Move to South Australia Roadshow

As you communicate through your respective channels, you may encounter questions from your community about moving to South Australia and the visa processes involved. To make it easier for you to answer these questions, we’ve created a FAQ with helpful information you can refer to quickly.

The Government of South Australia supports several skilled migration visa routes for professionals at various levels in their careers.

These visa options include the following:

  • Skilled Nominated Visa (subclass 190) – Permanent residency
  • Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) Visa (subclass 491) – A temporary visa with a pathway to permanent residency
  • Temporary Skill Shortage Visa (subclass 482) – Employer-sponsored visa
  • Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional Visa (subclass 494) – Employer sponsored but specific to regional areas.

The South Australia Skilled Occupation List includes a list of all the professions currently in demand. Those who are interested should consult this list.

Those interested in applying for residency through South Australian Government nomination should follow the below steps: 

  • Submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) via SkillSelect. 
  • Await an invitation to apply for state nomination.

No, state nomination supports your visa application, but it does not guarantee approval. The final decision is made by the Department of Home Affairs.

For most skilled visas, an International English Language Testing System (IELTS) score of 6.0 minimum in each band is required.

If you’re a passport holder from the United Kingdom, or Republic of Ireland, an English language test is not required for the General skilled migration program.

For a Temporary Skill Shortage Visa, an IELTS score of 5.0 is required overall.

Generally, all applicants must be under the age of 45 for most skilled visas. However, if you already hold a State nominated 491 visa, you can transition to a 191 if you’re over 45 years of age, subject to meeting all Federal Government requirements. DAMA (Designated Area Migration Agreements), we offer concessions for most occupations, which may allow applicants who are up to 55 years of age.

Unfortunately, if you’re 45 years of age or over, you’re no longer eligible for the General skilled migration program. However, the South Australian DAMA has age concessions for both the (482) and (494) visa. Age concessions are available for clients under the age of 55. Please refer to our occupation list to see if age concessions are available for your occupation.

If you are a recent graduate, you are not eligible yet for our General skilled migration program. You will need to gain some work experience, and you may be eligible once you acquire 3 years of experience in your chosen field.. However, under our DAMA program, the requirement is one year of work experience in the past three years. As a recent graduate, DAMA may be a more viable option, if an employer is willing to sponsor you.

Yes, you are welcome to include some family members in your application. Most skilled visa applications will allow you to include your partner and children.

A Designated Area Migration Agreement (DAMA) is a formal agreement between the Australian Government and a state or territory government or regional authority. It provides access to more overseas workers than the standard skilled migration program.

DAMAs operate under an agreement-based framework and provide flexibility for regions across Australia so they can best respond to their unique economic and labour market conditions.  

DAMAs can support applications by offering concessions for employer-sponsored visas. These include concessions in the following areas:

  • Reduced work experience
  • Broader occupation access
  • Higher age limits.

The processing times for visas vary, but typical processing times are as follows:

  • Skilled Nominated Visa (subclass 190): 13 months
  • Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) Visa (subclass 491): 16 months
  • Temporary Skill Shortage Visa (subclass 482): 2–3 months
  • Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional Visa (subclass 494): 14 months

Unfortunately not – only paid skilled work experience is considered for applications.

If your visa application is refused, then you can lodge an appeal. All appeals must be sent to the Migration Review Tribunal.  
The Skilled & Business Migration team cannot appeal visa refusals.

Yes, you are welcome to apply for a visa if you already hold one, however, if you have more than 12 months left on your current visa then you will need a letter of support from your employer.

The overall costs will vary by visa type. Typical costs are as follows: 

  • Skills assessment: £200–£300
  • Visa application fees: £2,000+
  • Migration agent fees (optional): vary depending on the agent.

The South Australian government offers a range of services and support for new arrivals. These include a welcome event, settlement services (such as providing advice about housing and how recruitment works), education and healthcare access, career support, connection to industry and community integration programs.

The environment is very important to South Australian residents, but it has its challenges like most areas.

In recent months, South Australia has seen an increase in algal blooms since March which is believed to have been exacerbated by climate change.

Algae blooms naturally occur in certain waterways and can affect drinking, fishing and swimming. These naturally occurring and often seasonal algae are actively monitored and managed by the South Australian government to ensure safety.

In July, the government announced that it will match the national government's $14m in funding to tackle the increase in algal blooms, with money to go towards research, clean up, and industry support measures.

For more information on algae blooms, see a recent article from BBC News.