What changes do skilled migration points-test reform submissions propose, and will the government necessarily adopt them?

The submissions propose changes to age, partner, English, qualifications and work experience points, along with tiered Regional points and a carefully managed transition period. The government may not adopt these proposals at all, or may adopt them in a different form.

Do the points-test reform submissions support awarding points for a job offer?

The proposals support additional points for existing employment, but not for a job offer, and oppose relying solely on a high salary.

Migration Weekly 413: points-test reform and visa processing

Issue 413 Australia Migration Weekly | Which points items are unanimously agreed for reform? Data estimates 3-5k more 189 invitations this year? 189/190/Partner PR speed up — image 1

Key Migration News of the Week

1. Can we still expect 189 invitations this year? Data estimates another 3-5k possible?

2. Points-test reform consultation papers released: which scoring items are unanimously agreed to be changed

3. 190 and 491 visa backlogs further reduced

4. DoHA official update: 189/190/Partner PR processing speeds up

5. Weekly roundup of grants, invitations and skills assessments

1. Can we still expect 189 invitations this year? Data estimates another 3-5k possible?

There has been plenty of 189 news over the past few days, mainly from the Department of Home Affairs’ internal communications about the second-round arrangements. We will combine this with the 189 visa backlog data obtained via FOI up to end of December, and walk through it together.

1. This financial year’s second round of invitations uses the [occupation invitation calculation method] we introduced previously

2.The third round is expected to be a smaller round, because after the second round the invitation count is close to the quota (at the time the actual likely lodgement count was not clearly known)

3.The third round won’t necessarily be in February. The Department of Home Affairs will monitor the 189 visa backlog in real time, to decide when to issue invitations, and a pre-announcement is expected first

So let’s look at the latest 189 visa application backlog figures:

End of Decemberthe backlog was 12,832 and 9,161 places remained in quota. The gap is 3,671. Based on the roughly 7,000 189 backlog the Department has been “willing” to carry at the end of the past two financial years,there are still 3,329 visa places available. Factoring in a 50-55% invitation acceptance rate, 189 will most likely see another round, and a cautiously optimistic estimate is 3,000-5,000 invitations.

Taking a midpoint of 4,000,and using the proportions from the November round (also FOI data),we model the top-ten occupation invitation counts for the new round,Of course, whether the new round features the same top-ten occupations is something the Department can adjust at any time.

Simulated invitations for the top ten occupations, using 4,000 Subclass 189 invitations and November 2025 occupation shares

Current 189 visa processing status:

1,720 grants in December,slightly up from November, and broadly processed in lodgement order.24 12 is almost cleared,25 8 remains the main battleground this round. We have seen recent grants for multiple clients who lodged in August/September,11 processing has begun.

2. Points-test reform consultation papers released: which scoring items are unanimously agreed to be changed?

At the end of January the Department of Home Affairs released more than 200 external submissions on the points-test reform, from large institutions such as universities, skills-assessing authorities, state governments, industry bodies and think tanks, as well as many individual submissions.We have reviewed the full submissions of several representative institutions, summarised as follows:

– Age points: agree to move to a tiered model; oppose an excessive push towards ever-younger migrants

– Partner points: add qualification points; Australian qualifications rewarded

– English points:raise the threshold — the current four 6s is considered too low. Higher language ability may attract more additional points

– Qualification points: refine the scoring; diploma/certificate also earn points; no extra points for STEM; multiple qualifications can earn points

– Work-experience points: reduce the years required; overseas and onshore experience moving towards parity

– Current-employment points: additional points available; do not support job-offer-based points, and oppose a purely “high-salary-is-king” model

– Skills recognition: certificates and licences should also attract points

– Occupation lists: widely criticised, with significant disagreement on how to revise

– Regional points: move to a tiered system, with more remote areas earning more points

– NAATI points: some support removing them

– PY points: skills-assessing authorities strongly support retention; other bodies ambivalent

– A proper transition and buffer period is essential

A detailed comparison of several institutions can be seen in the image below

Comparison of representative organisations’ skilled migration points-test reform proposals

Of course, none of the above suggestions will necessarily be adopted by the government, or adopted exactly as submitted —but from the emerging consensus we can get a sense of the direction of reform, and confirm that the points-test overhaul has entered its public-release stage.

3. 190 and 491 visa backlogs further reduced

We have also obtained the 190 and 491 visa data for the first half of the financial year

As state nominations gradually rolled out invitations in November and December,190 new lodgements rose by 788 and 491 lodgements by 167. The second half of the financial year will see faster and larger increases.

190 grants fell slightly to under 2,700,491 dropped sharply to 1,000, but grants overall still exceed lodgements.As at end of December the 190 backlog was just over 25,000 and the 491 backlog under 22,000

190 and 491 grants continue to come through every month.190Apart from 24 10 reaching 525, the others have been in the tens to just over a hundred.

Subclass 190 and 491 grant figures and data by application lodgement month

4. DoHA official update: 190 and Partner PR grants accelerate

The Department of Home Affairs has finally released its first 2026 update to visa processing times, with 189, 190 and Partner PR stages all speeding up.

189 50% in 3 months, 7 months faster; 90% in 12 months, 1 month slower

190 50% in 15 months, 2 months faster; 90% in 25 months, 2 months faster

491 50% in 21 months, unchanged from the last update; 90% in 29 months, 1 month slower

491 to 191 50% in 7 months, unchanged; 90% in 16 months, 1 month slower

482 SID nomination 50% in 81 days, 40 days slower; 90% in 7 months, unchanged

186 DE 50% in 17 months, 8 months slower; 90% in 20 months, 1 month slower

Partner 801 stage 50% in 7 months, 1 month faster; 90% in 13 months, 9 months faster

For other categories please refer back to:DoHA’s first 2026 update to visa processing times! 190 slightly faster, Partner PR stage significantly faster, employer-sponsored slightly slower!

Weekly grants, invitations and skills assessments

State nomination

Canberra

Formal nomination

2026 2 08 lodged, 2026 02 09 invitedACT 190 PhD stream, Accountant (General)

2025 12 24 lodged, 2026 02 10 invitedACT 190,Accountant (General)

2025 12 24 lodged, 2026 02 13 invitedACT 190,Accountant (General)

Tasmania

Formal nomination

2026 1 13 lodgedNomination, 2026 2 13 formally invited(expedited application) Chef 60+5with relevant work experience

Visa grant

189 Independent Skilled Migration

2025 9 3 lodged, 2026 2 11 granted onshore early childhood teachersingle

190 state nomination

28 May 2025 lodged onshoreACT 190, 10 Feb 2026 granted–ICT Business Analyst

491 regional state nomination

Lodged 28 June 2023, granted 6 February 2026

2024 6 6 lodged, 2026 2 11 granted Cafe or Restaurant Manager – 141111 onshore with partner

17 Jun 2024 lodged onshoreACT 491, 12 Feb 2026granted–ICT Support Engineer

191/887 Regional PR

None this week

Employer sponsorship

Lodged on 8/7/2025, Approved on 9/2/2026. Chef 482 nomination. Submitted on 14/1/2026, approved on 12/2/2026 — 482 employer-sponsorship eligibility

Submitted on 28/11/2025, approved on 11/2/2026 — 407 employer-sponsorship eligibility

482 Submitted on 3/10/2025, Approved on 10/2/2026 — 482 employer-sponsorship eligibility

Investor visa / GTI visa

None this week

Partner migration

Submitted on 9/12/2025, granted on 11/2/2026 — 801

Submitted on 19/12/2025, granted on 11/2/2026 — 801

2025 10 10 lodged, 2026 2 11 granted — 801

2024 2 8 lodged, 2026 2 9 820 and 801 granted together

Parent visas

2018 9 15 lodged, 2026 1 16 additional documents lodged, 2026 2 13 granted — 143

2018 7 23 lodged, 2025 12 2 additional documents lodged, 2026 2 9 granted — 143

2018 1 5 lodged103,2025 10 24 lodged143,2025 11 3 additional documents lodged, 2026 2 9 granted — 143

485 Temporary Graduate visa

2026 1 19 lodged, 2026 2 12 granted — 485 second stream

2025 11 28 lodged, 2026 2 13 granted — 485 second stream

500 Student visa

Lodged 20 January 2026, approved 13 February 2026

9/12/2025, granted on 12/2/2026

600 Visitor visa

Submitted on 10/2/2026, granted on 12/2/2026

2026 2 11 lodged, 2026 2 13 granted,offshore application PR parent

2026 2 4 lodged, 2026 2 12 granted, offshore applicationPR parent

2026 2 6 lodged, 2026 2 10 granted, offshore applicationPR parent

2026 2 6 lodged, 2026 2 11 granted, offshore applicationPR parent

Child visa

Lodged 11 September 2024, granted 7 February 2026

Skills assessments

ACS skills assessment

Lodged on 23/1/2026, approved on 10/2/2026. 262113, 263212, 313113

AITSL

2026 2 5 lodged, 2026 2 13 completed

Lodged 31 December 2025, approved 9 February 2026 — EA assessment, Mechanical Engineer

Lodged 23 December 2025, approved 12 February 2026 — EA assessment, Engineering Technologist

2026 1 20 lodged, 2026 2 10 completed(CDR expedited)

VET

2026 1 23 lodged, 2026 2 12 completed(expedited)

(photographed in 2021)

New 189 invitation round imminent — popular-occupation EOI backlog update at end of January, invitation score forecasts!

Related reading on Subclass 189 invitation forecasts and EOI backlogs for popular occupations

Processing accelerates immediately after reform legislation passes! Student-visa ART appeals lodged in the second half of 2025 have received requests for additional documents!