South Australia has received its Skills Migration program allocation for the financial year 2023-2024 to start receiving applications for 190 and 491 nominations.
For this financial year nomination allocation, South Australia has been allocated 2,300 nomination places has been provided, which contrasts with the 8,800 places allocated to the State in 2022–23.
The state nomination requirement in South Australia, as always, is the most complex and difficult to navigate. However, it is also considered an opened and generous skilled migration program in Australia when this state opens its doors to applicants not residing in South Australia as well as offshore applicants.
There are several streams under which you can apply for a state nomination in South Australia, depending on your situation. However, there is a set of common requirements that you need to meet, and we will put these requirements in the simplest way.
Humanitarian migrants seeking asylum in South Australia on the Safe Haven Enterprise visa (SHEV) are also set to benefit from more flexible pathways to permanent residency.
The state’s focus is to nominate migrants who are already living and working in South Australia—to retain those with in-demand skills—as well as nominating skilled and experienced migrants from overseas who can fill critical shortages.
Once a skilled migrant with the relevant skills and experience has been nominated by the South Australian Government, they are able to submit a visa application to the Australian Government’s Department of Home Affairs.
Registration of Interest (ROI) from potential applicants living and working in the state will be accepted the limited allocation of nomination places. This means potential applicants must submit a ROI and be invited to apply for state nomination by South Australia. Potential applicants cannot apply for state nomination directly.
The retention of South Australia’s international graduates and temporary visa holders will be prioritised.
Experienced overseas workers with skills in high-demand in South Australia, such as Trades and Construction, Defence, Health, Education, Natural and Physical Science and Social and Welfare Professionals will be targeted through invitations to apply for South Australian nomination.
South Australia is also seeking highly skilled overseas workers who can make a strong contribution to the state’s fast-growing industries and projects of national priority. This includes people with experience working in the defence industry, and/or highly specialised skills in the digital and critical technologies sectors.
Provisional subclass 491 visa requirement:
- You have been working in your nominated occupation, or a related occupation, for the last 12 months in Greater Adelaide, or 6 months in regional South Australia
- Greater Adelaide applicants – work experience must be full-time (at least 35 hours per week or 70 hours per fortnight)
- Regional South Australia applicants – work experience must be at least 30 hours per week or 60 hours per fortnight.
Common South Australia State Nomination Requirements
| Factor | Detailed Requirements |
| Residency | · If you are in South Australia: you might be eligible to apply for almost all streams in the program.
· If you are in Australia, but not in South Australia: you can only apply through the Talent & Innovator Employment Stream · If you are offshore: you can check the South Australia’s Skilled List to see which occupations are eligible for the state nomination. |
| Age | You must be under 45 at the time of nomination. |
| Occupation | Your occupation must be on the South Australia’s Skilled Occupation List.
Note: each occupation might have their own set of requirements and you must meet these requirements. |
| Skills Assessment | You must have a valid positive skills assessment for your nominated occupation. |
| Work Experience | Work experience will depend on your nominated occupation.
If you are required to meet work experience, it must be undertaken post-course completion, and must be at least 20 hours/ week. You might be waived the work experience in some circumstances. |
| English | English requirement varies depending on your occupation. However, the minimum English requirement is Competent English. |
| Points | Although the minimum points required by the Department of Home Affairs is 65 (including state nomination points), you might need to have high points as required by your nominated occupation. |
South Australia’s Skilled Occupation List
Unlike the majority of other states/ territories in Australia, the requirement of Skilled Migration program in South Australia also depends heavily on which occupation you are nominating. The occupation list in South Australia not only informs you which occupations are eligible for the state nominations, but also shows you what requirements you have to meet. Navigating the occupational list in detail is important to understand:
- What type of nomination you are eligible for: 491 or 190?
- Which stream to apply under?
- How many years of experience that you must have?
- How many points do you have to earn to be eligible?
- What is the English requirement?
- Whether you can apply from offshore?
We have consolidated the occupation list of South Australia, together with their requirement in a simple way for your reference. You can access the list here.
Related:
- South Australia Skilled Migration Program – 190 and 491 visa
- South Australia’s Skilled occupation list
- South Australia Offshore Occupation List and Requirements
- State requirements for 190 visa
- State requirements for 491 visa
South Australia’s Skilled Migration Stream
There are 3 priority streams in the program, and each stream has various categories:
Stream 1: Talent and Innovators program
The Talent and Innovators program allows the state to nominate applicants under one of the following five streams.
- Employment stream: For highly skilled migrants who are working for South Australian businesses
- Outer Regional South Australia workforce stream: For skilled applicants working for outer regional South Australian businesses (who do not qualify to apply directly for state nomination but wish to provide a submission for consideration)
- Start up and small business stream: For entrepreneurial skilled migrants who have started their own business in South Australia
- High performing graduate stream: For high performing graduates who have completed their qualification at a South Australian higher education institution
- Independent talent stream: For high calibre applicants seeking state nomination
All occupations eligible for migration through state-nomination are available through the Talent and Innovators program. Successful applicants will demonstrate how they bring new ideas, skills and innovation to South Australia and can create local jobs.
Please note:
- All applicants must meet the state nomination requirements and the Department of Home Affairs requirements for the subclass 491 or subclass 190 visa.
- The Talent and Innovators program is currently unavailable to applicants applying from offshore.
- The Talent and Innovators Employment stream is available to applicants in Australia. All other Talent and Innovator streams are only available to applicants residing in South Australia.
Stream 2: currently living and working in South Australia
There are concessions and waivers available and eligibility will be primarily dependent on:
- How long you have been residing and working in South Australia.
- Your nominated occupation
- If you are living and working in outer regional South Australia
The requirement of the 3 categories vary as below
- If you are currently living and working in South Australia, you might be eligible to apply for a state nomination if you meet the following requirements:
- You must be working at least 20 hours per week or 40 hours per fortnight in your nominated or closely related occupation in South Australia for the duration required for your nominated occupation.
- If you are applying for subclass 491 nomination, you must be currently working for the last 6 months in South Australia, unless specified differently for your occupation.
- If you are applying for subclass 190 nomination, you must be currently working for the last 12 months in South Australia, unless specified differently for your occupation.
- If you are currently living and working in regional South Australia, you might have concessions to the work experience.
- If you are currently residing and working for the last 12 months in outer regional South Australia in any occupation (does not have to be a skilled occupation nor related to your nominated occupation) you may be eligible to be nominated for a 491 visa nomination.
- If you are currently residing and working for the last 24 months in outer regional South Australia in any occupation (does not have to be a skilled occupation nor related to your nominated occupation) you may be eligible to be nominated for 190 visa nomination.
- If you are living and working in South Australia as a long term resident, you are generally only eligible for 491 nomination, unless your salary is at least AUD 80,000 per year. Long term means from 3 – 5 years depending on your current type of visa.
A plus point for this stream is that you do not need to work in your nominated occupation, however, the experience you have must be at skill level 1, 2 or 3. Lower skill level occupations such as cleaners, drivers, kitchenhands are not eligible.
Stream 3: International Graduates
To be eligible for the International Graduate of South Australia (SA Graduate) pathway, the following requirements apply:
- Your South Australian course must be CRICOS registered, with a minimum of 46 CRICOS weeks
- A minimum of 50% of your qualification must have been completed in South Australia
- You must have resided in South Australia for at least one year during your period of study
- You must have continuously resided in South Australia post-course completion
- SA graduates must meet the specific work experience requirements listed for their nominated occupation unless specified differently for your occupation
- You must be working at least 20 hours per week or 40 hours per fortnight in your nominated or closely related occupation in South Australia for the duration required for your nominated occupation, unless specified differently for your occupation. If you are working part time (less than 35 hours per week), you may be offered a 491 nomination.
Waivers to the skilled work experience requirements are available for selected SA graduates if you apply through the Talent and Innovators program – high performing graduate stream.
Application Process
Offshore Applications
To manage South Australia’s COVID recovery response, an additional 70 occupations will be open to applicants currently residing offshore from Tuesday 28 September 2021.
The minimum requirements for state nomination include at least 8 years work experience in the occupation or closely related occupation and a proficient plus English level.
For South Australian state nomination, prospective applicants must meet the Department of Home Affairs requirements, state-specific occupation requirements and have skills in an occupation that is available on our Skilled Occupation List.
Please note that state nomination is a competitive process. There is no guarantee of receiving an invitation to apply for state nomination after lodging an RoI, even if the minimum requirements are satisfied. South Australia cannot indicate the likelihood of invitation or answer enquiries on this matter.
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