491Canberra resident
- At least 3 months' Canberra residence
- At least 13 weeks' ACT employment
- Usually 15+ hours a week in 13 of the previous 15 weeks
- Competent English unless the assessing authority requires more
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ACT · Canberra Matrix nomination
Australian Capital Territory nomination guide
ACT uses a separate merit-based Canberra Matrix to rank eligible subclass 190 and 491 candidates. Federal points, ACT eligibility and Matrix ranking are three different layers.
Checked 30 July 2026
2026–27 is in transition.
ACT has announced a new application portal and tentative invitation arrangements. The final 2026–27 allocation for subclass 190 and 491 has not yet been announced.
The eligibility and Matrix settings below are the current official settings. They remain useful for planning but must be checked again when the new allocation or guidelines are released.
Latest invitation update →01
Choose the correct applicant profile
Four main Matrix pathways
190Canberra resident
- At least 6 months' Canberra residence
- At least 26 weeks' ACT employment
- Usually 30+ hours a week in 26 of the previous 30 weeks
- Proficient or Superior English, with published occupation exceptions
491Overseas applicant
- Applicant and migrating dependants generally offshore
- No Australian residence in the previous 12 months, subject to published exceptions
- At least 1 year of relevant post-graduate experience in the last 5 years
- Occupation on the current ACT list
190Overseas applicant
- Applicant and migrating dependants generally offshore
- No Australian residence in the previous 12 months, subject to published exceptions
- At least 3 years of relevant post-graduate experience in the last 5 years
- Proficient or Superior English, with published occupation exceptions
ACT-university doctorate holders
Canberra residents generally need 12 months' residence; interstate or overseas applicants need an eligible ACT-university doctorate awarded within the last two years. No Matrix points are claimed, nomination is fee-free, and the published normal processing target is one week.
Doctorate criteria →491 approval affects later 190 access
ACT generally offers one nomination place per person. A person already nominated for 491 cannot ordinarily obtain another ACT nomination for 190.
Nomination policy →02
Canberra Matrix
Eligibility gets you into the pool. Matrix ranking determines who is invited.
How Matrix selection works
- A separate Matrix is required for each 190 or 491 pathway of interest.
- The Matrix cannot be updated or withdrawn after submission. A changed claim requires a new Matrix and a new submission timestamp.
- An uninvited Matrix expires automatically after six months.
- 491 Matrices are selected first under the current published process; ties may be resolved by submission date and time.
- Meeting a past invitation score or a minimum criterion never guarantees selection.
Evidence date matters
Supporting documents must prove both ACT eligibility and every Matrix point claimed at the date the Matrix was submitted. English and skills assessment must remain valid through nomination.
Canberra resident MatrixOfficial calculator ↗
ACT residenceup to 25
Nominated occupationup to 20
Englishup to 15
Small businessup to 20
ACT employment lengthup to 10
ACT employment skill levelup to 20
Partner contributionup to 15
Qualificationup to 20
ACT studyup to 20
Close familyup to 20
ACT propertyup to 5
Overseas applicant MatrixOfficial calculator ↗
Previous ACT residenceup to 20
Nominated occupationup to 20
Englishup to 15
ACT job offerup to 20
Relevant work experienceup to 20
Partner employabilityup to 15
Qualificationup to 20
ACT studyup to 20
Close familyup to 20
ACT assetsup to 10
The figures above show the maximum available in each published category, not a personal score. Some categories contain detailed eligibility conditions and mutually exclusive options.
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From EOI to visa invitation
ACT nomination process
Check federal and ACT eligibility
Confirm the visa subclass, valid EOI, skills assessment, English, occupation and the applicant pathway before submitting a Matrix.
Calculate and submit the Matrix
Choose one option in every category. Claims must be true and supportable on the date of submission.
Wait for ranking and selection
Canberra residents and overseas applicants are ranked separately. Occupation demand, caps, score and submission time can affect selection.
Accept the invitation
An ACT nomination invitation generally remains active for 14 days. Review the EOI and every Matrix claim before lodging.
Lodge documents and pay
Upload the complete evidence and pay the nomination fee. ACT may decide the application only on the documents attached.
ACT decision and visa invitation
If approved, ACT confirms nomination in SkillSelect, which triggers the Department of Home Affairs visa invitation.
14 daysNomination invitation validity
6 monthsMatrix lifetime without invitation
No priorityVisa expiry or birthdays do not create priority
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Fees and evidence
Budget for two ACT fees and prepare every claim.
ACT states that a Matrix will not be ranked and an application will not be processed until payment is received and confirmed. Fees are administrative charges and do not guarantee invitation or approval.
Common core documents
- SkillSelect EOI summary and points advice
- Valid skills assessment and English evidence
- Passport, visa/VEVO and CV
- Signed ACT two-year commitment declaration
- Evidence supporting every Matrix category claimed
Profile-specific evidence
- Residents: bank activity, payslips, employment and employer declarations
- Overseas: movement record, assessed work history, employability and commitment statements
- Job offer: contract, labour-market testing and employer declaration
- Partner, ACT study, family and asset evidence where points are claimed
Check the two layers together