South Australia Skilled Nomination 2026-27: Who Can Register Now, the Four Streams and the 31 January 2027 Visa Rule

South Australia's 2026-27 General Skilled Migration program reopened on 22 October 2026, but onshore registrations are limited for now. Registrations of Interest (ROIs) are open only to people living and working in South Australia whose current visa expires by 31 January 2027. Offshore candidates don't lodge an ROI. South Australia invites them directly from their SkillSelect Expression of Interest (EOI).

The state nominates for the Skilled Nominated (subclass 190) and Skilled Work Regional (subclass 491) visas. It has six priority industries for 2026-27. Construction and trades are two, alongside engineering, manufacturing, health and education. High-ranking candidates outside those industries may also be considered.

Lodging an ROI is free. If you're invited, the nomination application costs $394.

Who can register right now

Two conditions apply on top of each stream's own rules. You must be living and working in South Australia, and your current visa must be due to expire by 31 January 2027.

Worked example: two onshore candidates meet every requirement of the Skilled Employment in South Australia stream. One holds a visa that expires on 20 January 2027 and can submit an ROI now. The other's visa expires on 15 February 2027, so that candidate falls outside the current opening and can't lodge an ROI under it.

Every applicant, onshore or offshore, needs a current EOI in SkillSelect with South Australia chosen as the first preferred state or territory.

The four streams

For the three onshore streams, your job must be related to your nominated occupation and at the same skill level. South Australia generally reads that as the same ANZSCO sub-major group, the first two digits of the code. For the offshore stream, full time means 20 hours a week, the SkillSelect definition.

What all three onshore streams require

Each onshore stream asks for the same core set:

• Occupation: your nominated occupation must be eligible for that stream on South Australia's Skilled Occupation List.
• Age: under 45 when your nomination is approved.
• Skills assessment: a valid, positive one for the nominated occupation.
• Points: at least 65 on the Department's points test, including the state nomination points.

English is the fourth requirement, and it's at least competent. You show it with an approved test result, or with a valid passport from Canada, New Zealand, the Republic of Ireland, the United Kingdom or the United States. Passport holders who want to claim higher English points in their EOI still need a test result.

The graduates stream adds study rules. Your course must have been registered on CRICOS for at least 46 weeks, and must meet the minimum qualification level for your occupation on the list. You must have completed at least 75% of it in South Australia and lived in the state for at least a year while studying.

How South Australia chooses who to invite

Higher SkillSelect points don't help onshore. South Australia says EOI points aren't a determining factor for ROIs: 65 is the minimum, and higher points aren't a selection factor. For onshore ROIs it weighs, in no particular order:

• English language proficiency
• years of skilled experience in the nominated occupation
• skills and qualification level
• salary
• an assessment of your employer

Offshore is different. There, EOI points are one of the merit factors, and the state also weighs your English, your years and field of skilled employment, and your skills and qualifications.

Which visa you're invited for depends on your industry and occupation. If you work in a priority industry and your occupation is eligible for the 190, you may be invited for the 190. Outside a priority industry, or if the occupation isn't eligible for the 190, the invitation may be for the 491.

If you're invited from offshore, you have 14 days to lodge your nomination application, and you must show you were eligible for every claim in your EOI at the time of invitation. Invitations are sent on an ongoing basis through 2026-27.

Fees and the 491 in South Australia

Fees paid aren't refundable if you withdraw. The visa application charge is separate and is paid to the Department if you're later invited to apply for the visa.

Adelaide counts as regional for the 491. The Department lists it as a Category 2 "Cities and Major Regional Centres" area, and says most locations outside Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane are designated regional areas. South Australia describes the 491 as letting you live and work in the state for up to five years. A 491 holder who lives and works in South Australia for at least 3 years may then be eligible for the permanent Skilled Regional (subclass 191) visa.

If your visa expires after 31 January 2027, keep your EOI current and choose South Australia first. Then watch for the next opening, because an ROI lodged outside the current window isn't one South Australia is accepting.

FAQ

Is the SA state nomination open?

Partly. On 22 October 2026, South Australia opened 2026-27 Registrations of Interest for people living and working in South Australia whose current visa expires by 31 January 2027. Offshore candidates don't need an ROI: South Australia invites them directly from their SkillSelect EOI, which must list South Australia as the first preferred state.

Is Adelaide considered regional for 491?

Yes. The Department classes Adelaide as a Category 2 "Cities and Major Regional Centres" designated regional area, and the designated regional areas list applies to the subclass 491. South Australia describes the 491 as letting you live and work in South Australia for up to five years.

How do I get South Australian nomination for a 491?

Lodge an EOI in SkillSelect with South Australia as your first preferred state, and meet one stream's requirements. Onshore, you then submit a free ROI through the Skilled and Business Migration portal. If invited, you lodge a nomination application with a $394 fee. Whether you're invited for the 491 or the 190 depends on your industry and occupation.

Do higher points help with South Australian nomination?

Not for onshore Registrations of Interest. South Australia says 65 points is the minimum and higher points aren't a selection factor for ROIs. For offshore candidates, EOI points are one of the merit factors, alongside English, skilled employment and qualifications.

Do offshore applicants need a Registration of Interest for South Australia?

No. Offshore applicants don't lodge an ROI. South Australia selects them from their SkillSelect EOI. They need at least 3 years of skilled work in the last 5 years, or 1 year in the last 3 for listed construction and trades occupations, and have 14 days to apply if invited.
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Living in South Australia with a visa ending soon, or applying from overseas? Book a consultation and we'll check your stream, your dates and your EOI before you lodge. Our permanent residency planning service compares South Australia with Victoria and the ACT.