Moving to Australia: The 189 vs. 190 Visa Guide for Nurses (2025/2026 Update)

Updated May 14, 2026 • Reading Time: ~16 Minutes

If you are a nurse choosing between Australia’s Subclass 189 and Subclass 190 visas in 2026, here is the honest headline: for this program year, the 190 is the realistic path and the 189 is effectively on pause. The 189 invitation quota for 2025–26 has been used up – about 16,900 places issued across just two rounds, with no further general rounds expected until July 2026. The 190, run by individual states, is still actively inviting nurses right now. Both visas grant the same permanent residency. The difference is that one of them is currently taking applications and one of them is not.

That does not mean the 189 is dead – nurses are a Tier 1 priority occupation under its new system, and it reopens for the new program year. But the old advice of “lodge a 189 and wait for a big federal round” no longer matches reality. This guide explains how both visas actually work in 2026, the 4-tier system that now governs the 189, which states are inviting nurses, and the AHPRA registration step that has to happen alongside all of it.

1. Subclass 189: The “Freedom” Visa

Official name: Skilled Independent visa.

The 189 is the most independent permanent residency visa Australia offers. No state, no employer, no family member sponsors you. Once granted, you can live and work anywhere in the country immediately – land in Sydney, move to the Gold Coast, settle in Perth, with no conditions attached.

The advantage: total freedom of movement, permanent from day one.

The catch in 2026: two catches, actually. First, it relies entirely on your own points score – no nomination bonus. Second, and more pressing right now, the program is capacity-limited and the current year’s quota is gone.

What changed: the 189 in 2026

The Department of Home Affairs issued roughly 16,900 invitations across two large quarterly rounds in the 2025–26 program year. That matched the planning level. There was no February 2026 round, and no further general rounds are expected until the new program year begins in July 2026. A small top-up round is theoretically possible but has not been confirmed.

The 189 has also moved to a 4-tier occupation priority system. Instead of pure points ranking, occupations are sorted into tiers by national workforce demand, and higher tiers receive a larger share of invitations. The good news for you: registered nurses sit in Tier 1 – the highest priority tier. When the 189 reopens, nurses are among the occupations best positioned to receive invitations. In the November 2025 round, nurses were being invited at around 75–80 points while saturated occupations like ICT needed 95–100+.

So the 189 is not closed to nurses as a pathway – it is closed for this program year’s general rounds. Plan around July 2026 for it, and use the 190 in the meantime.

2. Subclass 190: The “Smart” Visa

Official name: Skilled Nominated visa.

The 190 works like a contract. A specific Australian state or territory – Victoria, Western Australia, Queensland, and others – agrees to nominate you. In exchange, you commit to living and working in that state for your first two years.

The advantage: the points bonus. A state nomination automatically adds +5 points to your score. If you sit at 70 points on your own profile, a 190 nomination takes you to 75 – frequently the difference between an invitation and an indefinite wait. And critically in 2026: states are actively running 190 rounds now, while the 189 is paused.

The catch: the commitment. You are expected to live and work in the nominating state for two years after grant. Breaking that expectation is not a criminal matter, but it can affect future immigration applications. You cannot land on a Victoria 190 and immediately move to Sydney.

One 2026 context point worth knowing: total state and territory nomination allocations were cut to about 20,350 places for 2025–26, down from 33,000 the prior year. State nomination is still very much open, but it is more selective than it was – which makes choosing the right state, and presenting a strong profile, more important than ever. Queensland is an outlier: its allocation rose sharply, making it more attractive than in past years.

3. Snapshot Comparison: 189 vs 190

The fee figure moves – AUD 4,640 is the widely reported 2025–26 main-applicant charge, and the next adjustment is expected on 1 July 2026. Always confirm the current Visa Application Charge on the Department of Home Affairs website before lodging, and budget separately for dependants (roughly AUD 2,300+ per adult, AUD 1,200+ per child).

4. The Points Reality Check for 2026

Do not be misled by the official minimum.

The official floor: 65 points to submit an Expression of Interest.

The honest reality: 65 points rarely produces an invitation in 2026. For registered nurses, a realistic competitive target is 75 to 85+ points. The November 2025 round invited nurses at around 75–80, but cutoffs move with each round and the size of the batch invited.

Where the points come from: age (maximum 30 points, best at ages 25–32), English (up to 20 points for Superior English – this is the single most controllable lever), skilled work experience, education, and partner skills. If you are sitting a few points short, the fastest gains are usually a higher English test result or, where it applies, a partner skills assessment.

If you are at 70 points: the 190 is your pathway. The +5 nomination bonus lifts you to 75 and into competitive range. Waiting for a 189 invitation at 70 points, in a paused program, is not a strategy.

5. State Hotspots: Who Is Inviting Nurses in 2026

Because the 190 is the active pathway right now, knowing which states are inviting nurses matters more than ever.

Victoria. Consistently active for healthcare. Victoria uses a Registration of Interest (ROI) system – you submit an ROI and the state selects from the pool. Nurses with Superior English and solid experience have historically had strong chances here.

Western Australia. Nurses feature on WA’s skilled migration occupation lists, and WA has historically been generous to healthcare applicants. Good option if higher regional wages and a more relaxed lifestyle appeal to you.

Queensland. Worth a close look in 2026 – Queensland’s nomination allocation rose sharply (reported up around 117%) compared with the prior year, while most other states were cut. More places means better odds for a well-prepared nurse.

New South Wales. Runs monthly 190 rounds but remains highly competitive, often inviting only higher point-scorers. Strong if your points are high; harder to crack than Victoria, WA, or Queensland if your score is average.

South Australia, Tasmania, ACT, Northern Territory. Each runs its own program with its own criteria. South Australia has been moving through its allocation quickly. The ACT uses the Canberra Matrix. These smaller programs can be faster routes for nurses willing to commit to those locations – and several also feed the Subclass 491 regional pathway, which adds 15 points rather than 5.

State occupation lists and criteria change through the program year. Always confirm current nomination status on the specific state’s official skilled migration page before lodging an EOI.

6. The Step Most 189-vs-190 Guides Skip: AHPRA Registration

Here is the part that comparison articles routinely leave out. Choosing between the 189 and 190 is the immigration question. But you cannot work as a nurse in Australia on either visa until you are registered with AHPRA – the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency, operating under the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia. AHPRA registration is national: once granted, it is valid Australia-wide regardless of which visa brought you in.

There are two regulatory processes running in parallel, and it confuses people because they sound similar:

AHPRA registration – gives you the legal right to practise as a nurse.

Skills assessment – for the independent skilled visas (189, 190, 491), you also need a positive skills assessment from the relevant assessing authority for your nominated occupation. This is separate from AHPRA registration, with its own fees and timeline.

For nurses already registered in a comparable jurisdiction – including the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Canada (British Columbia and Ontario) – the IQRN (Internationally Qualified Registered Nurse) pathway introduced in April 2025 streamlines AHPRA registration, in many cases without retaking competency exams. Nurses from outside that comparable-jurisdiction list (including India and the Philippines) use the standard outcomes-based assessment route, which takes longer and may involve an examination.

The practical point: start your AHPRA process early and run it alongside your visa planning, not after. A granted visa with no AHPRA registration does not let you work. For the full registration breakdown, see our AHPRA Registration Guide for Nurses 2026.

7. The 2026 Strategy: Which One Should You Pick?

The old advice was “lodge both and wait.” The updated 2026 strategy is more specific:

Step 1 – Calculate your points honestly. Use the Department of Home Affairs points tool. Know your real number before you build a plan around it.

Step 2 – Start AHPRA registration and your skills assessment now. These run in parallel with everything else and are often the longest part of the timeline. Do not wait for a visa decision to begin them.

Step 3 – Lodge a 190 EOI in your target state(s). This is the active pathway in 2026. Choose states based on where nurses are genuinely being invited – Victoria, WA, and Queensland are the strongest starting points – and where you are willing to commit for two years.

Step 4 – Lodge a 189 EOI as well, for the new program year. It costs nothing to have an EOI in the pool, and nurses are Tier 1 priority when the 189 reopens around July 2026. Keep it current. But treat it as the medium-term option, not the one you are waiting on this month.

Step 5 – Consider the 491 regional visa as a third line. The Subclass 491 adds 15 points (versus the 190’s 5) for nurses willing to settle in a designated regional area, with a pathway to permanent residency through the Subclass 191 after three years. For a nurse whose points are genuinely low, 491 is often the most realistic route to PR.

Step 6 – Maximise your score while you wait. A higher English result is the most controllable points lever. Every point changes your position in the queue.

8. Frequently Asked Questions

Can I apply for the Subclass 189 right now in 2026?

Not in practical terms. The 2025–26 invitation quota is exhausted – about 16,900 places issued across two rounds, with no further general rounds expected until the new program year begins around July 2026. You can still lodge a 189 EOI now so you are in the pool when it reopens; nurses are Tier 1 priority.

Which visa is better for a nurse, 189 or 190?

Both grant the same permanent residency. The 189 gives total freedom of movement; the 190 gives +5 points but a 2-year state commitment. In 2026 specifically, the 190 is the active pathway – the 189 is paused for this program year. If your points are below the high 70s, the 190’s bonus also makes it the more realistic choice regardless.

How much does the visa cost?

The main-applicant Visa Application Charge is AUD 4,640 for both the 189 and 190 in the 2025–26 year. The next fee adjustment is expected 1 July 2026. Budget separately for dependants, skills assessment (AUD 500–1,500), English testing (around AUD 410), health checks, and police clearances.

How many points do I really need as a nurse?

The official minimum is 65, but that rarely earns an invitation. A realistic competitive target for registered nurses is 75–85+. In the November 2025 round, nurses were invited around 75–80 points – far below saturated fields like ICT, but still well above the 65 floor.

Do I need AHPRA registration before I get the visa?

You need it before you can legally work as a nurse in Australia, and it is wise to start it early. AHPRA registration (the right to practise) and your skills assessment (for the independent visa) are separate processes from the visa itself. Run them in parallel. Nurses from comparable jurisdictions (US, UK, Ireland, Canada BC/Ontario) may qualify for the streamlined IQRN pathway introduced April 2025.

Should I lodge both a 189 and a 190 EOI?

Yes – lodging both costs nothing and keeps options open. But understand the 2026 reality: the 190 is the one actively inviting nurses now, and the 189 is the medium-term option for when it reopens. This is not the old “double-dip and wait for a big federal round” – it is “use the 190 now, keep the 189 ready.”

What about the 491 regional visa?

The Subclass 491 adds 15 points for nurses willing to live and work in a designated regional area, with a pathway to permanent residency via the Subclass 191 after three years. For nurses with lower point scores, it is frequently the most achievable route to PR. “Regional” includes most of Australia outside Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane – Adelaide, Perth, the Gold Coast, Canberra, and Newcastle all count.

The Bottom Line

The choice between the 189 and the 190 used to be a question of freedom versus a points bonus. In 2026 it is also a question of timing. The 189 – the freedom visa – is paused for this program year, with nurses well placed as a Tier 1 priority when it reopens around July. The 190 – the state-nominated visa – is the pathway actually inviting nurses right now, with its +5 points making it the more realistic choice for most profiles anyway.

The smart 2026 approach is not to pick one and wait. It is to start AHPRA registration immediately, lodge a 190 EOI in a state that is genuinely inviting nurses, keep a 189 EOI in the pool for the new program year, and treat the 491 as a serious third option if your points are low. The nurses who get to Australia fastest are the ones who run the licensing and the immigration tracks in parallel – not one after the other.

Related guides on GlobalNurseGuide.com:

Nursing Jobs in Australia 2026: Complete Guide

AHPRA Registration Guide for Nurses 2026

UK vs Canada vs Australia for Nurses 2026

OET vs IELTS for Nurses 2026

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute immigration or legal advice. Australian skilled migration policy, visa fees, invitation quotas, the occupation tier system, points thresholds, and state nomination criteria change frequently. Visa fee figures reflect the 2025–26 program year; the next adjustment is expected 1 July 2026. Always verify current information directly with the Australian Department of Home Affairs (homeaffairs.gov.au), the relevant state or territory skilled migration authority, the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (ahpra.gov.au), and the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Accreditation Council (anmac.org.au). Consult a registered migration agent (MARA-registered) for advice specific to your situation. Information current as of May 14, 2026.