How to get started

Overview

Here you’ll find everything you need to know to be considered for NSW nomination for the National Innovation visa (subclass 858) (NIV). We’ll cover why it’s so important to do your homework on our criteria, how to find out exactly what’s in the Registration of Interest (ROI) form, what documents you’ll need if you’re invited to apply, how we’ll contact you if you’re invited — and what happens next after nomination.

Key steps to NSW nomination

Here’s what to do — and what to expect — if you’d like to be considered for NSW nomination.

Check your eligibility

Ensure you understand our criteria — you can find these linked to our Pathways page — and make sure you can support every claim with real evidence. 

View our Pathways page for detailed information about our nomination criteria.

Register your interest for NSW nomination (ROI)

If you meet the criteria, you can submit a Registration of Interest (ROI) to let us us know you’d like to be considered for NSW nomination.

Please note:

• You can only have one active ROI at a time, and it stays valid for 6 months. Once you submit, you can’t edit it — so check every detail first.
• Every claim must be backed by real evidence. If you’re invited to apply but can’t prove your claims, your nomination won’t be approved.
• If your ROI is vague or incomplete, we won’t invite you — and you’ll need to wait for it to expire before you can try again.

Read our Guide to submitting your ROI before you start. The link to submit your ROI is at the bottom of this page —use it when you’re sure you’re ready.

Prepare your supporting documents

If your ROI is invited, you’ll receive a link to submit a full application. To avoid any issues, prepare your supporting documents now — including evidence of your achievements, letters of endorsement, and your plan for how you’ll contribute to NSW.

Your application must match the information in your ROI. If it doesn’t, we cannot approve your nomination.

See our Guide to supporting documents for what you need to prepare.

How to apply if invited

If you’re invited to apply, we’ll send you a link to complete a full application. This link will be sent to the email address you gave in your ROI — so double-check it’s correct when you register.

Your link will expire 21 days after it’s issued. You can’t extend it — so be ready to apply when you’re invited.

In your application, you’ll need to:

• Upload all supporting evidence that matches the claims in your ROI
• Provide detailed documents about your research, impact and international standing
• Submit letters of endorsement and referee details
• Outline how you plan to collaborate with NSW and contribute to the state
• Confirm any commercialisation or collaboration partners, if relevant

If your evidence doesn’t match what you claimed in your ROI, we won’t be able to approve your nomination.

Submit your EOI to Home Affairs if nominated

If NSW grants your nomination, we’ll give you a signed Form 1000 and a recommendation letter. You’ll then lodge your official Expression of Interest (EOI) with Home Affairs to be considered for the NIV.

When submitting your EOI, attach your NSW nomination documents and any other evidence of your achievements.

Note: Being nominated by NSW doesn’t guarantee that Home Affairs will invite you to apply for the NIV. All decisions to invite are made solely by Home Affairs.

More about NSW nomination

If you’d like to know more about NSW nomination for the NIV — check our Common Questions page. It covers the things people ask most often, with clear answers and extra links if you need them.