Australian Nomination Application
For some specific Skilled and Business Australian Visas, a person requires Nomination from a particular authority that makes him/her eligible to apply for an Australian Visa that requires Nomination. Nomination is generally related to skilled and business visas. The nominator could be an Australian State or Territory Government Agency, employer, or organization. Each Skilled visa and business visa in Australia specifies the eligible nominator for a visa from whom a visa applicant can get Nomination.
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Importance of Nomination
The nomination has very important value in Australian skilled migration visas and Business Visas. Through nomination, the nominator declares that the applicant is an eligible candidate for the visa and the applicant is skilled enough to cover the required occupation seat or fulfill the business opportunity declared by the Australian Government. Through nomination, the nominating body declares to the department of home affairs that the visa applicant skills are required for a particular occupation in Australia and they done thoroughly assessment that the person is eligible and have the evidence to prove their eligibility to the department by providing the relevant documents. It is equally important to know that Nomination is not a certificate or approval of a visa grant. It simply makes a person eligible to lodge a valid Australian skilled or business visa application. The final decision of Visa is always made by the Department of Home Affairs Australia. However, nomination covers all the aspects to prove that the applicant is eligible for a specific Australian Visa. It is a positive result of a pre-assessment done regarding an applicant before applying for the visa to the Department of Home Affairs.
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Nominations associated with Australian Visas
Australian State or Territory Nomination for Subclass 190 and Subclass 491 Visa
For Skilled Nominated Visa (subclass 190) and Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491), nomination from Australian state or territory government agency is required. For these two visas, Australian States receive a lot of expression of Interest applications every year. All states declare the required score points under each occupation and EOIs satisfying the points criteria of each state are given an invitation to apply for the 190 or 491 visas.
Subclass 190 is a permanent visa and subclass 491 is a temporary visa. It is easier to satisfy the nomination criteria of 491 visas than subclass 190 visas and it can lead to a permanent skilled visa in the future.
The process of Nomination from the Australian State or Territory Government starts by submitting an Expression of Interest. In each invitation round of Australian states, the applicants with EOIs having specific points for each required occupation are declared by the states, to apply for nomination. The applicants can apply for the nomination through the online portal of each state. The links of each state nomination portal are mentioned on the Immi website. The applicants need to apply between the time frame of the invitation round. Once the nomination is approved, the state and territory invite the applicant to apply for the skilled visa within 60 days after approval.
Below is a brief description of the nomination process of each state of Australia for subclass 491 and subclass 190 visas.
Nomination Process for ACT:
For ACT nomination, the applicant is required to submit an Expression of Interest for subclass 190 or 491 visa to show interest in lodging the subclass 190 or 491 visa application. Australian Capital Territory has started a new scoring system known as Canberra Matrix to calculate the eligibility score of an applicant for the ACT.
During the Canberra Matrix Invitation Round, the candidates who have enough points to qualify for Canberra Invitation are eligible to apply through the Canberra matrix to express their interest in ACT Nomination.
The Candidates with the highest points and skills for each occupation are then selected to apply for ACT nomination by submitting the online application along with required documents and Canberra Matrix claimed score plus paying the service fee within 14 days.
Once the Nomination is successful, the applicant receives Apply Visa tab for their intended visa EOI in Skill select to apply for the visa.
Nomination Process for New South Wales:
The nomination process of New South Wales for subclass 190 and subclass 491 visas slightly differs from each other.
Subclass 491 Nomination:
To be eligible for 491 NSW Nomination, the applicant will need to satisfy the nomination criteria of one of the three streams of NSW.
- Stream1 is associated with applicants Living and Working in NSW.
- Stream2 is associated with applicants who completed studies in Regional NSW.
- Stream3Â is associated with applicants skilled in the occupation required in NSW.
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For the nomination process of 491 visas, NSW starts with the submission of Expression of Interest and then submission of Registration of Interest (ROI) during the submission window. If the ROI is valid, the applicant is invited to apply to an RDA office where applicant skills are required. Once the nomination is approved, the applicant receives Apply Visa tab in the 491 EOI account.
Subclass 190 Nomination:
To be eligible to apply for 190 Nomination, the applicant will need to satisfy the nomination criteria of NSW that is currently employed in NSW where the applicant employment meets the standard for claiming skilled employment in applicant’s skilled occupation or have genuinely and continuously resided in NSW from the last three months.
The Nomination process for 190 NSW begins with the submission of an Expression of Interest in Skill selection. The EOIs with the highest Points are invited to apply for nomination within 14 days of the Invitation. Once the nomination is approved the applicant receives an Apply Visa tab in EOI Account to apply for the visa within 60 days of nomination.
Nomination Process for Northern Territory:
The Nomination Process for Northern Territory begins by submission of Expression of Interest. The applicant needs to meet the Eligibility Criteria of the Northern Territory. The applicant is required to apply for the nomination of 190 or 491 through the NT Government Online Application System. The applicant will need to pay the nomination application processing fee as well.
Once the Nomination is approved, the applicant will get Apply Visa tab in his/her EOI account, from where they can start completing their 190 or 491 visa application for which the nomination has been approved by NT Government.
Nomination Process for Queensland:
The nomination process for 190 and 491 visas QA starts by submitting an Expression of Interest through the skill select website. The applicant needs to select Queensland as an intended state for nomination in EOI. If the applicant’s EOI points are eligible for the invitation, the applicant gets an invitation through email from Migration Queensland to apply for nomination.
The applicant is then required to apply for the nomination through the provided link and upload the required documents and pay the nomination application fee. Once the Nomination is approved the applicant gets Apply Visa tab from the Department of Home Affairs as an invitation of visa in their EOI Account from where he/she can apply for his/her skilled visa through Immi account.
Nomination Process for South Australia:
The nomination process for subclass 190 and 491 visas for South Australia starts with the submission of expression of interest. The intended state for nomination should be South Australia. For SA nomination the applicant needs to satisfy the nomination criteria of SA. The applicant then needs to submit the nomination application through the Skilled & Business Migration Portal.
Upon approval of the nomination application, the applicant receives an invitation from the Department of Home Affairs by getting Apply Visa tab in his/her EOI Account.
Nomination Process for Tasmania:
The nomination process for subclass 190 and 491 Tasmania also begins with the submission of Expression of Interest for Tasmania state. The eligible EOIs are invited further for Tasmania state nomination application in each invitation round. The invited applicants apply through the Tasmania State Website for nomination application and they need to submit the nomination application processing fee.
Once the nomination is approved the applicant is informed through provided email and he/she also gets an invitation for applying for the visa in his/her EOI Account from the Department of Home Affairs. The applicant will see the Apply visa tab in his/her EOI Account for his/her approved visa EOI.
Nomination Process for Victoria:
The Nomination process for subclass 190 and 491 Victoria like other states begins with the submission of Expression of Interest for Victoria as an intended state of living. After submission of EOI, the applicant is required to apply for Registration of Interest (ROI) through the Live-in Melbourne Website. Once the ROI is approved, the applicant is informed through email to apply for a Nomination application for Victoria through the Live-in Melbourne Portal.
Once the nomination is approved, the applicant gets a tab of Apply Visa in his/her EOI account from the Department of Home Affairs Australia to apply for the visa.
Nomination Process for Western Australia:
The nomination process for subclass 190 and subclass 491 Western Australia commences with the submission of Expression of Interest with Western Australia as an Intended state of seeking nomination from. If the applicant is selected to apply for nomination, he/she will receive an email from WA with a link to the WA State Nomination application. The applicant gets 28 days for the completion and submission of the Nomination application along with the Application processing fee.
Once the Nomination is successful, the applicant gets an invitation from the Department of Home Affairs in his/her EOI account to apply for their nominated skilled visa.
Nomination for Subclass 188 Visa:
For Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) visa (subclass 188), the applicant also requires a nomination from an Australian State or Territory government agency or Austrade.
For subclass 188 visa, the applicant is required to submit an Expression of Interest by identifying the state from which the applicant is seeking the nomination. The applicant will need to visit the state government website or contact them to know about their nomination process or requirements. When the Nomination is approved by the Australian State or Territory Government or Austrade, the applicant is invited to apply for a 188 Visa.
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Types of Nomination associated with Other Australian Visas:
Subclass 494 and Subclass 482 Visa:
For Skilled Employer-Sponsored Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 494), the applicant needs to get a nomination from an employer whose business is lawfully operating in Australia or submitted an application to become a Standard Business Sponsor in relevant occupation or the occupation is in Labor Agreement between Commonwealth Australia and nominator.
For Temporary Skilled Shortage Visa (subclass 482), the applicant requires a nomination from an Approved sponsor or employer who submitted an application to become a Standard Business Sponsor. In this case, the Nominator can only nominate a person who has the skills to work in one of the Occupations specified in STSOL, MLTSSL, or Labor Agreement.
Nomination from Approved Sponsor for Subclass 482 and 494:
For subclass 482 and 494, the employer of the applicant needs to submit the nomination application for the applicant. But for nomination, the employer must need to be an approved sponsor or must have submitted an application to become an approved sponsor.
To become an approved sponsor, the employer needs to complete and submit Standard Business Sponsorship Application (482, 494) online on Immi Account.
Subclass 186 and Subclass 187 Visa:
For Employer Nomination Scheme Visa (subclass 186), the applicant requires the nomination from an Australian Eligible Employer for an occupation listed in Occupation List or an eligible Australian Employer that is part of Labor Agreement or an Australian Eligible Employer who sponsored that person for subclass 457 or 482 visa.
For Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme visa (subclass 187) the applicant requires Nomination from an Australian Eligible Employer for an occupation listed on the relevant list of occupations or an Australian Eligible Employer who sponsored a person for 457 or 482 visas previously.
Nomination for 186 and 187 Visa:
Nomination for 186 visas and 187 visas is done by the employer. The employer business should be active and lawfully operating in Australia. For Nominations, the employer will need to complete and submit the Employer Nomination for a Permanent Appointment (186,187) application online on Immi Account.
Upon, approval of Nomination, the applicant will need to submit a visa application within 6 months of the nomination being approved.
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Who Can Apply for Nomination?
The applicant or the employer of the applicant has a choice to apply for nomination him/herself or through a Registered Migration Agent. Nomination is a very crucial process and requires proper documents to be provided with the nomination applications. Most applicants and businesses do not gather proper information about the documents required for the nomination of a particular visa.
Applying for such crucial nomination processes without proper knowledge is risky and can lead to the refusal of nomination. Hiring the services of an expert MARA agent for such an important nomination process is recommended for a safe and successful nomination application process.