2025–26 State Nomination Update: Interim Allocations in South Australia, ACT and Tasmania

Recently, several Australian states and territories announced their interim skilled migration allocations for the 2025–26 program year. At this stage, the federal government has only released a limited number of interim places. State and territory nomination programs remain in a transitional phase, with full policy settings to be confirmed once the annual allocation is finalised.

Here’s a closer look at the latest nomination updates for South Australia, ACT and Tasmania.

Source: Internet

South Australia (SA)

South Australia has received a small number of interim places from the federal government. Due to the limited quota, SA has not opened new Registrations of Interest (ROIs). Instead, the state will prioritise:

• Applicants who lodged an ROI during the 2024–25 program year;
• High-quality candidates who can meet South Australia’s critical workforce needs.

In short, SA is currently “drawing from the existing pool” rather than opening new registrations. Once the full annual allocation is confirmed, the state will release its complete 2025–26 policy settings and open to new applicants.

Australian Capital Territory (ACT)

The ACT has not yet received its full 2025–26 allocation from the Department of Home Affairs. As a result, formal invitation rounds cannot begin.

However, the ACT has been given a limited number of interim places, which are being used to process carryover nominations from the previous program year. This means applicants already in the queue from last year are being prioritised, while new ROIs will only be accepted once the full allocation is released.

Tasmania (TAS)

Tasmania has been granted 165 interim nomination places, broken down as follows:

• Subclass 190 (Skilled Nominated visa): 85 places
• Subclass 491 (Skilled Work Regional visa): 80 places

These interim places are reserved for applicants who were pre-approved in 2024–25 but could not be nominated due to quota exhaustion.

Key points:

• Subclass 491: All pre-approved applicants will receive nomination.
• Subclass 190: As the number of pre-approved applicants exceeds 85, not all can be nominated immediately. Priority will be given to:
  • Onshore applicants whose current visas are close to expiry;
  • Applicants holding a Bridging Visa.

Other pre-approved 190 applicants have been notified by email and will be processed once Tasmania receives its full allocation.

Source: Internet

Professional Insights

From the latest updates across SA, ACT and TAS, it is clear that interim allocations are being used primarily to manage backlog cases from 2024–25. None of these states/territories have fully opened new ROIs at this stage.

Key takeaways:

• Policy pace remains uncertain – States are waiting for the full allocation, meaning new application windows remain limited in the short term.
• Priority for existing applicants – Those with an ROI already lodged or pre-approved have a clear advantage.
• Onshore applicants benefit – Visa holders close to expiry or on Bridging Visas are prioritised.
• Preparation is essential – Applicants should ensure documentation is complete and up to date, ready to act quickly once new policies are released.

Currently, SA, ACT and Tasmania are operating under interim quotas, focusing on finalising carryover cases from last program year. The full allocation and detailed nomination policies are expected in the coming weeks.

For applicants, this is a crucial time to stay prepared, keep EOIs/ROIs updated, and seek tailored advice to ensure you’re ready when the full programs open.

If you have any questions or would like professional assistance, please feel free to contact us at Riverwood Migration (Email: [email protected]). We are committed to providing transparent, expert migration services to help you achieve your dream of moving to Australia.