South Australia General Skilled Migration State Nomination Policy Changes

With the introduction of the new Skilled Work Regional (provisional) subclass 491 visa and the changes to the GSM points test, Immigration SA has reviewed the state nomination requirements and the additional requirements on the State Nominated Occupation Lists.

Occupations 


 Due to the recent changes to the Department of Home Affairs’ points test, Immigration South Australia has reviewed the points requirement for all occupations on the State Nominated Occupation Lists. English and work experience requirements have also changed for some occupations.
 
Many occupations now require either 75 or 85 points (including state nomination points) on the points test – see the State Nominated Occupation Lists  for details. Applicants who meet all requirements under the International Graduate of South Australia category or the currently working for the last 12 months in a skilled occupation  in South Australia category are still only required to have 65 points on the points test.
 

Most trade occupations are still only required to have 65 points on the points test. 

High Points category 
 
 The high points category  provides a skilled migration pathway for high calibre applicants by providing them access to special conditions and Supplementary Skilled List occupations. Skilled migrants applying through the high points category will often have post-graduate qualifications, several years of experience in their field and Superior English. 
 
 
Applicants for the high points category are now required to have 95 points (including state nomination points) on the points test. 
 
 A provisional 491 visa pathway is available for high points applicants. A permanent 190 visa pathway is available for high points applicants who have Superior English and at least 8 years work experience in their nominated or closely related occupation. Please note: some occupations are restricted to a Provisional 491 visa only as detailed on the occupation lists. 
 
 
Chain Migration category
 
 Chain migration provides a provisional 491 visa pathway for skilled migrants to join family members who are permanently residing in South Australia. For applicants with an eligible family member in South Australia, the chain migration pathway offers access to occupations on special conditions and on the Supplementary Skilled List. 
 
 
The points requirement has increased for the chain migration category, with applicants now being required to have 75 points (including state nomination points) on the points test.
 
 
Some managerial occupations on the State Nominated Occupation Lists require 85 points, chain migration applicants will also need to have the 85 points required for these occupations.
 

Changes to requirements to access state nomination for a permanent 190 visa   Some occupations on the State Nominated Occupation Lists are listed as “Provisional 491 visa only” and Nomination for the 190 visa is not available for these occupations. The majority of these occupations are on Department of Home Affairs’ Regional Occupation List (ROL).

 
The rest of the occupations are listed as: Provisional 491 visa only – 190 nomination offered to applicants under specific circumstances only and the criteria below applies to applicants wishing to apply for nomination for the 190 visa.
 
Due to the limited number of available places for the permanent 190 visa, additional eligibility criteria will now apply. To be eligible for nomination for a permanent 190 visa, applicants must meet one of the following criteria below and all of the requirements for the relevant category (please note: 1.3 on the skilled nomination requirements page overrides this concession):
 

• Be a high points applicant with at least 8 years of work experience in my nominated or closely related occupation and Superior English. Please note: the high points category is closed for some occupations
• Have worked in a skilled occupation in South Australia for the last 12 months
• Be a High Performing Graduate who has continued to reside in South Australia post-graduation and have completed one of the following qualifications from a South Australian public university (within the last two years) with the required Grade Point Average (GPA) listed below:
  • Completed a PhD or Masters by Research
  • GPA of 6.0 or above in Masters by Coursework degree (following completion of a Bachelor degree in South Australia)
  • First Class Honours in a dedicated Honours year (following completion of a Bachelor degree in South Australia)
  • GPA of 6.0 or above in a Bachelor Degree

• Be an international graduate of South Australia who is currently working for the last 6 months in a skilled occupation in South Australia.
• Be an international graduate of South Australia who has continued to reside in South Australia post-graduation for at least 5 years and is currently working for the last 3 months in a skilled occupation in South Australia.

An application fee change for all state nomination applications

There has been a 10% increase to the application fee for all South Australian state nomination applications. This fee increase will apply to all applications from 4 December 2019. View details of the fee structure here.