Last updated: 30 March 2026

189 vs 190 Visa: Choosing Between Independent and State Nominated Migration

Both the subclass 189 and subclass 190 are permanent residency visas sitting within Australia’s General Skilled Migration program. Both are points-tested. Both grant permanent residency from the date of decision. The key difference is whether you are willing to accept state nomination — and the two-year residency commitment that comes with it — in exchange for 5 bonus points in SkillSelect. This page breaks down every material difference between the two visas so you can determine which pathway aligns with your points profile, your occupation, and where you want to live.

Quick Comparison: 189 vs 190 at a Glance

Both visas grant the same permanent residency status. Neither is inherently superior — the right choice depends on your individual profile.

How Do the Points Requirements Differ?

The official minimum for both the 189 and 190 is 65 points. On the surface, this looks identical. In practice, the 5-point nomination bonus the 190 provides changes the competitive landscape considerably.

For the 189, your entire score comes from your own profile: age, English proficiency, work experience, qualifications, and any applicable bonus factors such as a Professional Year or partner skills. To receive an invitation for the 189, your self-assessed score must be at or above the cut-off the Department applies in each invitation round for your specific ANZSCO occupation.

For the 190, the state or territory adds 5 points to your SkillSelect score upon granting nomination. This means a candidate who scores 70 on their own profile becomes a 75-pointer in the 190 pool — which is a meaningful difference when cut-offs are clustered around that range.

Invitation cut-offs in recent rounds (2025–2026) have varied widely by occupation. Some occupations have seen 189 invitations issued at 65 or 70 points; others have held steady at 85 or above. The 190 pool is segmented by state, and each state draws on a separate invitation round, so the dynamics are different — and often more accessible — than the national 189 pool.

If your current score is, for example, 70 points, the 5 bonus points from a 190 nomination could shift you from waiting for a 189 invitation that may not arrive for months or years to being competitive in a state nomination round right now. Conversely, if your score sits comfortably at 80 or above, the 189 may already place you in a strong position without requiring you to commit to living in a specific state.

What About Occupation Eligibility?

The occupation list is one of the most consequential differences between the two visas — particularly if your nominated occupation does not appear on the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL).

The subclass 189 skilled independent visa draws exclusively from the MLTSSL. This list is maintained by the Department of Home Affairs and includes skilled occupations that are assessed as having medium-to-long-term demand nationally. It spans engineering, ICT, healthcare, accounting, architecture, education, and other sectors — but it is not exhaustive, and many skilled occupations in genuine demand at state level do not appear on it.

The subclass 190 state nominated visa draws from a broader set. States and territories can nominate occupations on the MLTSSL, the Short-term Skilled Occupation List (STSOL), and their own state-specific lists. This creates a substantially wider pool of eligible occupations for the 190 compared to the 189.

The STSOL includes occupations that are in demand but assessed as shorter-term needs nationally. On their own, these occupations cannot access the 189. However, many appear on state nomination lists — meaning the 190 is often the only General Skilled Migration pathway available for applicants in these roles.

What this means in practice: if your occupation is on the MLTSSL, you have full access to both the 189 and 190. If your occupation is only on the STSOL or a state-specific list, the 190 is your relevant pathway within the permanent skilled stream. Always check the current occupation lists on the Department of Home Affairs website — lists are reviewed and updated periodically, and occupation availability can change.

How Does the State Nomination Obligation Work?

State nomination for the 190 is not just an administrative step. It carries a two-year residency commitment to the nominating state or territory.

After your visa is granted, you are expected to live and work in the state that nominated you for a minimum of two years. This is referred to as a residency obligation. It is not enforced as a formal visa condition in the same way regional residence requirements are for the 491 — meaning there is no automatic visa cancellation if you move. However, the Department treats it seriously, and it can affect future applications including citizenship, Resident Return Visas, and any further nominations.

The practical implication: if you receive a 190 nomination from, say, South Australia, you are making a commitment to base yourself in South Australia for two years post-grant. Moving to Sydney six months after your visa is granted to pursue a job opportunity would be a breach of that commitment.

Each state and territory runs its own nomination program. They set their own occupation lists, their own criteria for who qualifies, and their own timelines. Some states open and close nomination rounds based on program allocations and labour market conditions. Processing times for state nomination can range from a few weeks to several months depending on the state and the volume of applications they are receiving.

If you have genuine ties to a particular state — a job offer there, family already there, or a preference for that location — the 190 obligation is unlikely to feel like a burden. If you want complete flexibility from day one, the 189 is the more appropriate pathway.

Which Visa Gets You an Invitation Faster?

The answer varies by profile, occupation, and the particular state or territory you are targeting for a 190 nomination.

For the 189, the invitation timeline depends entirely on your points score relative to other applicants in your occupation’s EOI pool. In high-demand occupations with large candidate pools — software engineering, ICT business analysis, accounting — cut-offs have remained elevated and some applicants have waited a year or more. For lower-demand occupations, invitations can come within weeks of submitting an EOI if your score exceeds the current cut-off.

The 190 adds two stages to the process: first, you apply for state nomination, then — if nominated — you receive 5 bonus points in SkillSelect and wait for a federal invitation. The state nomination stage adds time upfront. However, once nominated, your improved points score often places you above the cut-off for the federal 190 pool in your occupation, resulting in a faster invitation at that stage.

For applicants whose scores are borderline for the 189 — say, 70–75 points — the 190 often produces a faster overall outcome despite the additional nomination stage, because those 5 bonus points tip them above the competitive threshold.

For applicants already scoring 80 or above on their own profile, the 189 may be equally fast or faster, since they are likely already above the cut-off in most occupations without needing to wait for state nomination approval.

The most useful data for making this assessment is the Department’s published SkillSelect invitation round data, which shows the cut-off score per occupation per round for both the 189 and 190. Comparing that data against your score gives you a factual basis for the decision, rather than relying on general estimates.

When Should You Choose the 189?

The subclass 189 skilled independent visa is the stronger fit in several specific situations.

Your points score is already competitive. If your self-assessed score reaches or exceeds the cut-off that recent 189 invitation rounds have applied to your occupation — typically 75 or above for most MLTSSL occupations — you are already in a strong position without needing the 5-point nomination bonus. Pursuing the 190 would require you to commit to a state for two years when you do not need to.

You want to choose where you live in Australia. The 189 carries no location obligation after grant. You can base yourself in Melbourne, Sydney, Perth, or anywhere else in the country from the day your visa is issued. If your job, family, or preference is in a city that does not align with available state nominations, the 189 preserves that freedom.

Your occupation is on the MLTSSL. Since the 189 requires MLTSSL, this is a prerequisite. But if your occupation is on the list and your score is competitive, there is no occupation-based reason to opt for the 190.

You prefer a simpler process. The 189 involves one EOI and one invitation pathway. The 190 involves a state nomination application, state-specific requirements, and then the federal invitation process. If your profile supports it, the 189 involves fewer moving parts.

The 189 suits applicants who have done the work — strong English scores, substantial work experience, relevant qualifications — and whose profile stands on its own in a competitive pool.

When Should You Choose the 190?

The subclass 190 state nominated visa makes sense in a different set of circumstances.

Your points score is below the current 189 cut-off for your occupation. If your score is in the 65–74 range and 189 invitations in your occupation have been coming out at 75 or above, the 190’s 5-point bonus may be the difference between receiving an invitation this program year and waiting indefinitely.

Your occupation is on the STSOL but not the MLTSSL. If your ANZSCO code does not appear on the MLTSSL at all, the 189 is not available to you. Many STSOL occupations are on state nomination lists, making the 190 the direct pathway to permanent residency in the skilled stream.

You already have ties to a particular state. If you are already living and working in Queensland, have a job offer in Western Australia, or have family in South Australia, the two-year residency obligation is not a constraint — it aligns with your actual plans. In this case, the 190 delivers 5 extra points at a cost that may not matter to you in practice.

The state you prefer is actively nominating your occupation. State nomination programs open and close. If a state is currently nominating applicants in your field and their criteria match your profile, the 190 can be an actionable pathway right now rather than a waiting game.

Can You Apply for Both?

Yes — and many applicants do. You can submit an Expression of Interest in SkillSelect for both the 189 and the 190 simultaneously. These are treated as separate EOIs within the system.

The strategy here is straightforward: you maximise your chances of receiving an invitation from either pathway without closing one off while waiting for the other. If you receive an invitation for both, you can choose which one to act on based on your circumstances at that time.

There is one important consideration for the 190 component of this strategy. Submitting a 190 EOI in SkillSelect does not automatically generate a state nomination. You still need to apply separately through the relevant state government’s nomination portal and receive an approved nomination before the 5 bonus points are reflected in your SkillSelect score. The dual EOI approach works best when you are actively pursuing state nomination at the same time.

If you receive a 190 nomination from one state while your 189 EOI is still active, you can update your SkillSelect EOI to reflect the nomination and the associated points boost. This does not require you to withdraw your 189 EOI.

Running both simultaneously is a reasonable approach for applicants whose score is borderline for the 189 but potentially competitive for the 190, or who want optionality between the two pathways while awaiting outcomes.

What About the 491 as a Third Option?

If your points score is not competitive for either the 189 or 190, the subclass 491 regional visa is worth examining before you decide to wait or attempt to raise your score.

The 491 is a temporary skilled regional visa that provides 15 bonus points — three times the bonus available through a 190 nomination. This makes it accessible to applicants whose profiles sit in the 50–65 point range before nomination, and who would need to wait years for a 189 or 190 invitation without a significant score improvement.

The trade-off is more substantial. The 491 is a temporary visa (five years), not a direct permanent grant. To reach permanent residency in Australia through this pathway, you must live and work in a regional area throughout the 491, meet income thresholds, and then apply separately for the subclass 191 permanent residence visa. The full pathway takes a minimum of three years in regional Australia.

The 491 is nominated by a state or territory government or sponsored by an eligible relative living in a regional area. It uses the MLTSSL, the STSOL, and state-specific lists, giving it the widest occupation access of the three skilled migration pathways.

For applicants with lower current scores, a strong preference for a specific regional area, or occupations not on the MLTSSL, the 491-to-191 pathway may be the most realistic route to permanent residency — even if it takes longer than the direct grant options.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which visa is faster — the 189 or 190?

The 190 often results in a faster invitation because the 5 bonus points from state nomination make your EOI more competitive. However, the 190 requires a separate state nomination process that adds time before you reach the federal stage. Overall timelines can be similar. For applicants with strong scores already above the 189 cut-off, the 189 may be equally fast without the added step of securing state nomination first.

Can you apply for both 189 and 190 at the same time?

Yes. You can submit an EOI in SkillSelect for both the 189 and 190 visa subclasses simultaneously. Many applicants do this to maximise their chances of receiving an invitation. If you are also pursuing state nomination for the 190, running both EOIs concurrently gives you optionality across both pathways while you wait for nomination outcomes.

Which visa has more occupations available?

The 190 has access to both the MLTSSL and STSOL occupation lists, as well as state-specific occupation lists, while the 189 only uses the MLTSSL. This means the 190 covers a wider range of occupations. If your occupation is not on the MLTSSL, the 190 (or the 491) is the relevant pathway to consider.

Do you have to live in a specific state with the 189?

No. The 189 has no location obligation. You can live and work anywhere in Australia from the day your visa is granted. The 190 requires you to live in the nominating state for 2 years after grant. This residency commitment is the principal trade-off for the 5-point nomination bonus.

What Should You Do Next?

The decision between the 189 and 190 comes down to three factors: your current points score, your occupation list eligibility, and how you feel about a two-year state residency commitment.

Start by calculating your points score accurately using the official points test criteria. Then look up the most recent SkillSelect invitation round data on the Department of Home Affairs website and identify the cut-off that applied to your ANZSCO occupation in recent 189 rounds. If your score clears that cut-off comfortably, the 189 is likely your pathway. If it falls short by 5 or fewer points, state nomination for the 190 is worth pursuing seriously.

If your occupation does not appear on the MLTSSL at all, check the current state nomination lists for your occupation — it may appear there, pointing you directly to the 190.

For the full details on each visa, see our dedicated pages: the subclass 189 skilled independent visa and the subclass 190 state nominated visa. If your score is not yet competitive for either pathway, explore whether the subclass 491 regional visa offers a more achievable route given your current profile.

A MARA-registered migration agent can give you advice specific to your occupation, score, and state preference before you commit time and money to a skills assessment or nomination application.