NT announced this morning that it has received its allocation for this financial year and will open applications for onshore and selected offshore streams on 21 August 2026—that is, tomorrow.
Allocation:
The total allocation is 1,850 places. Subclass 190 has 850 places, unchanged from last financial year.
Subclass 491 has 1,000 places, 200 more than last financial year.
NT has expressly stated that it received Australia’s largest Subclass 491 allocation for this financial year (Image 2). That also means some other states will clearly receive fewer Subclass 491 places. At a minimum, NSW and WA, which each had more than 1,000 places last financial year, will see reductions (Image 3).
What happens to applications left over from last financial year?
For offshore applicants who applied through NT’s Priority Occupation Stream for Subclass 491 last financial year and are still waiting in the pool, the additional 200 places are certainly welcome news. NT has also recently been issuing new requests for further information to progress applications. NT has expressly stated that unfinalised applications remaining in last financial year’s pool will automatically roll over and use the new financial-year allocation; applicants do not need to lodge again.
NT state nomination red lines: residence commitment and Release Letters
It is important to note that NT still places great weight on commitment and remains extremely strict.
After receiving a visa grant, applicants must commit to living and working in NT for at least three years. NT has also expressly stated that it will never issue a Release Letter for a move to another state, and it will conduct independent spot checks jointly with the Department of Home Affairs.
Applicants have also recently shared cases in which they were refused, with the main reason being that NT considered their intention to work and live in NT over the longer term insufficiently strong. Applicants are reminded to put substantial effort into their supporting materials to demonstrate a genuine intention to live and work in NT for the long term.
The validity risk applicants cannot overlook when lodging for NT state nomination
Applicants should also pay attention to the validity of their documents. NT has expressly stated that it cannot guarantee an outcome before an applicant’s visa expires, so applicants must ensure that their skills assessment and English test results remain valid throughout processing. Onshore applicants whose visas are close to expiry should also prepare in advance.
Applications opening tomorrow are for onshore streams and selected offshore streams. NT says the offshore Priority Occupation Stream already has a large number of applications and will not accept new applications for the time being (Image 4). This is presumably because many applications from last financial year remain unprocessed. Only the Job Offer and Family Streams will open offshore.
The NT Graduate, Working in NT and MINT streams will all open as normal, with requirements largely unchanged. Eligible applicants should prepare and lodge promptly. We also hope that offshore Subclass 491 applicants who lodged last financial year receive good news soon.
