The Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190) is an Australian permanent residence visa for skilled workers who are nominated by a state or territory government. It is part of Australia's points-tested skilled migration system and sits between the fully independent subclass 189 (no nomination) and the regional provisional subclass 491 (regional nomination, temporary).

The key feature of the 190 is that state or territory nomination awards 5 additional points on the points test — making it more accessible than the 189 for applicants with borderline point scores. However, it comes with a 2-year obligation to live and work in the nominating state or territory. For current invitation round results and state nomination criteria, refer to the DHA subclass 190 page.

• Migration Regulations 1994 — Subclass 190 (Skilled Nominated) — the visa criteria
• DHA: Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190) — immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/skilled-nominated-190
• DHA: Points table for subclass 190 — immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/190-points-table
• DHA: SkillSelect — invitation rounds — immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/skillselect-invitation-rounds

State or territory nomination — the core requirement

To apply for the subclass 190, the applicant must be nominated by an Australian state or territory government. Each state and territory has its own skilled migration program with its own:

• Occupation lists (which may be more restrictive or broader than the federal skilled occupation list)
• Points threshold requirements (states may require a minimum score before they will nominate)
• Residency requirements (some states require a job offer; others accept offshore applicants)
• Priority occupation sectors

State nomination is a separate administrative step from the federal DHA visa process — it does not guarantee a DHA invitation or a visa grant. The nomination must be in place before the invitation can be issued.

5-point bonus for nomination

State or territory nomination for the subclass 190 awards 5 additional points on the federal points test. An applicant with a base score of 80 who receives state nomination effectively competes with 85 points in the invitation pool. This is smaller than the 491's 15-point bonus (for regional nomination) but results in a permanent visa rather than a provisional one.

The EOI and invitation process

The 190 uses the same SkillSelect EOI process as the 189 and 491:

1. Obtain a positive skills assessment from the relevant assessing authority
2. Submit an EOI through SkillSelect claiming points and indicating interest in the 190 (and optionally 189/491)
3. Apply for state or territory nomination separately through the relevant state portal
4. Once nominated, receive an updated invitation score (with the 5-point bonus added)
5. Receive an invitation to apply from DHA and lodge the visa application within 60 days

A single EOI can cover the 189, 190, and 491 simultaneously — the applicant selects all three and may receive an invitation from any of them depending on their score and the invitation rounds. For current invitation round data, refer to the DHA invitation rounds page.

Occupation requirement — MLTSSL and STSOL

A key advantage of the 190 over the 189 is the broader eligible occupation base:

• The subclass 189 requires the occupation to be on the MLTSSL (Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List)
• The subclass 190 accepts occupations on either the MLTSSL or the STSOL (Short-term Skilled Occupation List)

This means some occupations that are not eligible for the 189 can still access the 190 pathway through state nomination. The eligible occupation lists are set at the federal level — individual states may further restrict their nomination programs to a subset of these. For the current occupation lists, refer to the DHA skilled occupation list page.

The 2-year state residency obligation

A condition of the subclass 190 is that the holder must live and work in the nominating state or territory for 2 years after the visa is granted. This is a genuine obligation — it is not merely aspirational. However, it is enforced through a separate assessment process rather than a strict ongoing visa condition (unlike the 491, which requires regional living for the PR pathway). Holders who breach this obligation may affect their future migration options.

Comparison: 189, 190, and 491

Feature	189	190	491
Visa type	Permanent	Permanent	Provisional (5 years)
Nomination	None	State/territory (5 pts)	State/territory or family (15 pts)
Eligible occupations	MLTSSL only	MLTSSL + STSOL	MLTSSL + ROL
Residency obligation	None	2 years in nominating state	Regional area (for 191 PR)
PR on grant?	Yes	Yes	No — requires 191 after 3 years

The subclass 190 is generally preferred over the 491 by applicants who do not want a regional living obligation and want permanent residence immediately on grant. The trade-off is the smaller 5-point bonus compared to the 491's 15-point bonus and the less flexible occupation list than the 491's inclusion of ROL occupations. State nomination strategies differ significantly — some states actively seek offshore applicants, while others prioritise persons already working in the state. For current state nomination criteria, applicants should refer directly to the skilled migration page of their target state or territory government.