2026–27 Australian State Nomination Overview | 190/491 Places, Status, ROI and Invitation Rounds by State

The 2026–27 program year has reshuffled Australian state nomination: Victoria now charges for its Registration of Interest (ROI) and ranks candidates on its own points test, Queensland only opens ROIs on 6 November, South Australia has opened a narrow onshore window, and the Northern Territory filled up within three months. For international applicants, from Latin America and South Africa to those already in Australia, the subclass 190 and 491 state-nominated visas remain the most realistic route to permanent residence while 189 scores stay high. This guide summarises what each state website said as at 5 November 2026: places, status, how to apply, onshore and offshore rules, fees and latest changes.

Contents

• 1. 2026–27 state nomination at a glance
• 2. 189 vs 190 vs 491 in one line each
• 3. State-by-state breakdown
• 4. How to choose a state
• 5. EOI and ROI checklist
• 6. FAQ

1. 2026–27 state nomination at a glance (as at 5 November 2026)

The Department of Home Affairs allocations page still showed only the 2025–26 table on 5 November 2026 (12,850 places for 190 and 7,500 for 491, 20,350 in total); no official 2026–27 table had been published. The "places" column lists only figures confirmed by a state website or announcement.

2. 189 vs 190 vs 491 in one line each

• 189: no nomination, pure SkillSelect points competition, permanent, live anywhere.
• 190: a state nominates you for 5 extra points, the visa is permanent, and you commit to living there (usually two years).
• 491: state or family sponsorship adds 15 points, the visa lasts five years, and after three years in a designated regional area on the required income you can apply for the permanent subclass 191.

All three need an EOI, age under 45, a positive skills assessment and at least 65 points; 190 and 491 add a state approval step that each state runs differently.

3. State-by-state breakdown

Victoria: paid ROI and the Victorian Points Test (VPT)

• Status: the Live in Melbourne 190 page says the 2026–27 program "is now open for subclass 190 Registrations of Interest"; the official announcement of 26 October 2026 states that Victoria "has been provided with 900 nomination places" for subclass 190, while 491 places "have not yet been finalised" and 491 ROIs are not being accepted until they are. Lodge an EOI with Victoria as preferred state, then an ROI; earlier ROIs do not carry over.
• Fees and rounds: ROI A$60 per year (A$66 incl. GST onshore); nomination A$180 (A$198 incl. GST), payable only if invited. Rounds "occur throughout the financial year" with "no set dates"; ROIs are ranked by VPT score, no pass mark. Priority industries: healthcare, social assistance, education and construction.
• Onshore/offshore: onshore applicants must already live in Victoria; offshore applicants may apply for 190 if committed to settling there.

New South Wales: 190 invitation-only, 491 closed

• Status: the NSW 190 page (updated 15 October 2026) says "you cannot directly apply for NSW nomination"; Investment NSW invites the highest-ranking EOIs within each ANZSCO unit group on the NSW Skills List, with no announced dates and 14-day invitations. The 491 page (updated 4 September 2026) says all places "have been fully allocated" and next year's settings are under review.
• Onshore/offshore: onshore applicants must work in their occupation in NSW at least 20 hours a week or have lived in NSW six continuous months; offshore applicants must have lived offshore six continuous months.
• Latest change: a proposed state-led DAMA was consulted on until 23 October 2026; it is a proposal, not a pathway you can use today.

Queensland: ROIs open 6 November

• Status: Migration Queensland published its 2026–27 program on 30 October 2026; ROIs open 6 November; places not published. Everyone lodges a new ROI, one subclass at a time; EOIs up to 715 days old count unless expiring within 14 days; 14 days to apply after selection, then 60 days to lodge the visa.
• Onshore/offshore: onshore applicants must hold a 2025–26 ATO Notice of Assessment before the ROI; official thresholds are 190: living and working in Queensland for at least 9 of the last 12 months; 491: at least 6 of the last 9 months in regional Queensland (paid work of at least 20 hours a week). Offshore applicants use the offshore list and need at least one year of skilled employment in the last three years, 65 points and Competent English. The nomination fee, payable only after selection, is A$573 offshore / A$630.30 onshore (incl. GST).

Western Australia: no ROI, monthly rounds

• Status: Migration WA's 2026–27 statistics show 1,100 invitations in September and 1,227 in October (1,620 for 190, 707 for 491 in total) and "anticipated" monthly rounds. Streams: General (WASMOL Schedule 1 and 2), Defence industry (Schedule 3, added late October 2026) and Graduate (two years of full-time study in WA). The reported 4,700 places with 1,500 AUKUS/defence 190 places could not be found on the Migration WA news page.
• Process: selecting WA in your EOI enters you automatically; if invited, 28 days to lodge with a non-refundable A$200 fee; about 28 working days for decision-ready applications. Onshore and offshore both eligible; prioritised invitations need three months' WA residence.

South Australia: narrow onshore window, offshore invited from EOI

• Status: on 22 October 2026 Move to South Australia reopened ROIs only for onshore candidates living and working in SA whose visa expires by 31 January 2027; no date for later expiries; places not published.
• Offshore: no ROI; SA invites directly from EOIs listing it as first preference, with 14 days to apply. You need three years of skilled work in the last five (one in three for 15 listed trades), assessed on English, employment, qualifications, then EOI points; UK, Irish, NZ, US and Canadian passport holders need no English test. Priority sectors: construction, defence, education, engineering, health and manufacturing.

Tasmania: transparent allocation, weekly rounds

• Status: Migration Tasmania announced 2,050 places (190: 1,250 / 491: 800) on 5 August 2026; ROIs opened 17 August with weekly rounds from 20 August and published weekly cut-offs. ROI free; nomination fee A$387 (A$425.70 incl. GST). The overseas "OSOP" 491 pathway issues no invitations this year, but overseas health and education professionals with a Tasmanian job offer can be considered for 190.
• Changes: TSE Gold needs one job of 30+ hours a week; 9–12 months of Tasmanian employment now scores 25 points (was 6); priority income level A$57,000 a year; stricter massage and motor mechanic rules from 1 December 2026.

ACT: Canberra Matrix, allocation pending

• Status: the "ACT nomination" page still lists 800/800 for 2025–26 and "will be updated after the allocation for the 2026-27 financial year is announced". The official invitation round page records a 190-only round on 12 October 2026 with 261 invitations (54 PhD streamlined, 18 small business owners, 126 critical skills residents, 63 overseas applicants) and none for 491; tentative later rounds are the weeks of 25 January, 22 March and 24 May 2027, subject to the final allocation.
• Process: after your EOI, submit a Canberra Matrix (resident or overseas) and wait to be ranked; it expires after six months without an invitation. Official fees (updated 27 July 2026): A$25 Matrix (A$27.50 incl. GST) plus A$325 nomination application (A$357.50 incl. GST). The whole ACT counts as regional for 491.

Northern Territory: full within three months

• Status: NT opened on 21 August 2026 (agent-reported). The official NT Government visa nomination page now states it "has received sufficient applications for the 2026-27 program year": no new 190 or offshore applications are accepted, and onshore 491 applications are taken only by exception from NT Graduate or NT Resident candidates whose substantive visa expires (without 485 eligibility), who turn 45, or whose birthday drops them below 65 points on or before 30 September 2027; the page adds that nominations cannot be guaranteed before visa deadlines. The 1,850 allocation is agent-reported and not on the official page.
• Process: lodge directly in the NT online system; applications are assessed in order received with no rounds, and nominees commit to three years in the NT. The official eligibility page requires claimed onshore employment to be with an NT employer, full-time or equivalent (at least 35 hours a week); agents also report a 12-month NT residence rule for job-search graduates, which does not appear on the official page, so check it there.

4. How to choose a state

1. Start with where you are. VIC, NSW, QLD, SA and NT require onshore applicants to already live (and usually work and pay tax) in that state. Offshore, the realistic doors are WA, SA, TAS (limited) and VIC 190.
2. Check your occupation on that state's list. Engineers, nurses, electricians, welders, carpenters, chefs and ICT professionals are common among applicants from Latin America and South Africa, but each state lists them differently; chefs are mostly 491-only.
3. Weigh the state's ranking factors. Victoria's VPT rewards age, English and Victorian earnings; Tasmania scores Tasmanian hours and income; NSW ranks within unit groups; WA ranks residents first. Proficient English (IELTS 7 / PTE 65) is usually the minimum to compete; Superior (IELTS 8 / PTE 79) earns 200 VPT points. Book tests early; results last three years.
4. Watch timing and keep a fallback. SA's 31 January 2027 window and the NT exceptions suit expiring visas; TAS (weekly) and WA (monthly) are most predictable. If 190 is out of reach, 491 gives 10 more points but requires three regional years (all of the ACT, Tasmania, the NT and SA count).

5. EOI and ROI checklist

1. Skills assessment: assessing authority, ANZSCO code, expiry date.
2. English test within its three-year validity at the level required (WA needs Competent English in every stream).
3. Qualifications, transcripts, employment evidence (reference letters, payslips, ATO records, superannuation).
4. Passport, current visa and proof of address showing which state you live in and since when.
5. EOI with the correct subclass, preferred state and accurate points (Queensland holds applicants responsible for points claimed).
6. State portal accounts and fees (VIC ROI A$66, QLD fee on invitation, ACT Matrix A$25, TAS and SA free) plus a commitment statement on why you chose that state.

6. FAQ

When will Home Affairs publish the 2026–27 allocation table?
As at 5 November 2026 the page showed 2025–26 only. Last year's table was confirmed on 4 November 2025; this year's date should not be guessed.

I am outside Australia. Which states can I apply to now?
WA (ranked from EOI), SA (invited from EOI), VIC 190 (ROI plus commitment to Victoria) and TAS 190 for health or education professionals with a job offer. NSW 190 can select offshore EOIs on its Skills List; NT offshore streams are closed.

Does Victoria invite every month?
The official FAQ says rounds occur throughout the year with no set dates; "monthly from November" is an agent estimate, so check Live in Melbourne on the day.

Can I apply to several states at once?
Your EOI can list several, but VIC, QLD and SA require first preference when you lodge an ROI. Focus on one or two states whose residency rules you actually meet.

How do I move from 491 to permanent residence?
After three years in a designated regional area, meeting the Home Affairs income threshold for at least three financial years and complying with visa conditions, you can apply for the subclass 191 without another nomination.

Further reading

• Victoria State Nomination 2026–27: New 190/491 Fees, VPT Points Test and Priority Occupations
• Queensland Skilled Migration List: Full Guide to 190 and 491 Occupations and Eligibility
• Australia Subclass 485 Temporary Graduate Visa: Eligibility, Types, Fees and Application Guide

Disclaimer: general information only, not migration law advice. Dates change without notice; always check each state's official website on the day and immi.homeaffairs.gov.au. Current as at 5 November 2026. Official sources: Live in Melbourne "Victoria's 2026–27 skilled visa nomination program is now open" (26 Oct 2026), fees update (13 Oct 2026), 190 page, Victorian Points Test page and Skilled visa FAQs; NSW Government 190 and 491 pages (updated 15 Oct and 4 Sep 2026) and DAMA consultation page; Migration Queensland "2026-27 SNMP now published" (30 Oct 2026), Skilled program updates, onshore and offshore eligibility pages and State nomination application fees page; Migration WA SNMP page (2026-27 invitation statistics); Move to South Australia GSM program update (22 Oct 2026) and Offshore nomination page; Migration Tasmania "Program Update – August 2026" (5 Aug 2026) and Summary of Changes; ACT Government "ACT nomination", "Canberra Matrix – Invitation round" and "Application fees" pages; The Territory "NT Government visa nomination" and Eligibility pages (including the 2026-27 sufficient-applications notice); Home Affairs State and territory nomination allocations page.