Western Australia State Nomination Criteria For 2026
VEMVisa | Western Australia Skilled Migration
A practical guide to WA subclass 190 and 491 nomination, invitation rounds, occupation streams, employer sponsorship, Bridging Visa A and permanent-residence planning.
The Western Australia State Nominated Migration Program allows WA to nominate eligible skilled workers for the permanent subclass 190 visa or the regional provisional subclass 491 visa. State nomination is a competitive selection step. It is not the visa itself and does not guarantee a visa grant.
Applicants should compare the General Stream, Graduate Stream, regional obligations and employer-sponsored alternatives before choosing a pathway. A strong EOI score alone may not be enough: the occupation list, invitation ranking, evidence, location, employment and program-year settings all matter. Read VEM’s broader skilled visa Australia guide before committing to a subclass.
Reviewed 23 July 2026: the latest WA-specific allocation published by Home Affairs is the completed 2025–26 allocation of 2,000 subclass 190 places and 1,400 subclass 491 places. By 31 May 2026, WA had recorded 1,742 subclass 190 nominations and 1,400 subclass 491 nominations. The 2026–27 national Migration Program has been announced, but a new WA-specific split was not yet shown on the federal allocation page at the review date.
Check the live WA program
Use Migration WA for current criteria, occupation lists and invitation data. Old program-year articles can remain indexed after rules change.
Separate nomination from visa
WA selects candidates, while Home Affairs assesses the subclass 190 or 491 visa under federal migration law.
Evidence every EOI claim
Age, English, work, qualifications, partner points, WA study and contracts must be supported at the nomination and visa stages.
Searches for WA immigration news often mix state nomination, federal visa rules and employer sponsorship. These are separate systems, and each can change on a different date.
Update
Position at 23 July 2026
What applicants should do
2025–26 WA allocation
2,000 places for subclass 190 and 1,400 for subclass 491.
Treat these as completed-program data, not a prediction of 2026–27 invitations.
Nominations to 31 May 2026
1,742 subclass 190 and 1,400 subclass 491 nominations were recorded.
Do not assume an eligible EOI will be invited after a stream reaches its annual allocation.
2026–27 planning
National planning levels are published, but the WA-specific 190/491 allocation was not yet listed on the federal allocation page.
Wait for an official WA or Home Affairs announcement before quoting a new state total.
Employer-sponsored thresholds
From 1 July 2026, the CSIT and TSMIT are AUD79,423; the Specialist Skills threshold is AUD146,576.
Employers must also satisfy the Annual Market Salary Rate and other nomination requirements.
Allocation graphics become outdated quickly. Always distinguish a completed program year from the current invitation settings.
How Western Australia state nomination works
WA nomination is used with the points-tested General Skilled Migration system. The applicant first submits an Expression of Interest in SkillSelect. WA can then identify and invite competitive EOIs that meet the state stream and occupation settings.
If WA approves the nomination, SkillSelect issues the federal visa invitation. The applicant then lodges the subclass 190 or 491 application through ImmiAccount. Home Affairs independently checks age, English, skills assessment, points, health, character and all claims made in the EOI.
WA nomination stage
WA ranks EOIs, applies state criteria and decides whether to nominate. The state does not grant the visa.
Federal visa stage
Home Affairs assesses the visa application and can refuse it even where WA nomination was approved.
Subclass 190 or subclass 491 in Western Australia?
Feature
Subclass 190
Subclass 491
Visa status
Permanent residence from grant.
Five-year provisional regional visa.
Nomination points
5 points.
15 points.
Location after grant
A commitment to settle in WA applies to the state nomination.
The visa holder must comply with regional residence, work and study conditions shown in the grant notice and VEVO.
PR pathway
Already permanent.
A separate subclass 191 application may be available after the relevant holding period and compliance requirements.
Competition
Often stronger because it grants immediate PR and fewer nomination points.
May be realistic for candidates willing to meet regional conditions, but it is still competitive.
The extra points attached to subclass 491 do not make it automatically better. Compare the regional conditions, family plans, work location and later subclass 191 evidence requirements through VEM’s regional migration Australia guide.
WA invitation rounds and EOI ranking
WA invitation rounds are run by Migration WA, not by the federal SkillSelect invitation rounds used for subclass 189 and family-sponsored subclass 491. WA decides which state-nomination EOIs to select in line with its allocation and priorities.
For 2025–26, WA announced that ordinary invitation rounds commenced with a round issued on 5 December 2025. Invitation patterns can change between program years, and an earlier round does not guarantee that the same occupation, points score or residency category will be selected again. Compare WA data with the federal explanation of SkillSelect invitation rounds, which confirms that state and territory governments manage their own nominations.
EOI reminder: an EOI is not a visa application, does not grant lawful status and does not create a Bridging Visa. Keep the EOI current, but do not inflate points or employment claims merely to improve ranking.
Common ranking factors
Stream and occupation
General Stream or Graduate Stream eligibility and the applicable WA occupation list.
WA residence or study
Location, WA qualification history and stream-specific priorities.
Points and date of effect
The points score and when the EOI reached that score may influence ranking.
Employment evidence
A qualifying WA contract may be required for some subclass 190 pathways.
Western Australia state nomination requirements
The exact state criteria depend on the stream, occupation, subclass and invitation date. The following checklist is a planning framework rather than a substitute for the live WA criteria.
Requirement
What it usually means
Evidence to prepare
Federal visa eligibility
Generally under 45 when invited, suitable skills assessment, Competent English, at least 65 points and an eligible occupation.
Passport, English test, skills assessment, qualifications and points evidence.
Eligible WA occupation
The occupation must appear on the list used for the intended stream and subclass.
Some General Stream pathways require relevant paid experience; exemptions or different rules can apply.
References, payslips, tax evidence, contracts and duty statements.
Employment contract
A WA contract may be required for some subclass 190 General Stream applicants. Subclass 491 settings may differ.
Signed contract, employer details, location, hours, salary and occupation relationship.
WA study for Graduate Stream
Eligible study at a WA institution, course duration and occupation relationship requirements.
Completion letters, transcripts, CoEs, CRICOS details and residence evidence.
Commitment to WA
A genuine intention to live and work in WA and, for 491, comply with regional conditions.
Address, employment, family, settlement and regional planning evidence where requested.
Occupation eligibility must be checked against the list and stream in force when WA issues the invitation.
WA occupation streams: Schedule 1, Schedule 2 and Graduate Stream
General Stream — Schedule 1
Often includes work-experience requirements and, for some subclass 190 applicants, a qualifying WA employment contract.
General Stream — Schedule 2
Can have different employment and experience settings. Do not transfer Schedule 1 rules automatically.
Graduate Stream
Designed for eligible graduates of WA institutions who meet the qualification, study, occupation and federal visa criteria.
Occupation lists and stream rules can be amended within or between program years. Check the ANZSCO code, list name and subclass together; searching by job title alone can lead to the wrong occupation. VEM’s Australian skilled occupations list guide explains the federal-list layer.
General Stream rules are stream-specific. Schedule 1 and Schedule 2 should not be treated as interchangeable.Graduate Stream applicants should map their WA study, occupation and skills assessment before submitting the EOI.
How to apply for WA state nomination
1
Choose the visa and WA stream
Confirm subclass 190 or 491 eligibility and identify the applicable General or Graduate occupation list.
2
Obtain the skills assessment and English result
Ensure the assessment matches the EOI occupation and remains valid for the relevant stages.
3
Submit the SkillSelect EOI
Select WA and the intended visa subclass. Enter only claims that can be evidenced at invitation.
4
Wait for a WA invitation
WA ranks eligible EOIs. There is no entitlement to an invitation and no guaranteed waiting period.
5
Lodge the WA nomination application
Submit the requested evidence within the invitation period. Resolve inconsistencies before lodgement rather than explaining them after assessment starts.
6
Lodge the federal visa application
After nomination and the SkillSelect invitation, apply through ImmiAccount within the deadline and keep checking messages and status.
WA nomination and the Home Affairs visa application are separate stages with separate evidence and deadlines.
Employer sponsored visa WA: alternatives to state nomination
The search phrase “employer sponsored visa WA” usually refers to a federal employer-sponsored visa connected to a job in Western Australia. It is not another stream of the WA points-tested nomination program.
An endorsed employer seeks a labour agreement and then nominates the worker under an eligible visa.
Can provide additional occupations or agreed concessions, but workers cannot self-nominate under a DAMA.
From 1 July 2026, the Core Skills Income Threshold and the Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold increased to AUD79,423. The Specialist Skills Income Threshold increased to AUD146,576. Salary must also meet the Annual Market Salary Rate, and a DAMA concession applies only where the agreement expressly provides it. Confirm the current figures on the Home Affairs salary requirements page.
WA also operates employer and construction workforce initiatives, including the Construction Visa Subsidy Program. A subsidy or state endorsement does not replace employer sponsorship, labour-market testing, nomination or Home Affairs visa criteria. Compare options in VEM’s sponsorship visa Australia guide.
WA 010 visa conditions: Bridging Visa A is a federal visa
The keyword “WA 010 visa conditions” usually means the conditions of a Bridging Visa A, subclass 010, held by someone living in Western Australia. There is no separate WA subclass 010. The visa and its conditions are administered federally and apply according to the individual grant notice and VEVO record.
Issue
How BVA subclass 010 works
When it starts
It commonly comes into effect after the current substantive visa ceases, unless the grant circumstances make it effective earlier.
Work rights
Do not assume unrestricted work. Conditions such as 8101 or other work limitations may be attached. Check the grant notice and VEVO.
Travel
An in-effect BVA ceases when the holder departs Australia and does not permit re-entry. Obtain a Bridging Visa B before departure where eligible.
State nomination
Submitting an EOI or receiving a WA nomination invitation does not create a BVA. A bridging visa is connected to a valid substantive visa application or another qualifying process.
The phrase “bridging visa WA 010 medicare” combines two separate questions. A BVA does not automatically create Medicare eligibility. Eligibility may arise because the holder has applied for an eligible permanent visa, holds another temporary visa covered by a Ministerial Order, is covered by a Reciprocal Health Care Agreement, or meets another Services Australia category.
Services Australia generally allows a person living in Australia who has applied for a permanent residence visa—other than the excluded Parent visa situation—to enrol where the relevant requirements are met. Evidence normally includes a current passport or ImmiCard and proof of the permanent visa application. Where the current visa does not permit work, additional family-relationship evidence may be required. Check the official Medicare document requirements for the application category.
Practical check: do not ask only “Do I have a BVA?” Check the substantive visa application, BVA work condition, Medicare category and supporting documents separately. A WA address does not change the federal Medicare rules.
WA nomination document checklist
Identity and status
Passport and civil documents
Current visa and VEVO details
Name-change evidence
Australian address history
Skills and points
Skills assessment
English test
Qualifications and transcripts
Partner points evidence
Employment
Reference letters and duty statements
Payslips and tax records
Employment contract
Employer location and business evidence
WA Graduate Stream
WA qualification and completion letter
Academic transcripts
CRICOS and campus evidence
WA residence during study
The nomination checklist and visa checklist are not identical. Home Affairs may later require health, character, family, points and identity evidence that WA did not request during nomination.
WA nomination costs and processing time
A responsible budget separates state nomination costs, federal visa charges and personal evidence costs. WA may waive or change its nomination application fee between program years, so check the invitation and payment page rather than relying on an old AUD200 reference.
Cost or timing item
Planning point
EOI
No SkillSelect EOI application charge, but English tests, assessments and document preparation have costs.
WA nomination
Check the current WA invitation and portal. Fee waivers and charges can change by program year.
Federal visa
Use the Home Affairs Visa Pricing Estimator close to lodgement; family-member, English and surcharge costs may apply.
Waiting for WA invitation
No guaranteed timeframe. It depends on allocation, occupation, ranking and invitation-round priorities.
Nomination assessment
Use the current Migration WA estimate shown at application; completeness and verification can affect timing.
Visa processing
Check the federal processing-time guide for the exact subclass. The guide reflects recently decided cases and is not a guarantee.
VEM’s Australia visa processing times guide explains why nomination waiting time and federal visa processing time should not be combined into one number.
Common WA migration mistakes
Mistake
Why it matters
Using a previous program-year list
The occupation or stream may have changed before invitation.
Claiming points without evidence
The nomination or visa can fail if the invited score cannot be proved.
Assuming EOI creates lawful status
An EOI, WA invitation or nomination does not extend the current visa or create a BVA.
Leaving Australia on an in-effect BVA
The BVA ceases on departure and cannot be used to return.
Treating a DAMA as a worker application
The employer must obtain endorsement and a labour agreement before nominating an eligible worker.
Planning a WA skilled or employer-sponsored pathway?
VEM can review the visa subclass, WA stream, occupation, EOI claims, employment evidence and bridging-visa risks. Advice should be based on the rules and program status applying to your own dates and documents.
Is the WA State Nominated Migration Program open for 2026–27?
At the review date, the federal allocation page still showed WA’s 2025–26 split and did not publish a 2026–27 WA-specific allocation. Check Migration WA before submitting or changing an EOI strategy.
What does WA 010 visa conditions mean?
It generally means the conditions attached to a Bridging Visa A, subclass 010, held by a person in WA. Subclass 010 is federal. Work, start-date and other conditions must be checked in the grant notice and VEVO.
Does a WA nomination EOI give me a Bridging Visa A?
No. An EOI and state nomination process do not create a bridging visa. A BVA is usually linked to a valid onshore substantive visa application or another qualifying immigration process.
Can a Bridging Visa A subclass 010 holder get Medicare in WA?
Possibly, but not because of the BVA alone. Medicare eligibility depends on the substantive permanent visa application or another Services Australia category. Check the visa application type, work condition and required evidence.
What employer-sponsored visas are available in WA?
Common pathways include the Skills in Demand visa subclass 482, regional subclass 494 and permanent subclass 186. Eligible employers may also use a WA DAMA or another labour agreement where the occupation and concessions fit.
Can I change my EOI after receiving a WA invitation?
Changes can affect eligibility and the invited points score. Do not alter the EOI casually after invitation. Compare the invitation terms, points at invitation and supporting evidence before making any update.
Mr. Phong Cao is a licensed migration agent by MARA (MARN: 1577877). He is also a member of the Migration Institute of Australia (MIA: 12648), one of the most reputable organizations in the field of immigration in Australia. In addition, Mr. Phong Cao holds a QEAC certification in study abroad consulting (QEAC: K580) and Australian real estate investment (RA85931). With over 12 years of experience in Australian immigration, he provides comprehensive solutions for studying and settling in Australia.
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