ACT (Canberra) Migration Program: Key Updates for 2025–26

The ACT Government has announced updates to the ACT Nominated Migration Program for the 2025–26 financial year, including a revised occupation list, minor adjustments to the nomination guidelines, and process clarifications for PhD and employer-sponsored applicants.

New ACT Migration Occupation List

The ACT Critical Skills List has officially been renamed to the ACT Nominated Migration Program Occupation List (or simply the ACT Migration Occupation List) to more accurately reflect its purpose, determining eligibility for ACT nomination.

The list has been substantially reduced from 152 to 105 ANZSCO unit groups, marking a more targeted approach aligned with current ACT workforce needs.

Key implications:

• Occupations not on the updated list will no longer be eligible for nomination in future rounds.
• Applications submitted in response to the September 2025 invitation round remain unaffected, even if their occupation has been removed.
• All new Canberra Matrix submissions will be assessed against the updated list, regardless of the lodgement date.

Applicants are encouraged to review the updated list carefully to confirm their eligibility before submitting a new Canberra Matrix to the ACT government.

Clarifications to the ACT nomination guidelines

In line with the updated occupation list, the ACT Nomination Guidelines have also been refined to improve clarity and consistency across nomination streams.

PhD Applicant Invitations

• Previously, PhD applicants were invited every seven business days regardless of nomination availability.
• Now, PhD candidates will be invited as part of each standard invitation round, maintaining their priority processing but reducing frequency.

This change aligns the doctorate pathway with other nomination streams, simplifying scheduling and allocation management.

482/457 Visa pathway clarification

• The guidelines now explicitly confirm that applicants under the employer-sponsored (subclass 457/482) pathway must have been employed for at least six months with their sponsoring ACT employer before applying for nomination.
• This was always the intended policy, but it is now clearly articulated to remove ambiguity.

SC491 vs SC190 Invitation order

The guidelines now clearly state that SC491 invitations are issued before SC190 invitations, impacting the likelihood of receiving a 190 nomination in competitive rounds.

What hasn’t changed

While terminology and procedures have been refined, eligibility requirements remain consistent:

• Applicants must still submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) through SkillSelect and a Canberra Matrix.
• The points-based ranking system continues to determine invitations.
• The ACT Government retains discretion in issuing nominations, and submitting a Matrix does not guarantee an invitation.

Furthermore, as confirmed in the Doctorate Streamlined Nomination Guidelines (October 2025), PhD graduates from ACT universities remain exempt from occupation list requirements, provided they meet the standard nomination and visa criteria.

Program administration and timing

Until the ACT receives its final nomination allocation from the Department of Home Affairs, the Government will continue to assess existing applications, even if the interim allocation is reached. However, nominations will only be finalised once the final allocation is confirmed.

Once allocations are published, the ACT Government will also release tentative invitation round dates for the 2025–26 program year.

What applicants should do now

For those considering ACT nomination, Ethos Migration Lawyers recommends the following:

• Review the updated ACT Migration Occupation List – confirm your occupation remains on the occupation list
• Check your Canberra Matrix strategy – ensure your points claims reflect the current guidelines
• Doctorate graduates – ensure you understand the streamlined pathway and its documentation requirements
• Current employer-sponsored visa holders – verify you meet the six-month employment requirement with your ACT employer
• Monitor invitation rounds – particularly if you are targeting a 190 nomination, as 491 invitations are issued first

Need assistance or further information?

Our team at Ethos Migration Lawyers has a breadth of experience in general skilled migration state/territory nomination pathways, including strategic advice on the Canberra Matrix submissions, 482 to 190/491 transitions, and PhD streamlined applications.

If you’re planning to apply under the 2025–26 ACT Nominated Migration Program or wish to review your eligibility under the updated list, contact us today for a consultation.