NSW Opens Subclass 491 Nomination Applications for Pathway 1 and Pathway 3 (2025-26 Program Year)

New South Wales has formally opened nomination applications for the Skilled Work Regional visa (subclass 491) under Pathway 1 (Work in Regional NSW) and Pathway 3 (Regional NSW Graduate) for the 2025-26 migration program year.

The announcement confirms that eligible applicants may now lodge nomination applications, subject to allocation limits and pathway-specific eligibility criteria. As with previous program years, places are finite and pathways may close without notice once the NSW allocation is exhausted. This development provides renewed clarity for both regional workers and recent graduates seeking long-term migration outcomes in regional New South Wales. NSW remains the most competitive jurisdiction for skilled migration in Australia. Any opening of the 491 program; particularly one encompassing both onshore regional workers and broader applicant cohorts was always going to attract intense and immediate interest.

Overview of the Subclass 491 Visa

The Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491) is a points-tested, state or territory nominated visa designed to address skill shortages in regional Australia. It offers a five-year provisional stay with a clear pathway to permanent residence (via subclass 191), subject to meeting residence and income requirements.

NSW administers its nominations through multiple pathways, each aligned with distinct labour market and workforce objectives.

Pathway 1: Work in Regional NSW

Pathway 1 is targeted at applicants who are already contributing to the regional NSW workforce.

Open to all occupations eligible for the subclass 491 visa

Applicant must be:

1. Currently working in their nominated or closely related occupation

2. Employed in a designated regional area of NSW

3. Employed continuously for at least six months

4. Working for one regional NSW employer

Salary requirement:

• Must be paid at least the TSMIT or Core Skills Income Threshold (CSIT) rate

  
  

Where a TSMIT/CSIT concession is sought:

• The employer must complete the concession application

• Approval must be granted before the nomination application is lodged

• This pathway continues NSW’s emphasis on retention of skilled workers who are already settled, employed, and economically active in regional communities.

Pathway 3: Regional NSW Graduate

Pathway 3 is designed for recent graduates who have completed higher education in regional NSW and whose qualifications align with current skill priorities.

Applicant must have completed:

• A Bachelor’s degree Or,

• A Master’s degree (coursework or research) Or,

• A PhD

The qualification must be:

• Completed at an institution located in designated regional NSW

• Completed within the two years immediately prior to applying

  
  

The nominated occupation must:

1. Appear on the NSW Regional Skills List

2. Be directly related or closely related to the applicant’s qualification

This pathway reinforces NSW’s long-standing strategy of retaining international graduates trained in regional areas and aligning graduate migration with genuine workforce demand.

Limited Nomination Places for 2025-26

NSW has confirmed that nomination places for the subclass 491 visa are limited for the current program year.

Investment NSW has expressly stated that it reserves the right to close Pathway 1 or Pathway 3 once available places are filled. Historically, closures have occurred with little or no advance notice, particularly in high-demand pathways.

Applicants are therefore expected to:

• Ensure full eligibility prior to lodgement

• Prepare documentation thoroughly

• Monitor NSW updates closely throughout the program year

• Policy Context and Outlook

The opening of Pathway 1 and Pathway 3 nominations early in the program year signals NSW’s continued focus on:

• Onshore skilled employment

• Regional workforce stability

• Graduate retention linked to occupation relevance

While demand is expected to remain strong, particularly for Pathway 1, nomination outcomes will continue to be influenced by:

• Allocation constraints

• Occupation demand

• Salary compliance

• Evidence of genuine regional commitment

How NSW’s Regional Strategy Compares to Other States

• NSW Retention-first: employed workers & regional graduates

• Victoria: Targeted ROI rounds, often sector-specific

• South Australia: Broad onshore access, strong graduate pathways

• Western Australia: Employer-driven, strong trade focus

• Tasmania: Deep regional commitment and long-term settlement

Demand Was Never the Unknown Variable

High demand for NSW nominations is not a new phenomenon. Structural factors including labour market concentration, established migrant communities, employment diversity, and long-term settlement prospects consistently position NSW as the preferred destination for skilled migrants.

For many applicants, the subclass 491 represents a realistic and strategically viable route to permanent residence, particularly where points-tested permanent visas remain out of reach. As such, an intake covering both Pathway 1 and Pathway 3 was always likely to experience rapid volume pressure.

The key uncertainty is not whether demand would materialise, but how the program architecture would absorb it.

Intake Design and Predictability

State migration programs operate within fixed nomination allocations, but effective administration requires more than opening a portal and monitoring volumes. Predictable demand calls for calibrated intake mechanisms such as staged lodgements, invitation rounds, or clearly published caps—that align applicant behaviour with program capacity.

Where such mechanisms are absent or unclear, the risk is not merely administrative congestion. It is policy volatility: outcomes determined by timing rather than merit, and access shaped by system responsiveness rather than eligibility.

A System Under Pressure

The opening of the NSW 491 Pathway 1 and 3 intake highlighted the growing tension between demand and design in Australia’s state migration framework. While nomination places are finite, demand—particularly for NSW continues to expand.

When intake frameworks do not transparently reflect those constraints, confidence in the system is weakened. Applicants are left navigating uncertainty, advisers are forced into reactive strategies, and state programs risk appearing inconsistent rather than strategic. At Newsted, we have deep understanding of Australian Migration, Education, State policies and demography.

At Newsted, we acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we work and live, and pay our respects to Elders past and present. We extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.