The New South Wales (NSW) Skilled Migration Program for 2025-26 has announced new allocations: 2,100 places for the Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190) and 1,500 places for the Skilled Work Regional visa (subclass 491). Invitation rounds for the subclass 190 visa will restart in January 2026, considering only occupations on the NSW Skills List .
For the subclass 491 visa, Pathway 1 (Regional Work) and Pathway 3 (Regional Graduate) will open on January 19, 2026, while Pathway 2 is expected to open in April 2026. Applications will be processed within six weeks, with priority given to expiring documents .
Key Updates:
– 190 Visa: 2,100 places, invitation rounds restart January 2026
– 491 Visa: 1,500 places, pathways 1 and 3 open January 19, 2026
– NSW Office: Closed from December 24 to January 9
Eligibility:
– Occupations must be on the NSW Skills List for subclass 190
– Applicants must meet specific requirements for each pathway
Processing:
– Up to six weeks processing time
– Priority for expiring documents
