If you are interested in applying for a subclass 491 or a subclass 190 visa, you will need to be nominated by an Australian state or territory. At present, all the states and territories in Australia are closed for new nominations. This is because the Federal Government has not yet announced the quota for the program 2020-21 year.
The subclass 190 and subclass 491 visas are point-based visas, requiring visa applicants to have a minimum of 65 points, plus be nominated by an Australian State or Territory.
With the significant decrease in migration numbers in the coming year, obtaining state/territory nomination is more competitive than ever. States and territories are more likely to nominate high quality applicants, especially those working in essental occupations to assist with post-COVID recovery. While you wait for state nomination applications to re-open, you may want to work on increasing your points to increase your chances of getting a nomination.
There is no indication for when nomination applications will be accepted again, therefore it is imperative that you have all your documents ready to lodge an application as soon as possible. Some states may work on a 'first come, first served' basis, as such, being prepared to apply for nomination as soon as applications are open may work in your favour.
In this article, we give you 4 tips to improve your chances of getting state nomination.