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Adelaide, SA, Australia

LifeinAus

Migration agents serving Adelaide

Reviewed by a registered migration agent · MARN 1795282
Updated

Adelaide is a Category 2 regional centre for migration, so skilled migrants can live and work in Adelaide on a 491 or 494 visa and later apply for permanent residence through the 191. Adelaide also has its own DAMA — the Adelaide City Technology and Innovation Advancement agreement — aimed at defence, space, advanced manufacturing and technology employers. South Australian nomination is run by Skilled & Business Migration, and its 2026–27 program had not been published at 5 October 2026.

Adelaide at a glance · checked 5 October 2026

State nomination
South Australian state nomination (Skilled & Business Migration)
2026–27 status
2026–27 program not yet published at 5 October 2026
Regional for visas?
Yes — Category 2 (cities and major regional centres)
DAMA
Yes — Adelaide City Technology and Innovation DAMA
Our service
Remote by phone and video · based in Sydney, serving all of Australia

State nomination in South Australia

South Australia nominates for the 190 and 491 through a Registration of Interest (ROI) and invitation process. Through the first half of 2026 it issued invitations roughly monthly, and ROIs for the 2025–26 program year closed on 2 June 2026. Its occupation lists are the first thing to check: South Australia says they show which skills are in demand and help you plan your pathway to state nomination.

Status at 5 October 2026: South Australia had not published its 2026–27 program or allocation. Check the occupation lists and the news page on migration.sa.gov.au before submitting an ROI.

Official program page: South Australian state nomination (Skilled & Business Migration). Nomination is decided by the state or territory, and meeting the criteria does not guarantee an invitation or a visa.

Is Adelaide “regional” for visa purposes?

Category 2 — Cities and Major Regional Centres. Home Affairs sorts every Australian postcode into three categories. Category 2 and 3 areas are “designated regional areas”, where the 491 and 494 visas apply and which lead to the 191 permanent visa.

Yes. Adelaide’s metropolitan postcodes are Category 2 (“cities and major regional centres”), and every other South Australian postcode is Category 3. A 491 holder nominated by South Australia can therefore live in Adelaide, Adelaide employers can nominate positions under the 494, and both visas can lead to the 191.

Home Affairs also says international graduates who studied and lived in a Category 2 area may be eligible for an additional year on a second Temporary Graduate visa, which can matter for students at Adelaide institutions.

Employer sponsorship in Adelaide

Adelaide employers can use the 482, 186 and 494, and, where they are endorsed, a DAMA labour agreement. Under a DAMA, the business must be endorsed by the Designated Area Representative and must show a genuine attempt to recruit Australians first. Our employer guides explain the standard sponsorship steps; we don’t recruit.

Is there a DAMA in Adelaide?

South Australia has two DAMAs, both administered by Skilled & Business Migration. The Adelaide City Technology and Innovation Advancement DAMA covers the Adelaide metropolitan region only and is aimed at the defence, space, advanced manufacturing and technology industries. The South Australia Regional DAMA covers inner and outer regional SA and selected Adelaide metropolitan postcodes.

On 21 September 2026, South Australia announced that both DAMAs had been extended to 31 January 2027 while negotiations conclude on a new five-year statewide DAMA. Settings may change in 2027, so check before relying on a particular occupation or concession.

How we work with clients in Adelaide

We work with Adelaide clients by phone and video, with documents shared and lodged online. Adelaide cases often involve both sides of the market — a skilled worker considering SA nomination and an Adelaide employer considering the 494 or a DAMA — and we can advise on how the options interact.

Registered migration agents are regulated federally, so our registration (MARN 1795282) covers advice and lodgement in Adelaide and anywhere else in Australia. Every case is assessed on its own facts; we can’t promise an invitation, nomination or visa outcome.

Visas most relevant in Adelaide

Also see partner visas, student visas and our free tools.

Adelaide migration FAQs

Is Adelaide regional for migration?

Yes. Adelaide is a Category 2 designated regional area, so you can live and work there on a 491 or 494 and later apply for the 191 permanent visa if you meet its conditions.

What is the Adelaide City DAMA?

The Adelaide City Technology and Innovation Advancement DAMA lets endorsed Adelaide employers sponsor overseas workers in listed occupations, mainly in defence, space, advanced manufacturing and technology. It covers the Adelaide metropolitan region only. Individuals cannot apply under it directly; an endorsed employer must sponsor them.

Is South Australia’s 2026–27 nomination program open?

As at 5 October 2026, South Australia had not published its 2026–27 program. Registrations of Interest for 2025–26 closed on 2 June 2026. Check migration.sa.gov.au for the current position.

Will the South Australian DAMAs change?

Possibly. On 21 September 2026 South Australia extended both of its DAMAs to 31 January 2027 while it negotiates a new five-year statewide DAMA. Terms of the new agreement had not been announced at 5 October 2026.

Sources

Last checked: . Program settings change during the year, so confirm the current position on the official pages below before acting.

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