South Australia Issues Major Skilled Migration Invitations in January 2026

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By Vikrant Singh, March 23, 2025

South Australia has kicked off 2026 with a strong round of skilled migration invitations, signaling continued demand for global talent across key sectors. According to the official data released on 6 January 2026, the state invited hundreds of candidates under its General Skilled Migration (GSM) program—reinforcing its commitment to economic growth and workforce expansion.

January 2026 Invitation Round – Key Highlights

Total invitations issued in January 2026: 344
Subclass 190 (State Nomination): 235 invitations
Subclass 491 (Regional): 109 invitations
Total invitations issued so far in 2025–26 program year: 931

The invitation round targeted a broad mix of professionals—from healthcare and engineering to ICT and construction—demonstrating South Australia’s diversified workforce needs.

Top Occupation Groups Invited

The Health Professionals category dominated the January round with the highest number of invitations, followed closely by engineering and technical occupations.

Health Professionals: 69 invitations
Design, Engineering, Science & Transport Professionals: 63 invitations
ICT Professionals: 33 invitations
Construction Trades Workers: 30 invitations
Education Professionals: 22 invitations

This trend highlights ongoing shortages in healthcare, infrastructure, and technology sectors.

Complete Invitations Table (January 2026)

ANZSCO Group	Subclass 190	Subclass 491	Total
Specialist Managers	17	4	21
Hospitality, Retail & Service Managers	0	1	1
Business, HR & Marketing Professionals	4	12	16
Design, Engineering, Science & Transport	51	12	63
Education Professionals	18	4	22
Health Professionals	68	1	69
ICT Professionals	1	32	33
Legal, Social & Welfare Professionals	7	2	9
Engineering, ICT & Science Technicians	7	18	25
Automotive & Engineering Trades	10	3	13
Construction Trades Workers	27	3	30
Electrotechnology & Telecom Trades	20	1	21
Food Trades Workers	0	3	3
Agricultural & Horticultural Workers	0	1	1
Health & Welfare Support Workers	5	9	14
Office Managers & Administrators	0	3	3
Total	235	109	344

Year-to-Date Snapshot (2025–26)

Total invitations so far: 931
Subclass 190: 610
Subclass 491: 321

This indicates a steady pace of invitations, with a stronger preference for Subclass 190 (permanent residency pathway).

What This Means for Applicants

Healthcare and engineering remain priority sectors
Regional visa (Subclass 491) continues to offer strong opportunities, especially for ICT and technical roles
Competition remains high, but consistent monthly rounds improve chances for eligible candidates

What’s Next?

South Australia has confirmed that invitation rounds will continue monthly, with the next round scheduled for early February 2026.

Final Take

This latest round reinforces South Australia’s strategic migration focus: attracting skilled professionals who can immediately contribute to critical industries. For applicants, staying aligned with priority occupations and state requirements is more important than ever.

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