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Tasmania, Canberra or Queensland? Where Bangladeshi skilled workers stand for 2026-27 state nomination

Visa guide · 2026-10-10 · 5 min read

For Bangladeshi engineers, tradespeople and other skilled workers hoping to move to Australia, state and territory nomination is one of the main routes. Each program year brings new numbers, new fees and sometimes new limits, and 2026-27 is no exception. The real question is which place gives you something you can plan around right now.

First, a quick note on terms. With state nomination, a state or territory government nominates you for a skilled visa. The two visas involved here are the Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190) and the Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491). You usually begin by lodging a Registration of Interest, which the state can then pick up with an invitation.

A side-by-side look

Tasmania: more places, but a closed door offshore

Tasmania has confirmed 2,050 nomination places: 1,250 for subclass 190 and 800 for subclass 491. Both figures are higher than last year's 1,200 and 650. Registrations of Interest reopened on 17 August 2026 and weekly invitation rounds began on 20 August. Lodging a registration is still free, but the nomination application fee has gone up to $387 plus GST, or $425.70 in total.

The hard part for anyone applying from Bangladesh: Tasmania is no longer inviting overseas applicants for subclass 491 this program year, a result of the processing priorities in Ministerial Direction 119. The only offshore exception is a narrow job-offer pathway to subclass 190 for two professional sectors, and it needs an offer from an eligible Tasmanian employer already in hand. Most tradespeople and construction or factory workers living abroad will not fit it.

If you already had a 491 application waiting, it will not be switched across automatically. You would need to withdraw it and lodge a new Registration of Interest for the 190, and a fresh invitation is not certain.

The ACT: a better system, numbers still pending

Canberra's new Migration Application portal went live on 30 July 2026. It replaces the old system for Canberra Matrix entries and nomination applications, adding multi-factor login, live tracking and the option to edit a submission after lodging it. Older submissions move across on their own, but you must open a new account with the same email address you registered with before.

The total cost is now $350: a $25 Canberra Matrix fee plus a $325 nomination fee. A Matrix entry lasts six months and can be extended to twelve if you update it before it expires. Updating costs nothing, but it changes your place in a tie-break, because ties go to the most recently updated entry. Faster processing is available when a visa or document is about to expire or another deadline is pressing, but only once an invitation has been issued.

What the ACT has not yet confirmed is its 2026-27 allocation, so there is no invitation timetable to plan around, and its occupation list is under review.

Queensland: get ready while you wait

Queensland has not opened its 2026-27 program because it is still waiting for its final allocation from the federal government. Fees rose from 1 July 2026 to $573 for offshore applicants and $630.30 (including GST) for onshore applicants, for both subclass 190 and 491 invitees. The sensible move is to have your documents ready so you can act as soon as the program opens.

Far North Queensland DAMA: a point for sponsored workers

A Designated Area Migration Agreement (DAMA) lets employers in a region sponsor overseas workers on agreed terms. Under the Far North Queensland DAMA, certain subclass 186 (Employer Nomination Scheme) endorsement fees are now cut by 50%, but only when the position is bundled with its matching subclass 482 (Skills in Demand) position. Age and English concessions are also far cheaper to include in the first endorsement than to add later, when extra administration fees and slower processing can follow. If you are being sponsored through this agreement, it is fair to ask your employer whether those points were covered from the start.

What to prepare from Bangladesh

Keep your degree or trade certificates, such as those from the Bangladesh Technical Education Board, and plan for a skills assessment in Australia where your occupation needs one. Arrange certified English translations of documents in Bangla, and book IELTS or PTE if your visa calls for it; the Department of Home Affairs visa listing is the place to confirm the rules. If a police certificate is requested, that means a Police Clearance Certificate from Bangladesh Police, and you will need BMET emigration clearance before leaving for work. Never pay a dalal or anyone who asks for money upfront to secure a nomination, a job or a visa.

Putting it together

Tasmania offers the clearest picture this year, though it now favours people already in Australia. The ACT is easier to use but has not said how many places it has. Queensland is still a waiting game. Settings shift between program years, so check your occupation and pathway carefully before you spend time or money on an application.

#state nomination #tasmania #queensland #canberra #subclass 190 #subclass 491 #dama