New South Wales has released its latest Subclass 491 (Skilled Work Regional) state nomination invitations on 30 April 2026. This round covers a wide range of occupations, with invitation cut-off scores stretching from 65 points for skilled trades to as high as 115 points for competitive ICT roles. Whether you’re a nurse, engineer, teacher, or tradie, this breakdown will help you understand where you stand in the NSW 491 skilled migration pathway.
What Is the NSW Subclass 491 Visa?
The Subclass 491 — Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa allows skilled migrants to live and work in regional Australia for up to five years. State or territory nomination through a program like NSW’s adds five points to your SkillSelect Expression of Interest (EOI) score and opens access to regional areas of New South Wales outside of Sydney. Holding a 491 visa puts you on a direct pathway to the Subclass 191 Permanent Residence visa after three years of regional living and working.
For prospective migrants, keeping track of NSW skilled migration invitation rounds is critical. The points cut-off for each occupation — also called the “points test threshold” — tells you the minimum score NSW required to issue an invitation in that round.
April 2026 NSW 491 Round: Key Highlights
Trades and Construction — Low Points, High Demand
One of the clearest signals from this round is NSW’s ongoing demand for skilled tradespeople. The following occupations were invited at notably low cut-offs:
- Plumber — 65 points (onshore applicants)
- Roof Plumber — 65 points
- Bricklayer — 75 points (onshore)
- Painting Trades Worker — 70 points
- Welder — 70 points
These figures reflect a sustained shortage of licensed tradespeople in regional NSW. If you are an onshore applicant in a construction or building trade occupation, this is one of the most accessible state nomination pathways currently available in the Australian skilled migration system.
Unsure where to start? Get a personalised, step-by-step walkthrough with our Registered Migration Agents.
Book a Migration Consultation
ICT and Technology — Highly Competitive
Technology professionals continue to face a crowded EOI pool. The following roles required 115 points — near the maximum achievable score under the points test:
- Computer Network and Systems Engineer
- ICT Security Specialist
- Systems Administrator (must be working in Sydney, with 4+ years’ experience)
ICT Project Manager required 110 points. These high thresholds indicate that the SkillSelect system is saturated with ICT applicants. If you are in tech and sitting below 110 points, you may need to look at other visa streams or explore regional employer sponsorship under the Subclass 482 visa.
Healthcare and Allied Health — Profile-Specific Invitations
Healthcare occupations featured prominently in this round, but with highly specific profile requirements. Simply meeting the points threshold is not enough — NSW appears to be matching profiles against criteria such as marital status, onshore experience, and English proficiency level.
- Physiotherapist — 85 points (Age 25, married, 1 year Australian experience, Proficient English)
- Psychologist (NEC) — 85 points (1 year Australian experience, partner points 10, Proficient English)
- Medical Laboratory Technician — 90 points (offshore experience, Proficient English, single)
- Audiologist — 80 points (onshore applicants)
- VET Nurse — 70 and 80 points (two separate profiles invited)
For health professionals pursuing NSW state nomination for skilled migration, this underscores the importance of building a well-matched EOI profile before lodging.
Education Sector — Multiple Profiles Invited
Teaching occupations saw a wide range of invitations across primary, secondary, and early childhood education:
- Early Childhood Teacher (ECT) — 95 and 100 points (1 year experience required)
- Primary School Teacher — 90 points (Age 30, no experience required, single)
- Secondary School Teacher — 100 points (working in occupation, 1 year experience, Superior English, Age 30, single)
The variation in thresholds shows that NSW is willing to invite teachers across different score bands — good news for the education workforce pipeline. However, meeting the exact profile matters, particularly around English assessment level (Proficient vs. Superior) and whether you are currently working in the nominated occupation.
Other Notable Occupations
Several other occupations appeared in this round with a mix of score requirements and conditions:
- Civil Engineering Draftsperson — 105 points
- ICT Project Manager — 110 points
- Environmental Consultant — 100 points
- Mining Engineer — 100 points (no work in nominated occupation required)
- Motor Mechanic — 95 and 105 points (onshore)
- Industrial Pharmacist — 100 points (VETASSESS assessed, onshore experience, NAATI, EOI lodged by March 2026)
- Community Worker — 85 to 100 points (multiple profiles invited)
Onshore vs. Offshore: A Critical Distinction
A major trend in this April 2026 NSW 491 round is the continued preference for onshore applicants. Many occupations — including Physiotherapist, Audiologist, Construction Project Manager, Environmental Health Officer, Social Worker, and Motor Mechanic — were specifically noted as being invited for onshore applicants only.
Offshore applicants considering Australia skilled migration via the NSW 491 program should review the specific conditions attached to their occupation before submitting an EOI. In many cases, securing a position in Australia first or transitioning to an onshore visa may improve your nomination chances significantly.
What These Invitation Points Mean for Your EOI Strategy
Understanding a single invitation round gives you one useful data point, but smart EOI strategy means tracking trends over time. Here are key takeaways for your application planning:
- Trades remain the most accessible pathway, especially for onshore applicants with lower scores.
- ICT roles demand premium scores — optimise your profile before lodging if you’re below 110.
- Healthcare invitations are profile-sensitive — your exact combination of age, marital status, experience, and English level matters.
- Teachers and educators have opportunities across score bands, but should confirm occupation-specific criteria.
- NAATI accreditation and Australian work experience continue to differentiate competitive profiles.
How Edvise Hub Can Help
Understanding invitation data is one thing — turning it into a successful visa application is another. At Edvise Hub, we help you assess your EOI profile, maximise your points, and manage your Subclass 491 application from lodgement through to your Subclass 191 Permanent Residence pathway.
Fahad Shamim (MARN 2619225, QEAC G12906) provides personalised, registered migration agent advice — not generic information.
Book a consultation today — fahad@edvisehub.com · edvisehub.com
