination suits skilled workers whose points are not high enough for the Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189), people already settled in a state, and people willing to commit to a state or a regional area. If an employer wants to sponsor you, an employer visa such as the 494 may also be worth comparing.