NSW 190 Skills List 2026-27: 15 Groups Added, 16 Removed

New South Wales has updated its Skills List for the Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190). NSW removed the previous closure notice from its subclass 190 page on 15 October 2026 and published the updated NSW skilled occupation list. The current page describes the invitation process for the 2026-27 programme year. The list now covers 78 ANZSCO unit groups: 63 carried over from last year's list of 79, with 15 groups added and 16 removed. The update applies to subclass 190 only. The subclass 491 Regional Skills List was not updated — see the 491 section below. See the updated NSW 190 occupation list 2026-27.

The update at a glance

What changed

NSW publishes its list at the four-digit ANZSCO unit group level, not as individual occupations. To be considered, your occupation must fall within a listed unit group and be eligible for the subclass 190 visa — NSW notes that not every occupation inside a listed unit group is eligible.

The list reflects the critical skills priorities in the NSW State Migration Plan 2024–28.

The change is substantial: the 16 removed unit groups held 17,272 of the 97,625 Expressions of Interest naming NSW for subclass 190 at 30 September 2026 — about one in six. That figure is EOI Checker analysis of SkillSelect data, not an NSW Government figure. The 15 added groups held far fewer EOIs, led by Advertising and Marketing Professionals.

Unit groups added (15)

Unit groups removed (16)

Note: a four-digit code is the unit group, not a single occupation. Not every occupation inside a listed unit group is eligible for the subclass 190 visa.

Eight of the 63 groups carried over kept their code with new ANZSCO 2022 wording — for example, 2531 is now listed as General Practitioners and Resident Medical Officers, 3322 as Painters, and 3941 as Cabinet and Furniture Makers.

What it means for applicants in India

The removals are likely to matter most to applicants in IT and engineering: ICT Business and Systems Analysts (2611) is off the list, along with Engineering Managers (1332), ICT Managers (1351), Architects (2321) and University Lecturers (2421). Software and Applications Programmers (2613) remain on the list — confirmed on the official NSW Skills Lists page. In the same EOI Checker analysis of SkillSelect data, this one unit group alone accounts for about one in six of all EOIs naming NSW for the 190 — a separate figure from the 17,272 removed-group total above. The additions favour teachers — middle school, special education, private tutors and TESOL — and health occupations, including enrolled nurses, dental practitioners and podiatrists.

Being on the list does not guarantee an invitation. NSW nominates for the 190 by invitation only. It ranks Expressions of Interest within each unit group on age, English language proficiency, education, points score and years of skilled work experience, and an invitation is valid for 14 days. You need at least 65 points on the points test, including the 5 points NSW nomination adds. NSW holds invitation rounds throughout the financial year and does not announce dates in advance. NSW held its first 190 invitation round of 2026-27 on 21 October 2026, issuing approximately 500 invitations, according to a Migration Institute of Australia notice dated 30 October 2026. NSW itself has not published invitation statistics for the round. A further round is expected around mid-November, subject to the response to the October invitations — this is an indicative timeframe, not a confirmed date. If your unit group has been removed from the updated NSW 190 Skills List, it will not meet the current NSW unit-group requirement for subclass 190 nomination. You may still explore other eligible states, subclass 189 or employer-sponsored pathways. If your unit group was added, make sure your SkillSelect EOI is current so it can be considered in the next round. Our NSW and Victoria 190 nomination updates cover the wider October picture.

Is your occupation still eligible for NSW 190?

Take the first four digits of your occupation's six-digit ANZSCO code — that is its unit group. Check that the group is on the NSW Skills List. Then check that your individual occupation is on the eligible skilled occupation list for the subclass 190 visa and that you hold a valid skills assessment for it. Both conditions must be met: a listed unit group alone is not enough.

What if your occupation was removed?

It will not meet the current NSW unit-group requirement for subclass 190 nomination. You may still explore other eligible states, subclass 189 or employer-sponsored pathways — see our Australia skilled migration and PR options. Other states run their own nomination programmes — for example, explore other Australian state nomination programmes. None of these routes guarantees an invitation or a visa.

Can an applicant from India receive NSW 190 nomination?

Yes. NSW considers offshore applicants: you must have continuously resided offshore for at least six months, and NSW selects EOIs based on the residency status recorded in your EOI. Selection is by invitation only and is not guaranteed — being eligible does not mean you will be invited.

Does a higher points score guarantee an NSW invitation?

No. NSW ranks Expressions of Interest within each unit group on several factors — age, English language proficiency, education, points score and years of skilled work experience — and an invitation is at the sole discretion of the NSW Government. A higher score improves your ranking within your unit group, but it does not guarantee an invitation.

Is NSW Subclass 491 Open in 2026-27?

NSW has not updated its Regional Skills List for the Skilled Work Regional visa (subclass 491). The NSW Government says a further update will be provided when more information becomes available.

The current NSW 491 page displays a closure notice stating that nomination places for the current program year have been fully allocated. It also marks Pathways 1 and 3 as closed to new applications.

There is an important distinction for Pathway 2. The same page continues to describe its invitation process and eligibility requirements, but the general closure notice remains in place. Applicants should not assume that a new Pathway 2 invitation is currently available.

If you are considering the 491 route, check the live NSW Government page before making plans or paying for an application.

Official source: NSW Skilled Work Regional visa (subclass 491).

Get your free Australia eligibility check — call or WhatsApp +91 98961 96762, or write to info@provinceimmigration.com.

Sources

Investment NSW — NSW Skills Lists (official NSW Government page, published 15 October 2026)

NSW Government — Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190) (official, published 15 October 2026 — ranking factors, 14-day invitation validity, no announced round dates)

EOI Checker — NSW 190: closure notice gone, new skills list (EOI counts: analysis of SkillSelect EOI data, 30 September 2026)

NSW Government — Skilled Work Regional visa (subclass 491) (official — 491 closure notice and Pathway 2 position)

Last reviewed: 11 November 2026.