ACT to hold first 2026-27 skilled nomination round in week of 12 October

The Australian Capital Territory will issue its first skilled visa nomination invitations for 2026-27 in the week of 12 October, even though it still does not know how many places it has.

ACT Migration told registered migration agents in a recent update that the federal government has not yet confirmed its final nomination allocation. The territory has decided to plan invitation rounds anyway, so the program does not stay closed.

Dates for later rounds have been set, but ACT Migration said they are tentative and may change once the allocation is confirmed.

The update also said the ACT Nominated Migration Program occupation list for 2026-27 is in the final stages of review. The list decides which jobs can be nominated. ACT Migration said the uncertainty over the allocation has delayed it.

What an invitation means

ACT nomination is the first step towards two visas. The Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190) is permanent. The Skilled Work Regional visa (subclass 491) is a five-year provisional visa.

Applicants cannot apply for ACT nomination directly. They first lodge a Canberra Matrix, a points form that ranks them against others in the same occupation. The ACT then invites the highest-ranked applicants in each occupation, according to ACT Migration.

The territory releases a fixed number of places each month, worked out as a share of its yearly allocation. The more people competing in an occupation, the higher the score needed to be invited.

In 2025-26, the ACT had 1,600 nomination places, split evenly between the two visas, according to Fragomen.

Why the numbers are late

States and territories do not set their own nomination numbers for skilled visas. The Commonwealth decides them each year, after announcing the overall migration program in May.

The 2026-27 program was set at 185,000 permanent places. Places for state and territory nominated visas rose to 35,500, up from 33,000 in 2025-26, according to Work Visa Lawyers.

Delays are common. Last year, the Commonwealth did not confirm state and territory allocations until November 2025.

Some states have already received their 2026-27 figures. Tasmania has 2,050 places, made up of 1,250 for the subclass 190 and 800 for the subclass 491. The Northern Territory has 1,850 places, and reopened to applications on 21 August.

Victoria's program was not yet open as of mid-September, and Queensland was still waiting on advice from the federal government, according to a state nomination tracker.

Other changes this year

The ACT launched a new online application portal in late July, and Canberra Matrix submissions now go through it.

Applicants now pay A$27.50 to lodge a Canberra Matrix, and A$357.50 to apply for nomination if invited, according to ACT Migration. Both fees include GST and neither is refundable. ACT Migration publishes ranking data from past invitation rounds on its website.

Applicants living overseas have separate criteria from Canberra residents. For the subclass 190, their occupation must be on the ACT list and have a positive skills assessment, and they need three years of relevant work experience and must commit to living in Canberra for two years, according to ACT Migration.

What happens next

The first round will run in the week of 12 October. ACT Migration has not said how many invitations it will issue.

ACT Migration has not given a date for the updated occupation list or the final allocation. It said dates for later rounds may change once the allocation is confirmed.

Applicants unsure whether they qualify can check their eligibility with F4MG, or read our guide on how to migrate to Australia.