South Australia Invitation Round – May 2026 (190 & 491 Visa)

Last Updated: 21 May 2026

South Australia issued a new skilled migration invitation round in May 2026 under the 2025–26 General Skilled Migration program.

The round included invitations for both:

• Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190)

• Skilled Work Regional visa (subclass 491)

This round provides insight into current occupation demand and state nomination priorities for migrants seeking Australian permanent residency.

Key Highlights – 21 May 2026 Invitation Round

• Total invitations issued: 238

• Subclass 190 invitations: 161

• Subclass 491 invitations: 77

  
  

Health professionals (66 invitations) received the highest number of invitations in this round, followed by design, engineering, science and transport professionals (41 invitations) and automotive and engineering trades workers (29 invitations).

South Australia confirmed that the 21 May 2026 invitation round is the final scheduled invitation round for the 2025–26 program year. However, further invitation activity may still occur before the end of the program year to optimise any remaining nomination allocations.

Overview of South Australia’s 2025–26 State Nomination Invitation Rounds

Invitations Issued in the May 2026 (Newest)

ANZSCO Sub-major Group	Subclass 190	Subclass 491	Total
13 Specialist Managers	2	2	4
14 Hospitality, Retail and Service Managers	0	1	1
22 Business, HR and Marketing Professionals	3	3	6
23 Design, Engineering, Science and Transport Professionals	31	10	41
24 Education Professionals	20	2	22
25 Health Professionals	59	7	66
26 ICT Professionals	0	6	6
27 Legal, Social and Welfare Professionals	7	1	8
31 Engineering, ICT and Science Technicians	2	4	6
32 Automotive and Engineering Trades Workers	8	21	29
33 Construction Trades Workers	11	10	21
34 Electrotechnology and Telecommunications Trades Workers	18	1	19
35 Food Trades Workers	0	0	0
36 Skilled Animal, Agricultural and Horticultural Workers	0	0	0
41 Health and Welfare Support Workers	0	9	9
45 Sports and Personal Service Workers	0	0	0
51 Office Managers and Program Administrators	0	0	0
Total	161	77	238

Total Invitations Issued – 2025–26 Program Year (to Date)

ANZSCO Sub-major Group	Subclass 190	Subclass 491	Total
13 Specialist Managers	99	37	136
14 Hospitality, Retail and Service Managers	0	29	29
22 Business, HR and Marketing Professionals	33	107	140
23 Design, Engineering, Science and Transport Professionals	365	103	468
24 Education Professionals	157	38	195
25 Health Professionals	609	30	639
26 ICT Professionals	7	236	243
27 Legal, Social and Welfare Professionals	66	15	81
31 Engineering, ICT and Science Technicians	42	145	187
32 Automotive and Engineering Trades Workers	86	63	149
33 Construction Trades Workers	152	96	248
34 Electrotechnology and Telecommunications Trades Workers	124	15	139
35 Food Trades Workers	0	21	21
36 Skilled Animal, Agricultural and Horticultural Workers	0	4	4
41 Health and Welfare Support Workers	17	107	124
45 Sports and Personal Service Workers	1	0	1
51 Office Managers and Program Administrators	9	40	49
Total	1,767	1,086	2,853

Health Professionals

Health occupations received the largest number of invitations in the 21 May 2026 round, with 66 invitations.

Demand remains strong across:

• hospitals

• aged care

• disability services

• community health

Applicants typically require a recognised skills assessment and professional registration.

Engineering and Technical Occupations

The Design, Engineering, Science and Transport Professionals group received 41 invitations in the 21 May 2026 round, making it the second-largest invitation category after health professionals.

This reflects ongoing demand linked to infrastructure projects, engineering services, and transport-related occupations across South Australia.

ICT Professionals

ICT professionals received 6 invitations, all under the subclass 491 visa.

This continues to indicate that ICT demand in South Australia is primarily driven by regional workforce needs, rather than permanent metropolitan placements.

Construction and Skilled Trades

Construction and trade occupations also showed solid demand.

Groups such as Construction Trades Workers (21 invitations) and Automotive and Engineering Trades Workers (29 invitations) highlight ongoing labour needs driven by infrastructure, housing, and development projects across the state.

Overall, the May 2026 round shows a clear prioritisation of healthcare, infrastructure, and regionally critical occupations.

What This Means for Skilled Migration Applicants

South Australia continues to prioritise occupations that support healthcare, infrastructure, and technology sectors.

Applicants should ensure that their Expression of Interest (EOI) and state nomination eligibility remain accurate and up to date before future invitation rounds.

Full South Australia Invitation Round History

For the latest invitation data and previous invitation rounds, see our tracker: https://www.racc.net.au/south-australia-skilled-migration-invitation-round-190-491

This page tracks invitation numbers, occupation groups, and trends across the 2025–26 program year.

FAQ

How many invitations were issued in the May 2026 South Australia round?

South Australia issued 238 invitations in the 21 May 2026 invitation round, including 161 invitations for subclass 190 and 77 invitations for subclass 491.

When is the next South Australia invitation round?

South Australia has advised that the 21 May 2026 round is the final scheduled invitation round for the 2025–26 program year. Additional invitation activity may still occur before year end if nomination places remain available.

Which occupations received the most invitations?

Health Professionals received the highest number of invitations (66), followed by Design, Engineering, Science and Transport Professionals (41) and Automotive and Engineering Trades Workers (29).

Need Help With Your South Australia State Nomination?

The South Australia State Nomination Invitation Rounds may 2026 highlight the importance of occupation relevance, pathway selection, and timing when applying for the state sponsored 190 or state sponsored regional 491 visas.

📩 If you’d like us to apply, review, or finalise your application, please email migration6@racc.net.au— we’ll send you the application form and quotation.

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