The 2026–27 state nomination programmes have officially entered the substantive launch stage.
On 20 August, Tasmania issued the first ROI invitations of the financial year, becoming the first state to issue state nomination pre-invitations in 2026–27. On the same day, the Northern Territory also formally announced that it had received its state nomination allocation for the new financial year and said it would open applications on 21 August for the new financial year.
Based on the information released so far, Tasmania continues to show strong policy continuity and has placed even greater emphasis on Tasmanian graduates and long-term residents. The Northern Territory received 1,850 state nomination places, including an increase of 200 Subclass 491 places, while continuing to emphasise applicants’ genuine commitment to living and working in the Territory over the long term.
Tasmania issues its first ROI invitations on 20 August
On 20 August, Tasmania issued the first ROI invitations of the 2026–27 financial year. The round included:
- Subclass 190: 67 invitations, including 65 Gold Pass and two Green Pass
- Subclass 491: 26 invitations, including three Green Pass
- Lowest Subclass 190 score: 580 points
- Lowest Subclass 491 score: 97 points
Tasmania said that, because the new financial year had only just begun and it had received a high number of Subclass 190 Gold Pass ROIs, this round contained fewer invitations than normally planned.
The number of Gold Pass ROIs is expected to fall substantially over the coming weeks as the financial year progresses. Tasmania then expects to increase invitation numbers further.
Many applicants are still waiting for invitations in the ROI pool, including approximately 539 Subclass 190 ROIs and 810 Subclass 491 ROIs.
Tasmania has not required applicants who lodged an ROI in the previous financial year to lodge again. However, each applicant can retain only one valid ROI in the pool. If the new financial year’s policy changes mean a fresh ROI would receive a higher score, Tasmania also recommends that applicants consider resubmitting.
Tasmania’s current processing backlog is small
Unlike some states that began the new financial year with many applicants invited in the previous year still awaiting nomination, Tasmania currently has a relatively limited processing backlog.
The approximate number of applicants still awaiting processing after an ROI invitation is:
- Subclass 190: 18
- Subclass 491: two
Before the 2026–27 programme formally opened, Tasmania had essentially cleared the backlog of applicants from the previous financial year who could not receive nominations because the allocation was insufficient.
As a result, Tasmania has so far used approximately 166 Subclass 190 places and 46 Subclass 491 places.
This also means Tasmania’s new-financial-year state nomination programme began with a relatively clean application pool. As the number of Gold Pass ROIs gradually falls, later invitation numbers may increase further.
Tasmania continues to favour its graduates and long-term residents
Tasmania’s preference for graduates of the state remains very clear in its new-financial-year policy direction.
At the same time, Tasmania has placed greater weight on long-term residents this year.
For applicants planning to complete their studies in Australia and then obtain long-term status through state nomination, Tasmania therefore remains one of the destinations worth watching closely.
If applicants genuinely want to study, live and work in Tasmania over the long term, the overall logic of their application will align more closely with the state government’s aim of attracting and retaining talent than a short stay pursued purely for migration purposes.
Northern Territory announces its programme on 20 August, with new-financial-year applications opening on 21 August
After Tasmania issued its first invitations, the Northern Territory formally announced its 2026–27 state nomination allocation on 20 August and said applications would open on 21 August for the new financial year.
According to the information released so far, the Northern Territory received 1,850 state nomination places this financial year, comprising:
- Subclass 190: 850 places, broadly unchanged from last financial year
- Subclass 491: 1,000 places, an increase of 200 from last financial year
Reports indicate that the Northern Territory received the largest Subclass 491 allocation of any Australian state or territory this financial year.
If this allocation is ultimately confirmed, other states may face further adjustments to their Subclass 491 places. In particular, states that had more than 1,000 Subclass 491 places last financial year, such as NSW and WA, may receive reduced allocations in the new financial year.
Offshore Subclass 491 Priority Occupation Stream: existing applications roll over automatically
Applications lodged under the Northern Territory’s offshore Subclass 491 Priority Occupation Stream in the previous financial year that remain unfinalised will automatically roll over to the 2026–27 allocation. Applicants do not need to lodge again.
For applicants already in the pool, the additional 200 Subclass 491 places are undoubtedly a positive signal.
The Northern Territory has also begun processing the relevant applications. Some applicants who lodged in the previous financial year have recently received requests to sign a declaration.
However, according to the Northern Territory’s 20 August update, the offshore Priority Occupation Stream has already received a large volume of applications and is therefore temporarily not accepting new applications.
Applicants need to monitor further updates on the Northern Territory’s official website and must not assume that the stream has reopened merely because its allocation increased.
The Northern Territory places great importance on applicants’ Commitment
If you are considering Northern Territory state nomination, one keyword requires particular attention in your materials: Commitment.
The Northern Territory has always placed high expectations on whether applicants genuinely intend to live and work there over the long term. Applicants without Northern Territory study or work experience are generally at a relative disadvantage on this point.
After being invited, applicants must commit to living and working in the Northern Territory for at least three years.
The Northern Territory has also expressly stated that it will not issue a Release Letter allowing applicants to move to another state. It may subsequently conduct independent spot checks jointly with the Australian Department of Home Affairs to confirm whether applicants have genuinely fulfilled the relevant commitments.
There have also been some recent application refusals, with one important reason being that the Northern Territory considered the applicants’ intention to live and work there over the long term insufficient.
Northern Territory applicants therefore cannot merely satisfy residence requirements on the surface. Their state nomination materials should establish a complete and credible case for long-term settlement through their study and work history, family and personal connections, career-development plans and future employment plans.
Northern Territory applicants must also watch the validity of their documents
The Northern Territory specifically reminds applicants that state nomination processing may take a long time and cannot be guaranteed to finish before their current visa expires.
Onshore applicants therefore need to consider visa transition arrangements in advance.
Documents such as skills assessments and English test results must also remain valid throughout processing. Applicants whose current visa is close to expiry and who plan to lodge for Northern Territory state nomination need to make later visa arrangements particularly early.
The Northern Territory Graduate Stream remains open
Northern Territory Graduate, Working in the Northern Territory and MINT streams are all open as normal in the new financial year, with no material change to their overall requirements.
Northern Territory Graduate Stream
The Northern Territory Graduate Stream uses the full skilled occupation list.
For a Subclass 190 visa, applicants must complete at least two years of study in the Northern Territory and meet one of the following two pathways:
Pathway 1: After graduation, hold a Subclass 485 visa or a Subclass 485 bridging visa and continue living in the Northern Territory for at least six months while meeting the relevant employment requirements.
Pathway 2: After graduation, continue living in the Northern Territory for at least 12 months and demonstrate a sustained, active search for relevant work.
The employment requirements include one of the following:
- The applicant is currently working in the nominated or a closely related occupation, or has received a relevant job offer;
- At least three months of work in an NT regional or remote area outside Greater Darwin;
- The applicant currently works in, or has received an offer in, a critical sector such as healthcare, aged care, education, construction, agriculture, energy, mining, tourism or defence.
It is particularly important to note that applicants who are over 35 at graduation and cannot apply for a Subclass 485 visa cannot meet the Subclass 190 requirements through Pathway 2 above; they must satisfy the relevant conditions under Pathway 1.
For a Subclass 491 visa, local graduates must complete at least two years of study in the Northern Territory and focus on demonstrating that they have seriously and continuously sought relevant work before and after graduation, with tangible progress in the job search.
Northern Territory Worker Stream
Applicants already working in the Northern Territory face different residence and employment requirements for Subclass 190 and 491.
Subclass 190:
Applicants must have lived in the Northern Territory for at least two years and completed at least two years of full-time work, while their current employment must also be able to continue for at least another 12 months.
The work must meet the employment requirements for an onshore applicant and satisfy one of the following conditions:
The work is in the nominated occupation or a closely related occupation;
The applicant works in an NT regional or remote area outside Greater Darwin.
Subclass 491:
Applicants must have lived in the Northern Territory for at least one year and completed at least six months of full-time work, while the employment must be able to continue for at least another 12 months.
The work must fall into one of the following categories:
The nominated occupation or a closely related occupation;
Work in a regional or remote area outside Greater Darwin;
Work in a designated critical sector, including energy, defence, agriculture, mining, healthcare, aged care and disability support, education, tourism or construction.
Offshore streams and the MINT programme remain open
Apart from the offshore Subclass 491 Priority Occupation Stream, which is temporarily closed to new applications, some other Northern Territory offshore streams remain open, including the Job Offer and Family Streams.
The MINT programme also continues to operate under its existing policy.
Eligible applicants can prepare their materials promptly according to their circumstances once Northern Territory applications formally open for the new financial year on 21 August.
Tasmania and the Northern Territory launch together as new-financial-year state nomination moves into its substantive stage
From Tasmania issuing the first ROI invitations on 20 August to the Northern Territory announcing 1,850 places and opening applications on 21 August, state nomination programmes for 2026–27 have begun moving progressively into actual operation.
At present, Tasmania continues to emphasise its own graduates and long-term residents, while the Northern Territory has increased its Subclass 491 allocation and placed greater emphasis on applicants’ genuine intention to settle for the long term.
For international students and skilled migration applicants, new-financial-year state nomination planning cannot consider only occupation and points; it must also take account of study location, length of residence, employment opportunities, occupational relevance and the intention to settle for the long term.
Particularly in jurisdictions such as Tasmania and the Northern Territory, which place high demands on local ties and Commitment, planning study, employment and visa pathways early is often more important than looking for a so-called ‘low-threshold pathway’ only when an application is imminent.
