1. How Western Australia State Nomination Works
Western Australia's state nomination program is administered by the Department of Training and Workforce Development through its Migration WA division. The program operates two streams aligned with the national framework: the Subclass 190 Skilled Nominated visa (permanent) and the Subclass 491 Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa.
Unlike the national 189 visa, which requires no state involvement, both the 190 and 491 require a formal nomination from a participating state or territory. For WA, this nomination is granted by Migration WA after assessing whether your occupation is on the WA occupation list, whether you meet any occupation-specific requirements, and crucially, whether you can demonstrate genuine intention to live and work in Western Australia.
The process works in three stages:
- Expression of Interest (EOI) in SkillSelect — you must register your EOI via the Department of Home Affairs SkillSelect system, nominating WA as your preferred state and selecting the 190 or 491 visa subclass
- Invitation from Migration WA — Migration WA reviews EOIs from its invitation pool and issues invitations to apply for state nomination to applicants whose occupation and profile align with WA workforce needs
- State Nomination Application — once invited, you submit a full application to Migration WA via the migration.wa.gov.au portal, providing evidence of your skills assessment, English language proficiency, WA ties, and any occupation-specific documents
A successful WA nomination adds the points bonus to your SkillSelect score (5 points for 190, 15 points for 491) and enables you to submit an Expression of Interest specifically targeting WA. The Department of Home Affairs then issues the visa invitation from your updated SkillSelect profile.
2. Why WA Stands Out: Mining, Resources and the Regions
Western Australia occupies a unique position in Australia's skilled migration system. While New South Wales and Victoria dominate in technology, finance, and management occupations, WA's economy is driven by resources, agriculture, construction, and healthcare — sectors that create sustained, genuine demand for skilled workers that other states do not replicate.
The defining distinction is WA's active nomination of mining and resources-sector occupations. No other Australian state or territory consistently nominates mining engineers, petroleum engineers, drillers, geologists, and resources-sector professionals at scale. For applicants working in those industries, WA is often the only realistic path to state nomination.
This has two practical implications for applicants:
- Less competition from ICT applicants: The large cohort of software engineers and IT professionals who dominate 189 and 190 queues in NSW and VIC are not competing for the same WA occupations as trades workers, mining engineers, or construction professionals — creating comparatively more accessible nomination for those profiles
- Genuine employer demand: WA nominates for occupations tied to real workforce shortages. This means the occupation list is driven by economic reality rather than political programming — a more stable long-term signal for which occupations will continue to be supported
WA's resources sector is concentrated in the Pilbara (iron ore, LNG), the Goldfields (gold, nickel), and offshore zones. However, the downstream demand for trades, civil engineers, project managers, and logistics professionals flows into Perth and regional centres like Karratha, Port Hedland, Newman, and Kalgoorlie — all of which are regional for 491 purposes.
3. Subclass 190 vs 491: Perth vs Regional WA
The most important structural distinction between WA's two nomination streams is geographic: the 190 stream covers all of Western Australia, including the Perth metropolitan area, while the 491 stream requires settlement outside the Perth metropolitan statistical area (PMSA).
| Feature | Subclass 190 (WA) | Subclass 491 (WA) |
|---|---|---|
| Visa type | Permanent | Provisional (5 years) |
| Points bonus | +5 points | +15 points |
| Perth metro eligible? | Yes — Perth included | No — must live outside PMSA |
| Path to permanent residence | Immediate (visa is PR) | Via Subclass 191 after 3 years regional work + income |
| Typical competitive score | 80–95+ points | 65–85 points (including +15 bonus) |
| Obligation to remain in WA | 2-year intention commitment (non-enforceable) | Must reside in regional WA — enforceable condition affecting 191 eligibility |
For applicants who want permanent residence and can live in Perth, the 190 is the preferred outcome — it grants PR immediately and allows unrestricted work and movement. For applicants who cannot yet reach the competitive score for a 190 invitation but can achieve a score in the low-to-mid 70s, the 491 pathway via regional WA offers an accessible route to eventual PR through the 191.
It is worth noting that the 190's competitive score is meaningfully higher than 491 in most rounds. An applicant with a base score of 70 points who receives WA 491 nomination reaches 85 points — competitive for most occupations. The same applicant would need a base score of 75–80 for a WA 190 invitation, depending on the occupation and round.
4. Western Australia Priority Occupations 2026
Migration WA publishes its occupation list on migration.wa.gov.au, updated to reflect current workforce needs. For 2025–26, WA has consistently prioritised the following occupations across its 190 and 491 programs:
| Occupation | Sector | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurse (General, Mental Health, Aged Care) | Healthcare | High demand across metro Perth and regional centres; multiple nurse classifications included |
| General Practitioner | Healthcare | Critical shortage particularly in regional and remote WA |
| Aged Care Worker / Personal Care Assistant | Healthcare | Ongoing demand across metro and regional WA |
| Civil Engineer | Engineering / Infrastructure | Driven by infrastructure pipeline; roads, water, resources infrastructure |
| Mining Engineer | Resources | WA-unique — not consistently available in other state programs; Pilbara demand |
| Construction Project Manager | Construction | Major projects pipeline; Perth and Pilbara demand |
| Electrician (General) | Trades | Sustained demand across residential, commercial, and resources sectors |
| Secondary School Teacher | Education | Shortage areas include STEM, regional schools; STEM disciplines prioritised |
| Agricultural Scientist | Agriculture | Supports WA's significant agricultural sector — Wheatbelt, South West, Great Southern |
This list is not exhaustive and Migration WA may open or close specific occupations between rounds. Always verify the current WA occupation list directly on migration.wa.gov.au before lodging an EOI. Occupation lists can change with limited notice.
5. Eligibility Requirements and WA Ties
To be eligible for WA state nomination you must first meet the underlying DHA requirements for the 190 or 491 visa: positive skills assessment, competent English (IELTS 6.0 all bands or equivalent), age under 45 at the time of invitation, and a minimum points score of 65 in SkillSelect.
Beyond those baseline requirements, WA's nomination criteria include:
| Requirement | Detail |
|---|---|
| Occupation on WA list | Your nominated ANZSCO occupation must appear on the current WA occupation list for the stream you are applying under (190 or 491) |
| Skills assessment | Positive skills assessment from the designated authority for your ANZSCO occupation, valid at the time of application |
| English language | Competent English minimum; additional points awarded for proficient (IELTS 7.0) or superior (IELTS 8.0) English |
| Genuine intention to live in WA | WA assesses this against evidence provided; lacking any WA ties significantly weakens the application |
| WA ties (highest to lowest weight) | 1. Job offer from a WA employer; 2. Current employment in WA; 3. Prior work experience in WA; 4. Study at a WA university or TAFE; 5. Immediate family (partner, parents) residing in WA |
| Residence requirement (491) | For 491, must intend to live and work in regional WA — outside the Perth metropolitan statistical area |
WA ties are the most influential non-points factor in WA nomination. An applicant with a WA job offer and a competitive points score will be significantly more likely to receive a nomination invitation than an applicant with the same points score and no WA connections. Applicants without any WA ties should develop them before applying — even a single visit for a job interview, or a short-term work engagement, demonstrates genuine intention.
6. WA Regional Areas for the 491 Visa
For the Subclass 491, "regional WA" is defined by the DHA's designated regional area framework. Western Australia's regional areas are extensive — covering the vast majority of the state's geography — but specifically exclude the Perth metropolitan statistical area (PMSA).
The following Western Australian cities and regions qualify as regional for 491 purposes:
| Region / City | Regional for 491? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Bunbury | Yes | South West WA; growing regional city; ~80,000 population |
| Geraldton | Yes | Mid West WA; fishing, agriculture, port services |
| Kalgoorlie–Boulder | Yes | Goldfields; gold and nickel mining hub |
| Albany | Yes | Great Southern WA; agriculture, tourism, healthcare |
| Broome | Yes | Kimberley WA; tourism, agriculture, pearling |
| Port Hedland | Yes | Pilbara WA; iron ore export hub; major resources demand |
| Karratha | Yes | Pilbara WA; LNG, iron ore; Woodside Pluto project area |
| Kimberley region | Yes | Includes Kununurra, Derby, Fitzroy Crossing |
| Wheatbelt region | Yes | Agricultural region east of Perth; Northam, Merredin |
| South West region | Yes | Includes Busselton, Margaret River, Manjimup |
| Great Southern region | Yes | Includes Albany, Katanning, Mount Barker |
| Mandurah | Verify — partially in PMSA | Some parts fall within Perth PMSA; check DHA designated area tool for specific suburb |
| Perth metropolitan area | No | Ineligible for 491 settlement; eligible for 190 only |
The boundary between Perth metropolitan and regional WA is defined in the regulations and applied at the suburb level. Applicants targeting Mandurah in particular should verify their specific suburb using the DHA's designated area checker before submitting an EOI for the 491 stream.
7. How to Apply — The Migration WA Portal
WA's nomination program is managed entirely through the Migration WA online portal at migration.wa.gov.au. The application process involves the following steps:
- Check the WA occupation list — confirm your ANZSCO occupation is currently open on the WA list for the stream you want (190 or 491). The list is published on migration.wa.gov.au and updated regularly
- Complete your skills assessment — obtain a positive skills assessment from the relevant assessing body before applying for WA nomination
- Lodge or update your SkillSelect EOI — ensure your EOI is current, nominates Western Australia, and selects the correct visa subclass (190 or 491)
- Register on the Migration WA portal — create a profile at migration.wa.gov.au and register your interest in nomination; this is how WA identifies EOIs aligned with its occupation list
- Await invitation from Migration WA — WA reviews registered interest and issues invitations to apply for full state nomination; invitation timing depends on occupation demand and round opening
- Submit state nomination application — once invited, complete the full nomination application including supporting documents: skills assessment certificate, English test results, identity documents, evidence of WA ties, and occupation-specific requirements
- Receive nomination decision — WA typically decides within 4–8 weeks; if successful, your SkillSelect EOI is updated with the state nomination and the points bonus is applied
- Receive visa invitation from DHA — the Department of Home Affairs issues a visa invitation in the next SkillSelect round after your EOI is updated; you then lodge the substantive 190 or 491 visa application with DHA
WA operates rolling nomination rounds rather than a single annual intake. This means the portal may open and close for specific occupations throughout the year. Registering on the portal and enabling notifications is the most reliable way to be alerted when a round opens for your occupation.
8. Job Offers and Employer Support in WA
A job offer from a WA employer is the single most powerful WA tie an applicant can have. It demonstrates genuine employment demand, established employer intent, and a concrete connection to the state. Migration WA places significant weight on job offers in its nomination assessment.
For resources-sector occupations specifically, a job offer is often a practical prerequisite — the nature of mining and resources employment is project-based and employer-dependent, and an offer letter from a mine operator or resources contractor is the clearest evidence of genuine industry placement.
Several things to understand about WA job offers and nomination:
- The offer does not need to be unconditional: An offer "subject to visa grant" is acceptable — employers in WA are accustomed to making conditional offers to skilled migrants
- ANZSCO alignment matters: The job offer must be for a role that corresponds to your nominated ANZSCO occupation — an offer for a different role or skill level will not strengthen the nomination
- WA employers benefit from nominating their skilled hires: Large employers in WA's resources and construction sectors are often familiar with state nomination pathways and may actively support applicants through the process
- Absence of a job offer is not disqualifying: For healthcare, education, and some trade occupations, WA nomination is available without a job offer — WA ties via prior study or family can be sufficient for those occupations
Applicants without a current WA job offer but with relevant experience in mining, construction, or trades should consider connecting with WA employers through sector-specific job boards, LinkedIn, and industry associations (such as the Chamber of Minerals and Energy WA or the Master Builders Association WA) before lodging their EOI.