SA state nomination 2026–27: the 190, 491 and occupation list
Settledin Team6 min readSA state nomination is open in part for 2026–27, per its 22 October 2026 update. Registrations of Interest are open for people living and working in SA whose visas expire by 31 January 2027. Offshore applicants lodge a SkillSelect EOI only. SA's Skilled Occupation List shows 353 occupations for the 190 and 491.
As published by South Australia, checked 27 October 2026.
Is SA state nomination open for 2026–27?
Yes, in part. SA's General Skilled Migration program update, dated 22 October 2026, says SA is "now open for Registrations of Interest (ROI)" for individuals living and working in South Australia whose current visas are due to expire by 31 January 2027.
Offshore candidates "may continue to lodge an Expression of Interest (EOI) through SkillSelect" and do not submit an ROI. SA says it will invite from both groups. It says its focus is on candidates working in priority sectors: building and construction, defence, education, engineering, health and manufacturing. High-ranking candidates in non-priority sectors "may also be considered". Every applicant needs a current SkillSelect EOI.
Each state's position is tracked in the state nomination tracker. For a state that has opened with a stated number of places, see Victoria's 2026–27 190 nomination.
Which pathways does SA run?
SA's skilled migration page lists four nomination streams.
| Stream | Who SA says it is for |
|---|---|
| South Australian Graduates | International graduates who studied in SA and now live and work there |
| Skilled Employment in South Australia | Skilled migrants living in SA and working in their nominated occupation. SA names temporary visa holders, international graduates, self-employed applicants and sub-contractors |
| Outer Regional Skilled Employment | The same, for people living and working in outer regional SA |
| Offshore | People living outside Australia who have lodged a SkillSelect EOI and may be selected by SA |
SA says it can nominate for two visas. The subclass 190 is a permanent visa. The subclass 491 is a provisional visa that SA says allows people to live and work in SA for up to five years. Both Home Affairs pages were last updated on 2 October 2026.
On each stream page SA says that if the nominated occupation is "eligible for the subclass 190" and the person works in a priority industry, they may be invited to apply for the 190. Otherwise, or if the occupation is not eligible for the 190, they may be invited to apply for the 491. The SA 190 visa page and SA 491 visa page on Settledin cover the visas in brief, and the state page for SA covers nomination.
Streams as published by South Australia, checked 27 October 2026.
Which occupations are on SA's lists?
SA runs two lists. Its occupation lists page says the Skilled Occupation List is for state nomination under subclasses 190 and 491. The DAMA Occupation List is for employer-sponsored visas under a Designated Area Migration Agreement.
On 27 October 2026 the Skilled Occupation List listed 353 occupations. The page shows each occupation against each stream, with a visa subclass, a skill level and a minimum of 65 points.
| What the list shows | Occupations |
|---|---|
| All occupations on the list | 353 |
| Listed for the 190 and 491 in the Skilled Employment in South Australia stream | 288 |
| Listed for the 491 only in that stream | 65 |
| Marked as available to offshore applicants, with a subclass shown | 244 |
For 109 occupations the Offshore entry says "This occupation is not available to offshore clients." These counts come from the entries on SA's page on the day, and SA may change the list. Search by occupation name or ANZSCO code on SA's page for a single occupation. On Settledin, each occupation page shows the Home Affairs lists it sits on: browse the occupation pages or the skilled occupation lists. Other states publish their lists differently, as the NSW Skills List shows.
Counts as published by South Australia, checked 27 October 2026.
What does SA ask for?
SA says an applicant must meet both the Home Affairs criteria and SA's nomination requirements. SA's stream pages list the requirements below for the three onshore streams.
| Requirement | Skilled Employment in SA | SA Graduates | Outer Regional |
|---|---|---|---|
| SkillSelect EOI | Active, with SA as first preferred state | Same | Same |
| Age | Under 45 when nomination is approved | Same | Same |
| Points | At least 65, including state nomination points | Same | Same |
| Skills assessment | Valid and positive for the nominated occupation | Same | Same |
| English | At least Competent English | Same | Same |
| Living in SA | At least the last 12 months | At least the last 6 months, and one year during study | Lived and worked in outer regional SA for the past nine months |
| Work | Full-time (at least 30 hours a week) for the last 12 months, and currently | Full-time for the last 6 months, after course completion, and currently | Full-time for the last nine months, and currently |
| Study | None | CRICOS-registered course of at least 46 weeks, at least 75% completed in SA | None |
In all three, SA says the job must be related to the nominated occupation and generally in the same ANZSCO sub-major group, which it describes as the first two digits of the ANZSCO code. SA lists passport holders from Canada, New Zealand, Ireland, the United Kingdom and the United States as able to show Competent English by passport. See Settledin's guides to English tests for Australian visas and skills assessments, or the skills assessment pages.
For offshore applicants, SA's overseas page says an applicant must have at least three years of skilled work experience in the nominated or a closely related occupation within the last five years. For listed construction and trades occupations, SA says one year within the last three years applies. SA defines full-time for this as 20 hours a week, following SkillSelect.
Requirements as published by South Australia, checked 27 October 2026. SA's pages carry the full wording of each stream.
What does SA nomination cost?
SA's skilled migration page lists a state nomination application fee of $394 for the subclass 190 and $394 for the subclass 491. It lists the Registration of Interest as "Nil", and its how to apply page says there are no fees for ROI applications. Home Affairs visa charges are separate and are published on its subclass 190 and subclass 491 pages.
Fees as published by South Australia, checked 27 October 2026.
How does SA select?
SA's how to apply page sets out two routes and then a nomination application.
| Step | Onshore | Offshore |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lodge a SkillSelect EOI and select SA as preferred state | The same |
| 2 | Register on SA's Apply Portal and submit an ROI with the mandatory documents | No ROI. SA reviews SkillSelect EOIs and runs invitation rounds "throughout the year" |
| 3 | SA reviews the ROI and either invites or does not | An invited applicant registers on the Apply Portal |
| 4 | An invited applicant lodges the nomination application by the due date in the invitation email | The same. SA's overseas page says 14 days to submit |
SA says an ROI that receives a "Not Invited" decision means a new application cannot be submitted for three months. It says nomination quotas are set by the Australian Government, that the process is "highly competitive" and that meeting the minimum requirements is not a promise of an invitation.
SA lists the factors it considers for onshore candidates, in no particular order: English language proficiency, years of skilled experience in the nominated occupation, skills and qualifications level, salary and assessment of the employer. For offshore candidates it lists English, years and field of skilled employment, skills and qualifications level and EOI points. State nomination does not result in a visa by itself: Home Affairs assesses the visa application. SA publishes no minimum score for an invitation, and this post gives none. How points are counted is covered in Australia's points test. What happens after nomination is covered in the 191 visa guide.
Process as published by South Australia, checked 27 October 2026.
What is SA's DAMA?
A Designated Area Migration Agreement (DAMA) is an agreement for employers, separate from state nomination. SA's 21 September 2026 news item says its two DAMAs "have been extended for a further four months until 31 January 2027", while negotiations conclude for a new five-year statewide DAMA. It says the terms and conditions are unchanged since June 2026, and that further announcements will follow.
FAQ
Is SA 190 open?
SA's 22 October 2026 update says ROIs are open for people living and working in SA whose visas expire by 31 January 2027, and that offshore candidates may lodge a SkillSelect EOI. SA says it may invite for the 190 where the occupation is eligible for it.
Is Adelaide regional for the 491?
Home Affairs lists Adelaide in Category 2, "Cities and Major Regional Centres", of its designated regional area postcodes (last updated 7 October 2026). It says its regional incentives apply to Category 2 and Category 3 locations. Check the postcode there. The Adelaide city page covers the city.
Does SA have its own occupation list?
Yes. SA publishes a Skilled Occupation List for the 190 and 491, and a separate DAMA Occupation List. The Skilled Occupation List showed 353 occupations on 27 October 2026.
Can offshore applicants apply to SA?
SA says offshore candidates may lodge a SkillSelect EOI with SA as their first preferred state, and that SA may invite them directly. SA marks 109 occupations on its list as not available to offshore applicants.
What is the SA DAMA?
An employer agreement, separate from state nomination. SA's two DAMAs were extended to 31 January 2027, with a new five-year DAMA still being negotiated.
Settledin adds up an indicative points total from the official Home Affairs points table, and shows each category for the 189, 190 and 491.
Work out your indicative points
This article describes published South Australian Government and Department of Home Affairs information, checked on 27 October 2026. It is general information, not migration advice. For advice on your situation, speak to a registered migration agent. Check the register.
Source: Move to South Australia (migration.sa.gov.au), skilled migration pages and Skilled Occupation List, checked 27 October 2026.