Visa Eligibility Assessment
We review your occupation, qualifications, employment, English results, visa history and migration goals to identify pathways that may suit your circumstances.
Migration planning in Adelaide requires more than choosing a visa subclass. Your occupation, skills assessment, South Australian study, employment, points and current visa status can affect which pathway is realistic.
Think Higher provides migration advice for Adelaide graduates, skilled workers, offshore applicants and employers. A registered migration agent can assess your circumstances, identify possible pathways and explain which requirements or evidence must be addressed before an application is submitted.
Migration advice is provided by an OMARA-registered migration agent where required.
We review your occupation, qualifications, employment, English results, visa history and migration goals to identify pathways that may suit your circumstances.
We assess potential eligibility for SA state nomination, including South Australian graduate, skilled employment, offshore, Subclass 190 and Subclass 491 pathways.
We prepare and review Expression of Interest and Registration of Interest details, including points claims, employment dates and supporting evidence.
We help identify the appropriate nominated occupation and assessing authority, review your evidence and assist with preparing the skills assessment application.
We assist with skilled, employer-sponsored, partner, student and visitor visa applications, including forms, supporting documents and written submissions.
We review refusal decisions, requests for further information and natural justice notices before assessing response, review or reapplication options.
Adelaide offers regional migration advantages, but metropolitan Adelaide does not qualify for every South Australian regional pathway.
Adelaide is classified as a designated regional area for relevant migration programs. This may support pathways such as the Subclass 491 Skilled Work Regional visa and Subclass 494 Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional visa.
Metropolitan Adelaide is not automatically included in South Australia’s Outer Regional Skilled Employment pathway. Your residential and workplace locations must be checked before relying on this option.
Important: Adelaide’s regional classification does not guarantee state nomination or permanent residence.
The preferred visa is not always the pathway available for a particular occupation or applicant.
| Review Area | Subclass 190 | Subclass 491 |
|---|---|---|
| Visa Type | Permanent skilled visa | Provisional regional skilled visa |
| Nomination Points | 5 additional points | 15 additional points |
| South Australian Nomination | Required | Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa pathway |
| Occupation Availability | May be limited to selected occupations | May be available where Subclass 190 is unavailable |
| Long-Term Planning | Permanent residence from grant | May support a later Subclass 191 pathway if relevant requirements are met |
Both visas are points-tested. Meeting the minimum 65-point threshold does not guarantee an invitation.
Under South Australia’s latest completed program, selection could consider factors such as occupation availability, employment, English proficiency, qualifications and overall competitiveness. The selection settings for the 2026–27 program should be checked once published.
A skilled migration agent in Adelaide can compare both pathways before an applicant commits to a nomination strategy.
An EOI and ROI serve different purposes in the South Australian nomination process.
An EOI is submitted through SkillSelect. It records your occupation, skills assessment, English results, qualifications, skilled employment and points.
An eligible onshore applicant may also need to submit a South Australian ROI when the program is open. South Australia uses the ROI to identify candidates who may be invited to apply for state nomination. Offshore applicants follow the EOI process and do not submit an ROI before selection.
We can help with:
Important: An EOI is not a visa application, and an ROI is not a state nomination application or approval.
Studying in Adelaide does not automatically create a permanent residence pathway. Eligibility may depend on your South Australian study, residence history, nominated occupation, skills assessment and post-course employment.
Review Outcome: We identify whether you may be ready for SA nomination or need further skilled employment, stronger English results or another visa strategy.
A job in Adelaide does not automatically meet South Australian nomination requirements. The assessment may depend on your actual duties, skill level, working hours, salary and the connection between your role and nominated occupation.
Important: Under South Australia’s latest completed skilled migration program, candidate selection could consider English proficiency, skilled experience, qualifications, salary and employer details. These factors are not yet confirmed for the 2026–27 program, and meeting minimum requirements does not guarantee an invitation.
Offshore applicants generally follow a different nomination process from people already living in Adelaide.
Under South Australia’s latest completed program, offshore applicants did not submit a separate ROI before selection.
Important: Every points claim must be supported by evidence. Incorrect claims may create problems after an invitation is issued.
Adelaide employers may have access to regional and other employer-sponsored pathways, depending on the business, occupation and worker.
Adelaide’s regional classification may allow an eligible employer to sponsor a skilled worker through the Subclass 494 Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional visa.
The Adelaide City Technology and Innovation Advancement DAMA covers metropolitan Adelaide and supports eligible employers in defence, space, advanced manufacturing and technology industries. It is an employer-led pathway and cannot be accessed independently by a worker.
Other national employer-sponsored visas may also apply. However, Adelaide’s regional classification makes the Subclass 494 visa and Adelaide City DAMA particularly relevant when assessing local sponsorship options.
As of 28 July 2026, South Australia is not accepting new skilled ROIs or state nomination applications through its General Skilled Migration program.
The South Australian Government has stated that eligible ROI submissions will resume when the 2026–27 program begins. New occupation eligibility, nomination requirements and selection priorities should be checked when officially published.
Your consultation can assess whether your occupation, Adelaide employment, South Australian study and points support a realistic migration pathway.
Book an online or phone consultation for advice based on your individual circumstances.
Migration advice is provided by a Registered Migration Agent where required. Invitations, state nominations and visa applications are decided by the relevant government authorities and cannot be guaranteed.
An offshore applicant selected by South Australia generally has 14 days from the invitation email to submit the state nomination application. Identity, skills assessment, English, qualification and employment documents should be prepared in advance because an incomplete application may be refused.
Potentially. Paid employment from multiple employers may be combined where each role meets the required skill level and other conditions of the relevant nomination stream.
Each employer must also have a physical presence in South Australia where that requirement applies. The duties, hours and supporting evidence from every position should be reviewed.
For employment used to meet South Australian skilled employment requirements, the employer must have a physical presence in South Australia.
Working remotely from Adelaide for a business that operates only interstate is not generally treated as eligible South Australian employment.
Potentially. Under South Australia’s latest published guidance, an employer-sponsored visa holder working in South Australia may seek state nomination.
Where more than 12 months remain on the current employer-sponsored visa, the applicant may be required to provide written consent from the employer supporting the nomination application. Circumstances without employer support may be considered individually.
Documents supporting a South Australian nomination application must remain valid when the application is submitted and when the nomination decision is made.
An application may be refused if an essential skills assessment, English result or other required document expires before a decision is reached.
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