  We calculated the dependence of the transition frequencies on the
fine-structure constant $\alpha$ ($q$-factors) for Ni~II. Nickel is one of the
few elements with high sensitivity to $\alpha$-variation, whose lines are
observed at high redshifts. This makes it a sensitive probe for
$\alpha$-variation on the cosmological timescale. The electronic structure of
Ni II ion was treated within the configuration interaction (CI) method using
Dirac-Coulomb Hamiltonian.
