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Home / Skilled migration
Points-tested and talent visas for skilled workers who want to live in Australia, with or without an employer sponsor.
Skilled migration visas
Points-tested, regional and talent visas. Choose a visa for the full requirements, or check your points first.
Points-tested
You lodge an Expression of Interest in SkillSelect and must be invited before you can apply. Invitations depend on your points, your occupation and the program's settings each year.
Permanent visa for invited skilled workers who are not sponsored by an employer, state or family member.
Permanent visa for skilled workers nominated by an Australian state or territory government.
Regional
Regional visas reward living and working outside the major cities and lead to permanent residence.
A five-year visa for skilled workers nominated by a state or territory, or sponsored by an eligible relative in a designated regional area.
Permanent residence for 491 and 494 holders who have lived in regional Australia and met the income requirement for at least three years.
Talent & ballot
Permanent visa for people with an internationally recognised record of exceptional achievement in a profession, sport, the arts or academia, or as a researcher or entrepreneur. You must first be invited after an Expression of Interest.
Permanent visa for citizens of participating Pacific countries and Timor-Leste, selected by ballot, who have a formal job offer in Australia.
The 188 program closed to new applications in July 2024. We continue to advise existing 188 holders applying for the permanent 888.
The points test
You need at least 65 points, but invitations usually go to much higher scores. The Government has announced it will overhaul the points test, so check the current table before you lodge an Expression of Interest.
Before you apply
An assessing authority, such as Engineers Australia, ACS, VETASSESS or Trades Recognition Australia, confirms your qualifications and experience match your occupation.
Your occupation must be on the list for the visa you want. The 189 uses the long-term list; state nomination and regional visas can use wider lists, set by each state or territory.
Competent English is the minimum. Higher scores earn points and often make the difference between being invited or not.
The steps
Skilled migration is a sequence. A mistake in your points claim or your Expression of Interest can lead to refusal, so each step is checked before you move to the next.
We confirm your occupation, the lists it appears on and a realistic points score.
We prepare your skills assessment with the correct assessing authority and plan your English test.
Your EOI is lodged in SkillSelect with accurate claims, and state nomination applications where relevant.
Once invited, the visa application must be lodged within 60 days, with evidence for every point claimed.
We manage health examinations, police certificates and any Department requests.
Documents
Questions
For the 189, 190 and 491 visas you must generally be under 45 when you are invited to apply.
An EOI stays in SkillSelect for up to two years. Invitations are issued in rounds, based on occupation and points.
Yes. You must hold the points you claimed when you are invited, and be able to prove them when you apply. Incorrect claims can lead to refusal.
The 190 is permanent from the start. The 491 is a five-year provisional visa for regional Australia that can lead to permanent residence through the 191. The right choice depends on your points, occupation and plans.
We'll check your points, occupation and nomination options in one consultation.
