The Northern Territory has opened its skilled migration nomination program for the 2026–27 program year, giving skilled professionals another opportunity to pursue an Australian skilled migration pathway.
The NT has been allocated a total of 1,850 nomination places for the current program year. These places are divided between the Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190) and the Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491).
1,850 nomination places available
The allocation includes:
- Subclass 190: 850 places
- Subclass 491: 1,000 places
Applications opened on 21 August 2026, with the program accepting new applications under eligible onshore and selected offshore streams.
The Northern Territory’s skilled migration program is designed to attract skilled workers whose qualifications and experience align with the Territory’s workforce requirements. The NT Government can nominate eligible skilled professionals and tradespeople through its skilled migration pathways.
What does this mean for skilled migrants?
The opening of the 2026–27 program provides another option for applicants who may be looking beyond the more competitive independent skilled migration pathway.
However, receiving a nomination allocation does not mean every applicant will automatically qualify for nomination. Applicants still need to satisfy the relevant NT nomination criteria, including requirements relating to their occupation, skills, work experience, English proficiency, points and other applicable conditions.
For applicants considering the Northern Territory, understanding whether they qualify for an onshore or offshore stream is particularly important before submitting an application.
An opportunity for Australia PR aspirants
For skilled professionals targeting Australian permanent residency, a subclass 190 nomination can provide a direct pathway to permanent residence, while subclass 491 is a regional provisional visa that can lead to permanent residence if the relevant requirements are met.
With the NT’s 2026–27 nomination places now available, eligible applicants should review the current requirements and assess their profile before proceeding.
Planning to apply for Australia PR through a state nomination pathway? A profile assessment can help determine which state or territory pathway may be suitable based on your occupation, points, experience and overall eligibility
