Skilled Migrants

The Highly Skilled and Talented stream also allows the South Australian Government to nominate applicants who can contribute to the state’s critical priority sectors. Successful applicants will demonstrate how they bring new ideas, skills, and innovation to South Australia.

How to register your interest

• If you meet the eligibility guidelines below for the Highly Skilled and Talented stream, you are encouraged to submit a Registration of Interest via the Skilled & Business Migration portal
• After your Registration of Interest (ROI) is reviewed, you may receive an invitation to submit a General Skilled Migration (GSM) application for state nomination

Please note: State nomination is a competitive process. There is no guarantee of receiving an invitation to apply for state nomination after lodging a Registration of Interest, even if you meet the eligibility guidelines. South Australia cannot indicate the likelihood of invitation or answer enquires on this matter.

Eligibility guidelines – general

To be eligible under the Highly Skilled and Talented stream, you must:

1. Currently live and work in South Australia, interstate, or overseas
2. Be under 45 years of age at time of state nomination is approved
3. Have a valid and positive skills assessment for your nominated occupation
4. Have at least Proficient English (Note: Passport holders or citizens of the United States, United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada or New Zealand do not need to provide an English language test result)
5. Score at least 65 points in the Department of Home Affairs’ points test (including state nomination points)
6. Be earning a high base salary threshold commensurate with the expectations of the Highly Skilled and Talented stream (at least $80,000 per annum) and working full time (at least 30 hours per week or 60 hours per fortnight)

Onshore applicants

In addition to meeting the general eligibility requirements above, if you are currently living in South Australia or interstate:

You must:

1. Have demonstrated extensive experience, working in highly skilled jobs, in senior or executive level roles  
2. Demonstrate that you meet one of the following:
   • Have already commenced employment in South Australia,
   • Have an employment contract for a position you plan to relocate to in South Australia. You are also able to apply, if you are currently working for a company interstate, and intend to relocate to the South Australian office of your current company, or
   • Have demonstrated specialised experience or niche skills that are highly desired in one of South Australia’s critical priority sectors.

Your employer must:

1. Be an existing business for at least 12 months. Your employer must have a premise located and operating in South Australia for the past 12 months.
2. Have annual turnover of at least $4 million. Please note:
   • start-up companies may be exempt from the annual turnover requirement
   • businesses who operate in outer regional South Australia may be exempt from the annual turnover requirement
3. Be a business of good standing and there must be no adverse information about the business

Offshore applicants

In addition to meeting the general eligibility requirements above, you must:

1. Have demonstrated extensive experience, working in senior or executive level roles in highly skilled jobs, in: 
   • Internationally renowned organisations, or
   • Multinational companies with a presence in South Australia, or
   • Have demonstrated specialised experience or niche skills that are highly desired in one of South Australia’s critical priority sectors