This is the 2026 state nomination comparison for ANZSCO 394299 — Wood Trades Workers nec. For pathway guide, skills assessment, invitation trends, and cost / timeline, see the linked cluster.
The summary
| State | 190 | 491 | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| NSW | ✓ | ✓ | Sydney luthier + Hunter Valley wine cooperage |
| VIC | ✓ | ✓ | Maton Guitars / Cole Clark luthier + Yarra Valley cooperage |
| QLD | ✓ | ✓ | Brisbane / Sunshine Coast wooden boat |
| SA | ✗ | ✗ | Use 186 DE / 494 — Barossa / McLaren Vale wine cooperage |
| WA | ✗ | ✗ | Use 186 DE / 494 — Margaret River wine cooperage |
| NT | ✓ | ✓ | Limited |
| ACT | ✓ | ✓ | Small Canberra specialty wood trades |
| TAS | ✓ | ✓ | Hobart wooden boat + Tasmanian whisky cooperage (Lark / Sullivans Cove) |
6 of 8 states nominate.
NSW — Sydney + Hunter Valley
NSW eligibility: 190 ✓ / 491 ✓. Allocations: 2,100 / 1,500.
Industry fit:
- Sydney specialty luthier workshops.
- Sydney Heritage Fleet / Sydney Maritime Museum wooden boat heritage.
- Hunter Valley wine industry cooperage — major NSW wine region.
- Regional NSW artisan clusters (Northern Rivers, Newcastle).
VIC — Maton + Cole Clark + Yarra Valley
VIC eligibility: 190 ✓ / 491 ✓. Allocations: 2,700 / 700.
Industry fit — strongest for musical instrument making:
- Maton Guitars (Box Hill).
- Cole Clark (Melbourne) — premium acoustic guitars.
- Yarra Valley wine cooperage — major Vic wine region.
- Regional Vic artisan clusters (Daylesford, Castlemaine, Bendigo).
QLD — Brisbane / Sunshine Coast
QLD eligibility: 190 ✓ / 491 ✓. Allocations: 1,850 / 750.
Industry fit:
- Brisbane specialty wood trades.
- Sunshine Coast wooden boat operations.
- Regional QLD specialty trades.
SA — NOT ELIGIBLE (but major cooperage opportunity)
SA does not nominate 394299. This is a major exclusion given SA's wine cooperage industry.
Fallback for SA — wine cooperage opportunities:
- Barossa Valley — Australia's premier wine region. Established cooperage demand.
- McLaren Vale — premium wine cooperage.
- Coonawarra — terra rossa wine region.
- Adelaide Hills — cool-climate wine cooperage.
- Clare Valley — Riesling wine cooperage.
All of SA counts as regional for 494. Use 186 DE / 482 / 494 with SA cooperage sponsor.
WA — NOT ELIGIBLE (but Margaret River cooperage)
WA does not nominate 394299.
Fallback for WA:
- Margaret River wine cooperage — premium WA wine region.
- Swan Valley wine cooperage.
Regional WA = 494 viable.
NT — limited market
NT eligibility: 190 ✓ / 491 ✓. Allocations: 850 / 800. Limited NT specialty wood trades market.
ACT — Canberra Matrix
ACT eligibility: 190 ✓ / 491 ✓. Allocations: 800 / 800.
Industry fit: National Trust property restoration; small Canberra specialty wood trades.
TAS — Hobart + whisky cooperage
TAS eligibility: 190 ✓ / 491 ✓. Allocations: 1,200 / 650. Whole of TAS regional for 491.
Industry fit — strong:
- Hobart wooden boat builders — Wooden Boat Festival hub.
- Tasmanian whisky industry cooperage — Lark, Sullivans Cove, Overeem, Belgrove, etc.
- Tasmanian timber specialists.
Realistic state selection by sub-trade
Cooperage (wine / whisky):
- Tier 1: TAS 190 / 491 (whisky cooperage at Lark / Sullivans Cove).
- Tier 1: NSW 190 (Hunter Valley wine cooperage).
- Tier 1: VIC 190 (Yarra Valley wine cooperage).
- Tier 1 fallback: SA 186 DE / 494 (Barossa / McLaren Vale — no state nomination but cooperage demand strong).
- Tier 1 fallback: WA 186 DE / 494 (Margaret River).
Luthier (musical instrument making):
- Tier 1: VIC 190 (Maton, Cole Clark).
- Tier 2: NSW 190 (Sydney luthier workshops).
Wooden boat:
- Tier 1: TAS 190 (Hobart wooden boat).
- Tier 2: QLD 190 (Sunshine Coast).
- Tier 3: NSW 190 (Sydney Heritage Fleet).
Heritage / conservation:
- Tier 1: NSW / VIC 190 — National Trust properties + museum work concentrated metro.
Tools
- Points calculator
- Visa fee calculator
- Document checklist
- Eligibility wizard
- Invitation rounds tracker
- ANZSCO search
Authoritative sources
- NSW Skilled Nominated
- Live in Melbourne (VIC)
- Migration Queensland
- Migration Tasmania
- Trades Recognition Australia
Next step
Want help picking the right state and visa for your specialty wood trade? Book a 30-minute free strategy call with a MARA-registered agent at Global Select.