Australia issues 20,000 subclass 189 invitations: occupation minimums range from 65 to 100 points

The Department of Home Affairs has updated the SkillSelect outcomes for 15 October 2026. The round issued 20,000 invitations for the Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189). It is the first published 189 round of the 2026–27 program year: July, August and September show zero, followed by 20,000 in October.

The headline number is only part of the result. Home Affairs also published the occupations invited, the lowest points score invited for each occupation and the relevant tie-break date. Published minimums ranged from 65 to 100 points.

What the round actually published

How to read a minimum invited score and tie-break date

The minimum points score is the lowest score invited for that occupation in this round. Carpenter at 65 means a 65-point Carpenter EOI was invited in this round; Early Childhood Teacher at 90 means the lowest invited result published for that occupation was 90. It is not a permanent pass mark and does not guarantee an invitation at the same score in a future round.

When EOIs have the same score, SkillSelect compares the date and time each EOI reached that score. Home Affairs calls this the date of effect or tie-break date. Other things being equal, the EOI with the earlier date of effect ranks first.

Health and nursing: many nursing and allied-health results were 70 points

Many registered-nurse rows show 70 points, but their tie-break dates remain in 2025. A 70-point headline therefore does not remove the importance of the exact nursing occupation, assessment pathway and date of effect.

Teaching and welfare: early childhood at 90, secondary teaching and social work at 80

Teaching did not have one common score. Early childhood teaching was 90, secondary teaching 80, special-education occupations 80 and university lecturing 90. Similar labels do not produce the same invitation position; the nominated occupation and assessing authority still matter.

Trades, engineering and technology: several 65-point trades alongside high-score occupations

Several construction trades appeared at 65, but trades were not uniformly low: Fitter, Metal Fabricator, Metal Machinist and Welder rows were at 80. Technology was also highly differentiated, with ICT Security Specialist at 100 and Electronics Engineer at 95.

Absence from the table does not mean removal from the occupation list

Common searches such as Accountant, Software Engineer, Developer Programmer, Civil Engineer and Chef do not appear in the published round table. That must not be rewritten as removal from the skilled occupation list or a permanent exclusion from future rounds.

Home Affairs says a missing result may indicate that no EOI was available to invite, or that available EOIs did not meet the round parameters. Current subclass 189 occupation eligibility must be checked separately against the applicable occupation list and legal instrument.

Invitation outcomes and the EOI pool answer different questions

The EOI data explorer is a point-in-time snapshot of aggregate EOIs by occupation, visa subclass, points band and status. The invitation table records an actual round and the lowest published outcome. A pool snapshot cannot replace the round result, while the round result does not reveal the number invited for every occupation.

• Confirm that the occupation currently relates to subclass 189 and identify the correct assessing authority.
• Calculate only points that can be evidenced at invitation and visa application stages.
• Use this round's minimum and tie-break date as context, not a promise for the next round.
• Consider subclass 190, subclass 491 and employer-sponsored pathways rather than relying on one invitation round.
• If a current visa is approaching expiry, address lawful stay and backup timing before waiting for an invitation.

Frequently asked questions

Does 20,000 mean every occupation received a large allocation?

No. It is the total number of subclass 189 EOIs invited. Home Affairs does not publish how many invitations went to each occupation in this table.

If my occupation shows 65, will a new 65-point EOI be invited?

Not necessarily. Sixty-five was the lowest result for that occupation in this round. Future volumes, occupations, parameters and the EOI pool can change, and equal scores are ranked by date of effect.

Does zero family-sponsored 491 invitations affect state-nominated 491?

It is a different pathway. The zero figure is for the federal family-sponsored subclass 491 invitation route. State and territory governments manage their own subclass 491 nomination programs.

Can I keep preparing for subclass 189 if my occupation was absent?

First confirm current occupation-list access, then assess points, skills assessment, English, EOI validity and alternatives. Absence from one round is not proof of removal, but it is not evidence of a future invitation either.

Turn the round result into an individual strategy

The result is most useful when it changes the order of your preparation rather than becoming a screenshot of one score. Contact XIVisa on WeChat at xivisa1 with your occupation, age, English, skills assessment, current points, location and visa expiry date to review the general requirements, date of effect and parallel 189, 190, 491 or employer-sponsored options. No invitation or visa outcome is guaranteed.