Subclass 190 · NSW
New South Wales state nomination
Permanent residence with New South Wales Government nomination. 2,100 places allocated for 2025-26. Registration of Interest (ROI) selection through Migration NSW.
The New South Wales Government nominates skilled migrants for the Subclass 190 Skilled Nominated visa under the General Skilled Migration program. The program is administered by Migration NSW and uses a Registration of Interest (ROI) mechanism. For the 2025-26 program year, NSW received 2,100 190 places from the Department of Home Affairs, alongside 1,500 491 places.
State nomination is one stage of a two-stage process. New South Wales assesses applicants against state-specific criteria; the Department of Home Affairs then assesses the federal visa application following nomination. The strategic question is whether your profile matches NSW's priority sectors and selection mechanism well enough to receive nomination, given the limited 2025-26 allocation.
NSW 190 eligibility
Federal eligibility
You must meet the standard 190 federal criteria: under 45 at invitation, positive skills assessment, Competent English (IELTS 6 across each component or equivalent), at least 65 points on the points test (including the five-point nomination bonus), and health and character requirements.
Nominated occupation
Your nominated occupation must be on the NSW Skills List. Reviewed annually against state labour market priorities. The occupation must also appear on the federal MLTSSL or STSOL.
Selection mechanism
New South Wales uses a Registration of Interest (ROI) system. Onshore applicants must generally demonstrate NSW residence and employment in a NSW Skills List occupation. Offshore applicants must show at least six months residence outside Australia at EOI lodgement.
Priority sectors
New South Wales prioritises construction and housing, healthcare, ICT, renewables, advanced manufacturing, agri-food, the care economy. Applicants whose occupation, employment, and proposed settlement aligns with these sectors are more likely to receive nomination in competitive rounds.
How New South Wales selection works
NSW's 190 selection process operates through Migration NSW and is documented at nsw.gov.au/visas-and-migration. Selection rounds are conducted on the schedule the NSW program publishes, which is revised through the program year. Successful applicants receive a state nomination, which generates a federal invitation and a 60-day window in which to lodge the complete visa application.
The NSW program publishes nomination guidelines and round results that are updated regularly. Confirm the current settings before lodging an EOI or ROI.
Speak with an immigration lawyer about your NSW 190 application
We assess your profile against NSW's priority sectors and selection mechanism, identify the strongest claim available to you, and prepare both the NSW ROI and the federal application to a litigation-ready standard.
Book a consultationIf your application is refused
Refusal at the New South Wales state nomination stage is a state administrative decision. Internal review or reconsideration may be available depending on the NSW program's guidelines. State nomination decisions are not directly reviewable by the Administrative Review Tribunal.
Refusal of the federal visa following nomination triggers merits review rights to the ART within statutory time limits, and judicial review to the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia on grounds of jurisdictional error. Time limits are strict.
Common questions
How does the NSW 190 nomination process work?
What is the NSW 190 allocation for 2025-26?
Which occupation list applies?
What are the priority sectors?
What residency or commitment is required?
What if my NSW 190 nomination is refused?
Information current as at 30 April 2026. New South Wales program settings, occupation lists, and allocations are revised through the program year. Confirm current settings at nsw.gov.au/visas-and-migration before lodging an EOI or ROI.