NSW has fixed 3,600 skilled migration places for 2025–2026, restarting monthly invitations in January and opening two regional pathways on January 19.
Skilled Nominated (subclass 190) visa
NSW has allocated 2,100 places to the subclass 190 visa for the 2025–2026 program year.
The state has already conducted three invitation rounds and filled about 25% of the annual allocation as of December. Authorities will restart monthly invitation rounds in January 2026 and continue issuing invitations until the annual allocation is reached.
Officials again cautioned that only applicants whose occupations appear on the NSW Skills List will be considered for invitation under this stream.
Skilled Work Regional (subclass 491) visa
NSW has assigned 1,500 places to the subclass 491 visa and confirmed two regional pathways will open on 19 January 2026.
- Pathway 1 – Work in Regional NSW will allow applicants who meet the minimum income threshold and have worked in regional NSW for at least six months to apply in any eligible occupation under subclass 491.
- Pathway 3 – Regional NSW Graduate will target graduates who completed a bachelor’s degree or higher at an institution in a designated regional area of NSW. Only occupations listed on the NSW Regional Skills List will qualify.
Applications will be processed in chronological order, but only those that are valid, meeting eligibility requirements with current skills assessments and English test results, will enter the queue. All documents must remain valid for at least five days after submission.
Standard assessments typically take up to six weeks, although processing may extend during peak periods. Applicants may request expedited assessment when urgent events fall within 10 working days, including the expiry of visas, English tests, skills assessments or passports or when age-related point losses would drop a score below the minimum threshold.
NSW indicated it will assess the need for Pathway 2 – Invitation by NSW after measuring demand from Pathways 1 and 3. If required, the earliest invitation round under Pathway 2 would be April 2026.
Christmas Closure
NSW migration offices will close from 24 December 2025 to 9 January 2026 and reopen on 12 January 2026. Applicants needing urgent processing because of expiring documents during the shutdown have been urged to submit requests by Friday, 12 December 2025.
Disclaimer: Please note that the information provided is intended as a general guide and should not be relied upon as legal or migration advice. As migration laws and regulations can change, we recommend consulting an Australian Lawyer or Registered Migration Agent for advice tailored to your circumstances.
