State Nomination 2026-27: The Facts on Tasmania, the ACT, Queensland and the FNQ DAMA
News · 2026-08-19 · 5 min read
State and territory nomination programs in Australia change every year, and 2026-27 is following the same pattern. You do not need to read every press release from every jurisdiction. What you need is a clear answer to one question: based on the current position, which pathway is realistic for me?
This guide answers that state by state, then covers the changes that employers sponsoring staff in Far North Queensland should be watching. Keep the fees and dates below handy so you can compare them against what anyone else tells you.
Quick comparison
| Jurisdiction | Status for 2026-27 | Key cost |
|---|---|---|
| Tasmania | Open, 2,050 places confirmed | $387 plus GST ($425.70) |
| ACT | New portal live, allocation not yet confirmed | $350 in total |
| Queensland | Not yet open, awaiting federal allocation | $573 offshore, $630.30 onshore |
Tasmania: confirmed places and an open program
Tasmania has the most certainty of any jurisdiction for 2026-27. If you are trying to plan a move properly, that matters.
The figures: 2,050 nomination places in total, split into 1,250 for the Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190) and 800 for the Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491). Last year's allocation was 1,200 and 650 respectively, so both streams have grown.
Key dates: Registrations of Interest reopened on 17 August 2026. Weekly invitations started on 20 August.
Costs: registering is free. The nomination application fee has increased to $387 plus GST, which comes to $425.70.
Offshore applicants: read this carefully
Tasmania will not issue any subclass 491 invitations to overseas applicants in this program year. This is a direct result of the processing priorities set by Ministerial Direction 119. If you are outside Australia and planning on the 491 to Tasmania, that route is closed. There is one narrow exception: overseas health professionals and teachers holding a job offer from an eligible Tasmanian employer may still apply for subclass 190 through the dedicated Health or Education Sector Job Offer Pathway.
If you already have a 491 application in the queue, it will not be converted automatically. You must withdraw it and lodge a new Registration of Interest for the 190. A new invitation is not guaranteed.
Queensland: program not open yet
Queensland has not opened its 2026-27 program. It is still waiting on its final nomination allocation from the federal government.
The fees, however, have already moved. From 1 July 2026 they rose to $573 for offshore applicants and $630.30 (GST-inclusive) for onshore applicants. Both subclass 190 and 491 invitees pay these amounts.
What to do now: get your documents in order so you are ready to move fast when the program reopens.
The ACT: better portal, numbers still pending
The ACT has used the lead-up to this program year to fix its systems, not to change its criteria. On 30 July 2026 a new Migration Application portal went live, replacing the old submission system for Canberra Matrix entries and for full nomination applications. The new portal adds multi-factor login, a mobile-friendly design, real-time application tracking and the ability to edit a submission after lodging. The old system had none of these features.
Anything you submitted in the old system carries over on its own, but you must create a new account with the same email address you used when you first registered.
The fee has increased with the new portal to $350 in total: a $25 Canberra Matrix fee plus a $325 nomination fee. A Matrix entry is valid for six months, and you can extend it to twelve if you update it before it lapses. Updating costs nothing, but be aware it resets your position in a tie-break, because ties are decided by the most recent update.
There is also expedited processing for applicants facing a visa or document expiry or another time-critical situation. It only applies after an invitation has been issued. It will not speed up the invitation itself.
What is missing: the ACT's 2026-27 allocation has not yet been confirmed by Canberra, so there is no invitation schedule. The occupation list is under review, with changes expected soon. The process has improved; the substance has not arrived.
Employers using the Far North Queensland DAMA
If you sponsor overseas workers through the Far North Queensland Designated Area Migration Agreement, two changes need your attention now.
- Fee reduction: a 50% reduction applies to certain subclass 186 (Employer Nomination Scheme) endorsement fees, but only when the position is bundled with its corresponding subclass 482 (Skills in Demand) position. Check whether your nominations are structured this way.
- Concessions: age and English concessions are much cheaper to include in the initial endorsement than to add later. Late additions can attract administration fees and slow Department processing. If you may need a concession, ask for it at the start.
On occupations, three aged care roles remain on the DAMA list for now: Personal Care Assistant, Nursing Support Worker, and Aged or Disabled Carer. A proposed variation to remove them is reportedly on hold, but there is no guarantee, so employers who want these occupations should submit requests early. This applies only to aged care positions, not disability care roles.
For workers looking at these roles: a genuine employer will never ask you to pay for a job offer.
Summary: where each option stands
If you must decide today, Tasmania gives the most clarity: confirmed numbers, an open program and a defined, if narrower, pathway for overseas applicants. The ACT has made lodging easier but has not confirmed how many places it has. Queensland is still waiting. And FNQ DAMA employers have concrete changes to build into their sponsorship plans now.
Settings shift quickly between program years. Before you spend time or money on an application, confirm how your occupation, location and visa pathway match the current rules, and rely only on official sources. If anyone promises you a guaranteed nomination, walk away.
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