Skilled Migration to Tasmania
A comprehensive, plain-language reference to Migration Tasmania's four onshore nomination pathways ; TSE, TSG, TER and TBO ; the Gold, Green, Orange Plus and Orange priority ranking system, overseas options for workers currently outside Australia, and the step-by-step process from skills assessment to visa grant.
OVERVIEW
Understanding Tasmania Skilled Migration Program
Tasmania's nomination program is designed for candidates who best align with the state's current migration needs. The program is administered by Migration Tasmania within the Tasmanian Department of State Growth, with 2,050 nomination places available across the Subclass 190 and Subclass 491 pathways for 2026-27, an increase from 1,850 places in 2025-26, with the strongest growth in the Subclass 491 pathway. Tasmania has a limited number of places, and invitations are issued based on the competitiveness and priority of each Registration of Interest, with only the most competitive Registrations of Interest, ranked under the Gold, Green, Orange Plus and Orange priority system, invited to apply for nomination.
Date | Subclass 190 | Subclass 491 | Subclass 190 Lowest Score | Subclass 491 Lowest Score | Nomination Places Remaining (190) | Nomination Places Remaining (491) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
17/09/2026 | 37 | 26 | 375 | 72 | 1000 | 713 |
10/09/2026 | 40 | 26 | 502 | 74 | 1018 | 732 |
03/09/2026 | 34 | 25 | 519 | 82 | 1036 | 737 |
20/08/2026 | 20 | 25 | 544 | 91 | 1050 | 748 |
APPLICATION PROCESS
Your Pathway, Step by Step
From first reading to visa grant: the eight stages of a Tasmanian skilled migration application.
1
Confirm You Meet the Home Affairs Baseline
Not yet 45, an occupation on the relevant skilled occupation list, a positive skills assessment, at least Competent English, and 65 or more points on the points test. These prerequisites are set by the Department of Home Affairs and must be satisfied before any Tasmanian-specific requirements are assessed.
2
Identify Which Pathway Fits Your Situation
Currently employed in Tasmania in your field? Look at TSE. Studied at a Tasmanian institution? TSG is open regardless of your field of study. Lived in Tasmania for years in any role, remotely, or running a business? TER. Own and operate your Tasmanian business? TBO. Overseas with a health or education job offer, or an OSOP invitation? See the overseas pathways.
3
Arrange Your Skills Assessment and English Test
A positive skills assessment from the relevant assessing authority is required before you can lodge an EOI in SkillSelect. Skills assessments and English test results must remain valid (within three years) at the time of nomination, if they expire before your visa application is finalised, Home Affairs may refuse the application.use the application.
4
Lodge an Expression of Interest (EOI) in SkillSelect
Submit your EOI through the Home Affairs SkillSelect portal with accurate, fully documented personal, educational and employment details. These must match your eventual Registration of Interest and nomination application exactly; inconsistencies can delay or derail an application.
5
Submit a Registration of Interest (ROI) via the Application Gateway
Once you meet the minimum requirements for your chosen pathway, register your interest through the Migration Tasmania Application Gateway. Your ROI is where you claim the priority attributes that determine your ranking in the pool.
6
Wait for Your Priority Ranking and Invitation
Gold and Green pass holders are invited first, followed by Orange Plus, then Orange. Nomination places are limited by an annual quota: meeting the minimum requirements places you in the pool, but does not guarantee an invitation. Monitoring any changes to your priority attributes during this period is important.
7
Apply for Nomination with Full Documentation
If invited, gather the mandatory documents for your pathway: passport, EOI confirmation, skills assessment, English test results, CV, travel and residency evidence, payslips, ATO notices of assessment, superannuation statements, employer declarations, and more. Incomplete or misleading documentation can result in an application being declined and reported to the Department of Home Affairs.
8
Lodge Your Visa Application with the Department of Home Affairs
Once Migration Tasmania approves your nomination, you'll receive a nomination certificate and can lodge your subclass 190 or 491 visa application with the Department of Home Affairs, which makes the final visa decision. Tasmania's role ends at nomination: the visa outcome is determined entirely by Home Affairs.
ELIGIBILITY
Core Eligibility: Quick Checker
Run through these baseline requirements before investing time in a formal application. All ten must be satisfied, regardless of pathway.
Frequently Asked Question
How is Migration Tasmania different from the Department of Home Affairs?
Migration Tasmania is the Tasmanian Government's state nominating body: it decides whether you receive Tasmania's endorsement for state-nominated visas. The Department of Home Affairs is the federal body that ultimately grants or refuses your visa. You need both: Tasmanian nomination first, then Home Affairs approval of your subclass 190 or 491 application. The two processes are assessed separately.
​
Which pathway should I choose: TSE, TSG, TER, or TBO?
Start with what's true about your current circumstances. If you're already working in Tasmania in a role connected to your skills assessment, TSE is usually the fastest route. If you graduated from a Tasmanian institution, TSG opens up regardless of your field of study. If you've lived in Tasmania for years in any job, remotely, or running a business without meeting TBO's specific criteria, TER's broad "any occupation" rule may fit. If you solely or jointly own and operate a Tasmanian business, TBO is built specifically for that situation.​
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Do I need a job offer to apply for Tasmanian state nomination?
For the four onshore pathways (TSE, TSG, TER, TBO) you don't need a formal job offer as such; what matters is your existing employment, study, residency, or business history in Tasmania. The exception is the overseas subclass 190 Health or Education Sector pathway, which explicitly requires a formal job offer from a Tasmanian employer before you can register your interest.​
​​
Can I apply for both the subclass 190 and 491?
You can be considered for either, depending on your pathway and points score, but once Migration Tasmania nominates you for a subclass 491, it will not renominate you for a subclass 190. The 491 instead offers its own route to permanent residence via the subclass 191 after three years, subject to income and residency conditions. It is worth considering your long-term goals before applying.​
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Is remote work for an overseas or interstate employer eligible?
Yes, but only under the subclass 190 Tasmanian Established Resident (TER) pathway. If you've lived in Tasmania for the required three years while doing remote work for an employer or clients based outside Tasmania, and earning at least $57,000/year ($28.85/hour), this counts toward your minimum requirements. Remote work is not an eligible route for the subclass 491 TER pathway.
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What counts as a "well-established" business for TBO or TSE?
Migration Tasmania generally looks for a business under consistent ownership for at least 12 months, with permanent signage, an active online presence, a registered Tasmanian address, commercially leased premises (not a residential address or shared/virtual office), and a permanent staff presence during published opening hours. Some occupation categories may require a longer operating history.
​
Do tradespeople and vocational graduates qualify for the Tasmanian program?
Yes. A university degree is not required for any pathway. For TSE, a positive skills assessment in your trade (often via Trades Recognition Australia) plus the relevant employment history qualifies you in the same manner as any other occupation. For TSG, vocational graduates with at least a Certificate III aligned to an eligible OSCA occupation group, studied full-time and on-site in Tasmania, are eligible under the graduate pathway, and all skills assessments are accepted.
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Are dependants allowed to live overseas or interstate while I apply?
Dependant family members generally must not be living in another Australian state or territory at the time of your application. They may be living overseas. If they've previously relocated from interstate, they typically need to have been living in Tasmania for at least three months before you apply for nomination.
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What happens after my subclass 491 visa grant?
After holding the subclass 491 and meeting all visa conditions for the required period (generally three years), you may become eligible for the Subclass 191 Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) visa. Requirements typically include income evidence across multiple tax years and compliance with regional living conditions. Always confirm current criteria directly with the Department of Home Affairs, as these requirements are set federally and can change.
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