Master prompt
State / territory nomination strategy (190 +5 / 491 +15)
Map the applicant's ANZSCO and circumstances against each state / territory nomination program (NSW, VIC, QLD, SA, WA, TAS, ACT, NT) and pick the highest-probability nomination path.
AustraliaState nominationSubclass 190Subclass 491Schedule 6DNSWVICQLDSAWATASACTNTStrategy
You are advising [CLIENT_NAME] on the highest-probability state / territory nomination pathway to unlock either +5 pts (subclass 190 - Schedule 6D item 6D.12) or +15 pts (subclass 491 - Schedule 6D item 6D.13). State nomination programs are independent of Home Affairs - each state publishes its own occupation list, threshold, and selection criteria.
CONTEXT
- ANZSCO: [ANZSCO_CODE]
- Pre-nomination points: [POINTS_NO_NOM]
- Time in Australia: [YEARS_AU_RESIDENCE] years
- Current state of residence: [STATE_OF_RESIDENCE]
- AU work location: n/a
- AU study location: No AU study
- Family ties: No family ties
- Regional flexibility: [COMMITMENT_FLEXIBILITY]
GROUND RULES (state at top)
- Nomination programs run on financial-year allocations; thresholds and lists change at 1 July each year (sometimes mid-year). Cross-check the live state program page for the current financial year before relying on numbers below.
- Subclass 190 confers permanent residence and binds the applicant via a moral commitment (and in some cases a contractual undertaking) to live and work in the nominating state for 2-3 years.
- Subclass 491 confers a provisional visa valid 5 years; PR via subclass 191 requires 3 years of compliant regional residence with a minimum income (currently AUD ~53,900 - verify) for the 3 years.
- "Regional Australia" for 491 purposes is everywhere EXCEPT Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane metro. Adelaide, Hobart, Canberra, Perth, Darwin, the Gold Coast, all of Tasmania, Northern Territory, and most of regional VIC/NSW/QLD/SA/WA all qualify. Confirm postcode against the current designated regional area list.
STAGE A - PER-STATE OPPORTUNITY SCAN
For each jurisdiction, assess [ANZSCO_CODE] eligibility, typical threshold, and friction. Mark each as OPEN / RESTRICTED / CLOSED for the current FY.
A1 - NEW SOUTH WALES (Investment NSW)
- 190: Pathway 1 (highest-pointed EOIs in MLTSSL skilled occupations). Open to onshore and offshore.
- 491: Pathway 1 (onshore in regional NSW for 3+ months) + Pathway 2 (skilled-work-experience track) + Pathway 3 (regional study).
- Typical effective threshold for popular ANZSCOs (e.g. 261313): 95+ for 190, 85+ for 491.
- Friction: Sydney metro is NOT regional; only regional NSW postcodes count for 491.
- State this client's eligibility against [ANZSCO_CODE].
A2 - VICTORIA (Live in Melbourne / Live in Regional VIC)
- 190: Live in Melbourne stream - target sectors (health, digital/ICT, agri-food, advanced manufacturing). Visa Nomination Application System (registration first, then invitation).
- 491: Live in Regional VIC stream - must be living in or committed to a regional VIC area.
- Friction: VIC uses a Registration of Interest (ROI) -> selective-invitation model rather than first-come-first-served EOI ordering. Need genuine ties + sector fit.
A3 - QUEENSLAND (Migration QLD - Business and Skilled Migration Queensland)
- 190 and 491 streams. Specific subprograms: Onshore Skilled, Offshore Skilled, Graduate, Small Business Owner.
- Some pathways require state-of-residence link (e.g. 6+ months working in regional QLD).
- Friction: high demand in 2613/2611/2544 - thresholds elevate quickly mid-FY.
A4 - SOUTH AUSTRALIA (Skilled & Business Migration SA)
- 190 and 491 streams. Onshore preference; supplementary pathway for offshore in critical-need occupations.
- 491 Talent and Innovators stream for high-points niche applicants.
- All of metro Adelaide counts as regional Australia for 491 purposes (a key advantage).
- Friction: state may suspend occupations mid-year on hitting cohort caps.
A5 - WESTERN AUSTRALIA (Migration WA - Skilled Migration)
- WASMOL Schedule 1 (state nomination occupation list) - 190 and 491 streams.
- Graduate stream for WA-trained graduates.
- Critical-skills stream for sectors with acute shortages (mining, healthcare).
- Friction: WA points-of-difference (years lived in WA, WA study, WA family) ranked in selection.
A6 - TASMANIA (Migration Tasmania)
- 190 (Skilled Tasmania) and 491 streams.
- Categories: Tasmanian Graduate, Established Resident (6+ months in TAS on prior visa), Overseas Applicant (offshore with specialist skills + family in TAS).
- 491 Family in Tasmania pathway: family ties unlock nomination.
- Friction: Tasmania has historically been one of the most accessible nominations but FY thresholds tightening.
A7 - AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY (Canberra Matrix)
- Uses a separate Canberra Matrix scoring model (different from federal points test) for ranking.
- Categories include English (Superior +20 in matrix), Canberra work experience, study, partner education, assets.
- 190 and 491 streams.
- Friction: Canberra Matrix scores often need 75-90 in matrix-points to clear cut-off.
A8 - NORTHERN TERRITORY (NTMP - NT Migration Program)
- Skilled Occupation Priority List (SOPL) and Critical Skills Occupation List.
- 190 and 491 streams.
- Subprograms: Offshore Applicant, NT Resident Applicant, NT Graduate.
- Very limited 190 quota - majority 491.
- Friction: smallest nomination program by volume but historically the lowest competitive threshold for niche occupations.
STAGE B - MATCH STRATEGY TO CLIENT
Score each state OPEN / RESTRICTED / CLOSED for [CLIENT_NAME] against [ANZSCO_CODE]. Highlight the top 2 nominations to pursue.
For each top-2 state, lay out:
- Stream + subprogram
- Threshold expectation (current FY)
- Application steps (ROI -> invitation -> nomination application -> EOI update -> federal grant)
- Timeline (typical 6-14 weeks from ROI to nomination)
- Cost (state application fee, generally AUD 200-330 plus federal EOI/visa fees)
- Commitment (years to live/work in state)
STAGE C - PATHWAY DECISION TREE
Walk the client through this decision tree:
1. Does pre-nom score [POINTS_NO_NOM] + 5 (for 190) clear typical pro-rata cut-off?
YES -> 190 is sufficient. Pick the state with lowest threshold + best ANZSCO fit.
NO -> proceed to step 2.
2. Does pre-nom score [POINTS_NO_NOM] + 15 (for 491) clear typical 491 cut-off?
YES -> 491 is the path. Confirm [COMMITMENT_FLEXIBILITY] = Yes.
NO -> proceed to step 3.
3. Reassess points-maximisation levers (see prompt au-points-maximisation-strategy-189-190) before pursuing nomination.
If [COMMITMENT_FLEXIBILITY] is "No - metro only" and 491 is the only viable path, flag for client decision: lifestyle vs migration outcome trade-off.
STAGE D - EVIDENCE PACKAGE PER NOMINATION
For each top-pick state, list documents needed at the nomination stage:
- Skill assessment (ANZSCO-matched)
- English evidence
- Education transcripts + qualification verification
- Employment evidence for declared overseas/AU experience (employer reference, payslips, tax records, contracts)
- Settlement-plan / commitment-of-residence statutory declaration
- Funds evidence (some states - e.g. NSW historically asks for ~AUD 35k settlement funds)
- Family ties evidence (TAS, NT, some VIC pathways)
- Health insurance cover if onshore on non-Medicare visa
STAGE E - WATCH-OUT FLAGS
Call out:
- State quota exhaustion mid-FY - watch for "currently paused" notices on the state program site.
- Settlement-undertaking compliance - moving out of the nominating state shortly after grant has historically triggered notifications between states and Home Affairs.
- Subclass 491 -> 191 transition: applicant must accrue 3 years of compliant residence + income; income threshold (AUD ~53,900) must be met each of the 3 years.
- Holding 491 cannot count those years toward Australian citizenship by conferral (citizenship requires 4 years lawful residence with at least 12 months as PR before application - 491 is not PR).
OUTPUT FORMAT
Use the Stage A -> B -> C -> D -> E structure. Present the per-state scan as a small table with columns: state, 190 viability, 491 viability, friction. Cite Schedule 6D item 6D.12 / 6D.13 inline. End with the single recommended state + subclass action.
End with: "DRAFT - for MARA-registered migration agent review. Verify against current Home Affairs SkillSelect + state nomination criteria before submission. Per-state thresholds change frequently; pull the live program page before quoting any threshold to the client."Unlock the vault to see the full prompt