In the 2023–24 financial year, after each state released its skilled migration quotas, the allocations were slashed across the board — both Subclass 190 and Subclass 491 lost around 70% of their places. The migration outlook for most occupations has taken a sharp downturn for the new financial year, and a handful of states are yet to release their occupation lists and policies, leaving it unclear whether many occupations can even apply for Subclass 190 or 491 this year.

With this policy now a settled fact, it will inevitably affect state-nominated invitations this financial year, and the multiple rounds of low-score invitations we saw last year are unlikely to recur.But opportunities still exist. The states are continuing to issue invitations in the normal, orderly way to applicants who meet the more favourable invitation criteria.

Subclass 189 Skilled Independent Migration

Eligibility criteria:

1. The applicant is under 45 at the time of invitation;

2. The nominated occupation must be on the MLTSSL (Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List) and have a positive skills assessment;

3. An EOI score of at least 65 points;

4. English equivalent to at least IELTS 6 in each of the four bands

It is currently unclear whether — and when — Subclass 189 invitations will be issued this financial year

Subclass 190 State-Nominated Skilled Migration

Eligibility criteria:

1. The applicant is under 45 at the time of invitation;

2. The nominated occupation must be on the MLTSSL (Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List) or the STSOL (Short-term Skilled Occupation List) and have a positive skills assessment;

3. An EOI score of 60 points, reaching 65 points after the 5 points for state nomination;

4. English equivalent to at least IELTS 6 in each of the four bands;

5. Meeting the relevant state government’s nomination policy

Subclass 491 Skilled Work Regional (State-Nominated) Migration

Eligibility criteria:

1. The applicant is under 45 at the time of invitation;

2. The nominated occupation must be on the MLTSSL, STSOL or ROL (Regional Occupation List) and have a positive skills assessment;

3. An EOI score of 50 points, reaching 65 points after the 15 points for state nomination;

4. English equivalent to at least IELTS 6 in each of the four bands;

5. Meeting the relevant state government’s regional nomination policy;

Australia’s points-based skilled migration requires two key elements: skills assessment and English.

If you are still worried about your future Australian migration because of the quotas, or are only just starting to look into migrating to Australia, it is well worth first understanding the Australian skills assessment. No matter how Australia’s broader policy settings change, these two foundational requirements — the skills assessment and English — should still be prepared well in advance, so you have these foundations ready while you wait for policy to turn. If we only start preparing the skills assessment and English once policy becomes favourable, we will miss out again. Opportunity favours those who are prepared!

Recent VET Skills Assessment Success Stories

Program or Project Administrator 511112: Program or Project Administrator

Information and Organisation Professionals nec 224999: Information and Organisation Professionals nec

Marketing Specialist 225113: Marketing Specialist

Conference and Event Organiser 149311: Conference and Event Organiser

Financial Investment Adviser 222311: Financial Investment Adviser

Advertising Specialist 225111: Advertising Specialist

Since the VET assessing authority scrapped its priority queue-grab system and switched the fast-track channel to a wait-list model, assessment processing times are set to lengthen considerably. If your nominated occupation is assessed by the VET authority, it is well worth getting started early.

Recent ACS Skills Assessment Success Stories

Software Engineer 261313: Software Engineer

Recent Engineers Australia Skills Assessment Success Stories

Engineering Technologist 233914: Engineering Technologist

This Financial Year, We “Wait for the Wind”

Whether you are an onshore or offshore applicant, do not be discouraged. We believe this cut to state-nomination quotas is only a brief “calm before the wind”, and we are confident Australian skilled migration has a strong chance of returning to normal in the future.

A few words of advice for those still weighing things up, and for those who have already begun preparing:

– The skills assessment still needs to be prepared early, as processing times are expected to keep getting longer

– If you have the capacity, keep working on your English, whether IELTS or PTE

– For the NAATI/CCL test, offshore applicants may wish to consider sitting the CCL

If an applicant meets the skilled migration requirements, they should follow the application process and prepare the skills assessment, achieve their English results and accumulate the points they need as early as possible — so that once “the wind picks up”, it will be first come, first served.

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State Nomination Quotas Slashed This Financial Year — How Offshore Applicants Should Respond and Prepare

Multiple Subclass 190 grants this week — and employer sponsorship is still racing ahead!

Aged-care and disability-care workers in China now have a pathway to migrate to Australia!

Can you change employers on a Subclass 482? Can you switch jobs? What happens to my PR if my employer “runs into trouble”?

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