SkillSelect 189 Invitation Round October 2026: 20,000 Invitations, Minimum Points by Occupation and What Changed

On 15 October 2026 the Department of Home Affairs ran the first SkillSelect invitation round of the 2026–27 program year and issued 20,000 invitations for the Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189), double the 10,000 issued in the previous round on 4 June 2026 and the largest single round since December 2022 (35,000). No Skilled Work Regional (subclass 491) family-sponsored invitations were issued. The official results table has 161 rows (Medical Diagnostic Radiographer and Medical Laboratory Scientist each appear twice, so 159 distinct occupations), with minimum invitation scores ranging from 65 to 100 points: most construction and automotive trades at 65, nurses and most medical professions at 70, secondary teachers and social workers at 80, early childhood teachers at 90, and ICT Security Specialist at 100.

This article sets out the official figures for the October 2026 189 invitation round: the distribution of minimum points by occupation, what changed compared with the 4 June 2026 round (which occupations fell, which rose, which appeared for the first time, and which common occupations were not invited), what the tie-break date means for your EOI, the basic 189 eligibility rules, the 2026–27 planning levels behind the numbers, the status of the announced points-test redesign, and how readers outside Australia can use the results to choose an occupation and lift their score. All figures are taken from Department of Home Affairs pages and are current as at 6 November 2026.

Three things to keep in mind before reading the tables: a minimum score is the score of the last person invited in that occupation in this round, not a fixed threshold, and it changes every round; an occupation missing from the table means, in the Department's own words, that there were no EOIs available to invite or the EOIs did not meet the parameters, not that it will never be invited; and the date of the next round had not been published as at 6 November 2026.

Contents

• 1. What happened in the October 2026 189 invitation round?
• 2. Minimum points by occupation: the 65 to 100 spread
• 3. What changed from the June round: occupations down, up and new
• 4. Common occupations that did not appear in this round
• 5. What does the tie-break date mean for my EOI?
• 6. Basic eligibility for the subclass 189 visa
• 7. 2026–27 planning levels and the points-test redesign
• 8. Advice for international readers: choosing an occupation and lifting your score
• Frequently asked questions

1. What happened in the October 2026 189 invitation round?

Invitations for the subclass 189 visa and for family-sponsored subclass 491 are issued directly by the Department of Home Affairs through SkillSelect. State and territory nominated visas (subclass 190 and state-nominated 491) are not affected by these departmental rounds; each state runs its own nomination program. The 2026–27 program year began on 1 July 2026, and no invitations were issued in July, August or September. The 15 October round then issued 20,000 at once.

The Department states that the number of invitations and the occupations invited in each round depend on economic needs and the volume of applications on hand. For 189 and family-sponsored 491, EOIs are ranked by points score, and where scores are equal the EOI with the earlier date of effect (the date the EOI reached that score) is ranked higher. That is where the tie-break date in the results table comes from; section 5 explains how to read it.

2. Minimum points by occupation: the 65 to 100 spread

The official results table has 161 rows (159 distinct occupations, two of them listed twice). Grouped by minimum invitation score, they fall into eight bands. The occupation counts below are row counts from the official table (the 70 and 80 bands each include one duplicate row); the table lists representative occupations in each band; the complete list is on the Department's invitation rounds page.

The pattern is clear. Almost every construction and automotive trade sits at 65, which is the minimum score to be eligible for 189 at all. Nursing and most allied health sit at 70. Metal trades (Fitter, Welder, Metal Fabricator) and most engineering specialisations that were invited sit at 80. ICT is almost absent: ICT Security Specialist is the only ICT occupation on the table, and it required 100 points; Software Engineer, Developer Programmer and ICT Business Analyst did not appear at all.

3. What changed from the June round: occupations down, up and new

The 4 June 2026 round invited 140 occupations; the October table has 161 rows (159 occupations). Comparing the two official tables occupation by occupation: 78 occupations had a lower minimum score in October, 9 had a higher score, and 22 were invited in October but not in June. Three occupations invited in June did not appear in October: Fitter and Turner, Organisational Psychologist and Thoracic Medicine Specialist.

Occupations that fell (June to October)

Trades that were already at 65 in June (Carpenter, Electrician (General), Plumber (General), Bricklayer, Stonemason, Wall and Floor Tiler, Glazier) stayed at 65. Fitter (General), Welder (First Class) and Metal Fabricator stayed at 80 in both rounds.

The nine occupations that rose (June to October)

Occupations invited in October but not in June

Of the 22 occupations new to the October table, the ones most relevant to international readers are: Early Childhood (Pre-primary School) Teacher (90), University Lecturer (90), ICT Security Specialist (100), Chemical Engineer (85), Materials Engineer (85), Telecommunications Field Engineer, Telecommunications Network Planner and Telecommunications Technical Officer or Technologist (85), Radiocommunications Technician (85), Fitter-Welder (80), Painting Trades Worker (70), Technical Cable Jointer (70), Locksmith (65), Neurosurgeon (85), Neurologist (75), Nursing Clinical Director (75), Medical Oncologist (70) and Pathologist (70).

4. Common occupations that did not appear in this round

The following commonly nominated occupations did not appear on the official 15 October 2026 results table: Accountant (General), Auditor, Software Engineer, Developer Programmer, ICT Business Analyst, Civil Engineer, Structural Engineer, Electrical Engineer, Mechanical Engineer, Chef, Cook, Marketing Specialist, Graphic Designer, Primary School Teacher, Motor Mechanic, Hairdresser and Enrolled Nurse.

The Department's footnote to the table says only that occupations not listed either had no EOIs available to invite or had EOIs that did not meet the parameters. It gives no further explanation and this article does not speculate. The practical point for international readers is that civil, structural, electrical and mechanical engineers, software engineers and accountants had no 189 invitations recorded in either the June or the October round, so state nomination (subclass 190 or 491) or employer sponsorship is currently the more realistic path for these occupations (section 8).

5. What does the tie-break date mean for my EOI?

SkillSelect ranks 189 EOIs first by points, then by date. Within one occupation, EOIs with the same score are ranked by their date of effect: the date the EOI reached that score (updating your EOI so that the score changes resets the date). The tie-break date shown next to each occupation in the results table is the date of effect of the last EOI invited at the minimum score for that occupation.

• A tie-break date close to 15 October 2026 means almost every EOI at that score was invited and the queue is short. Solicitor (65 points, tie-break 15/10/2026), Cabinetmaker (65, 14/10/2026) and Child Care Centre Manager (85, 14/10/2026) are examples.
• An early tie-break date means there is a backlog at that score, and only EOIs that reached the score earlier were invited. Registered Nurse (Aged Care) is 70 points with a tie-break of 20/11/2025: a 70-point EOI had to have reached 70 points by 20 November 2025 to be invited, and anyone who reached 70 later is still waiting. ICT Security Specialist is 100 points with a tie-break of 08/11/2024: even at 100 points, only EOIs dating back to November 2024 were invited.

In practice: if your score equals the minimum for your occupation but your date of effect is later than the tie-break date, you were not reached in this round. You will be reached in a later round only if the minimum does not rise and enough invitations are issued. Among equal scores, the earlier you lodge your EOI, and the earlier you claim every point you are entitled to, the better your position.

6. Basic eligibility for the subclass 189 visa

The Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189, points-tested stream) is a permanent visa that does not require a state, employer or family sponsor, and can be applied for from inside or outside Australia. According to the Department's 189 visa page, to be invited you must:

1. Nominate an occupation on the relevant skilled occupation list for subclass 189 and hold a valid skills assessment for that occupation.
2. Be under 45 years of age at the time of invitation. If you turn 45 after lodging your EOI but before an invitation is issued, you will not be invited.
3. Have at least competent English at the time of invitation. Holders of a valid passport from the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, New Zealand or the Republic of Ireland meet competent English without a test. Everyone else needs a test result. For tests taken on or after 7 August 2025 the minimum scores are IELTS 6.0 in each component, PTE Academic listening 47, reading 48, writing 51 and speaking 54, TOEFL iBT listening 16, reading 16, writing 19 and speaking 19, OET listening 290, reading 310, writing 290 and speaking 330, or Cambridge C1 Advanced listening 163, reading 163, writing 170 and speaking 179; results from tests taken on or before 6 August 2025 (for example PTE Academic 50 in each component) remain usable within their validity period.
4. Score at least 65 points on the points test; in practice you need the minimum score for your occupation in the round concerned.
5. Lodge the visa application within 60 days of the invitation, after which the invitation lapses.

The visa application charge is loaded dynamically on the Department's page; check the Visa Pricing Estimator on the day you apply rather than relying on figures quoted elsewhere.

7. 2026–27 planning levels and the points-test redesign

2026–27 Migration Program planning levels (announced 12 May 2026)

Skilled Independent is one of the few categories that grew this year, from 16,900 to 21,090, while the Regional category was cut from 33,000 to 14,110. For how each state and territory is allocating its 190 and 491 places, see our 2026–27 state nomination overview.

Points-test redesign: no details as at 6 November 2026

On 17 September 2026 the Minister for Home Affairs, Tony Burke, said in his National Press Club address that the points test for permanent skilled migration had been redone in consultation with Treasury and that, on implementation, certain skills, such as housing-related trades, would be scored on a par with a university qualification. As at 6 November 2026 no new points table, list of affected occupations or start date has been published, and the current points test continues to apply; the October round was run under the current table. Separately, Ministerial Direction 122, in effect from 19 September 2026, changes only the order in which visa applications are processed, not how points are scored.

8. Advice for international readers: choosing an occupation and lifting your score

Readers from Latin America, South Africa, Europe and elsewhere tend to approach 189 from one of four directions: a trade qualification, a nursing or medical registration, an engineering or professional degree, or an ICT or business background. This round treats those groups very differently.

1. Trades: 65 points is enough, and the queue is short

Carpenters, electricians, plumbers, bricklayers, tilers, cabinetmakers, air-conditioning and refrigeration mechanics, automotive electricians and panelbeaters all had a minimum of 65 in October, and most of their tie-break dates fall in September or October 2026. Several of these fell from 80 in June to 65 in October. For a qualified tradesperson with a positive skills assessment, competent English and 65 points, this is the most direct 189 path on the table. Metal trades (Fitter, Welder, Metal Fabricator) need 80, so they usually require extra points from English or experience.

2. Nurses, doctors and allied health: 70 points, but check the tie-break

Every Registered Nurse category, Midwife, General Practitioner, Physiotherapist and Occupational Therapist had a minimum of 70, down from 75 or 80 in June. However, most nursing tie-break dates are in November 2025, which means 70-point EOIs have been queuing for about a year. If you are at exactly 70, lodge state nomination EOIs for 190 and 491 at the same time rather than waiting on 189 alone; moving from competent to proficient English (IELTS 7 in each component, 10 points) or superior English (IELTS 8 in each component, 20 points) would have put you at 80 or more, which was invited outright in this round.

3. Engineers and professionals: it depends on the specialisation

Mining and petroleum engineers, surveyors, veterinarians, construction project managers and engineering managers were invited at 80. Chemical, materials and telecommunications engineers needed 85, electronics engineers 95. Civil, structural, electrical and mechanical engineers did not appear on the table in either June or October. Solicitors (65) and economists (65) saw some of the biggest falls. If your specialisation is missing, keep your 189 EOI active but build your plan around state nomination or employer sponsorship.

4. ICT and business: look at 190, 491 or employer sponsorship first

Software engineers, developer programmers, ICT business analysts, accountants and auditors were not invited in June or October, and the one ICT occupation on the table (ICT Security Specialist) required 100 points with a tie-break date in November 2024. For these occupations, read our Victoria 190/491 state nomination 2026–27 guide and compare state programs before committing to a 189-only strategy.

5. Points you can control from overseas

• English: the single largest and most controllable lever. Proficient English adds 10 points and superior English adds 20 points on top of competent. Passport holders from the UK, US, Canada, New Zealand and Ireland meet competent English without a test, but still need a test result to claim proficient or superior points.
• Skilled employment outside Australia: 3 years earns 5 points, 5 years earns 10 points and 8 years earns 15 points, provided the work is in your nominated or a closely related occupation and is recognised by your skills assessing authority.
• Australian study and regional study: completing a qualifying course in Australia, and studying in a regional area, each attract points; graduates on a 485 visa commonly use this route (see our 485 visa guide).
• Partner points: a partner with a skills assessment and competent English, or being single, each carry points under the current table.
• Lodge early and update once: every change to your score resets your date of effect, so claim all points you can prove at the same time rather than in stages.

Frequently asked questions

Q1: How many invitations were issued in the 15 October 2026 189 round?

The Department of Home Affairs issued 20,000 Skilled Independent (subclass 189) invitations on 15 October 2026, the first round of the 2026–27 program year and double the 10,000 issued on 4 June 2026. No family-sponsored subclass 491 invitations were issued.

Q2: What was the minimum score for trades such as carpenter or electrician?

Carpenter, Electrician (General), Plumber (General), Bricklayer, Wall and Floor Tiler, Cabinetmaker, Airconditioning and Refrigeration Mechanic, Automotive Electrician and Panelbeater all had a minimum of 65 points in the October round, with most tie-break dates in September or October 2026. Metal trades such as Fitter (General), Welder (First Class) and Metal Fabricator required 80.

Q3: Why were software engineers, accountants and civil engineers not invited?

Software Engineer, Accountant (General), Civil Engineer and several other common occupations did not appear on the official 15 October 2026 results table. The Department's footnote says only that occupations not listed had no EOIs available to invite or had EOIs that did not meet the parameters; it does not give reasons, and this does not mean they will never be invited. State nomination (190 or 491) or employer sponsorship is currently the more realistic route for these occupations.

Q4: My score equals the minimum but the tie-break date is earlier than my EOI. What does that mean?

It means you were not reached in this round. At the minimum score, EOIs are ranked by date of effect and only those that reached the score on or before the tie-break date were invited. You can wait for a later round (no date has been published) or lift your score so that you rank above the minimum.

Q5: Do I need an English test if I hold a British, American, Canadian, New Zealand or Irish passport?

No test is needed to meet the competent English requirement for invitation if you hold a valid passport from the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, New Zealand or the Republic of Ireland. You still need a test result if you want to claim the additional 10 points for proficient English or 20 points for superior English.

Q6: When is the next 189 invitation round?

As at 6 November 2026 the Department of Home Affairs had not published the date of the next round. No rounds were held in July, August or September 2026, and the October round was the first of the program year, so the frequency of future rounds cannot be predicted from the official information available.

Further reading

• Australian state nomination 2026–27: 190 and 491 programs by state
• Victoria 190/491 state nomination 2026–27 guide
• Australia 485 Temporary Graduate visa: eligibility and how to apply

Disclaimer: This article is based on the Department of Home Affairs SkillSelect invitation rounds and previous rounds pages (results of the 15 October 2026 and 4 June 2026 rounds), the Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189) page, the 2026–27 Migration Program planning levels page, the competent English page, and the Minister for Home Affairs National Press Club address of 17 September 2026. It is general information only and not migration law advice. Minimum invitation scores change every round; always check the Department's published results. Information current as at 6 November 2026. Official sources: SkillSelect invitation rounds, previous rounds, Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189), Migration Program planning levels, Competent English, Ministerial National Press Club address 17 September 2026 (accessed 6 November 2026).