General requirements for state nomination: EOI and points

Overview of state nomination requirements

State nomination is an important step in the journey to a skilled migration visa in Australia. To be nominated by a state or territory, an applicant must meet a set of basic requirements that apply nationwide, on top of each state’s own rules. This article focuses on the most common requirements that almost every state asks for.

Requirement 1: An EOI in the SkillSelect system

The first prerequisite is that the applicant must have an active Expression of Interest (EOI) in the SkillSelect system run by the Department of Home Affairs (DHA). An EOI is a record expressing your interest in a skilled visa — it is not a formal visa application but an initial registration step.

A valid EOI needs to:

Be lodged for the correct visa type (190 or 491, depending on your goal)
Declare the correct occupation by its precise ANZSCO code
Fully record your personal details, qualifications and work experience
Be in “active” status (not expired beyond 2 years)

States do not consider applicants who do not yet have a valid EOI, because they access SkillSelect to search for and invite suitable applicants.

Requirement 2: An EOI score that meets the minimum threshold

Each state sets its own minimum EOI threshold. The DHA points system counts several factors:

Age (highest in the 25–32 age group)
English level (Competent, Proficient, Superior)
Work experience in Australia and overseas
Qualifications (doctorate, master’s, bachelor’s, etc.)
Skills assessment (recognised by the relevant assessing authority)
Bonus points (studying in regional Australia, a community-language credential, and so on)

Typically, popular states such as NSW or Victoria require very high scores (often 85–90 points or more), while smaller states or territories such as South Australia, Tasmania or the NT may accept lower scores depending on the period.

Requirement 3: An approved skills assessment

The applicant must complete a skills assessment with a suitable outcome (Suitable or equivalent) from an assessing authority recognised by DHA. The assessing authority depends on the occupation:

Engineers: Engineers Australia
Accountants: CPA Australia, CA ANZ, IPA
Nursing: ANMAC
Information technology: ACS
Technical trades: TRA (Trades Recognition Australia)
Many other fields: VETASSESS

The skills assessment result must remain valid at the time you lodge your EOI and at the time you are nominated.

Requirement 4: An occupation on the state’s list

Each state maintains its own occupation list (State Occupation List). An applicant is only considered if their occupation is on that state’s open list. This list changes frequently in line with local labour demand.

The key point is that an occupation may be on the NSW list but not the Queensland list, or vice versa. For that reason, applicants should track several states’ lists at the same time.

Requirement 5: English requirement

Every state requires applicants to meet a minimum English level. This is also a hard requirement of the 190 and 491 visas themselves:

Competent English: equivalent to IELTS 6.0 in each band (the minimum to be considered for the visa)
Proficient English: IELTS 7.0 in each band (attracts bonus points)
Superior English: IELTS 8.0 in each band (attracts more bonus points)

Some states require Proficient or above in their own nomination conditions, higher than the DHA minimum.

Additional requirements by state

Beyond the common requirements above, individual states may also require:

A commitment to live and work in the state after the visa is granted
Australian work experience (some states prioritise people who have lived/worked in that state)
A separate Statement of Interest (SOI) lodged through the state’s portal
A demonstrated connection with the state (employer letters, employment contracts)

Understanding the common requirements helps applicants build a solid application before targeting a specific state.