South Australia Skilled Migration 190 & 491 visa

South Australia can nominate you for a 190 visa (permanent residence) or a 491 visa (a five-year regional visa that leads to PR). Both need a state nomination first, and SA only hands those out by invitation.

That’s the short version. The longer version depends on where you live, what you do for work and when South Australia opens its next program.

This guide is built around the questions people ask us first. It covers who can apply, how SA picks who gets invited, what it costs and what to do while you wait.

The rules below are the latest ones South Australia has published (2025-26). SA has not yet published its 2026-27 settings, so use this guide to get ready, not to guess.

Asia Pacific Group (APG) offers a free first consultation at our Adelaide office, so you can check your own case before you spend anything.

Questions we hear most, with quick links:

• “Is South Australia open right now?” Jump to the answer
• “Should I go for the 190 or the 491?” Jump to the answer
• “Will 65 points be enough?” Jump to the answer
• “I’m overseas. Do I even have a chance?” Jump to the answer
• “What can I do while I wait?” Jump to the answer

190 Visa South Australia: Is It Open Right Now?

Not for new ROIs, as far as we can see. SA’s official page says skilled ROIs are unavailable until the 2026-27 program starts.

Here’s how the cycle works. The federal government gives each state a set number of nomination places every program year. The year runs from 1 July to 30 June. When the places run out or the year ends, the state stops inviting people. Then it starts again with a new allocation.

For 2025-26, South Australia received 2,250 places: 1,350 for the 190 and 900 for the 491. Those numbers are useful background, not a forecast for the year ahead.

So what does that mean for you?

• If you’re onshore, you can’t lodge a new ROI today.
• If you’re offshore, keep your SkillSelect EOI current. Invitations look to be on hold too, so watch SA’s news page.
• Rules can change with the new program. Don’t rely on last year’s occupation list.

The wait isn’t wasted time. People who prepare now tend to lodge cleaner files on day one. Our checklist below shows how.

190 Visa South Australia vs 491 Visa South Australia

Both visas start with the same SA nomination. What you get at the end is different.

Feature	190 visa	491 visa
Visa type	Permanent	Provisional, up to 5 years
Points from SA nomination	+5	+15
Minimum points (nomination included)	65	65
Age	Under 45	Under 45
Skills assessment	Valid and positive	Valid and positive
English	At least Competent	At least Competent
Commitment to SA	Live and work in SA for 2 years after grant	Live and work in SA for 2 years after grant
Path to PR	You already hold PR	Apply for the 191 after 3 years in SA
SA nomination fee	$394	$394

Source: Move to South Australia (migration.sa.gov.au), 2025-26 information.

Here’s the part people miss: you don’t fully choose. You can tick either visa in your EOI, but SA decides which invitation to send. In 2025-26, if you worked in a priority sector and your occupation was open for the 190, you could get a 190 invitation. If not, you could be invited for the 491.

Some occupations on SA’s list are 491 only. Check yours before you plan around a permanent visa.

491 Visa South Australia Points: 15 Extra

The 491 nomination adds 15 points to your score. The 190 adds 5. That gap changes how much you need to bring to the table.

Now the reality check. 65 is the entry ticket, not the target. SA gets more strong applicants than it has places, and it looks at more than your score. We cover that in the ranking section.

Not sure what your score is? Use APG’s points calculator and then check it against the Home Affairs points test.

491 Visa South Australia: Adelaide Counts as Regional

This one surprises people. In Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, a regional visa isn’t an option because those cities don’t count as regional under the rules. Adelaide does.

That means you can take a 491 and still live and work in the city. You don’t have to move to a country town to use it.

SA also runs a separate stream for people already living and working in an outer regional part of the state. If that’s you, read the stream details on SA’s site before you lodge anything.

Still weighing up other states? Our guide to getting PR in Adelaide compares the pathways side by side.

Which Stream Fits 190 Visa South Australia?

SA sorts applicants into four streams. Your situation today decides which one you’re in.

Now find your stream:

If this is you	Your stream	Key rules (2025-26)
You studied in SA and now work here	South Australian Graduates	CRICOS course of 46+ weeks, at least 75% completed in SA, and you lived in SA for a year while studying. Live in SA for the last 6 months and work full-time (30+ hours a week) for the last 6 months. Work experience must be after your course.
You live and work in SA on a temporary visa	Skilled Employment in South Australia	Live in SA for the last 12 months. Work full-time (30+ hours a week) for the last 12 months and be employed now. Your job must sit in the same ANZSCO sub-major group as your nominated occupation.
You live and work in an outer regional part of SA	Outer Regional Skilled Employment	You must be living in an outer regional area of SA and working in your nominated occupation. Read the full criteria on SA’s site.
You live outside Australia	Offshore	Lodge a SkillSelect EOI with SA as first preference. No ROI needed. See the offshore section for the experience rules.

Rules every stream shares:

• Your occupation must be on SA’s Skilled Occupation List
• You must be under 45 when nomination is approved
• You need a valid, positive skills assessment for your nominated occupation
• You need at least Competent English
• You need 65 points, including nomination points
• You must commit to living and working in SA for at least two years after visa grant

On English: if you hold a valid passport from the UK, US, Canada, New Zealand or Ireland, you can show Competent English with your passport. To claim a higher level, you still need an approved test score.

Not sure which stream you’re in? Book a free chat. It’s a five-minute answer for us and it saves you from applying in the wrong place.

How SA Ranks 190 Visa South Australia Cases

“My friend got invited and I didn’t. We’re the same age with similar points.” We hear this a lot. The reason is that SA ranks people, and points are only part of the picture.

Onshore, SA looks at:

• English language level
• Years of skilled experience in your nominated occupation
• Skills and qualification level
• Salary
• Assessment of your employer

Offshore, SA looks at:

• English language level
• Years and field of skilled employment
• Skills and qualification level
• Your EOI points

SA also has priority sectors. For 2025-26 they were building and construction, defence, education, engineering, health and manufacturing. Strong applicants in other sectors could still be considered.

Meeting the minimum doesn’t guarantee an invitation. Only the most competitive ROIs get invited.

What can you do about it?

• Lift your English. It’s on both lists, and it’s one of the few factors you can change in a few months.
• Prove your experience. Employment letters, payslips and tax records should match your dates.
• Show your salary. Onshore, it’s a ranking factor, so keep clean pay evidence.
• Know your employer. Onshore, SA assesses them too.

For a look at which occupations SA has favoured, see our guide to South Australia’s skilled occupation lists.

Offshore: 190 Visa South Australia Requirements

“I’m overseas. Do I even have a chance?” Yes. SA has a stream for you, and you don’t lodge an ROI. SA picks people straight from SkillSelect.

To be considered, you must:

• Lodge an EOI with South Australia as your first preferred state. If it isn’t first, SA can’t see your profile.
• Have at least 3 years of skilled work in your nominated or a closely related occupation, within the last 5 years
• Meet the Home Affairs visa requirements
• Be able to show you met every claim in your EOI at the time of invitation

For offshore work experience, SkillSelect counts 20 hours a week as full-time.

The trades shortcut. If your occupation is one of the 15 below, you only need 1 year of skilled work in the last 3 years:

• Construction Project Manager
• Construction Estimator
• Welder (First Class)
• Bricklayer
• Carpenter and Joiner
• Carpenter
• Joiner
• Fibrous Plasterer
• Solid Plasterer
• Roof Tiler
• Wall and Floor Tiler
• Plumber (General)
• Roof Plumber
• Electrician (General)
• Electrician (Special Class)

Here’s the deadline that catches people out. If SA invites you, you have 14 days to lodge your nomination application. There are no extensions listed. Have your documents ready before the email arrives.

Your application is also checked against your EOI. If your EOI claims something you can’t prove, you have a problem. Keep it accurate.

491 Visa South Australia: Fees and Timelines

Costs come in layers. Here’s what’s what.

Step	Cost	Timeline
SkillSelect EOI	Free	Same day
SA Registration of Interest (onshore)	Free	SA publishes no processing time
SA nomination application (190 or 491)	$394	2 to 8 weeks on average
Home Affairs visa application	Check the Home Affairs pricing estimator	Check Home Affairs processing times

SA fees and processing times are from migration.sa.gov.au. They can change, so check before you lodge.

Two things to remember. SA’s fees aren’t refunded if you withdraw. And there’s no published wait for an ROI, so the biggest unknown in your timeline is the invitation itself.

On top of these, budget for your skills assessment, English test, health checks and police certificates. If you use a registered agent, their fee is separate. You don’t have to use one. SA’s own site says you can apply on your own or engage a registered migration agent.

While You Wait: 491 Visa South Australia Checklist

The program is paused. Your preparation doesn’t have to be. Here’s what we’d do this month.

1. Match your occupation to ANZSCO duties. A job title on a contract isn’t enough. The duties need to fit the code.
2. Check your skills assessment. Make sure it’s valid, and will still be valid when you might be invited. Need one? See our skills assessment page.
3. Book or retake your English test. A higher score helps on both the onshore and offshore ranking lists.
4. Update your EOI. Put South Australia first, and make sure every points claim is true. Our EOI guide explains the form.
5. Collect work evidence. Employment letters, payslips, tax records and contracts that match your dates.
6. Check your hours and dates (onshore). Your stream may need 30+ hours a week and a set time living in SA.
7. Watch your age. You must be under 45 when nomination is approved.
8. Start police certificates. They can take longer than you’d think, especially from more than one country.
9. Book a free consultation. Get a second pair of eyes on your EOI before it counts.

Don’t lodge anything for SA until it publishes its 2026-27 rules. Then check them against your plan.

190 Visa South Australia Mistakes to Avoid

We see the same slip-ups every program year.

• Putting the wrong state first in SkillSelect. SA only sees EOIs that name it first.
• Using last year’s occupation list. It can change with the new program.
• Claiming points you can’t prove. Your EOI is tested when you’re invited.
• Missing the 14-day window. Offshore, you have 14 days once invited.
• Working under 30 hours a week (onshore streams). Part-time work can knock you out of the stream.
• Mixing up nomination with a visa. Nomination isn’t a grant. Home Affairs still assesses you.
• Planning to leave SA early. You commit to living and working in SA for two years.
• Giving up if your occupation isn’t on the list. Employer sponsorship or a DAMA pathway may still work.

491 Visa South Australia to 191 PR Pathway

The 491 isn’t permanent. But it can lead there.

If you live and work in South Australia on a 491 for at least 3 years, you may be able to apply for the Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) visa, subclass 191. Home Affairs sets the final conditions, including an income requirement, so check them before you plan around it.

Think of the 491 as a longer road with a lower entry bar. You give up some certainty at the start, and you get a real way in. Read more on our subclass 191 page and our subclass 491 page.

190 Visa South Australia With APG Adelaide

APG is an education and migration consultancy with 15+ MARA-registered agents. We’ve been working with clients since 2009 and have helped more than 120,000 people. We’re an AAERI and MIA member and ICEF accredited.

Our Adelaide team handles state nomination for skilled workers, graduates and offshore applicants.

• Office: Level 4, 29 King William Street, Adelaide SA 5000
• Phone: 08 7160 3110
• Agents: Rupinder Singh Nafra (MARN 1681196) and Akshaykumar Vishnubhai Patel (MARN 2619408). You can check both on the MARA register.

Your first consultation is free. Here’s what happens:

1. You tell us your occupation, work history, study and timeline.
2. We check your stream, your points and how SA might rank you.
3. We tell you if the 190, the 491 or another route fits best.
4. If you want help, we give you a fee quote in writing. If you don’t, you leave with a clear plan.

Book your free first consultation

Want to meet the team first? Read which immigration agents are recommended in Adelaide.

190 Visa South Australia: FAQs

Is 190 Visa South Australia Better Than 491?

It depends on what you’re offered. The 190 is permanent from the day it’s granted. The 491 adds more nomination points (+15 against +5) and can lead to PR after 3 years in SA. SA decides which invitation to send, so many people take whichever comes.

Can I Apply for 491 Visa South Australia Offshore?

Yes. Lodge a SkillSelect EOI with South Australia as your first preferred state. You don’t lodge an ROI. You need 3 years of skilled work in the last 5 years, or 1 year in the last 3 for the 15 trades and construction occupations SA lists.

How Long Does 190 Visa South Australia Take?

There are three waits. SA publishes no time for ROIs. Once you’re invited and lodge, SA’s nomination decision averages 2 to 8 weeks. Then Home Affairs assesses your visa, and its processing times are on its own website.

Does 491 Visa South Australia Lead to PR?

It can. After living and working in South Australia on a 491 for at least 3 years, you may be eligible to apply for the subclass 191 permanent visa. Home Affairs conditions apply.

Do I Need an ROI for 190 Visa South Australia?

Onshore applicants do. You lodge it on SA’s Skilled and Business Migration portal and there is no fee. Offshore applicants don’t lodge an ROI. SA invites them from their SkillSelect EOI.

Do I Need an Agent for 491 Visa South Australia?

No. SA says you can apply on your own or use a registered migration agent. An agent helps most when your case is complex, your occupation is borderline or you have a tight deadline. Check any agent’s registration on the MARA register first.

Final Word on 491 Visa South Australia

South Australia is one of the few places where both the 190 and the 491 are within reach for a wide range of skilled workers. But it’s competitive, and the rules move with each program year.

The people who do well tend to have three things in common. They know their stream. They know what SA ranks. And they’ve got their documents ready before the door opens.

You have time to get ready right now. Use it.

Book a free first consultation with APG, a MARA-registered migration agent Adelaide South Australia applicants can meet in person, and we’ll check your occupation, points and stream before the next program opens.

Important: This article is general information. SA rules quoted are its 2025-26 requirements, and program settings, fees and processing times change. Check migration.sa.gov.au and the Department of Home Affairs website, or speak to a MARA-registered agent about your own case.