How to Apply for State nomination

Western Australia offers State nomination for the permanent Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190) and the temporary Skilled Regional (provisional) visa (subclass 489) which allows migrants to live in regional Western Australia.

The process for obtaining State nomination is as follows:

1. Submit an eligible expression of interest (EOI) in the Department of Immigration and Border Protection (DIBP) SkillSelect database.

For your EOI to be eligible you must meet all the following criteria:

• Score at least 60 for the DIBP points test. This includes the points for State nomination which are automatically included in your EOI:
  
  • five points for the Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190); and
  • ten points for the Skilled Regional (provisional) visa (subclass 489).
• Have evidence of a skills assessment suitable for permanent migration in your nominated occupation.
• Have an available nominated occupation on the Western Australian skilled migration occupation list schedule 1 or 2 (WASMOL).
• Have demonstrated at least competent English language skills through an approved English test.* If you have a passport from the United Kingdom, Canada, New Zealand, the United States of America or Ireland you are not required to sit an English exam.
• Be younger than 50 years of age.
• Have at least one year of work experience within Australia or three years of work experience overseas within the last ten years in your nominated or closely related occupation.
• Have selected ‘Western Australia’ or ‘any State or territory’ as your preferred State.

*Approved English language tests and minimum required scores

For candidates nominating an ANZSCO Major Occupation Group 1 (Managers) or Group 2 (Professionals) occupation.

All other occupations.

1. Skilled Migration Western Australia contacts eligible applicants by email through SkillSelect with a link to the State nomination application form, which must be completed within 28 days. This includes three multiple choice questionnaires which test your knowledge of Western Australia. You will be given links to relevant websites to help with your research.
   
   Applications must meet the State nomination criteria and a $200 non-refundable application fee applies.
2. If your application is successful, Skilled Migration Western Australia nominates you in SkillSelect and you automatically receive an invitation from DIBP to lodge your visa application.
   
   All successful applicants are required to:
   • live and work in Western Australia for two years upon arrival; and
   • bring sufficient funds (for at least three months) into the State to cover settlement costs.

For occupations which require licensing or registration before being permitted to work in Western Australia, a positive skills assessment and State nomination does not guarantee you will meet the licensing or registration requirements of the relevant licensing or registration authority.  Those considering applying for Western Australian nomination are advised to check with the appropriate licensing or registration authority to verify their suitability for licensing or registration.

SkillSelect

SkillSelect is an online service provided by DIBP that enables skilled workers, who are interested in migrating to Australia to record their details to be considered for a skilled visa through an EOI. Intending migrants may be identified and nominated for skilled visas by Australian employers or State and territory governments, or they could be invited by the Australian Government to lodge a visa application.
For more information and to submit an EOI, please visit the DIBP website at immi.gov.au/skills/skillselect/

Contract of employment

If you are invited to make an application for State nomination from Western Australia you may require a contract of employment. This is a requirement for​ those who have an occupation on Schedule 2 of the WASMOL, those living in an Australian State or territory other than Western Australia and those who have a restricted preferred region.

The contract must meet all of the following conditions:

• be in your nominated, or closely related occupation;
• be based in Western Australia, for visa subclass 489 this must be in an area outside of Perth and surrounding areas;
• be for at least one year (unless permanent);
• show compensation and benefits;
• have the name of the employee and the employer;
• have a job description; and
• be full time (a minimum of 35 hours a week).

You may provide two employment contracts which equal at least 35 hours of work per week.

After submitting your application for State nomination, the contract of employment must be emailed to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Migration agents

In Australia, migration agents must be registered with the Migration Agents Registration Authority. If you choose to use a migration agent it is important to check whether the agent is properly registered.

For more information about migration agents, please visit the
Migration Agents Registration Authority website.