New South Wales nomination criteria for visa subclass 491 for the 2023-2024 financial year. To be eligible for a New South Wales nomination, you must meet the Australian Department of Home Affairs and Migration NSW criteria for your chosen visa category.
The Home Affairs criteria require you to:
Have a points-test result of 65 or higher, inclusive of state nomination points;
Have a positive skills assessment in your nominated occupation;
Be under 45 years of age;
Meet the minimum English language requirement of Competent, unless a higher level is required by your assessing authority.
In a recent newsletter, NSW has advised that Regional development remains a priority for NSW. Our regional skilled migration program is designed to help businesses in regional NSW attract qualified talent. Information about the program's reopening will be made available after we have finalised all applications from the previous financial year.
NSW still has the same criteria as last year for 491 visas, and they may announce some changes in these Criteria during this program year.
New South Wales has 2 Nomination pathways for 491 visa:
Pathway 1 – Apply directly to a Regional Development Australia (RDA) office. (This Pathway has two streams).
Stream A – Established work history with a regional NSW-based employer.
To apply under this stream, you must live and work in a designated regional area of NSW and have continuously done so for the past 12 months.
Your qualifying skilled employment in the twelve months immediately before applying must be:
In your nominated (or closely related) occupation and
With the same regional NSW-based employer and
Deemed skilled by NSW; and
Paid a minimum of the TSMIT salary level of $53,900 (prorated if under 38 hours per week) from your qualifying employer in your nominated (or closely related) occupation
Your nominated occupation must be eligible for the Skilled Work Regional visa (subclass 491).
Stream B – My skills are required in regional New South Wales
To be eligible to apply under this stream, you must:
Be skilled in an occupation that is:
a. within an ANZSCO unit group identified on the Stream B skills list, and
b. eligible for the visa. Please note that NSW has removed the occupation list under Stream B as they are yet to open and update the occupation lists. NSW may only focus on priority sectors for 491 as well.
Be currently residing in NSW or offshore and have continuously done so for a minimum period of three months
Pathway 2 – Be invited to apply by Investment New South Wales.
To be considered for NSW nomination under Pathway 2, you must:
Be skilled in an occupation that is:
a. within an ANZSCO unit group identified on the Pathway 2 skills list and
b. is eligible for the visa
Be currently residing in NSW or offshore and have continuously done so for a minimum period of three months
Have submitted an EOI in SkillSelect seeking nomination for the Skilled Work Regional visa (subclass 491) only and NSW only
Please note that NSW has removed the occupation list under the Pathway 2 Skills list as they are yet to open and update the occupation lists. NSW may only focus on priority sectors for 491 as well, and they may even update the nomination criteria for 2023-2024 for 491 nominations.
NSW may periodically adjust the published eligibility criteria to ensure the skill needs of NSW are met. Any changes apply to all EOIs regardless of when they were submitted (or amended) in SkillSelect.
Once NSW nominates you – which means that your NSW application was approved, and you were invited to apply for the visa by Home Affairs – you permanently lose eligibility to be nominated again for any skilled visa. There are no exceptions.
For New South Wales nomination, you may only claim skilled employment from:
1. Skills Assessor's Date: Your skills assessor officially recognises you as skilled, provided this date is explicitly stated on your skills assessment.
2. Qualifying Study Completion Date: If your skills assessor does not specify this date, you may only claim skilled employment from the date you completed your qualifying study.
If you've claimed employment in your EOI prior to meeting the above criteria, you are not eligible to accept an invitation to apply for NSW nomination.
Note: No exceptions will be made to this unique NSW requirement.
Disclaimer:
The information shared by Nationwide Migration and Education on social media and blogs is for general informational purposes only. (The information is accurate at the time of publication but may be subject to change.) It is not legal or immigration advice and should not be relied upon as such.
If you need immigration advice specific to your circumstances, please book a consultation with our Registered Migration Agent.
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