Photo by Dylan Alcock on Unsplash
South Australia has published the results of its latest Skilled Migration invitation round, conducted on 21 May 2026, providing applicants with an updated picture of nomination activity under the state’s 2025–26 migration program.
A total of 238 invitations were issued during this round across the Skilled Nominated (Subclass 190) and Skilled Work Regional (Subclass 491) visa categories.
This round is particularly significant as South Australia has confirmed that it was the final scheduled invitation round of the current program year, although further invitations may still be issued if the state seeks to utilise any remaining nomination places before the program year concludes.
Invitation Summary
| Visa Type | Invitations Issued |
|---|---|
| Subclass 190 | 161 |
| Subclass 491 | 77 |
| Total | 238 |
Invitations Issued During the 2025–26 Program Year
| Visa Type | Invitations Issued To Date |
|---|---|
| Subclass 190 | 1,767 |
| Subclass 491 | 1,086 |
| Total | 2,853 |
Occupation Groups Invited
The latest invitation round covered a broad range of occupations, with strong representation from engineering, healthcare, education, trades and technical professions.
Invitations Issued on 21 May 2026
| Occupation Group | 190 | 491 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Specialist Managers | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| Hospitality, Retail and Service Managers | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Business, Human Resource and Marketing Professionals | 3 | 3 | 6 |
| Design, Engineering, Science and Transport Professionals | 31 | 10 | 41 |
| Education Professionals | 20 | 2 | 22 |
| Health Professionals | 59 | 7 | 66 |
| ICT Professionals | 0 | 6 | 6 |
| Legal, Social and Welfare Professionals | 7 | 1 | 8 |
| Engineering, ICT and Science Technicians | 2 | 4 | 6 |
| Automotive and Engineering Trades Workers | 8 | 21 | 29 |
| Construction Trades Workers | 11 | 10 | 21 |
| Electrotechnology and Telecommunications Trades Workers | 18 | 1 | 19 |
| Food Trades Workers | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Skilled Animal, Agricultural and Horticultural Workers | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Health and Welfare Support Workers | 0 | 9 | 9 |
| Sports and Personal Service Workers | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Office Managers and Program Administrators | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Year-To-Date Invitation Totals by Occupation Group
| Occupation Group | 190 | 491 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Specialist Managers | 99 | 37 | 136 |
| Hospitality, Retail and Service Managers | 0 | 29 | 29 |
| Business, Human Resource and Marketing Professionals | 33 | 107 | 140 |
| Design, Engineering, Science and Transport Professionals | 365 | 103 | 468 |
| Education Professionals | 157 | 38 | 195 |
| Health Professionals | 609 | 30 | 639 |
| ICT Professionals | 7 | 236 | 243 |
| Legal, Social and Welfare Professionals | 66 | 15 | 81 |
| Engineering, ICT and Science Technicians | 42 | 145 | 187 |
| Automotive and Engineering Trades Workers | 86 | 63 | 149 |
| Construction Trades Workers | 152 | 96 | 248 |
| Electrotechnology and Telecommunications Trades Workers | 124 | 15 | 139 |
| Food Trades Workers | 0 | 21 | 21 |
| Skilled Animal, Agricultural and Horticultural Workers | 0 | 4 | 4 |
| Health and Welfare Support Workers | 17 | 107 | 124 |
| Sports and Personal Service Workers | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Office Managers and Program Administrators | 9 | 40 | 49 |
Key Takeaways
Several trends continue to stand out in South Australia’s migration program:
- Health Professionals remain the strongest priority group, accounting for 639 invitations issued during the program year.
- Design, Engineering, Science and Transport Professionals continue to receive substantial support, with 468 invitations issued to date.
- ICT Professionals have seen considerably stronger activity under the regional Subclass 491 pathway than the permanent Subclass 190 stream.
- Trade occupations, including construction, automotive and electrotechnology workers, continue to feature prominently in invitation rounds.
What Applicants Should Do
South Australia has advised that although this was the final scheduled invitation round for the current program year, additional invitation activity may still occur if nomination places remain available.
Applicants should ensure that:
- Their Expression of Interest (EOI) remains current.
- Skills assessments remain valid.
- English language results are up to date.
- All claims made within SkillSelect accurately reflect their circumstances.
Even where no further invitations are issued this program year, maintaining an accurate EOI will position applicants for future invitation rounds when the next program year opens.
As always, receiving the minimum points score does not guarantee an invitation, with demand and occupation ceilings continuing to play a significant role in state nomination decisions.
