South Australia State Nomination 2026–27: 190/491 ROI Open

South Australia's state nomination program for 2026–27 is open. On 22 October 2026, Skilled & Business Migration (the team behind the Move to South Australia website) announced that Registrations of Interest (ROIs) are now open, but for now only to people living and working in South Australia whose current visa expires by 31 January 2027. Applicants outside Australia do not lodge an ROI at all: South Australia invites them directly from their SkillSelect Expression of Interest (EOI). The nomination fee is A$394 for both the Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190) and the Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491), and the ROI is free. South Australia's 190 and 491 allocation for 2026–27 had not been published as at 8 November 2026.

This guide is written for skilled workers abroad, whether in Latin America, South Africa, Europe or elsewhere, as well as international graduates already working in Adelaide or regional South Australia. It covers the core eligibility rules, the four nomination streams, how ROIs and invitations work, fees and documents, the Skilled Occupation List, and practical advice. Every figure comes from the South Australian Government's migration website (migration.sa.gov.au) and the Department of Home Affairs, current as at 8 November 2026.

One caveat up front: South Australia states that its nomination places are capped by an annual federal quota, the process is highly competitive, and meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee an invitation. This year the focus is on priority sectors such as building and construction, defence, education, engineering, health and manufacturing; high-ranking candidates in other sectors may also be considered.

Table of contents

• 1. South Australia state nomination 2026–27 at a glance
• 2. Who is eligible for South Australian 190/491 nomination?
• 3. The four nomination streams compared
• 4. How ROIs and invitations work
• 5. Fees, documents and processing times
• 6. Which occupations are on the South Australian list?
• 7. Advice for international readers
• Frequently asked questions

1. South Australia state nomination 2026–27 at a glance

The 22 October announcement is short, but it settles the key points. Here is what you need to know:

For context on numbers: Home Affairs gave South Australia 1,350 subclass 190 places and 900 subclass 491 places for 2025–26. The national picture for 2026–27 is already set: 35,500 State/Territory Nominated places (up from 33,000) but only 14,110 Regional places (down from 33,000), while Skilled Independent (subclass 189) rises from 16,900 to 21,090. In short, State/Territory Nominated places are up slightly nationally and Regional places are down sharply. These are national visa planning levels, though, and South Australia's own 190 and 491 nomination allocation will only be known when Home Affairs publishes it. For other states, see our 2026–27 state nomination overview.

2. Who is eligible for South Australian 190/491 nomination?

Whichever stream you use, you must meet both the Home Affairs visa criteria and South Australia's nomination criteria. The common requirements across South Australia's stream pages are:

Competent English: who is exempt and what scores count

Citizens holding a valid passport from the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, New Zealand or the Republic of Ireland meet Competent English without a test. Everyone else, including applicants from Latin America, South Africa, India, the Philippines and continental Europe, needs an approved test result. If you hold an exempt passport but want to claim extra points for Proficient or Superior English, you must still provide a test. For tests taken on or after 7 August 2025, the minimum scores in each component are:

Competent is only the floor. English proficiency is one of the factors South Australia uses when ranking candidates (listed in no particular order; see section 4), and the state notes that a higher score may strengthen even an exempt passport holder's application. Teaching occupations carry an extra registration requirement: if you have not completed the required years of higher education in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Ireland, the US or the UK, you need IELTS 7.5 overall with 8.0 in listening and speaking and 7.0 in reading and writing (or ISLPR 4.0 in each skill).

3. The four nomination streams compared

South Australia runs four skilled nomination streams for 2026–27. The difference comes down to where you live, whether you studied in South Australia, and how long you have worked. All three onshore streams require full-time work of at least 30 hours per week, and pro rata hours over a longer period are not accepted.

For the onshore streams, your employer must have a physical presence in South Australia; working for an interstate employer does not count. A gap of no more than one month between jobs may be considered case by case, and paid leave counts as employment. Holders of a 457, 482 or 494 visa with more than 12 months remaining need a letter from their employer consenting to the nomination application.

Stream 1: South Australian Graduates (6 months full time)

This is the fastest route for international students, and South Australia says graduates with strong employment outcomes are prioritised. The study rules are: a CRICOS-registered course of at least 46 CRICOS weeks; a qualification at or above the minimum level shown for your occupation on the list (a bachelor degree for most skill level 1 occupations, a diploma or Certificate III/IV for some others); at least 75% of the qualification completed in South Australia; and at least one year of residence in South Australia during your studies. Your work must be after course completion and in the same ANZSCO Sub Major Group. Fifteen occupations, including Chef, Cook, Baker, Cafe or Restaurant Manager and Motor Mechanic, are not open to this stream and must use stream 2 or 3.

Stream 2: Skilled Employment in South Australia (12 months full time)

This stream is for temporary visa holders who have been living in South Australia for at least 12 months and working full time, at the same skill level, in a role related to their nominated occupation for the last 12 months. South Australia lists international graduates, self-employed applicants and sub-contractors among eligible candidates. If your employer sub-contracts you to another South Australian business, you also need a letter from the business where you physically work.

Stream 3: Outer Regional Skilled Employment (9 months full time)

The work and residence period drops to 9 months, but only if you live and work in one of the 165 postcodes South Australia lists as Outer Regional South Australia, all between 5220 and 5734. Metropolitan Adelaide (postcodes starting 50) is not on the list. Check the official postcode page before you relocate.

Stream 4: Offshore (3 years; 1 year for listed trades)

If you live outside Australia, you do not submit an ROI. You lodge an EOI in SkillSelect selecting South Australia, and South Australia reviews EOIs and invites candidates directly; offshore invitation rounds are anticipated to occur monthly. Overseas work counts as full time at 20 hours per week, as defined by SkillSelect. Most occupations need at least 3 years of skilled work in your nominated or a closely related occupation in the last 5 years. These 15 construction and trades occupations need only 1 year in the last 3: Construction Project Manager, Construction Estimator, Welder (First Class), Bricklayer, Carpenter and Joiner, Carpenter, Joiner, Fibrous Plasterer, Solid Plasterer, Roof Tiler, Wall and Floor Tiler, Plumber (General), Roof Plumber, Electrician (General) and Electrician (Special Class). Offshore candidates are assessed on merit by English proficiency, years and field of skilled employment, skills and qualification level, and EOI points.

4. How ROIs and invitations work

An ROI is lodged through South Australia's Skilled and Business Migration Apply Portal and is separate from your SkillSelect EOI. Onshore applicants need both; offshore applicants need only the EOI. The onshore process is:

1. Check eligibility: your occupation is on the list and open to your stream, your skills assessment is valid, and you meet the residence and work period. For now, your current visa must also expire by 31 January 2027.
2. Lodge a SkillSelect EOI selecting South Australia and record your EOI ID. EOIs stay active for two years, so make sure yours has enough validity left for the assessment.
3. Register on the Apply Portal and submit your ROI with your visa grant letter, CV and a current employment reference (job title, duties, salary, weekly hours, duration and location, on company letterhead, signed by a manager or HR), plus your EOI ID. There is no ROI fee.
4. Wait for an outcome. Invitations are issued on an ongoing basis, and only the most competitive ROIs are selected.
5. If invited, apply for nomination on the Apply Portal before the due date in your invitation email, with all documents and payment. Offshore invitations expire after 14 days.
6. Nomination processing takes about 2–8 weeks. If nominated, Home Affairs will invite you to lodge your visa application.

What South Australia actually looks at

Selection is not a simple points queue. For onshore candidates, South Australia assesses the ROI on English proficiency, years of skilled experience in your occupation, skills and qualification level, salary, and an assessment of your employer, in no particular order. For offshore candidates, the factors are English, years and field of employment, skills and qualifications, and EOI points. On top of that, invitations focus on the priority sectors. If you work in a priority sector and your occupation is 190-eligible, you may be invited for a 190; if you are in a non-priority sector or your occupation is not 190-eligible, you may be invited for a 491.

If your visa is about to expire, South Australia does not offer priority processing for ROIs. It says it will endeavour to monitor applications with a pending visa expiry, cannot guarantee an outcome in time, and encourages applicants to explore other visa options.

5. Fees, documents and processing times

Nomination fees

South Australia's terms and conditions add that GST is payable by all onshore applicants, a 1.17% card surcharge applies, only Visa and Mastercard are accepted, and the fee must be paid within 48 hours of submission or the application is automatically deleted. The fee is not refundable for any reason, including a change of circumstances, a change of mind, withdrawal or a refused nomination, and a new application after refusal attracts a new fee.

Documents you will need if invited

• Passport biographical page (and your partner's, if included); onshore applicants add their Home Affairs visa grant letter.
• All pages of a positive, valid skills assessment (medical practitioners may provide full AHPRA registration instead; solicitors have separate rules).
• Your English test certificate, less than three years old at the time of the nomination decision.
• Graduation certificates and transcripts for any qualification used for nomination or points; Australian qualifications also need a transcript or completion letter showing duration and campus. Qualifications gained in part or solely through Recognition of Prior Learning are generally not accepted.
• Employer reference letters, payslips for the full stream period (one PDF per employer) and superannuation statements for the same period; a work experience proforma if you worked for two or more employers at once.
• Proof of residence in South Australia: bank statements in your name showing salary and daily expenses, plus your current lease and proof of rent payments. Statutory declarations instead of a lease, phone bills and driver's licences are not accepted.
• Offshore applicants also provide a CV and current and past employment references; self-employed applicants provide tax returns and an accountant's letter.

Every document must be uploaded at the time you submit. Late documents are not accepted unless requested, and missing mandatory documents can lead to refusal without further contact. Documents not in English must be translated by a qualified translator. Accepted formats are PDF, JPG, PNG, GIF and TIF, up to 4MB per file; Word documents are not accepted.

6. Which occupations are on the South Australian list?

South Australia's 2026–27 Skilled Occupation List uses ANZSCO codes and contains 353 occupation entries, each showing whether 190, 491 or neither is available in each of the four streams. 108 entries are marked as not available to offshore clients, and in the onshore streams more than 60 occupations are 491 only. Highlights for international applicants:

A few details: Chef, Cook and Cafe or Restaurant Manager exclude positions in limited-service restaurants such as fast food and takeaway outlets; Early Childhood Teacher applicants with a bachelor or master's degree in education are prioritised; Customer Service Manager and Facilities Manager are 491 only in stream 2 but 190 + 491 in the Graduates and Outer Regional streams. The list can change, so check your occupation's entry on the official page before applying.

7. Advice for international readers

1. Confirm your occupation is open offshore. Most engineering, registered nursing, teaching, allied health and construction trade occupations are open to offshore applicants for 190 and 491. ICT development, accounting and marketing occupations, as well as Chef, Cook and Cafe or Restaurant Manager, are not.
2. Count your experience the South Australian way. Offshore, you need 3 years in the last 5 at 20+ hours per week, or 1 year in the last 3 for the 15 listed trades. Reference letters must show job title, duties, salary, weekly hours, dates and location.
3. Keep one EOI and keep it current. South Australia warns that candidates lodging numerous EOIs may not be selected, and your invitation will be assessed against the claims in your EOI at the time of invitation.
4. Prepare documents before you are invited. Offshore invitations expire after 14 days, nothing can be added after submission, and non-English documents must be translated by a qualified translator.
5. Already in South Australia? Check your visa expiry date. ROIs are currently limited to visas expiring by 31 January 2027. If yours expires later, watch the official news page for further announcements.
6. Adelaide counts as regional for the 491. Home Affairs classifies Adelaide as a Category 2 "Cities and Major Regional Centres" area with access to regional incentives. The Outer Regional stream is different: metropolitan Adelaide is not on its postcode list.
7. Look at other states too. Your EOI can name several states. See our Queensland 2026–27 guide and Victoria 2026–27 guide.

Frequently asked questions

Q1: How many 190 and 491 places does South Australia have for 2026–27?

Not yet published as at 8 November 2026. Both the South Australian website and the Home Affairs "State and territory nomination allocations" page only show 2025–26, when South Australia received 1,350 subclass 190 and 900 subclass 491 places. Nationally, 2026–27 planning levels are 35,500 State/Territory Nominated and 14,110 Regional places (both 33,000 in 2025–26). We will update this article when South Australia's figures are released.

Q2: Can I apply for South Australian state nomination from outside Australia?

Yes, and you do not lodge an ROI. Lodge an EOI in SkillSelect selecting South Australia and the state may invite you directly; offshore rounds are anticipated monthly. Your occupation must be marked as available offshore on the Skilled Occupation List, and you need at least 3 years of skilled work in the last 5 years (1 year in the last 3 for 15 listed construction trades), with 20 hours per week counted as full time. If invited, you have 14 days to apply.

Q3: Do I need an English test for South Australian nomination?

Only citizens holding a valid passport from the UK, US, Canada, New Zealand or the Republic of Ireland are exempt from proving Competent English with a test. Everyone else needs an approved result, for example IELTS 6 in each band, or PTE Academic 47 listening, 48 reading, 51 writing and 54 speaking for tests taken from 7 August 2025. Results must be less than three years old at the time of the nomination decision, and higher scores make you more competitive.

Q4: My visa expires after 31 January 2027. Can I submit an ROI now?

Not at the moment. South Australia's 22 October 2026 announcement opens ROIs only to people living and working in South Australia whose current visa is due to expire by 31 January 2027. The state has not said when ROIs will open to other onshore candidates, so keep an eye on its news page.

Q5: How much is the South Australian nomination fee and is it refundable?

The ROI is free. A 190 or 491 nomination application costs A$394, GST is payable by onshore applicants and a 1.17% card surcharge applies. The fee is not refunded for any reason, including a refused or withdrawn application. Nomination processing averages 2–8 weeks.

Q6: Is Adelaide regional for the 491 visa?

Yes. Home Affairs classifies Adelaide as a Category 2 "Cities and Major Regional Centres" area, which has access to regional incentives, so you can hold a South Australian 491 while living in Adelaide. However, South Australia's Outer Regional Skilled Employment stream uses its own list of postcodes between 5220 and 5734, and metropolitan Adelaide is not included, so Adelaide residents cannot use that stream's 9-month requirement.

Further reading

• Australian State Nomination 2026–27: 190/491 by State
• Queensland State Nomination 2026–27: 190/491 ROI Open
• Victoria 190/491 State Nomination 2026–27

Disclaimer: This article is based on the South Australian Government's Move to South Australia website (2026–27 GSM program update, skilled migration streams and fees, Skilled Occupation List, how to apply, documents required, processing times, FAQs, terms and conditions) and the Department of Home Affairs (Migration Program planning levels, State and territory nomination allocations, Competent English). It is general information only and not migration law advice. Allocations, stream criteria and fees may change at any time; the official pages prevail, and meeting the criteria does not guarantee an invitation, nomination or visa grant. Information current as at 8 November 2026; official sources accessed 8 November 2026.