State and Territory Nominations for November 2025

Australia’s Department of Home Affairs has released its newest data on State and Territory nominations for the Skilled Nominated (Subclass 190) and Skilled Work Regional (Subclass 491) visas for November 2025. Updated cumulative figures from 1 July to 30 November 2025 can now be accessed on the Department’s website for those monitoring nomination activity throughout the program year.

From 31 October to 30 November 2025, the number of nominations submitted by each State and Territory government are as follows:

VISA SUBCLASS	ACT	NSW	NT	QLD	SA	TAS	VIC	WA
Skilled Nominated (Sc 190) visa	122	311	97	12	9	123	195	32
Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491) Stated and Territory Nominated	140	156	17	61	19	6	115	18

NSW Visa Nomination Allocations for 2025–26

NSW has been given the following number of places for skilled visa nominations:

• 2,100 Skilled Nominated visas (Subclass 190)

• 1,500 Skilled Work Regional visas (Subclass 491)

Subclass 190 – Skilled Nominated Visa

NSW has already conducted three invitation rounds since the start of the program year. Regular monthly invitation rounds will resume in January 2026 and will continue until the full allocation is used. As of December 2025, about 25% of the annual Subclass 190 quota has already been issued.

Only occupations included on the NSW Skills List will be eligible for an invitation.

For the Subclass 491 Skilled Work Regional visa, both Pathway 1 (Work in Regional NSW) and Pathway 3 (Regional NSW Graduate) are scheduled to open on 19 January 2026.

Applications will be assessed in the order they are submitted, as long as they meet all requirements.

To qualify as a valid application, applicants must satisfy all NSW eligibility criteria on the day they apply and provide supporting documents such as their English test results and skills assessment that remain valid for at least five days after submission

Requests for Faster Processing

Assessment usually takes up to six (6) weeks, although this may vary depending on application volume. Applicants can request priority processing if any of the following are expected to occur within 10 working days:

• Expiry of the applicant’s or partner’s current visa

• Expiry of the applicant’s or partner’s English test, passport, or skills assessment

• Loss of age points that would lower their total score below the minimum required

Pathway Details

Pathway 1 – Work in Regional NSW

Applicants may be eligible if they meet the minimum income threshold and have been employed in regional NSW for at least six months. All occupations eligible for the Subclass 491 visa are accepted under this pathway. Full criteria are listed on the NSW Government website.

Pathway 3 – Regional NSW Graduate

Applicants must have completed a bachelor’s degree or higher at a recognised institution located in a designated regional area of NSW. Only occupations listed on the NSW Regional Skills List qualify.

Pathway 2 – Invitation by NSW

Whether NSW will run an invitation round for Pathway 2 will depend on the number of nominations submitted under Pathways 1 and 3. If needed, the earliest possible round may take place in April 2026. More details will be provided ahead of any round.

November 2025 Invitation Round Summary

The Department carried out a new round of invitations on 13 November 2025, targeting applicants for the Skilled Independent visa (Subclass 189) as well as the Family Sponsored stream of the Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (Subclass 491).

In this round, a total of 10,300 candidates received invitations. Of these, 10,000 were issued for the Subclass 189 visa, while 300 went to applicants under the Subclass 491 Family Sponsored category.

Further details, including the points required for each invited occupation, are available on the Department’s website.