NSW, ACT and NT confirm new 190 and 491 visa quotas

Last week NSW, ACT and the Northern Territory revealed their 2025–26 quotas for subclass 190 and 491 visas, with fewer places in NSW but modest gains for the NT and a balanced split in the ACT.

Suzan Seherin November 17, 2025 3 minutes read

Australia’s skilled migration landscape shifted again last week as New South Wales, the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory confirmed their General Skilled Migration allocations for the 2025–26 program year. The announcements set out how many Skilled Nominated (subclass 190) and Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) (subclass 491) visas each jurisdiction can nominate.

The new figures sit within the federal government’s broader planning level of 33,000 places for state and territory nominated visas and 33,000 regional visas, out of a permanent migration cap of 185,000 places.

NSW allocation: 190 and 491 places reduced

New South Wales confirmed a total of 3,600 nomination places for 2025–26. This includes 2,100 places for the subclass 190 visa and 1,500 places for the subclass 491 visa.

However, the numbers represent a significant drop from the 2024–25 program year, when NSW held 3,000 places for subclass 190 and 2,000 for subclass 491, a total of 5,000 nominations. As a result, competition for NSW nomination is expected to intensify, especially in high-demand ICT, engineering and health occupations.

Migration advisers note that NSW is likely to remain selective, prioritising occupations on its skills lists and applicants with strong English, recent skilled work and higher EOI points. Applicants may therefore need to consider regional pathways or alternative states if their profiles are marginal for NSW.

ACT allocation: even split between 190 and 491

The Australian Capital Territory confirmed a total allocation of 1,600 places for 2025–26. The ACT has chosen an even split: 800 places for subclass 190 and 800 for subclass 491.

Last year, the ACT received 1,000 places for subclass 190 and 800 for subclass 491, giving it 1,800 total nominations. The new allocation therefore represents a modest reduction, with the cut falling entirely on the permanent 190 category.

However, the Canberra Matrix system continues to provide multiple invitation pathways for onshore and offshore applicants. As a result, candidates with strong points and occupations on the ACT Critical Skills List may still see regular invitation opportunities, particularly through regional-style 491 nominations.

NT allocation: rare increase for 190 and 491 visas

In contrast, the Northern Territory was one of the few jurisdictions to secure a larger skilled migration allocation. The NT government confirmed a total of 1,650 nomination places for 2025–26, made up of 850 subclass 190 places and 800 subclass 491 places.

This is an increase from last year’s 1,600 places, when the NT held 800 nominations each for subclass 190 and 491. The Territory government has described the boost as recognition of its need for population growth and skills in critical sectors such as health, construction and hospitality.

Meanwhile, updated NT nomination guidelines continue to emphasise commitment to regional settlement, local work experience and realistic employment prospects. As a result, the extra places may favour applicants already living and working in the Territory, or those with strong job offers in genuine skill-shortage occupations.

Impact on skilled migrants and EOI strategy

Across NSW, ACT and NT, the combined allocations for 2025–26 now stand at 6,850 places: 3,750 for subclass 190 and 3,100 for subclass 491. Compared with last year, this means fewer nominations in NSW and the ACT, but a small gain in the Northern Territory.

For applicants, the shift underscores how important state choice and timing have become in the General Skilled Migration program. Higher-demand states like NSW will likely favour candidates with very strong profiles, while smaller jurisdictions such as the NT may present realistic alternatives for those ready to live regionally.

At the same time, the federal planning levels for state-nominated and regional visas remain stable, suggesting that the overall pathway through subclasses 190 and 491 is still central to Australia’s migration strategy. However, the distribution of places between jurisdictions can change quickly, so applicants must follow state announcements and adjust their Expression of Interest strategies accordingly.

Outlook for the 2025–26 skilled program

As invitation rounds resume in late 2025, migration agents expect more targeted selection, with states using occupation lists, work experience requirements and residency rules to manage heavy demand. NSW and the ACT may take longer between rounds or issue fewer invitations per round, while the NT could move more quickly to fill its expanded quota.

As a result, prospective migrants are being urged to keep documents up to date, monitor changes to state criteria and remain flexible about where in Australia they are willing to settle. For now, last week’s allocations confirm that opportunities remain in all three jurisdictions, but the balance of places is shifting toward regional Australia and smaller states.

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