Subclass 189 Invitation Round — 21 April

Although the Subclass 189 has been gradually phasing out in recent years and is no longer the primary pathway for skilled migrants or graduate students, an unexpected invitation round erupted on 21 April, with the number of invitations and variety of occupations reportedly the highest in two years of the pandemic,and while the Department of Home Affairs suddenly extended its reach to other occupations, healthcare professions were still not overlooked — they reportedly received the most invitations,a partial summary follows:

Registered Nurses(NEC) 90 DOE 26/9/2021

Registered Nurses (community health) 90 25/4/2021

Registered Nurses (Aged care) 90 3/12/2021

Registered Nurses (Mental health) 90 17/11/2021

Speech Pathologist 90 DOE 7/02/2022

Medical Practitioners nec 90DOE  7/02/2022

Physiotherapist 90 DOE 25/4/2021

For the full summary of this invitation round, see:[Analysis] Subclass 189 — an unexpected end-of-financial-year invitation surge?

The Subclass 189 has been changed to manual invitation rounds every three months; the 21 April round was the fourth and final round of this financial year,with the first three rounds issuing only 650 invitations combined — the majority of which went to what we would consider niche healthcare occupations.

Subclass 190/491 State Nomination

The Subclass 189 requires a higher points score,making Subclass 190/491 state nomination the more mainstream choice — available in virtually every state and territory,from high-profile, high-quota states such as New South Wales and Victoria, to low-key, lower-quota territories such as the Northern Territory — healthcare occupations consistently receive high selection priority,and local university graduates are especially favoured by state governments,we won’t go into each state’s specific requirements here — please contact our consultant for details.

Both fall under the health-related professions,the difference being that physiotherapists focus on restoring patients’ physical movement and function;while occupational therapists focus on restoring patients’ cognitive abilities, daily life functioning, and capacity for independent living.

According to Joboutlook data from April 2022, the weekly wages for PT and OT are $1,444 and $1,569 AUD respectively, both above the Australian average. As occupations with high market demand and high skill requirements, growth prospects over the next five years are strong or very strong, with low unemployment rates. The employment settings are diverse, including hospitals, rehabilitation centres, inpatient wards, mental health centres, community health centres, forensic mental health centres, schools, paediatric settings, and vocational rehabilitation centres.

These two programmes have limited annual intake (only one entry point per year at each institution) and are highly competitive — students with strong undergraduate results and sufficient English proficiency are encouraged to begin their applications as early as possible!

Physiotherapists in Australia are highly specialised health professionals whose responsibilities include assessing, treating, and preventing movement disorders caused by injury or illness. They apply physical interventions — such as electrotherapy, phototherapy, magnetic therapy, thermotherapy, cryotherapy, hydrotherapy, ultrasound therapy, and biofeedback therapy — to prevent and treat conditions. Physiotherapists work to maximise, maintain, and restore their patients’ movement and function, collaborating with patients to help them recover and stay healthy. They also work closely with general practitioners and other clinical health professionals to plan and coordinate specialist treatment.

Physiotherapy is a highly educated profession, with 61.2% of practitioners holding a bachelor’s degree and 38.8% holding a master’s degree. According to Joboutlook data,demand for PT is projected to grow strongly over the next five years, with the number of practitioners expected to reach 26,900 by 2025.

Skills Assessment:

– Recognised by AHPRAaccreditationfrom an approved programme (recommendations to follow)

– English proficiency must alsomeet IELTS 7 in each band; PTE 65 in each component; OET (Occupational English Test) Grade B in each component. Language results are valid for two years; two separate test results taken within six months of each other may be combined.

Note: applicants who completed both secondary school and tertiary education in the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, the United States, South Africa, Canada, or Ireland are exempt from providing language test results.

Migration Pathways:

– Migration applications can be lodged via Subclass 190, Subclass 491, Subclass 189, and other pathways

Programme Recommendations

1. University of South Australia — Master of Physiotherapy

Why we recommend it:South Australia’s state nomination policy advantages — Subclass 190 state nomination requires only 3 months of relevant work experience after graduation; Subclass 491 has no work experience requirement.

Commencement: February each year

Tuition fees: $43,600/year

Entry requirements:

– Any undergraduate discipline with a GPA of 5 or above

– Relevant undergraduate coursework must include:

Statistics and research methods

Human anatomy (including musculoskeletal, anatomy, neuroanatomy, and systemic anatomy)

Human physiology (including human musculoskeletal physiology, neurophysiology, and systemic physiology)

Language requirements: IELTS 7 in each band, PTE 65 in each component

2. University of Canberra — Master of Physiotherapy

Why we recommend it:UC students have access to world-class training facilities,including the University of Canberra Hospital, the Icon Cancer Centre, and the Canberra Specialist Medical Centre. Since the University of Canberra Hospital: Specialist Centre for Rehabilitation, Recovery and Research opened in full in 2018, this public hospital has become a vital hub for teaching, clinical practice, learning, and research for UC students and staff.

Commencement: July each year

Tuition fees: $48,000/year

Entry requirements:

– Undergraduate degree in a health science-related discipline

– Prior study in musculoskeletal anatomy, advanced functional anatomy, exercise physiology, and biomechanics

Language requirements: IELTS 7 in each band, PTE 65 in each component; no direct-entry English pathway available

University of Sydney — Master of Physiotherapy

Why we recommend it:The university holds a QS overall ranking in the world’s top 50, with the discipline ranked 28th globally.Located in Sydney, it is an excellent option for students who prefer a vibrant city and a Group of Eight (Go8) institution.

Commencement: February each year

Tuition fees: $59,000/year

Entry requirements:

– A bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree from an Australian institution or equivalent

– Minimum GPA of 4.5 (places are limited and awarded competitively)

– Relevant undergraduate coursework must include:

Human anatomy

Human physiology

Exercise physiology

Neuroscience

Language requirements: IELTS 7 in each band, PTE 68 in each component

Occupational therapists help people of all ages overcome physical barriers that affect their daily lives, including addressing the life challenges arising from injury or illness and restoring their capacity and confidence for independent living. The discipline focuses on supporting patients’ psychological wellbeing and rebuilding their ability to care for themselves. The programme of study draws on foundational knowledge from multiple disciplines, including physiology, social behaviour, and psychology.

Most practitioners work in healthcare and social assistance, or in industries such as public administration and safety, education, and training. According to Joboutlook data,demand for OT is projected to grow strongly over the next five years, with the number of practitioners expected to reach 26,600 by 2025 (similar to the PT projection).

Skills Assessment

– Recognised by AHPRAaccreditationfrom an approved programme

–English requirements are the same as for PT(refer to the section above)

– Work experience requirement: if the applicant, at the time of lodging their application,, has been graduated for more than three months, they must provide a CV of no more than two pages(listing relevant work experience as an occupational therapist over the past five years);if the applicant, at the time of lodging their application, has been graduated for three months or less, they must provide a statutory declaration stating they have no relevant work experience.

Migration Pathways:

– Migration applications can be lodged via Subclass 190, Subclass 491, Subclass 189, and other pathways

– For example: Victoria has consistently issued invitations for OT, and the points score required for an invitation is not unreasonably high (a base score of 65–75 plus 5 state nomination points — all have a chance to receive an invitation, provided they have relevant work experience in the field)

Programme Recommendations

1. Swinburne University — Master of Occupational Therapy

Why we recommend it:No strict undergraduate background requirements, lower English entry requirements, lower tuition fees(compared to $40,000–$50,000 AUD per year at other institutions). The Hawthorn campus is conveniently located near the Melbourne CBD.The health sector is currently one of Victoria’s Target Sectors, making graduates eligible to apply for Victoria’s Subclass 190.

Commencement: June each year

Tuition fees: $39,230/year

Entry requirements: any undergraduate or postgraduate discipline; average mark of 65% or above in the final year of study; must have completed at least one anatomy and physiology course or a relevant bridging course

Language requirements: IELTS overall 7.0 with no band below 6.5; or PTE overall 66 with no component below 58

2. University of Canberra — Master of Occupational Therapy

Why we recommend it:Suitable for applicants without a biology or medical background.During the programme, students complete over 1,000 hours of clinical placement, gaining the opportunity to apply their knowledge in real patient interactions.

Commencement: July

Entry requirements: any undergraduate discipline with an average mark of at least 65; although there are no background requirements, competition is fierce and places typically fill six months in advance

Language requirements: IELTS 7 in each band, PTE 65 in each component, or equivalent English results; no direct-entry English pathway available

Tuition fees: $42,200/year

3. University of Sydney — Master of Occupational Therapy

Why we recommend it:The only institution in New South Wales offering a postgraduate OT programme, with no restrictions on undergraduate background. The programme includes 1,000 hours of clinical placement across major NSW hospitals.

Commencement: February each year

Tuition fees: $53,000/year

Entry requirements: any undergraduate discipline with an average mark of 65 or above

Language requirements: IELTS 7 in each band or PTE 68 in each component

4. Charles Darwin University — Master of Occupational Therapy

Why we recommend it:No undergraduate background requirements, lower English entry requirements, lowest tuition fees;graduates can apply for the Northern Territory Subclass 491/190.

Tuition fees: AUD $29,520/year

Entry requirements: any undergraduate discipline with at least a pass average (GPA of 5.00)

Language requirements: IELTS overall 7.0 with no band below 6.5; or PTE overall 65 with no component below 58

5. Flinders University — Master of Occupational Therapy

Benefits from South Australia’s migration incentive policies; lower English entry requirements; includes 1,000 hours of full-time placement and 3 clinical placements. An excellent opportunity to develop professional competence!

Commencement: March each year

Tuition fees: $41,000/year

Entry requirements: undergraduate GPA of 5 or above; undergraduate coursework must include human anatomy, human physiology, sociology, research methods, and communication skills

Language requirements: IELTS overall 7.0 with no band below 6.5; or PTE overall 66 with no component below 58

Overall, compared with PT,the entry requirements for postgraduate OT programmes are more flexible, making them better suited to students without a related background.

Note: the entry requirement scores listed for the programmes aboveare based on an Australian undergraduate qualification.If you hold a non-Australian undergraduate qualification, please contact us via the QR code at the end of this article for a personalised assessment.

If you are interested in programme and institution selection, skills assessment, and migration pathways for PT or OT, feel free to reach out to us at any time.