Subclass 190 · SA

South Australia state nomination

Permanent residence with South Australia Government nomination. 1,350 places allocated for 2025-26. Registration of Interest (ROI) selection through Migration SA.

The South Australia Government nominates skilled migrants for the Subclass 190 Skilled Nominated visa under the General Skilled Migration program. The program is administered by Migration SA and uses a Registration of Interest (ROI) mechanism. For the 2025-26 program year, SA received 1,350 190 places from the Department of Home Affairs, alongside 900 491 places.

State nomination is one stage of a two-stage process. South Australia assesses applicants against state-specific criteria; the Department of Home Affairs then assesses the federal visa application following nomination. The strategic question is whether your profile matches SA's priority sectors and selection mechanism well enough to receive nomination, given the limited 2025-26 allocation.

SA 190 eligibility

Federal eligibility

You must meet the standard 190 federal criteria: under 45 at invitation, positive skills assessment, Competent English (IELTS 6 across each component or equivalent), at least 65 points on the points test (including the five-point nomination bonus), and health and character requirements.

Nominated occupation

Your nominated occupation must be on the South Australian Skilled Occupation List. Among the broadest state lists in Australia. The occupation must also appear on the federal MLTSSL or STSOL.

Selection mechanism

South Australia uses a Registration of Interest (ROI) system. SA prioritises onshore applicants already residing and working in South Australia. SA international graduates have streamlined access. Offshore applicants are invited directly from EOIs lodged in SkillSelect.

Priority sectors

South Australia prioritises health, engineering (including defence and space), ICT, education, business, defence and shipbuilding, agriculture and wine, advanced manufacturing. Applicants whose occupation, employment, and proposed settlement aligns with these sectors are more likely to receive nomination in competitive rounds.

How South Australia selection works

SA's 190 selection process operates through Migration SA and is documented at migration.sa.gov.au. Selection rounds are conducted on the schedule the SA program publishes, which is revised through the program year. Successful applicants receive a state nomination, which generates a federal invitation and a 60-day window in which to lodge the complete visa application.

The SA program publishes nomination guidelines and round results that are updated regularly. Confirm the current settings before lodging an EOI or ROI.

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We assess your profile against SA's priority sectors and selection mechanism, identify the strongest claim available to you, and prepare both the SA ROI and the federal application to a litigation-ready standard.

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If your application is refused

Refusal at the South Australia state nomination stage is a state administrative decision. Internal review or reconsideration may be available depending on the SA program's guidelines. State nomination decisions are not directly reviewable by the Administrative Review Tribunal.

Refusal of the federal visa following nomination triggers merits review rights to the ART within statutory time limits, and judicial review to the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia on grounds of jurisdictional error. Time limits are strict.

Common questions

How does the SA 190 nomination process work?
The South Australia 190 program uses a Registration of Interest (ROI) mechanism through Migration SA. Applicants lodge an Expression of Interest in SkillSelect identifying SA as the preferred state, and submit a Registration of Interest or equivalent through the SA portal. South Australia assesses the application against state-specific criteria including occupation, residency, employment, English, and commitment to settlement. Successful applicants receive a state nomination, followed by an invitation from the Department of Home Affairs to lodge a complete visa application within 60 days.
What is the SA 190 allocation for 2025-26?
The South Australia received 1,350 places under the Subclass 190 program for the 2025-26 program year. State allocations are confirmed by the Department of Home Affairs and may be adjusted through the program year. The full national 2025-26 allocation for the 190 is 12,850 places.
Which occupation list applies?
South Australia draws from the South Australian Skilled Occupation List. Among the broadest state lists in Australia. Your nominated occupation must appear on both the federal MLTSSL or STSOL and on the SA list at the date of EOI lodgement and at the date of invitation.
What are the priority sectors?
South Australia prioritises health, engineering (including defence and space), ICT, education, business, defence and shipbuilding, agriculture and wine, advanced manufacturing. Selection rounds favour applicants whose occupation, employment history, and proposed settlement aligns with these priority sectors.
What residency or commitment is required?
SA prioritises onshore applicants already residing and working in South Australia. SA international graduates have streamlined access. Offshore applicants are invited directly from EOIs lodged in SkillSelect.
What if my SA 190 nomination is refused?
State nomination decisions are administrative decisions of the South Australia Government. Internal review may be available depending on the SA program's published guidelines. State nomination decisions are not directly reviewable by the Administrative Review Tribunal in the way federal visa decisions are. If federal visa refusal occurs at the post-nomination stage, ART merits review and Federal Circuit and Family Court judicial review are available within strict statutory time limits.

Information current as at 30 April 2026. South Australia program settings, occupation lists, and allocations are revised through the program year. Confirm current settings at migration.sa.gov.au before lodging an EOI or ROI.

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