ACT190 Application Conditions (Domestic)
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To apply for ACT190, you must meet one of the following conditions:

1. Your occupation is on the ACT Critical Skills List.

2. If you are a 457/482 principal applicant sponsored by an ACT employer, then:

• You work in your nominated occupation, work for an employer that sponsors you, and have held a 457/482 visa for at least 6 months;

• Your nominated occupation is not on the ACT Critical Skills List.

3. You are a qualified, substantial shareholder (51% or more) of an ACT registered Business and have received a relevant score in the Matrix Small Business Owner category.

• Your type of business is not a sub tenancy, ride-share, taxi, delivery, courier services, or a business that was previously sold after receiving an ACT nomination through that business;

• Your nominated occupation does not need to be on the ACT Critical Skills List.

 

Residence requirement

Applicants must have lived in Canberra for at least six months and continue to do so until they are invited. If your spouse or children live and work in another Australian state or territory, you also cannot be invited. But if you work in Canberra, you can live within a 30-minute drive of Canberra, such as Queanbeyan, NSW.

 

ACT Work Requirements

1. You must have been working in Canberra for at least 6 months

2. Work no less than 35 hours per week in the 26 weeks before submitting Matrix;

3. Work must be continuous.

• Can have paid leave (annual leave, personal leave, maternity leave);

• Non-paid leave must be accompanied by a sick leave certificate issued by the hospital clinic;

• If your 6-month work period coincides with a public holiday (or mandatory shutdown) it will not affect the calculation of your continuing work. However, you still need to meet the requirements of a 26-week 35-hour work week. For example, if you have 2 weeks and work less than 35 hours because of Christmas, you must work a total of 26 weeks (having made up 2 weeks of unmet 35 hours) before you submit Matrix.

4. You can work for more than one employer or you can be self-employed. The position does not need to be permanent.

5. The jobs must be real and the wages must meet market wages.

6. Work must be paid and internships, allowances, scholarships and volunteer positions are not eligible for nomination.

7. If you work in Canberra for an employer in another state, working online or from home does not meet the nomination requirements.

 

ACT190 Self-employed applicants

1. As a self-employed applicant, you cannot obtain the score in Matrix for small businesses.

2. You must demonstrate that you have registered with ACT and operated the business for more than 12 months before submitting to Matrix;

3. Your pre-tax income must be $1000 per week;

4. You must sign a statutory declaration confirming your ABN, company address in the ACT, as well as the company's date of operation, duties and annual revenue.

 

190 small business applicants

1. You must get the bonus points for small business in Matrix;

2. You must sign a statutory declaration confirming the details of your small business operation in ACT.

 

English requirement

Must meet the USCIS English Language requirements (IELTS or equivalent English score 4 6s or 4 7s) unless your nominated occupation is ANZSCO skill level3 to 5.

 

Requirements for a spouse

1. The applicant's spouse must have lived in Canberra for at least 6 months or overseas.

2. If you want to get the extra points about spouse in Matrix, you must submit the relationship proof between you and your spouse.

3. If you want to live in Matrix about spouse work points, your spouse must have IELTS 5 6 or equivalent English scores, or be an Australian citizen.

 

Commit to living in Canberra

Applicants must sign a declaration committing to live and work in Canberra for at least 2 years after the visa is granted.

 

Application fee

AU$ 300

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ACT190 Application Conditions (Overseas)

Occupation requirements for nomination:

1. Your occupation is on the most recent ACT Critical Skills List and you are nominating for full-time employment;

2. If required by the nominated occupation, you will need to hold an Australian registration certificate or licence.

 

ACT Job Offer

You must already have a full-time job offer in the nominated occupation. The position must be based in Canberra and available for at least two years. Your employer must meet the following requirements:

1. Must be a medium to large Australian business (50 employees or more) operating in Canberra;

2. Cannot operate from home, online or shared offices;

3. There must be a genuine need to hire overseas technicians;

4. Must demonstrate that the position is relevant to the business; And cannot be filled from the local Labour market.

 

Employer statutory declaration:

ACT employers must declare:

1. You will be employed in a bona fide position in Canberra under Australian law;

2. The position is related to the operation of the enterprise;

3. The minimum term of employment is at least two years;

4. They have tested the Labour market and have been unable to find an Australian citizen or permanent resident to fill the position.

 

English requirement

You must meet Immigration's English language requirements (IELTS or equivalent with 4 7s or 4 8s) unless you hold a UK, US, Canadian, New Zealand or Irish passport.

 

Requirements for a spouse

If you need spouse bonus points in Matrix

1. The applicant must have proof of relationship, including marriage certificate, cohabitation certificate, etc. The ACT does not recognise de facto marriages (i.e. unregistered domestic partnerships);

2. In the spouse's employment section, the spouse must meet the Immigration Department's English language requirements (IELTS or equivalent English score 4 6) unless you hold an Australian passport.

 

Overseas residence

You and your immigrant dependents (other than children enrolled in the ACT) :

1. Apply to be currently residing outside Australia;

2. have not lived in Australia in the past 12 months;

3. Do not hold any Australian visa other than an Australian tourist visa (including a bridging visa).

 

Commit to living in Canberra

1. Applicants must attach a statement stating why you want to live in Canberra and describing your future lifestyle. The statement must be written in your own words.

2. The applicant must sign a declaration committing to live and work in Canberra for at least 2 years after the visa is granted.

 

Settlement funds

You will need to prove that you have sufficient funds to finance your immigration and settlement in Canberra.

Application fee

AU$ 300

 

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ACT PhD Stream application requirements
Living in Canberra:

1. Have resided in Canberra for at least 12 months at the time of the invitation;

2. Complete a PhD at an ACT University:

 

Currently living in another state:

If you live in another state or territory and you have earned a PhD from ACT University within the past two years, you can still submit an ACT PhD stream nomination application.

If you are currently living overseas and you have earned a PhD from ACT University within the past two years, you can still submit a nomination application for ACT PhD stream.

Applicants who meet the above criteria also need to meet the following conditions:

1. Effective career evaluation

2. EOI meets 65 points (including 5 points of state guarantee)

3. 4 6 or equivalent scores in English IELTS;

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ACT Small Business Program
If you want to receive ACT Small Business Points when you submit ACT Matrix, you must meet the following conditions:

1. Your nominated occupation may not be on the ACT Critical Skills List;

2. You must be the majority shareholder of the ACT business (more than 51% of the shares);

3. Annual turnover of more than AUD 200,000;

4. If you apply for ACT's 190 State guarantee, you must have been operating the business for at least 6 months and have generated at least $26,000 in wages for you prior to submitting Matrix.

5. If you apply for ACT's 491 State sponsorship, you must have been operating the business for at least 3 months and have generated at least $13,000 in wages for you prior to submitting to Matrix.

6. You have employed at least one Australian citizen /PR/ New Zealand citizen for at least 13 weeks (not less than 20 hours per week). Employment does not have to be continuous. However, the employee must reside in the ACT;

7. The business can be a purchase or a new build;

8. The following types of businesses are not eligible: sole proprietorship, subleasing, car sharing, taxi, delivery, Courier services, or businesses for sale that were previously used to qualify for ACT nominations;

9. Small businesses must operate in the ACT and businesses operating interstate or overseas will not be accepted.

10. Small businesses must be profitable.

 

On the Matrix scale, if your business has been in operation at ACT for more than 12 months, you will get 20 points; If your business has been in operation for more than six months and has a turnover of $100,000, you will be awarded 10 points.

 

Canberra Matrix scoring

Matrix score sheet

In January 2022, the ACT made changes to the following Matrix sections:

• Aunt/Uncle (siblings of parents) can be defined as relatives and can be added 10 points.

• The applicant has an annual turnover of $200,000 and continues to operate for 12 months, plus 20 points; Turnover of AU $100,000 and continued operation for 6 months, plus 10 points.

For the ACT Matrix Scoring form, please click the link below:

https://www.act.gov.au/migration/skilled-migrants/canberra-matrix

 

ACT Critical Skills List

ACT Key Occupations List

In January 2022, the ACT made changes to the occupation list:

Added 4 classes:

•   childcare centre managers.

•   primary and secondary teachers.

•  bakers and pastry chefs.

•  insurance loss adjusters.

The following 6 classes were removed:

•  architects and landscape Architects.

•   architectural draftspersons.

•   sports development officers.

•  Hairdressers.

•  fitters.

•  electricians.

 

 

For the ACT Career list, please click the link below:

https://www.act.gov.au/migration/skilled-migrants/act-critical-skills-list