Nominated Skilled Migration 190 visa pathway update (ACT)

The ACT  190 Nomination program will reopen on 29 November 2018 with a new process for determining nominated applicants.

The ACT nominated Skilled Migration 190 visa pathway is intended to help address the specific skills shortages in the ACT. The number of available visa nominations each year is determined by the Commonwealth’s Department of Home Affairs for each state and territory and the ACT’s current allocation for 2018/19 is 800 nominations.

The pathway program will continue to be focused on occupations that are listed as ‘in-demand’, and assess a range of factors that support successful settlement and contribution to the ACT economy, such as previous residence and other ties to the ACT, English proficiency, and having a job offer in the ACT.

Demand for the 190 visa in the ACT has exceeded the Territory’s allocation in recent years, so replacing the first-in, first-served system with a merit-based assessment that is more in line with other jurisdictions around Australia will moderate supply and demand throughout the year and more effectively address the ACT’s skills needs.

Potential applicants that were close to qualifying to apply for subclass 190 nomination when the program was partially suspended in June 2018 may be eligible for additional points under the merit-based assessment system. This transitional measure will apply for the remainder of the 2018/19 program year.

The ACT Government consulted with program participants, migration agents, education providers, employers and others to develop the new nomination ranking system. This is a long-term policy change that will provide more certainty to prospective applicants, and will see ACT nominated places being supported throughout the year, without the need for sudden program closures….