Australia's 2025-26 State and Territory Nomination updates

Each year, Australia allocates a set number of nominations to its states and territories as part of the permanent migration to Australia programme. These allocations enable jurisdictions to nominate skilled migrants for key visa pathways and play a vital role in shaping Australia’s workforce and regional development goals.

For skilled migrants, the annual allocation update is a valuable indicator of which regions are actively seeking talent – and where the greatest opportunities may lie. 

Why State and Territory nominations matter

State and territory nomination programmes help jurisdictions address their specific workforce, economic, and demographic needs. These programmes allow governments to:

• Target critical skills shortages
• Attract talent to support economic growth
• Encourage population balance across metropolitan and regional areas

A nomination gives a skilled migrant permission to apply for one of the following Skilled Work visas:

• Skilled Nominated (subclass 190) – a permanent residency visa
• Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) (subclass 491) – a pathway to permanent residency through regional work and residence

Each state and territory assesses applicants based on its own criteria, which may include occupation lists, work experience, English language ability and ties to the region.

While a nomination allows an applicant to submit a visa application, it does not guarantee that a visa will be granted. Visa applications are processed by the Department of Home Affairs in line with Migration Programme planning levels and skilled visa processing priorities.

2025–26 nomination allocations announced

On 4 November 2025, the Australian Government confirmed that the total number of state and territory nomination allocations for the 2025–26 programme year is 20,350.

When determining these allocation levels, the government considers:

• Workforce and demographic needs of each state and territory
• The number of on-hand visa applications
• Overall Migration Programme planning levels

These allocations represent the number of new primary applicants that each jurisdiction may nominate during the programme year.

2025–26 State and Territory nomination allocations

The table below outlines how the 20,350 nomination places have been allocated across Australia’s states and territories.

These allocations highlight the differing priorities of each jurisdiction. For example, Victoria and New South Wales continue to receive the largest number of subclass 190 places, while Western Australia, South Australia and the ACT show strong demand across both 190 and 491 pathways.

For skilled migrants, these figures provide a roadmap to understanding where opportunities may be greatest and which states and territories are ramping up their skilled migration efforts for the year ahead. 

How Sable International can help

Navigating Australia’s state and territory nomination landscape can be challenging. Each jurisdiction has its own eligibility criteria, occupation lists, invitation processes, and documentation requirements.

Sable International can support skilled migrants by:

• Assessing eligibility across multiple state and territory nomination programmes.
• Recommending the best pathway based on your skills, experience and preferred location.
• Guiding you through the nomination application, ensuring your documentation meets jurisdiction-specific guidelines.
• Providing end-to-end support throughout the visa process, from nomination to visa grant.

With extensive experience in Australian migration pathways, Sable International helps clients maximise their chances of receiving a nomination and securing a successful migration outcome.

If you are looking to start your journey in Australia through the General Skilled Migration programme, one of our knowledgeable MARA-registered migration experts can help you. Give them a call on +27 (0) 21 657 1526 or +44 (0) 20 7759 5307. Alternatively, you can send an email to [email protected] and they will be in contact with you.