Official data for Australia’s October Subclass 189 Skilled Independent visa invitation round has been released, confirming a total of 20,000 invitations.
The occupations invited broadly match our earlier analysis of EOI data. The round was large and covered a very wide range of occupations. The official release also listed the EOI lodgement dates reached for different occupations and points scores, answering the question applicants often ask about which score reached which lodgement date.
October Subclass 189 round confirmed at 20,000 invitations
Based on the EOI backlog, we previously estimated that this Subclass 189 round might issue at least 15,000 invitations. The official data now confirms a final total of 20,000.
Given the large number of invitations issued, another large Subclass 189 round is relatively less likely in the short term. In light of the timetable for skilled migration policy reform, this could well be the last large Subclass 189 round before the points system reforms in March 2027.
Whether further invitation rounds take place, and how many invitations they issue, will of course depend on the information officially released by the Department of Home Affairs.
Why might another large Subclass 189 round be unlikely in the short term?
We can make a simple estimate using the number of invitations issued and the current Subclass 189 backlog.
The acceptance rate for Subclass 189 invitations is usually around 60%–65%. At an assumed acceptance rate of 65%, the 20,000 invitations in this round would generate around 13,000 primary applicants’ Subclass 189 visa applications.
If, on average, around half of those primary applicants each include one secondary applicant, this round could add around 6,500 secondary applicants’ visa applications.
In other words, the October invitation round could ultimately add around 19,500–20,000 new visa applications to the Subclass 189 pool.
Meanwhile, data obtained earlier through an information request showed around 8,334 Subclass 189 cases under assessment at the end of August.
Based on the average processing rate earlier in this financial year, an estimated 1,500 cases may have been cleared from the backlog in September, potentially reducing the Subclass 189 backlog to around 6,800 by the end of September.
Adding the approximately 20,000 new applications from the October round to the estimated existing backlog of 6,800 could bring the number of Subclass 189 cases under assessment back up to around 26,800.
At the end of August, around 16,732 Subclass 189 visa places remained for this financial year. Based on the previous average visa grant rate, a further 2,000 or so places may have been used in September, potentially leaving fewer than 15,000 places by the end of September.
In other words, the current position is roughly:
Around 26,800 potential applications under assessment versus around 15,000 remaining places.
So even if further Subclass 189 invitations are issued this financial year, the next round may fall short of the 20,000 invitations issued in this round.
How should applicants plan if they did not receive an invitation in this round?
Applicants who did not receive a Subclass 189 invitation in this round need to assess their options in light of their occupation and points score.
If an applicant’s occupation was not invited in this round and their EOI score is already close to the highest they can achieve, there may be relatively limited scope in continuing to wait for Subclass 189.
In particular, if there is no longer a sufficient invitation allocation for that occupation this financial year, simply increasing the points score may not overcome the occupation allocation limit.
In that situation, applicants can consider state-nominated pathways such as Subclasses 190 and 491, or employer-sponsored pathways such as Subclasses 482 and 186, ahead of time.
If you still hold a student visa or are in the early stages of a Subclass 485 Temporary Graduate visa, you can also consider developing additional skills and employment options in line with your occupation and long-term migration goals, such as taking a construction trade course.
The main application window for 2026–27 state nomination is gradually opening
Based on the current situation, state nomination may warrant more attention for skilled migration opportunities over the rest of this financial year.
States that have announced allocations or related information include Tasmania, the Northern Territory, Victoria for Subclass 190, and Western Australia. New South Wales, the ACT and Western Australia have also begun issuing their first invitation rounds of the new financial year.
Tasmania continues to issue invitations at a relatively steady pace. The ACT and New South Wales have started progressing their state nomination programmes for the new financial year, and Western Australia has also held invitations for the new financial year.
Queensland recently announced its state nomination policy for this financial year and confirmed that ROI applications will open on 6 November.
Queensland state nomination for 2026–27 retains five pathways
Queensland is retaining five state nomination pathways this financial year, with engineering and construction occupations remaining a priority.
Alongside construction trades, some draftsperson and technician occupations are also included in the relevant pathways.
At present, the engineering and construction pathway has relatively lower entry requirements and is primarily aimed at eligible applicants living in Queensland.
For the small business pathway, only the start-up option remains this financial year. Applicants can no longer qualify by purchasing an existing business.
Queensland onshore applicants need to meet the NOA requirement
Queensland has added a requirement for onshore applicants this financial year. Before lodging an ROI, they must have completed their 2025–26 tax return and received their Notice of Assessment (NOA).
NOAs for the preceding financial years were already part of Queensland’s state nomination documentation requirements. This year, however, the requirement has been explicitly made a condition that must be met before lodging an ROI.
Onshore applicants preparing to apply for Queensland state nomination who have not yet completed the relevant tax arrangements should check in advance whether they can meet the requirement before ROI applications open.
How is work experience calculated for Queensland?
Relevant work experience recognised by Queensland is assessed using the first three digits of the ANZSCO code.
Six months of work experience in the state must have been completed within the nine months before lodging an ROI. If an applicant needs to meet a nine-month in-state work experience requirement, that experience must have been completed within the preceding 12 months.
For overseas work experience, Queensland currently recognises eligible relevant experience gained within the past three years.
In principle, work experience can be combined across multiple jobs, and eligible casual work is also accepted.
Applicants with different employers, different working arrangements, or a combination of onshore and overseas work experience therefore need to calculate their experience carefully using the relevant occupation codes and periods of work.
Queensland ROI lodgement rules
Under the current rules, each applicant can lodge only one ROI. Each ROI can select only one pathway and must choose either Subclass 190 or Subclass 491.
Queensland has yet to confirm whether existing ROIs will need to be lodged again.
The Queensland Government plans to hold a state nomination policy information session on 6 November. Further details of invitations issued in the previous financial year and the specific invitation rules for this financial year are expected to be released then.
We will continue to follow Queensland’s announcements and provide timely updates on new invitation requirements and application data.
State nomination becomes more important after the large Subclass 189 round
The final total of 20,000 Subclass 189 invitations in this round represents a very important opportunity for many applicants.
However, given the remaining allocation, existing backlog and new applications generated by this round, another round of the same size is unlikely in the short term.
Applicants who have received a Subclass 189 invitation are encouraged to progress their visa applications promptly. Those who were not invited should assess alternative pathways such as Subclasses 190, 491, 482 and 186 as soon as possible, taking account of their occupation, age, points score and current visa situation.
Applicants who still hold a student visa or are in the early stages of a Subclass 485 visa should plan their occupation and employment options ahead of time to preserve more migration choices, rather than waiting until their current visa is close to expiry to look for a solution.
