On 13 July, Canberra (the ACT) released the first round of Matrix invitations for the 2023–24 financial year. The numbers look modest at a glance, and everything we have seen has gone to offshore applicants.

The invitation data so far ——

Conference and Event Organiser, Matrix 70 points, EOI 60+5 points, Subclass 190 invited, lodged late June

Conference and Event Organiser, Matrix 65 points, EOI 60+5 points, Subclass 190 invited, lodged early July

Quality Assurance Manager, Matrix 65 points, EOI 60+5 points, Subclass 190 invited, lodged early June

Canberra is helping applicants get ahead

As at 13 July, when this article went out, no state or territory had yet received its formal state-nomination allocation for the new financial year, but that has not stopped Canberra from issuing Matrix pre-invitations.

Once an applicant receives a pre-invitation, they lodge their formal documents with the state government within 14 days. The state government then begins assessing the material, and only once it is satisfied does it move to issuing a formal nomination (which is the step that actually uses up an allocation). Even if the state government finishes its assessment before the allocation has arrived, it can simply hold the decision-ready application and issue the formal nomination the moment the allocation comes through. So in effect, the ACT government is helping applicants “get a head start”.

For offshore applicants, Canberra means stability plus low points!

In the 2022–23 financial year, Canberra was one of the most welcoming jurisdictions for offshore applicants. After it lowered its requirements in the second half of the year in particular, it became one of the steadiest pathways for offshore applicants to secure invitations.Frequent and consistent rounds are another hallmark — official data is published after every Matrix round.

Graduates from within the ACT, and those who have relocated from interstate and settled there for a while, can generally secure a Subclass 190 invitation without much trouble.

Canberra offshore Subclass 491 requirements

– Meet 65 points on the EOI

– Hold a positive skills assessment

– Have one year of work experience in the nominated occupation

– Have English of 6 in each of the four bands

– Have not lived in the ACT for at least the past 12 months, and have not held an Australian visa during that time (holding a visitor visa is acceptable)

Matrix invitation scores have stayed in the 45–60 point range for a long time

Canberra offshore Subclass 190 requirements

– Meet 65 points on the EOI

– Hold a positive skills assessment

– Have three years of work experience in the nominated occupation

– Have English of 7 in each of the four bands

– Have not lived in the ACT for at least the past 12 months, and have not held an Australian visa during that time (holding a visitor visa is acceptable)

Matrix invitation scores have stayed in the 60–75 point range for a long time

How Canberra selects applicants

– The EOI threshold is only 65 points in both cases (for the Subclass 491 you reach 50 points on your own; for the Subclass 190 you reach 60 points on your own)

–Canberra uses its own Matrix points system to select applicants . Low-point Matrix invitations have been the norm for a long while now, so onshore and offshore applicants for the Subclass 491 or Subclass 190 do not need to “chase points”

–Offshore and onshore applicants sit in separate pools and do not compete against each other

Low-point “lucky break” invitations mostly happen in the first half of the financial year, and Canberra has given us a strong start by going first. We hope every state and territory secures its formal allocation soon, so that all programmes and pathways can get fully under way!If you would like to learn more about the Canberra Matrix points system and the application process, add one of our consultants below!

Catch up on earlier articles

Working offshore in marketing / advertising / PR? You can move to Australia with ease too — this one article shows you how to self-check!

Migration occupations most offshore applicants can apply for! Last financial year you only needed to reach 50–70 points

The first state-nomination pathway of the new financial year opens on 7 July! Recent skills-assessment case studies

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Recommended in 2023

New financial year, first state-nomination round! Offshore still invited at 65–70 low points!

Working offshore in marketing / advertising / PR? You can move to Australia with ease too — this one article shows you how to self-check!

Migration occupations most offshore applicants can apply for! Last financial year you only needed to reach 50–70 points

The first state-nomination pathway of the new financial year opens on 7 July! Recent skills-assessment case studies

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