Picking Your Australian State in 2026-27: A Straight Answer for South African Skilled Applicants
News · 2026-08-19 · 5 min read
State and territory nomination rules in Australia shift every year, and the 2026-27 program year is no different. Instead of going through every government announcement one by one, this guide starts from the question you are really asking: with things as they are today, which route actually works for me?
Below we go state by state, and we finish with what employers sponsoring staff in Far North Queensland should keep an eye on.
Tasmania: confirmed places and a program that is open
Tasmania gives you more certainty in 2026-27 than anywhere else, and when you are planning to uproot your life, certainty counts.
The state has set 2,050 nomination places for the year. That is 1,250 under the Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190) and 800 under the Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491). Last year's figures were 1,200 and 650, so there really is more space this time round.
Registrations of Interest opened again on 17 August 2026, and weekly invitation rounds began only days later, on 20 August. Registering costs nothing, but being nominated now costs more: the application fee is $387, plus GST, which brings it to $425.70.
Applying from Joburg or Cape Town? Read this first
This program year Tasmania is not sending any subclass 491 invitations to applicants outside Australia. That follows directly from the processing priorities in Ministerial Direction 119. If you are offshore and had your eye on the 491 into Tasmania, that option has gone, apart from one small opening. Overseas health professionals and teachers holding a job offer from an eligible Tasmanian employer may still apply for subclass 190 under a dedicated Health or Education Sector Job Offer Pathway.
Already have a 491 application waiting? It will not switch over by itself. You would have to withdraw it and submit a new Registration of Interest for the 190, and a fresh invitation is not certain.
Canberra: a better portal, but no allocation yet
In the lead-up to this program year, the ACT has worked on its systems rather than its rules. On 30 July 2026 a new Migration Application portal went live, taking over from the old system for both Canberra Matrix entries and full nomination applications. It adds multi-factor login, a layout that works on a phone, live tracking of your application, and the option to edit after you lodge, none of which the old system offered.
Anything you lodged in the old system moves across automatically. You do need to create a new account with the same email address you first registered with.
Costs have risen too: $350 altogether, made up of a $25 Canberra Matrix fee and a $325 nomination fee. A Matrix entry lasts six months and can be stretched to twelve if you update it before it runs out. Updating is free, but because ties are settled by the most recent update, it also resets your place in any tie-break.
There is one handy new feature: faster processing for applicants whose visa or documents are about to expire, or who face another urgent deadline. It only applies once an invitation has been issued, so it does not speed up getting invited.
What is still outstanding is the ACT's actual 2026-27 allocation, which Canberra has not yet confirmed. Without it there is no invitation timetable to work towards, and the occupation list is being reviewed with changes expected shortly. The system is slicker, but the numbers are still to come.
Queensland: on hold until the federal numbers arrive
Queensland has not opened its 2026-27 program at all. It is still waiting for its final nomination allocation from the federal government. The fees, though, have already moved: from 1 July 2026 they are $573 for offshore applicants and $630.30 (GST-inclusive) for onshore applicants, for both subclass 190 and 491 invitees.
If Queensland is your target, the sensible move is to get your paperwork in order now so you can act fast once the program opens again.
For employers: the Far North Queensland DAMA
Employers who sponsor overseas staff through the Far North Queensland Designated Area Migration Agreement have two changes worth dealing with straight away.
The first is a 50% cut to some subclass 186 (Employer Nomination Scheme) endorsement fees. It only applies when the position is packaged with its matching subclass 482 (Skills in Demand) position. If you are not setting up nominations that way already, check whether you qualify.
The second is about concessions. Age and English concessions cost far less when they are built into the first endorsement than when they are added later, because late additions can bring administration fees and slow down Department processing. If a concession might be needed, ask for it at the start.
On the occupation list, three aged care roles are still available under the DAMA for now: Personal Care Assistant, Nursing Support Worker, and Aged or Disabled Carer. A proposed variation that would have taken them off is reportedly paused, but nothing is certain, so employers who want these occupations should lodge requests sooner rather than later. This only touches aged care positions, not disability care roles.
So where should you aim?
If you have to decide today, Tasmania gives the clearest picture: confirmed numbers, an open program and a set (if narrower) route for people overseas. The ACT has made lodging easier but has not said how many places it has. Queensland is still a waiting game. And FNQ DAMA employers have real, practical changes to build into their sponsorship plans now.
Settings change quickly from one program year to the next, so look closely at your occupation, preferred location and visa route before you spend time or money on an application. For South African tradespeople, also plan for your trade certificate to be assessed again for Australia, and line up IELTS or PTE early if a score is needed.
#australia skilled migration 2026-27 #tasmania subclass 190 visa #tasmania subclass 491 visa #tasmania skilled migration nomination #act canberra matrix #act skilled nomination visa #queensland skilled migration 2026 #state nomination visa australia #skilled work regional visa #subclass 190 nomination fees #fnq dama employer sponsorship #subclass 186 ens visa #skills in demand visa 482 #australian state migration program #skilled migration visa pathways australia