The most flexible — and once the most competitive — Subclass 189 Skilled Independent visa had three major invitation rounds in the 2022–23 financial year, in August, October, and December, roughly every two months. Much has been said online and offline about these rounds, but the real questions are how big they were and how long they might last. Let’s review the data from all three rounds.

Visa Allocation vs Invitation Numbers

First, let’s look at the Subclass 189 visa allocation– 32,100 places

Across the three rounds, a total of 59,182 invitations were extended

This number significantly exceeds the final approved Subclass 189 allocation, but it is worth noting that invitation numbers are primarily driven by the actual processing backlog and the volume of applications lodged.

The 32,100 figure represents the total grants permitted for this financial year. According to FOI data, as at the end of October 2022, a total of 17,572 Subclass 189 visas had been lodged. This means that the volume of applications lodged in the December round (to date) may determine the Subclass 189 invitation outlook for January and beyond — if further rounds occur。

Invitation Breakdown by Occupation Category

Now that we have covered the overall picture, let’s look at the invitation breakdown by occupation category. This article covers five broad groups:

– Health, Social Services & Education

– Engineering & Construction

– Accounting & IT

– Trades & Technicians

– Other

Below are the minimum points scores for invitations, broken down by occupation:

From this data, it is clear that health and social services occupations remain the top priority — with consistent, high-volume invitations and fast grant processing. For those looking to use study as a pathway to permanent residency, health and social services should be your first choice of field. Get in touch to learn more about relevant programmes and courses.

Next are the trades and technician occupations — even with offshore-only nomination, all applicants at 65 points were invited.

After that come the major in-demand occupations such as IT, accounting, and engineering, which are likely to remain highly competitive on points going forward. It is worth noting that the October round was offshore-only, so onshore applicants in these categories should keep a close eye on future rounds.

So — When Will the Next Subclass 189 Invitation Round Take Place?

Many people want to know: when will the next Subclass 189 invitation round take place?

The official position is that this financial year has moved to a demand-driven model, meaning there is no fixed schedule (previously rounds were held monthly or quarterly).

My recommendation is this: the Subclass 189 is likely the most affordable and least restrictive points-based skilled migration pathway，Each application has a validity period of two years.Looking at both policy signals and the outlook from government and business alike, the prospects for skilled migration to Australia are only going to improve in the short to medium term. Lodging an application and waiting — whether offshore or onshore — is an extremely cost-effective option once you have your skills assessment and language results in order (minimum 6 in each IELTS band), and is well worth pursuing.

If you do not yet have your skills assessment and language test results, now is the time to get them sorted — they are a mandatory prerequisite for the Subclass 189 and all state nomination pathways alike.

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Further Reading — Click the image to read the article

NSW’s Latest Subclass 190 Round — More Occupations, Lower Points, Higher Numbers!

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Department of Home Affairs Processed 4.3 Million Visas in Seven Months — Recently Over 3,500 in a Single Day!

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