As everyone knows, so far this financial year Australia’s offshore migration has fully rebounded — the breadth of pathways on offer, the range of occupations, and the scale of invitations are all far beyond anything we saw in recent years. With so many opportunities and seemingly good news every week, are you feeling a little overwhelmed?

Today we’ll walk you through the main offshore pathways and invitation outcomes so far this financial year, to help you make sense of it all!

NSW Subclass 491

Plenty of places, invitations flowing

Covering IT, engineering, marketing and more!

NSW Subclass 491

As at the end of February this year, only 22% of the allocation had been used, and the policy has been gradually relaxed to the lowest threshold — making it ideal for offshore applicants who can’t reach a high points score. More offshore applicants have also received invitations recently!

Selected eligibility requirements —

– The nominated occupation is on the relevant list, with a corresponding skills assessment

– An EOI of 50 points is enough to lodge

Occupations that can lodge a nomination application directly via Pathway 1 – Stream B:

-Financial Brokers/Financial Investment Advisers and Managers/HR Professionals

-Advertising and Marketing Professionals/Graphic and Web Designers, and Illustrators/Public Relations Professionals

-Civil Engineering Professionals/Electrical Engineers/Electronics Engineers/ Industrial, Mechanical and Production Engineers/Other Engineering Professionals

-University Lecturers and Tutors/Solicitors

Occupations that can obtain a pre-invitation via Pathway 2 first and then lodge a nomination application:

-Auditors

-Advertising and Marketing Professionals/ Public Relations Professionals/Graphic and Web Designers, and Illustrators

-Civil Engineering Professionals/Electrical Engineers/Electronics Engineers/Industrial, Mechanical and Production Engineers/Other Engineering Professionals

-ICT Business and Systems Analysts/Multimedia Specialists and /Web Developers/Software and Applications Programmers/Database and Systems Administrators, and ICT Security Specialists/Computer Network Professionals/ ICT Support and Test Engineers

Recent success stories of offshore applicants receiving a formal Subclass 491 nomination

NSW Subclass 190There are opportunities here too, especially in finance, marketing and ET occupations. We’ve covered this several times before, so we won’t go into detail here — see:NSW Subclass 190 opens the floodgates again! Common occupations such as marketing, finance and HR through at 75 points! Multiple auditing applicants at a base 85! Low-point invitations for IT and engineering too?

Canberra Subclass 491

Places available, steady, high-volume invitations

Since the very start of this financial year, Canberra has very steadily and frequently issued Subclass 491 Matrix invitations to offshore applicants, and the state government has made clear that the Subclass 491 opportunities are mainly for offshore applicants

Selected eligibility requirements

– The nominated occupation is on the relevant list, with a corresponding skills assessment

– 3 years of relevant work experience in the nominated occupation

– An EOI of 50 points is enough to lodge

– A Matrix score of 65 points

The latest round on 22 February issued 395 Matrix invitations to offshore applicants, with several occupations invited at a Matrix score of 65/70 points

VIC Subclass 190

Places available, invitations issued

As at the end of February, Victoria still had close to 5,000 places remaining. The last round issued fewer invitations because there was a backlog of applications it wanted to clear first — so there are still opportunities ahead. Victoria has issued invitations to offshore applicants in every round to date.

Selected eligibility requirements

– The nominated occupation is on any federal occupation list, with a corresponding skills assessment

– An EOI of 60 points is enough to lodge

Occupations previously invited include:

Civil engineer 70+5

Engineering professionals 70+5

Copy writer 75+5

If these pathways interest you

and you’ve spotted your occupation and want to give it a go,

get in touch with our team for an assessment

NT Subclass 491

New policy, places available

Last week the Northern Territory just announced good news for offshore applicants:

1. The minimum work-experience threshold has been cut from 3 years to 1 year (unless a particular occupation has special requirements)

2. More occupations can now apply via the priority occupation pathway

3. A new regional category family pathway has been established

With less than four months left in this financial year, the Northern Territory Subclass 491 still has 938 places remaining — a usage rate of just 33%.

Eligible occupations include (but are not limited to) the following — if you have one year of relevant work experience, you can try lodging an NT state nomination:

-Financial Investment Manager

-Civil Engineer/Civil Engineering Draftsperson/Civil Engineering Technician

– A range of ICT occupations, such as Computer Network and Systems Engineer / Developer Programmer / Software Engineer

-Conference and Event Organiser/Contract Administrator

-Graphic Designer/*Marketing Specialist

-Technical Sales Representatives nec

For more details, see:Another state nomination slashes its requirements and welcomes offshore applicants! New family-sponsored pathway, ultra-low work-experience requirements, and a huge range of eligible occupations!

SA Subclass 491

Plenty of goodwill, but not enough places

More than 470 occupations are eligible for South Australia’s offshore state-nomination pathway this financial year, and the state government has indeed issued plenty of Subclass 491 invitations to offshore applicants.Back in November last year, the state government said it had already issued 1,100 nominations to offshore applicants.

After topping up its allocation, South Australia kept issuing invitations — the goodwill is certainly there.However, as at the end of February this year, South Australia had already used 75% of its Subclass 491 allocation — well ahead of schedule.

WA Subclass 190 and 491

Limited opportunities, ample places

Western Australia has a large allocation and favourable policy this financial year, and in principle applications can be lodged from within the state, interstate or offshore.But across all its rounds so far, the state government still strongly favours those willing to relocate to WA — as long as you’re in WA, the score required can keep dropping, with the latest round inviting several occupations at an EOI of just 65 points.

For those offshore, so far we’ve only seen a small number of healthcare occupations, or former WA graduates, receive invitations.

QLD State Nomination

Awaiting reform with hope

We’re hoping the major state-nomination reform Queensland has been signalling for so long (a significant lowering of the threshold) arrives soon — and delivers plenty of pleasant surprises.

TAS State Nomination

Opportunities still go to in-state applicants

The pathway is open and the policy is there, but invitations still go mainly to in-state applicants.

Subclass 189 Skilled Independent Migration

If the Department of Home Affairs sticks strictly to its previously set plans, there will still be invitations in the second half of the financial year, though not as many.

An EOI of 65 points is enough to lodge, but a low threshold means fierce competition, and with invitation numbers down, it remains to be seen whether we’ll see a repeat of the boom where most occupations were invited at 65 points and IT/accounting at 85.

Of course, there’s no harm in lodging and waiting.

Offshore — the opportunities are real!

Start preparing your skills assessment and your four 6s in English early,

then choose the right opportunity and wait patiently.

Get in touch for a one-on-one assessment of your situation

Previous articles

NSW / VIC / TAS state nominations rolling out fast! Subclass 491 grants keep coming!

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NSW state nomination adjusted again → interpreting and mechanical occupations return to Subclass 190!

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Migration stories | Quitting an “iron rice bowl” job — what brought them to Australia?

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A Round-Up of the [Real] Opportunities in Australia’s Skilled Migration for Offshore Applicants! Steady Invitations + Plenty of Places, Plus Ultra-Low Eligibility Requirements!

NSW / VIC / TAS state nominations rolling out fast! Subclass 491 grants keep coming!

NSW state nomination adjusted again → interpreting and mechanical occupations return to Subclass 190!

Migration stories | Quitting an “iron rice bowl” job — what brought them to Australia?

Migration stories | Quitting an “iron rice bowl” job — what brought them to Australia?

Migration stories | Quitting an “iron rice bowl” job — what brought them to Australia?

Migration stories | Quitting an “iron rice bowl” job — what brought them to Australia?

Migration stories | Quitting an “iron rice bowl” job — what brought them to Australia?

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