Australia 189 vs 190 vs 491 Visa Comparison

This comparison concerns the points-tested 189 stream. Separate New Zealand and Hong Kong streams have different rules.

For the standard points-tested pathways, applicants generally need to:

• submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) in SkillSelect;
• be invited to apply;
• be under 45 when invited;
• nominate an occupation eligible for the chosen visa;
• hold a suitable skills assessment at the required time;
• have at least competent English;
• reach at least 65 points, including nomination points; and
• meet health, character and other criteria.

Sixty-five is only the legal threshold. It does not guarantee an invitation. Invitation scores and selection depend on the visa, occupation, round and state/territory criteria.

Claims in the EOI must remain correct at invitation and application. Overclaiming English, work experience, qualifications, partner points or nomination can lead to refusal.

The points-tested Skilled Independent visa 189 gives permanent residence without state nomination or family sponsorship.

It best fits an applicant whose occupation is eligible for the 189 stream and whose points are competitive enough for a federal invitation.

Advantages:

• permanent residence at grant;
• no regional residence condition; and
• no state nomination process or jurisdiction-specific obligations.

Trade-off: you receive no nomination points, and invitations can be highly competitive. A 65-point EOI may remain uninvited.

The Skilled Nominated visa 190 is permanent and adds 5 points after state or territory nomination.

Each jurisdiction controls its own occupation list, residence/employment preferences, application process, evidence, allocation and nomination fee. Meeting Home Affairs rules does not make a state nominate you.

States commonly ask nominees to demonstrate a genuine intention or commitment to settle in that jurisdiction. This should be taken seriously, but the subclass 190 grant itself is a permanent visa—not a 491-style regional visa condition that legally confines all residence to the state for two years.

Choose 190 when a jurisdiction targets your occupation/profile and you are genuinely willing to settle there.

The Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa 491 adds 15 points through state/territory nomination or sponsorship by an eligible relative usually resident in a designated regional area.

It is valid for up to 5 years and carries regional conditions. Holders must live, work and study only in designated regional Australia and keep Home Affairs informed as required.

Regional Australia for migration purposes includes many major cities but excludes Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane under the designated-area framework. Check the postcode tool for an exact location.

The 491 is not permanent residence. Eligible holders can later apply for subclass 191 after meeting the required holding/residence and compliance rules, including providing the required Australian tax assessment notices. Do not describe 191 as automatic.

Example base score before nomination:

You cannot add 190 or 491 points before receiving the relevant nomination/sponsorship outcome. A higher total does not override occupation, skills assessment or jurisdiction requirements.

An EOI can indicate interest in more than one visa/jurisdiction, but state systems may impose their own exclusivity or commitment rules.

For applications lodged from 1 July 2026, the pack's verified primary charges are:

• subclass 189: A$6,135;
• subclass 190: A$6,140; and
• subclass 491: A$6,140.

Additional adult and child charges apply. A second instalment can apply to an adult applicant without functional English. Skills assessments, English tests, medicals, police certificates, translations and state nomination fees are separate.

Use the Home Affairs pricing estimator on the lodgement date; charges are not locked when the EOI is submitted.

1. Confirm the occupation and assessing authority.

2. Obtain a suitable skills assessment and English evidence.

3. Calculate points honestly.

4. Submit/update the SkillSelect EOI.

5. For 190/491, complete the state/territory nomination process or eligible-relative sponsorship evidence.

6. Receive an invitation from Home Affairs.

7. Lodge through ImmiAccount within the invitation deadline with evidence supporting every claim.

State nomination is separate from the visa application. Nomination does not guarantee Home Affairs approval, and Home Affairs does not simply adopt a state's assessment.

There is no simple conversion among 189, 190 and 491. A person who later qualifies for another subclass lodges a new application and meets its rules, invitation and fees.

Before pursuing 190 while holding 491, check current invitation, nomination and onshore application restrictions. A 491 holder’s intended long-term pathway is usually subclass 191 after meeting its requirements, not “upgrading” automatically to 190.

Do not abandon regional commitments or make a second EOI strategy without checking the consequences for current visa conditions and state nomination declarations.