Skilled migration to Australia: 189, 190 and 491 visas

Skilled migration is Australia's points-tested visa program for workers with skills the country needs. It covers three visas: the Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189), the Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190) and the Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491). It suits skilled workers and graduates, in Australia or overseas, who do not have an employer to sponsor them.

You cannot simply apply. You first send an expression of interest (EOI), and you must then be invited, either by the Department of Home Affairs or after a state or territory nominates you. This page explains the rules as at November 2026.

The skilled visas at a glance

• Subclass 189: a permanent visa with no sponsor. Home Affairs invites people in invitation rounds.
• Subclass 190: a permanent visa for people nominated by a state or territory government. Each state sets its own criteria.
• Subclass 491: a 5-year provisional visa (opens in a new tab) for people nominated by a state or territory, or sponsored by an eligible relative living in a designated regional area. You must live, work and study only in designated regional areas (visa condition 8579). It cannot be extended.
• Subclass 191: the permanent visa for 491 holders, after at least 3 years on the 491. You must have followed its conditions and provide Australian Taxation Office (ATO) notices of assessment for 3 income years. Home Affairs states there is no minimum income requirement.

189 vs 190 vs 491: the main differences

MLTSSL means the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List, STSOL the Short-term Skilled Occupation List, and ROL the Regional Occupation List. The Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL) applies to employer-sponsored visas, not to the 189, 190 or 491. For help choosing a state option, read our 190 vs 491 visa guide.

Who can apply for skilled migration

At the time you are invited, you must meet all of these requirements:

• Your occupation is on the list that applies to the visa (see the table above).
• You hold a suitable skills assessment for that occupation from the correct assessing authority, issued within the last 3 years or within its own shorter validity period.
• You are under 45 years of age.
• You have at least competent English.
• You score at least 65 points on the points test, including any nomination points.
• You have received an invitation to apply.

Later, you and your family must also meet health and character requirements, adults must sign the Australian Values Statement, and any debts to the Australian Government must be repaid or under a repayment arrangement. If you hold or last held a 491 or 494 visa, you must have held it for at least 3 years before you can apply for a 189 or 190.

How the points test works

Points are counted on the day you are invited, not the day you submit your EOI. These are the main points in the current table (Schedule 6D of the Migration Regulations, unchanged since November 2019):

• Age: 25 points at 18 to 24, 30 points at 25 to 32, 25 points at 33 to 39 and 15 points at 40 to 44.
• English: 0 points for competent, 10 for proficient and 20 for superior.
• Skilled work overseas (last 10 years): 5 points for at least 3 years, 10 for at least 5 years and 15 for at least 8 years.
• Skilled work in Australia (last 10 years): 5 points for at least 1 year, 10 for at least 3 years, 15 for at least 5 years and 20 for at least 8 years. Work points from both are capped at 20 in total.
• Qualifications (highest only): 20 points for a doctorate, 15 for a bachelor or masters degree, and 10 for an Australian diploma or trade qualification or another award your assessing authority recognises for your occupation.
• 5 points each for the Australian study requirement, study in regional Australia, a NAATI credentialled community language and an eligible Professional Year. A masters by research or doctorate from an Australian institution in certain science, technology or engineering fields can give 10 points.
• Partner: 10 points if you are single or your partner is an Australian citizen or permanent resident, 10 if your partner applies with you and meets the age, English and skills assessment requirements, and 5 if your partner has competent English only.
• Nomination or sponsorship: 5 points for 190 state nomination and 15 points for 491 state nomination or family sponsorship.

Work only counts if it was paid, at least 20 hours a week, and in your nominated or a closely related occupation. Many assessing authorities also set a date from which your work counts as "skilled". To check your own score, use our points test calculator.

English levels for skilled visas

For tests taken on or after 7 August 2025, these are the minimum scores in each part (listening, reading, writing and speaking):

• Competent (0 points): IELTS 6 in each band; PTE Academic 47, 48, 51 and 54.
• Proficient (10 points): IELTS 7 in each band; PTE Academic 58, 59, 69 and 76.
• Superior (20 points): IELTS 8 in each band; PTE Academic 69, 70, 85 and 88.

Other approved tests are TOEFL iBT (only if you select "Taking TOEFL for Australia" when you register), CELPIP General, the Michigan English Test, LANGUAGECERT Academic, OET and C1 Advanced. The Michigan English Test cannot give superior English. You must sit the test at a secure test centre, because at-home and online tests are not accepted. The test must be taken within the 3 years before your invitation. Citizens of the UK, Ireland, the USA, Canada or New Zealand with a valid passport from that country already meet competent English. If you need a higher score, see our PTE coaching.

How SkillSelect EOIs and invitations work

SkillSelect is the Home Affairs online system for skilled visas. An EOI is free, has no document uploads, and is not a visa application, so it does not give you a bridging visa.

• 189 and family-sponsored 491: Home Affairs invites the highest scores first. If scores are equal, the EOI that reached its score earlier wins. Limits on invitations per occupation group can apply.
• 190 and state-nominated 491: states search SkillSelect and many also need their own application first. When a state nominates you, the invitation follows. In Tasmania, for example, you register interest with Migration Tasmania before you can be invited to apply for Tasmania state nomination.
• Your EOI can be invited for up to 2 years after you submit it, and a maximum of 2 times.
• After an invitation you have 60 calendar days to lodge your visa application. This cannot be extended.

Rounds are irregular and dates are not announced in advance. In the 15 October 2026 round, Home Affairs invited 20,000 EOIs for the 189. The lowest scores invited in that round were 65 for many trades, such as electricians and carpenters, 70 for registered nurses, 80 for secondary school teachers and 100 for ICT security specialists. No invitations were listed for Accountant (General), Software Engineer or Civil Engineer in that round. No family-sponsored 491 invitations had been issued in 2026-27 as at 9 November 2026.

Step by step: from skills assessment to visa grant

1. Check your occupation Find the ANZSCO occupation that matches your qualifications and duties, and check its list.
2. Get your skills assessment Apply to the assessing authority for your occupation, such as ACS, Engineers Australia, VETASSESS, ANMAC or TRA. Each sets its own fees and timeframes.
3. Take an approved English test Aim for the level your points plan needs, not just the minimum.
4. Collect your evidence Gather employment references, payslips, tax records and qualification documents before you claim any points.
5. Submit your EOI Choose the visas and states that fit you.
6. Apply for state nomination if needed Follow the state's own process and fees for a 190 or 491.
7. Lodge within 60 days of invitation Pay the visa application charge and upload your documents, including police certificates, Form 80 and Form 1221.
8. Complete health checks and wait for a decision Answer any requests from Home Affairs quickly.

How much skilled migration costs

Visa application charges from 1 July 2026 are:

• 189: AUD 6,135 for the main applicant, AUD 3,070 for each family member aged 18 or over, AUD 1,540 for each child under 18.
• 190 and 491: AUD 6,140 for the main applicant, AUD 3,070 for each family member aged 18 or over, AUD 1,535 for each child under 18.
• 191: AUD 630 for the main applicant, AUD 315 for each family member aged 18 or over, AUD 160 for each child under 18.

A second instalment is charged before grant for each family member aged 18 or over who does not have functional English. For the 190 (opens in a new tab) it is AUD 4,885 as at November 2026; check the amount for your visa on the Home Affairs visa pricing page (opens in a new tab). You also pay for the skills assessment, English test, health checks, police certificates, translations and any state nomination fee. Charges usually change every 1 July. Before we start any work, we explain our professional fees and give you a written estimate.

How long it takes

Since 19 September 2026, Ministerial Direction 122 sets the order in which Home Affairs processes the 189, 190, 191 and 491:

1. applications in the construction, healthcare, teaching, agriculture, aquaculture, fishing or resources sectors, or in Australia's law enforcement and defence interests
2. applicants who were in Australia when they applied
3. offshore main applicants applying alone
4. all others.

As at 13 November 2026, Home Affairs reported it was processing onshore 190 applications lodged in April 2026, but offshore 190 applications lodged in February 2025. Times change every month, so check the official processing times (opens in a new tab) before you plan. They do not include time spent waiting for an invitation.

Places available in 2026-27

The 2026-27 Migration Program (opens in a new tab) has 185,000 permanent places. The skilled categories are:

• Skilled Independent (189): 21,090 places, up from 16,900 in 2025-26.
• State/Territory Nominated (190): 35,500 places, up from 33,000.
• Regional (including the 491): 14,110 places, down from 33,000.

The program puts people already in Australia first, with 129,590 of the 185,000 places set aside for them. Each state also has its own nomination numbers; see our Tasmania state nomination page for this year's Tasmanian places and pathways.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Claiming points you cannot prove. You must prove every EOI claim, as it stood on the day of invitation. Work before your assessing authority's "skilled" date or under 20 hours a week does not count, and incorrect claims can lead to refusal.
• Forgetting your birthday. Age points drop when you turn 33 and again at 40, which can push you down the ranking. If you turn 45 before an invitation, you cannot be invited.
• Letting documents expire. Skills assessments and English tests must be current on the day of invitation, so watch their expiry dates while you wait.
• Using old PTE scores. "65 in each" and "79 in each" apply only to PTE tests taken on or before 6 August 2025.
• Not updating your EOI. A new job, a change in hours or a new family member must be updated in SkillSelect.
• Starting police certificates too late. Some countries are slow to issue them, and the 60-day deadline cannot be extended.

How Immi Solution helps

Our registered migration agent can check your occupation, skills assessment and points claims against your evidence, and tell you which visa options are realistic. We prepare and lodge EOIs, state nomination applications and visa applications. Our team also offers PTE, IELTS and NAATI CCL coaching. Decisions are made by Home Affairs and the state governments, so no adviser can promise an invitation or a grant.