Architecture,has always been the defining symbol of civilisation across every era. From the Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge to today’s Daxing International Airport, landmark structures the world over testify to the inspired craftsmanship of architects. In my view, an architect is not only a meticulous engineer but also a visionary artist.

Today I want to walk you through why, in the current migration landscape, if you are an architect looking to migrate to Australia,why currentlyACT Canberra state nominationis the best option.

If an applicant has completed relevant Australian qualifications and obtained a skills assessment as an architect, they have already taken the first step towards Australian migration. Over recent years, architecture has consistently been a strong migration occupation,but during the pandemic years, the path to migration for architects was also fraught with difficulty.

During the current post-pandemic recovery period, architects — though part of the broader construction industry — have not received the same migration advantages as engineering disciplines such as civil engineering or structural engineering.

While a number of state nomination programmes have re-added architects to their occupation lists this financial year,the actual invitations issued remain few, take New South Wales Subclass 190 for example,not to mention that NSW’s invitation scores are very high — recent rounds have cast a wide net across many occupations, with engineering roles featuring heavily, yet architects remain conspicuously absent;and take Victoria, for instance —architects barely feature in the current target sectors.

But Canberra state nomination does!

State nomination policies vary by state and, to some extent, reflect each state government’s plans for future economic development. If a state government wants to promote the growth of a particular industry, it needs to attract skilled talent in that field. This is why state nomination programmes have strong occupational preferences.

In the wake of the pandemic years, there is much to rebuild.The ACT Government is currently driving employment through increased infrastructure investment,stimulating tax revenue and revitalising the economy. Architects are an indispensable occupation within the government’s infrastructure investment plans, and have featured on the ACT Critical List for years. Since the Canberra Matrix was introduced, they were only briefly removed for three months in the previous quarter,and have since returned to the ACT Critical List, with strong long-term stability.

Since returning to the list in September,

architects have received consistent invitations, particularly for the Subclass 491

in certain invitation rounds

So, why is Canberra currently the best option?

ACT state nomination, in simple terms, is a process where applicants calculate their score using the local Canberra Matrix, and the state government then selects and invites applicants based on their Matrix score.Canberra state nomination therefore quantifies applicants by score — the highest scores receive nominations. Compared to other states’ nomination policies,it offers greater stability and objectivity.

Furthermore, for architects pursuing ACT state nomination, the key scoring components focus primarily on ACT residency, completion of academic qualifications, whether the applicant has a spouse, and whether they hold employment in the ACT that is closely related to their nominated occupation. 

ACT Canberra is currently the most favourable region for architects, and is the best migration option available to architects right now. Here’s why —

1.The Matrix scoring system offers a variety of ways to accumulate points

2.and ACT state nominationdoes not requireapplicants to hold a nominated job offer, as employment closely related to the nominated occupation is merely a bonus point — an added advantage, not a requirement.

3.Architecture graduates within the ACT are very few in number, and nearly all ACT state nomination applicants come from interstate —interstate applicants,all competing from the same starting point

The invitation rules for ACT Canberra state nomination require applicants to calculate their score using the local Canberra Matrix, with the state government selecting and inviting applicants according to their Matrix score.

Your Matrix score is therefore the key to receiving an invitation. Curious how many points you might score as an architect? Get in touch with us for a personalised score assessment and guidance on the points you could achieve.

Current State of ACT Architect Invitations

At present, for architect applicants under ACT state nomination, reaching the invitation score for Subclass 491 is relatively achievable, whereas Subclass 190 is considerably more difficult.Recent invitation rounds for Subclass 491 have centred around 65–70 points, while Subclass 190 has required 100–110 points.

Subclass 491 — more attainable

For Subclass 491 applicants holding a student visa or a visa with work-hour restrictions, you only need to live in the ACT and work part-time for 3 months before you can lodge your Matrix application,to reach the current Subclass 491 invitation score of 65–70 points, the following score breakdown is required:

For Subclass 491 applicants, reaching the 65–70 point invitation score within 3 months is very common, and as time passes, additional bonus items will continue to accumulate on an applicant’s Matrix score.

Subclass 190 — consider the new pathway

ACT Subclass 190 is currently quite difficult for architect applicants to obtain in the short term, as the state government tends to favour applicants with higher scores — those who have already made a degree of economic contribution to the ACT. For interstate applicants looking to obtain ACT Subclass 190 nomination in one step,the ACT Small Business Owner Stream is a solid option.

The Small Business Owner Stream within ACT state nominationis a separate application pathway, requiring only that applicants operate a business in the ACT that meets the required operating period and turnover thresholds before lodging.

Invitations under this stream are prioritised, and selections are made separately within the Small Business Owner Stream — applicants do not compete against mainstream state nomination applicants. The 100–110 point invitation benchmark mentioned above for architects therefore has no relevance for Small Business Owner Stream applicants.Based on previous invitation rounds, Small Business Owner applicants with around 80 points are expected to reach the Subclass 190 invitation threshold in future.

For interstate architects seeking ACT Subclass 190 state nomination, the approximate SBO score breakdown is as follows:

Small business applicants will undoubtedly carve out a place in the ACT Subclass 190 application pool, making the ACT state nomination Small Business Owner Stream a win-win option for architects who are already planning to start a business.

In summary,ACTACT is after all a well-suited region for architect migration. Its key advantages include —

△ ACT state nominationhas a relatively low entry threshold, and thetime investment required to lodge a state nomination application is low(6 months for Subclass 190, 3 months for Subclass 491).

△ The Matrix score composition allows for considerable variation and flexibility — different applicants bring different personal strengths,and can accumulate the invitation score required for Subclass 190 or 491 through various combinations, with a higher margin for error.

△ Canberra’s property market is currently stable with strong returns, and new residential developments continue to emerge,, with developers noticeably increasing their demand for civil engineers, architects, and related professionals.

Accounting with no work experience, IT with only four 6s, a less popular non-regional occupation — there are still opportunities to receive an invitation!

These offshore ‘direct’ migration pathways are now open for applications, with hundreds of invitation allocations reserved!

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