The Skilled Nominated Visa (Subclass 190) is a permanent residency visa for skilled workers nominated by an Australian state or territory government. State nomination adds 5 points to your SkillSelect score and typically comes with a commitment to live and work in that state for a period after grant (usually around 2 years). Like the 189, you need to be under 45 years old at the time you're invited to apply — if you turn 45 after being invited, you can still apply, but you won't be invited if you turn 45 between submitting your EOI and receiving an invitation. The document requirements largely mirror the 189, with the addition of your state nomination evidence — this guide covers the full set.
State/territory nomination
- State or territory nomination approval letter — issued by the nominating state government
- Evidence of connection to the nominating state or territory, if required by that state's guidelines
- Evidence of residence in the nominating state or territory, if you're already living there
SkillSelect and invitation
- Your SkillSelect Expression of Interest (EOI), including the nominated state or territory
- Your Invitation to Apply (ITA), issued after the state or territory approves your nomination
Skills assessment
- Positive skills assessment from the relevant assessing authority, matching the ANZSCO occupation listed in your nomination
- Academic qualifications and transcripts supporting the assessment
- Employment reference letters and payslips or bank statements supporting claimed employment
- Your assessment generally needs to have been obtained within the 3 years before your invitation date
- If your skills were assessed based on a qualification from Australian study, that qualification needs to be from a course registered on CRICOS
English language evidence
- IELTS, PTE Academic, TOEFL iBT, or Cambridge English results
- Higher English levels earn more points on top of the state nomination points — check the current points table before assuming Competent English is sufficient
- Confirm your test result is still within its validity window at the time of invitation
Points test documentation
- Employment evidence for every year claimed — payslips, contracts, tax returns, employer reference letters
- Australian study documentation, if claiming those points (generally requires at least two academic years of study in Australia)
- Spouse or partner skills or English evidence, if claiming partner points
- Professional Year completion certificate, if claimed
- A NAATI CCL (Credentialled Community Language) result letter, if claiming community language points
Identity documents
- Passport bio-data page
- Birth certificate
- Change of name document, if applicable
Health and character
- Health examination through an approved panel physician
- Police clearance certificate(s) from every country you've lived in for 12 months or more since turning 16
- Form 80 — Personal Particulars
- Form 1221 — Additional Personal Particulars Information
Common mistakes to avoid
- Assuming state nomination requirements are the same across all states — each state sets its own occupation lists, ties requirements, and application windows
- Letting your skills assessment or English test expire between EOI submission and invitation
- Missing Form 80 or Form 1221 because they weren't required at the skills-assessment stage
- Not accounting for the state's post-grant residence commitment before choosing which state to apply through
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to live in the nominating state after I get the visa?
Most states attach a commitment to live and work in that state for a period after grant, though the details and enforcement vary by state. Check the specific nomination conditions issued with your approval letter, since they can differ from the state's general guidance.
Can I apply to more than one state?
You can generally submit an EOI visible to multiple states, but each state sets its own occupation list, criteria, and nomination process — read each state's current requirements individually rather than assuming they're interchangeable.
How long will my application take to process?
The Department processes skilled visa applications according to a published Ministerial Direction that sets current processing priorities, including which lodgement dates are currently being worked through. Check the Department's current processing priorities and the visa processing time guide tool for an up-to-date estimate rather than relying on a fixed figure from an older guide.
State nomination requirements change more often than the federal points test, since each state adjusts its occupation lists and criteria independently. Check the specific state or territory's current published guidelines before applying, not just this checklist.