Skilled visa agents: 189 vs 190 vs 491, costs and what they actually do
The three main skilled visa pathways — subclass 189, 190 and 491 — what separates them, what a skills assessment and state nomination actually involve, and what it costs to hire a migration agent to help. Figures as at September 2026.
Read the full guide, with official sources →
Watch
Chapters
- 0:00 Subclass 189, 190 or 491?
- 0:14 How the points differ
- 0:28 Skills assessment comes first
- 0:42 Where an agent earns their fee
- 0:53 State nomination is its own application
- 1:05 Government charges (from 1 July 2026)
- 1:19 How long it actually takes
- 1:35 No official fee schedule exists
- 1:48 The median consult fee: $220
- 2:01 The mistake that stalls most EOIs
- 2:14 Where to read more
Transcript
Three skilled visas, three different point requirements. Here's what separates a subclass 189, a subclass 190 and a subclass 491.
A subclass 189 needs no state or family sponsorship. A subclass 190 adds 5 points through state nomination. A subclass 491 adds 15 points, but you have to live regionally.
Before any of them, you need a positive skills assessment — from Engineers Australia, ACS, VETASSESS or TRA, depending on your occupation. That happens before you can even lodge an EOI.
Strategic calls are where an agent earns their fee. Is retaking an English test worth 10 more points? Is waiting for more Australian work experience worth the delay?
For a 190 or 491, state nomination is a separate application — its own criteria, its own timeline, and its own occupation list that changes throughout the year.
Government charges from 1 July 2026: $6,135 for a subclass 189, and $6,140 for both the 190 and 491.
Home Affairs' own numbers: a 189 takes around 7 months for half of applicants, 6 to 9 months across the middle range. A 190 or 491 typically runs 12 months, up to 17 or 18 for the slowest quarter.
There's no official fee schedule for what an agent charges. Under the Code of Conduct, the fee must be fair and reasonable, set out in writing, before any payment beyond an initial consultation.
Across 686 quotes from 57 agents, Migratio's own data puts the median initial consult fee at $220, with the middle half between $150 and $275.
The most common mistake: lodging an EOI with a score that technically qualifies but isn't competitive enough to be invited. Comparing a few registered agents before you lodge can catch that early.
The full guide, with the official sources, is on migratio.com.au. The link is in the description. And if you'd like to talk it through, you can compare registered migration agents there, and see their fees before you book anything.
Talk it through with a registered agent
Every agent on Migratio is on the official OMARA register. Compare agents and their consultation fees.