2024-25 NSW Skilled Migration Program

See program updates below 

We are pleased to announce the opening of our skilled visa nomination program for the 2024-25 program year, with important updates designed to streamline the process and provide more opportunities for skilled migrants and their families to commence a new life in NSW.

Below is a summary of the key updates to the program: 

NSW Priority Sectors 

The program is aligned to the NSW Government’s priorities to address chronic and persistent skills shortages, as well as industries undergoing significant structural changes. 

The NSW Priority Sectors are Construction (infrastructure and housing), Renewables (net zero and clean energy), Care Economy (aged care and disability services, early childhood education and care sectors), Digital and Cyber (across all sectors), Education (teachers), Agriculture and Agrifood and Advanced Manufacturing.  

Published Skills Lists 

NSW has published skills lists for the 2024-25 program year. The lists will be provided at the ANZSCO unit group level, with separate lists for the Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190) and the Skilled Work Regional visa (subclass 491). 

All occupations within an identified unit group that are eligible for the respective visa are eligible for NSW nomination. 

Note: Home Affairs determines which occupations are eligible for each visa. Not all occupations within an ANZSCO unit group are eligible, so be sure to confirm your occupation is eligible before obtaining a skills assessment. 

Invitation Rounds for Subclass 190 Visa 

Invitation rounds for NSW nomination for the subclass 190 visa will begin soon and will occur regularly until the allocation has been filled. To ensure eligibility, we strongly recommend keeping your SkillSelect EOI up to date and making sure that you can provide valid supporting evidence for all claims. 

NSW Nomination Pathways for Subclass 491 Visa Opening Soon  

Pathway 1 and Pathway 3 for NSW nomination for the Skilled Work Regional visa (subclass 491) will open soon. Detailed eligibility criteria for both pathways are available on our website. Please review these to ensure you meet the requirements before applying. 

New Regional NSW Graduate Pathway for Subclass 491 Visa 

We are introducing a new direct application pathway for recent graduates from select regional NSW institutions to apply for NSW nomination under the subclass 491 visa (Pathway 3). You can find more information about eligibility and the application process on our website. 

TSMIT Concession for Subclass 491 (Pathway 1) 

Applicants in select occupations may qualify for a 10% concession on the Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold (TSMIT) under Pathway 1. This can make it easier for applicants in select occupations to meet income requirements. For more details, please visit the TSMIT Concessions List on our website. 

Updated Skilled Employment Criteria 

We have simplified our approach to skilled employment, removing previous restrictions on what employment can be claimed in your EOI. NSW now adopts the Home Affairs definition of skilled employment. For advice on what employment you can claim, we recommend consulting a registered migration agent or legal practitioner, as we cannot provide this guidance. 

Changes to EOI Submission 

We have removed past restrictions around submitting EOIs in SkillSelect. From this program year, any valid EOI with NSW selected will be considered during an invitation round. Ensure your EOI is complete and visible to NSW for consideration. 

Application Fee 

The application fee has been increased by CPI for the 2024-25 program year, and is now A$315, plus GST if applying from within Australia.