ACT government announced to introduce a new 190 visa nomination program called ‘Canberra Matrix’.
Canberra Matrix is an EOI system adopted by ACT government separately from the Department of Home Affairs. In order to apply the new system, an access to ACT government system will be restricted between 27 and 29 November.
ACT government announced that around 500 applicants among those who applied 190 visa will be invited in the 2018-2019 financial year, and after trial applications of Canberra Matrix system from December 2019 to February 2019, a formal adoption will be determined. Accordingly, it is required that any potential applicant who intend to apply 190 visa during aforementioned period, must submit its EOI via Canberra Matrix.
Those who apply EOIs via Canberra Matrix are not required to attach additional evidential documents nor to pay any application fee. ACT government stated that 1 or 2 applicants will receive invitations, however, the exact number of invitation may vary depending on the internal discussion. Further, 190 visa applications will be treated separately from the Department of Home Affair’s visa invitation. As with EOIs through the Department of Home Affair, the higher points the applicants gain, the better chance to receive invitations they might have.
Contrary to EOIs through the Department of Home Affair, applicants are not allowed to amend the point submitted, and if they wish to do so, a new EOI must be submitted. EOIs through Canberra Matrix will be effective for 6 months, and all data will be deleted after 6 months.
Factors to consider in determining the points under the Canberra Matrix are:
- Length of residence in Canberra
- English language proficiency
- Spouse / partner English language proficiency
- Nominated occupation (open or closed)
- Length of current employment in Canberra (not tied to nominated occupation)
- ACT employment type
- Spouse / Partner employment in Canberra
- Education (can be in Canberra, interstate or overseas)
- Canberra education
- Grandfathering of applicants who arrived to live in Canberra on or before 29 June 2018)
- Assets in Canberra (personal or business and unencumbered)
- Close family ties to Canberra
In case where applicants who received an invitation fail to provide evidentiary documents, their application may be rejected, and additional documents may not be requested further.
Please refer to the Canberra Matrix point tables below.
