Optometrist (ANZSCO 251411)

General Requirements

Candidates must register their interest in ACT nomination by completing a score-based Canberra Matrix
Candidates may be nominated under four streams:

• Canberra Residents
• Overseas Applicants
• Doctorate Streamlined nomination
• Significant economic benefit

Requirements for Canberra Residents

Candidates applying for Subclass 190 nomination must:

• Have an occupation on the ACT Critical Skills List; or be the primary holder of a 457/482 visa sponsored by an ACT employer for the last 6 months; or be the majority owner of an eligible ACT business claiming Matrix points in the Small Business Owner category.
• Have lived in Canberra for the last 6 months and continue until invitation.
• Have worked in Canberra for at least 26 weeks (overall hourly and/or earnings requirements apply).
• Have ‘Proficient’ or ‘Superior’ English (ANZSCO 351311 Chef, and ANZSCO skill level 3 to 5 are exempt).

Candidates applying for Subclass 491 nomination must:

• Have an occupation on the ACT Critical Skills List; or be the primary holder of a 457/482 visa sponsored by an ACT employer for the last 3 months; or be the majority owner of an eligible ACT business claiming Matrix points in the Small Business Owner category.
• Have lived in Canberra for the last 3 months and continue until invitation.
• Have worked in Canberra for at least 13 weeks (overall hourly and/or earnings requirements apply).
• Have ‘Competent’ English.

Requirements for Overseas Applicants

Candidates applying for Subclass 190 nomination must:

• Have an occupation on the ACT Critical Skills List.
• Have at least three years full time, post graduate relevant work experience in your nominated occupation in the last five years.
• Have researched the ACT labour market and be satisfied with being employable in Canberra.
• Have ‘Proficient’ or ‘Superior’ English (ANZSCO 351311 Chef, and ANZSCO skill level 3 to 5 are exempt).
• Be living overseas and have not lived in Australia for the last 12 months.
• Have access to sufficient settlement funds.

Candidates applying for Subclass 491 nomination must:

• Have an occupation on the ACT Critical Skills List.
• Have at least one year full time, post graduate relevant work experience in your nominated occupation in the last five years.
• Have researched the ACT labour market and be satisfied with being employable in Canberra.
• Have ‘Competent’ English.
• Be living overseas and have not lived in Australia for the last 12 months.
• Have access to sufficient settlement funds.

Doctorate Streamlined nomination

Candidates must:

• Have lived in Canberra for the last 12 months (interstate and overseas residents may be eligible if they completed their doctoral degree from an ACT within the last two years).
• Have completed a professional or research doctoral degree at an ACT university.

Significant economic benefit

• Invitation can ONLY be initiated by the ACT government.

Subclass 190 Basic Eligibility criteria

• Have an occupation on the Department’s relevant Skilled List (MLTSSL, STSOL or ROL).
• Candidates must be currently residing in NSW or Offshore and have continuously done so for a minimum of 6 months.
• Have submitted an EOI seeking Subclass 190 nomination for NSW only

NSW Target Sectors

To more effectively respond to changing skills shortages across the state, NSW is transitioning from the publication of an eligible ANZSCO skilled list to adopting a sector-focused approach.

The sectors identified as experiencing critical skills shortages in NSW include:

• Health
• Education
• Information and Communication Technology (ICT)
• Infrastructure
• Agriculture

Important: Although NSW prioritizes target sectors, high-ranking EOIs submitted in non-priority sectors may also be considered. However, it's important to understand that the chances of receiving an invitation are exceptionally low due to high demand and limited spots.

Subclass 491 Basic Eligibility criteria

Candidates may be nominated under two pathways:

• Pathway 1 – Apply directly to an RDA office (see participating regions below).
• Stream A - Established work history with a regional NSW-based employer
• Stream B - My skills are required in regional NSW
• Pathway 2 – Be invited by Investment NSW.

Requirements for Pathway 1 - Stream A

• Candidates must have an eligible occupation.
• Candidates must be currently living and working in a designated regional area of NSW and have continuously done so for the past 12 months.
• The qualifying employment must be in the nominated (or closely related) occupation, with the same employer, deemed skilled by NSW and paid a minimum of $53,900 (pro-rated if under 38 hours/week).

Requirements for Pathway 1 - Stream B

• Candidates must have an eligible occupation within an ANZSCO on the NSW Skills Lists (Pathway 1 - Stream B).
• Candidates must be currently residing in NSW or Offshore and have continuously done so for a minimum of 3 months.

Requirements for Pathway 2

• Candidates must have an eligible occupation within an ANZSCO on the NSW Skills Lists (Pathway 2)
• Candidates must be currently residing in NSW or Offshore and have continuously done so for a minimum of 3 months.

Participating regions for Pathway 1 are:

• RDA Central Coast
• RDA Central West
• RDA Far South Coast
• RDA Far West
• RDA Hunter
• RDA Illawarra
• RDA Mid North Coast
• RDA Murray
• RDA Northern Inland
• RDA Northern Rivers
• RDA Orana
• RDA Riverina
• RDA Southern Inland
• RDA Sydney

General Requirements

Candidates may be nominated under three streams/pathways:

• NT Residents
• Offshore Applicants
• NT Graduates

Requirements for NT Residents

Candidates must:

• Have been residing in the NT for at least 12 consecutive months, with no migrating dependants residing in another part of Australia.
• Demonstrate full-time employment in the NT in an eligible occupation (i.e., nominated occupation or related to it) for at least 6 consecutive months immediately before applying (the employment must be available for at least 12 months). If the occupation is not “an eligible occupation”, a candidate may exceptionally still be considered if employed in health, aged or disabled care, education (incl. childcare), and hospitality.
• Demonstrate that the position is based in the NT (serviced office spaced or hot desking generally not accepted) and the employer has been training for at least 12 months in the NT.

Requirements for Offshore Applicants

Candidates must:

• Have post-qualification work experience of at least 1 year in the nominated occupation (additional work experience may be required under the priority occupations stream).
• Demonstrate a genuine commitment to live and work in NT.
• Provide evidence of financial capacity.
• Meet the criteria relevant to one of the 3 streams:



Priority occupation stream

• Have an occupation on the Northern Territory Offshore Migration Occupation List (NTOMOL).
• Meet any additional work experience required as specified on the NTOMOL. Please, see below:

NT Offshore Migration Occupations List (NTOMOL)

251411: Optometrist

Subclass 190	Subclass 491	Comments
Y	Y	Must provide evidence of Australian licence/registration or a statement outlining eligibility to obtain registration or licence to work in Australia

Last list update: 23 October 2023

NT Family stream

• Have an eligible family member in the NT who is a usual resident and has lived in the NT for at least 12 months. This person must be an Australian citizen, a permanent resident, or an Eligible New Zealand citizen or hold an eligible visa (Subclass 491, 494, 489 or a bridging visa associated with an application for a Subclass 887 or 191 visa). The eligible relative must confirm their willingness to provide settlement support.
• Demonstrate genuine and sustained efforts to obtain employment from an NT employer.

NT Job Offer stream

• Have a job offer in the nominated occupation in an NT business that has been actively operating in the NT for at least 12 months.

NT Graduates

Candidates must:

• Have completed two years of study in the NT.
• Have completed one or more qualifications at an NT-based institution in a single tertiary course or a set of nested tertiary courses.
• Demonstrate genuine and sustained efforts to obtain employment from an NT employer in the nominated occupation.

Candidates who:

• hold a Graduate (Subclass 485) visa that expires after 1 July 2024 or who are eligible to apply for a Graduate (Subclass 485) visa, are unlikely to be offered a nomination in this program year.
• are working in their nominated occupations or in critical sectors (healthcare, education and hospitality) would be prioritised.

General Requirements

Candidates may be nominated under four streams:

• Skilled workers living in QLD
• Skilled workers living Offshore
• Graduates of a QLD University
• Small Business Owners in regional QLD

Requirements for 'Skilled workers living in QLD'

Candidates must:

• Have a points-test result of 75 or higher for Subclass 190 (except for Trades occupations, which require 70 or higher) or, 65 or higher for Subclass 491.
• Have an occupation on the Department’s relevant Skilled List (MLTSSL, STSOL or ROL).
• Have Competent English or higher (6.0 on IELTS / 50 on PTE).
• Have been living in QLD (regional for Subclass 491), undertaking full-time post-qualification employment (30 hrs/week) in the nominated occupation for ‘3 months immediately before EOI lodgement’ for Subclass 190 or, ‘at the time of your EOI lodgement’ for Subclass 491.
• Provide evidence of ongoing full-time employment in QLD for a further 12 months for Subclass 190 or, 6 months for Subclass 491 (virtual office is not accepted).

Skilled workers living in QLD

Requirements for 'Skilled workers living Offshore'

Candidates must:

• Have a points-test result of 75 or higher for Subclass 190 (except for Trades occupations, which require 70 or higher) or, 65 or higher for Subclass 491.
• Have an eligible occupation on the ‘Queensland Skilled Occupation List’ (QSOL).
• Have Competent English or higher (6.0 on IELTS / 50 on PTE).
• Provide evidence of the required years of post-study work experience as per the QSOL and be employed in the nominated occupation when invited.

Skilled workers living Offshore

Requirements for 'Graduates of a QLD university'

Candidates must:

• Have a points-test result of 75 or higher for Subclass 190 or, 65 or higher for Subclass 491.
• Have an occupation on the Department’s relevant Skilled List (MLTSSL, STSOL or ROL).
• Be living in Queensland (regional for Subclass 491).
• Have Competent English or higher (6.0 on IELTS / 50 PTE).
• Have completed 100% of their studies in Queensland and graduated in the last two years.
• Meet the additional criteria for their qualification level as indicated below.

PhD or Doctorate Graduates (190 and 491) must:

• Have had a positive decision on their thesis.

Master’s Graduates in STEM or Agriculture fields (190 and 491) must:

• Be employed full-time (30 hrs/week) in the nominated occupation (or ANZSCO Skill Level 1).

Master’s Graduates - not in STEM or Agriculture fields (190 and 491) must:

• Be employed full-time (30 hrs/week) in the nominated occupation (or ANZSCO Skill Level 1).
• Have a grade point average of 6.0 or higher for Subclass 190 or 5.0 for Subclass 491.

Bachelor’s Graduates (190 and 491) must:

• Be employed full-time (30 hrs/week) in the nominated occupation (or ANZSCO Skill Level 1).
• Have a grade point average of 6.0 or higher for Subclass 190 or 5.0 for Subclass 491.

Graduates of a QLD University

Requirements for 'Small business owners in regional QLD'

Candidates must:

• Have an occupation on the Department’s relevant Skilled List (MLTSSL, STSOL or ROL).
• Have full-time work rights and not currently be studying.
• Be living in regional Queensland.
• Be working for the business full-time (30 hrs/week)
• Have 100% ownership of the business.
• Own and operate a business in regional Queensland.
• Meet the criteria for Pathway 1 or Pathway 2 as indicated below.

Pathway 1

• Have purchased an existing business for a minimum of $100,000.
• The business must be a pre-existing business (operating for a minimum of 2 years) trading for a minimum of six months prior to lodging an Expression of Interest (EOI).
• The business must employ at least one Australian resident (20 hrs/week) or two employees working 10 hrs/week.

Pathway 2

• Have started a business and have continuously run that business for a minimum of two years. Must be generating a profit and have a turnover of $200,000 in the 12 months prior to application.

Small Business Owners in regional QLD

General Requirements

Candidates may be nominated under two streams:

• General stream (WASMOL Schedule 1 & 2)
• Graduate stream (GOL)

Applicants for the General stream must satisfy Schedule 1 or Schedule 2 criteria, depending on their occupation.

Schedule 1 criteria, candidates must have:

• An occupation on the WASMOL – Schedule 1 (Health & Medical Occupations).
• Competent English.
• At least one year of relevant Australian or overseas work experience.
• At least 6-months full-time contract of employment in Western Australia (only applicable for Subclass 190 visa applicants, and except for those invited through a WA building and construction industry sector occupation).

Schedule 2 criteria, candidates must have:

• An occupation on the WASMOL – Schedule 2.
• Competent English.
• At least 6-months full-time contract of employment in Western Australia (only applicable for Subclass 190 visa applicants, and except for those invited through a WA building and construction industry sector occupation).

WA Graduates must have:

• An occupation on the GOL.
• Studied at an accredited Western Australian educational institution, full-time and face-to-face, for at least two years.
• Completed a Cert. III or higher qualification in a Western Australian university, higher education provider, TAFE, registered training provider or English language provider.
• Competent English.