NSW State Nomination for 190 and 491: Conditions

Overview of the NSW nomination program

New South Wales (NSW) is Australia’s most populous state and the economic centre of the country. The NSW skilled nomination program — the NSW Skilled Nominated program — assesses nominations for both the 190 and 491 visas.

Because of its large and diverse labour demand, NSW usually has a broad list of accepted occupations, but it also has a higher level of competition compared with smaller states. The NSW quota usually accounts for a significant share of the national total, but the number of applications received is also very large.

The assessing authority

The NSW skilled nomination program is administered by the NSW Department of Enterprise, Investment and Trade (formerly NSW Skills and Employment). Applicants submit an expression of interest through the official NSW Government portal.

Visa 190 in NSW

The NSW 190 visa is for people who want to live and work in NSW as a permanent resident. This is an immediate PR visa, with no intermediate step.

NSW-specific conditions for the 190 visa:

The occupation is on the NSW Skilled Occupation List for the 190 visa
Meeting the NSW connection requirement (see below)
An EOI on SkillSelect with a high enough score (a fairly high actual score is usually needed due to competition)
A commitment to live and work in NSW after the visa is granted

Priority occupations for the NSW 190 visa usually include these groups:

Health and nursing (doctors, nurses, allied health)
Engineers (civil, mechanical, electrical, software)
Teachers and education professionals
Accounting and finance
Information technology
Trades and construction (electricians, plumbers, builders)

Visa 491 in NSW

The NSW 491 visa is for people who want to live in regional NSW. Regional NSW does not include Greater Sydney and Sydney’s outer suburbs.

Regional NSW areas include Newcastle, Wollongong (and surrounds), the Central Coast (in part), the Hunter Valley, Illawarra, Riverina, New England, the Far West, and many other areas.

Note: Some areas close to Sydney are still counted as regional — check the official DHA postcode list.

NSW-specific conditions for the 491 visa:

The occupation on the NSW regional occupation list
Connection to a specific regional NSW area (not Sydney)
A commitment to live in regional NSW after the visa is granted

NSW connection requirement

This is a point many people are concerned about. NSW usually requires applicants to have a genuine connection to NSW before being considered for nomination. Connection can be shown through:

Living in NSW: This is the strongest connection. People residing in NSW (which may be on a student visa, 482 visa, or another visa) are usually prioritised.

Working in NSW: Having an employment contract with an employer in NSW.

Having studied in NSW: Graduating from a university or education provider in NSW in recent times.

Family connection: Having a close relative living in NSW.

Important note: NSW has previously had periods where it restricted or closed to certain nationalities for some registration streams. This policy changes from one opening to the next. Applicants need to check the latest official announcement from the NSW Government when there is an opening.

The registration process

Step 1: Check whether your occupation is on the NSW occupation list.

Step 2: Make sure you have an active EOI on SkillSelect with complete information.

Step 3: When NSW opens registration (usually announced through the official website and social media), submit an expression of interest through the NSW Government portal.

Step 4: NSW assesses based on priority criteria and quota. If selected, NSW sends a nomination to SkillSelect.

Step 5: After nomination, wait for DHA to send an ITA in the monthly invitation rounds.

Registration schedule

NSW does not keep registration open continuously throughout the year. There are usually openings by quarter or when there is additional labour demand. Those interested should:

Monitor the official NSW Government website on skilled migration
Register for email notifications when there is a new opening
Have a complete application ready to submit the moment the portal opens — openings are usually very short and quotas can fill quickly

Special points to note

NSW has a high competitive score — an EOI score from 80 and above (after adding nomination points) is usually needed for the best chance of receiving an ITA from DHA.
The NSW quota is allocated between the 190 and 491 visas, and across different occupation groups.
Some openings are only for people already in NSW and do not accept offshore applications.
Being declined a nomination from NSW does not affect your ability to register with another state.