From 1 July 2019, you must meet the following minimum criteria before you can express an interest in ACT 190 nomination by completing the Canberra Matrix.

·        You can nominate any occupation on the ACT Occupation List, even if that occupation is closed. However, only open occupations will score points in the ‘Nominated Occupation’ category in the Canberra Matrix.

o   Occupation caveats: certain ‘open’ occupations on the ACT Occupation List have a ‘caveat’. If you wish to nominate an ‘open’ occupation but you cannot comply with any ‘caveat’, the occupation is deemed to be ‘closed’. If your occupation is closed, you cannot claim Canberra Matrix points in the ‘Nominated Occupation’ category; nor can you claim points for employment in an open occupation.

·        You must be living and working in Canberra for the three months immediately before the date of Matrix submission. While the employment does not have to be fulltime or permanent, it must be continuous. You must be working a minimum 20 hours per week. Paid annual or personal leave meets the employment criteria. Any claim for unpaid leave (including maternity leave) must be evidenced by a valid medical certificate.

·        You may also work for more than one ACT employer or be self-employed on an ABN. If you are employed by a NSW employer in the ‘ACT Region’, you must demonstrate that your work activity is located in the ACT. Please note: internships, stipends, scholarships and volunteer positions are not considered employment for this criterion.

·        If you are nominating an ANZSCO Major Occupation Group 1 (Managers) or Group 2 (Professionals) occupation, you must have a current English test result that meets the Home Affairs level of ‘proficient’ or ‘superior’ English.

·        If you are including a spouse / partner and/or children in your application, and they are in Australia, they must have lived in Canberra for the three months immediately before the date of Matrix submission.

·        If you claiming Matrix points for a spouse’s/partner’s English ability or employability you must provide the following evidence of the relationship: marriage certificate, civil partnership/union registration, or VEVO (Visa Entitlement Verification Online) secondary applicant status for yourself or spouse/partner. Please note: When completing the online application, you must declare that the relationship is genuine and meets Home Affairs’ requirements relating to spouse / partner relationships.  The ACT Government will inform Home Affairs if concerns are held that the relationship is not genuine.

·        You must sign a Statutory Declaration committing to continuing to live and work in Canberra for at least two years from date of visa grant.

The Canberra Matrix score will be ranked, with the highest-ranked candidates invited to apply for ACT 190 nomination. Invitations are generally issued on a pro rata monthly basis, though this varies according to ACT Government priorities and current program settings. The cut‑off for selection will depend on the number and quality of applications received.

If there are more candidates with the same Matrix score than the number of invitation places available, selection may be based on the date and time of the Matrix submission.

Invitations may not be issued when the number of invitations issued in the financial year exceeds demand. The ACT Government may cap the occupations nominated at any time.

Candidates may also be selected and invited if their nomination is deemed to be of significant benefit to the Territory.

The 2019-20 Canberra Matrix eligibility criteria and scoring applies to all Matrix submitted on or after 1 July 2019.

You can only select one option in the drop down menu for each category.  If you are invited to apply for ACT 190 nomination, you must provide evidence to support any Matrix score claimed. Claims must be true at the date of Matrix submission.