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Applying from the UK for state nomination in 2026-27? Why Tasmania is clearer than Canberra or Queensland

Visa guide · 2026-08-19 · 5 min read

State and territory nomination is one of the main ways into Australia for skilled workers who do not have an employer lined up. Each jurisdiction runs its own programme, sets its own rules and opens at its own pace, and the 2026-27 year has started very unevenly. If you are sitting in the UK trying to work out where to point your application, the honest answer depends on how much certainty you need right now.

A quick reminder of the two visas involved. The Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190) is permanent and needs a state or territory to nominate you. The Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491) is a provisional visa for living and working in a regional area.

Where each jurisdiction stands at a glance

Tasmania: numbers you can plan around

Tasmania has the firmest picture. It has 1,250 places for the 190 and 800 for the 491 this year, up from 1,200 and 650 last year. Registrations of Interest reopened on 17 August 2026 and weekly invitation rounds began on 20 August. There is no charge to register, but the nomination application itself now costs $387 plus GST.

The big catch for anyone overseas: Tasmania is no longer inviting offshore applicants for the 491 this programme year, as a result of the processing priorities in Ministerial Direction 119. For most people applying from the UK, that route is shut.

There is one exception that matters to many British readers. Overseas health professionals and teachers who already hold a job offer from an eligible Tasmanian employer can still apply for the 190 through the Health or Education Sector Job Offer Pathway. If you are a nurse, allied health worker or teacher with an offer in hand, this is worth a close look.

If you already had a 491 application waiting, it will not switch over by itself. You would need to withdraw it and lodge a new Registration of Interest for the 190, and a fresh invitation is not assured.

The ACT: a better system, but no numbers yet

Canberra has spent its effort on the process rather than the criteria. A new Migration Application portal went live on 30 July 2026 for both Canberra Matrix entries and full nomination applications. It adds multi-factor login, works on a mobile, shows tracking in real time and lets you edit a submission after you lodge it.

Submissions from the old system move across automatically, but you must set up a new account with the same email address you registered with before. The $350 total is a $25 Matrix fee and a $325 nomination fee. A Matrix entry lasts six months and can run to twelve if you update it before it expires. Updating costs nothing, but ties are broken by the most recent update, so it can change your place.

Expedited processing is now available where a visa or document is about to expire or timing is otherwise critical, but only once you have been invited. The territory's 2026-27 allocation has not been confirmed and its occupation list is under review, so there is no invitation schedule yet.

Queensland: get your paperwork ready

Queensland has not opened for 2026-27 and is still waiting for its final allocation from the federal government. Its fees went up from 1 July 2026 and apply to both 190 and 491 invitees. The practical step is to have your documents ready, so you can move quickly once it opens. UK documents are already in English, which helps, though certified copies may still be needed.

A note for employers in Far North Queensland

Businesses sponsoring through the Far North Queensland Designated Area Migration Agreement (DAMA) have two changes to act on. A 50% reduction now applies to certain subclass 186 (Employer Nomination Scheme) endorsement fees, but only when the role is bundled with its matching subclass 482 (Skills in Demand) position. And age and English concessions are far cheaper to request in the first endorsement than to add later, when extra administration fees and delays can follow.

Three aged care roles remain on the DAMA list for now: Personal Care Assistant, Nursing Support Worker and Aged or Disabled Carer. A proposed change that would have removed them is reportedly on hold, but that could change, so employers who need them should not wait. Disability care roles are not affected.

Choosing your next step

If you want a decision today, Tasmania offers the clearest set-up, especially for health and education workers with a job offer. The ACT is easier to use but has yet to say how many places it has, and Queensland is a matter of waiting. For more on the processing priorities behind Tasmania's move, read our guide to the new visa processing priorities, and see how a quiet visa pause hit regional Australia. If an employer route suits you better, browse the jobs in Australia for UK citizens.

#state nomination #subclass 190 #subclass 491 #tasmania #queensland #dama