In a bid to target applicants already living, working or studying locally, South Australia on 23 October relaunched its 2023-24 General Skilled Migration (GSM) program using a streamlined Registration of Interest (ROI) process. Rather than allowing anyone meeting the points test to apply directly for state nomination, candidates must now submit a brief ROI form outlining occupation, English level and South Australian ties. Invitations will then be issued to priority cohorts such as onshore graduates, health-care professionals and long-term regional workers.
The change aligns SA with Victoria and Queensland, which adopted ROI systems last year to manage high demand and shorten processing times. Migration SA says it expects invitation rounds every four to six weeks, with the first to occur in late November. State officials emphasise that meeting minimum Department of Home Affairs criteria does not guarantee an invite, and applicants should avoid making irreversible travel or work decisions until selected.
For employers the move presents both opportunities and challenges: the government can now fast-track nominations for occupations facing acute shortages—aged-care nurses, early-childhood teachers and civil engineers—yet the invitation gate may lengthen timelines for lower-priority roles.
Advisers recommend that companies seeking to secure talent through SA nomination lodge ROIs early and prepare full documentation in advance; once invited, applicants will have only 14 days to submit a complete application and pay the $354 fee.
The change aligns SA with Victoria and Queensland, which adopted ROI systems last year to manage high demand and shorten processing times. Migration SA says it expects invitation rounds every four to six weeks, with the first to occur in late November. State officials emphasise that meeting minimum Department of Home Affairs criteria does not guarantee an invite, and applicants should avoid making irreversible travel or work decisions until selected.
For employers the move presents both opportunities and challenges: the government can now fast-track nominations for occupations facing acute shortages—aged-care nurses, early-childhood teachers and civil engineers—yet the invitation gate may lengthen timelines for lower-priority roles.
Advisers recommend that companies seeking to secure talent through SA nomination lodge ROIs early and prepare full documentation in advance; once invited, applicants will have only 14 days to submit a complete application and pay the $354 fee.
