189 Invitation Rounds 2026: Cutoff Scores by Occupation & Offshore vs Onshore

#When can we expect the next 189 round?

Unlike state nomination programs, the Subclass 189 Skilled Independent visa does not follow a published calendar. DOHA issues rounds at its discretion, generally every 6–10 weeks during a financial year. Rounds are not pre-announced and invitations appear in applicants' SkillSelect accounts without prior notice. The volume of invitations per round, the occupations included, and the points cutoffs all vary and are only published retrospectively on the DOHA Invited Applicant Statistics page.

If you have already lodged an Expression of Interest (EOI) in SkillSelect, you do not need to take any action between rounds — your EOI remains active and is assessed each time a round is run for your occupation. The most practical thing you can do is maximise your points score before the next round occurs.

#Will there be a 189 invitation round in 2026?

The Subclass 189 program is part of Australia's annual Migration Program, which for 2025–26 maintains a skilled stream planning level. Rounds have been running in the 2025–26 financial year, and there is no policy basis to suggest they will cease before 30 June 2026. However, the number of places is finite, and once program allocations are exhausted for a financial year, no further rounds are issued until 1 July. This is why timing your EOI and maximising your score matters.

#Will there be more 189 visa invitations before September 30?

If you are asking about rounds before 30 June (end of financial year), the answer depends on how much of the annual allocation remains. Historically, DOHA has issued a final round close to 30 June to exhaust any remaining places. From 1 July 2026, a fresh allocation becomes available for 2026–27, and rounds typically resume within weeks of the new financial year opening. Our clients at VJ Consulting and Education who have been waiting across a financial year boundary are advised to keep their EOIs active and ensure skills assessments and English test scores remain valid.

#Does Home Affairs publish the number of spots per occupation for 189 invitation rounds?

Each round's results, including the number of invitations issued and the lowest points score invited per occupation, are published on the DOHA website after the round. This means you cannot know in advance how many spots are allocated to your occupation. What you can do is review historical round data to identify trends — which occupations are invited regularly, at what points thresholds, and whether the trend is tightening or loosening. At VJ Consulting, we use this data when advising clients whether to hold an EOI or pivot to a state nomination pathway.

#When is the next 189 visa invitation round expected?

The practical advice is straightforward: do not wait for a round date before improving your EOI. If you are sitting at 75 points and the last round for your occupation invited at 80, you should focus on how to claim additional points — through a longer period of skilled employment, a higher-scoring English test, or a professional year. Waiting without acting rarely produces a different result.

#How soon will the next 189 invite round be for offshore applicants?

There is a common misconception that offshore applicants face separate or fewer rounds. This is not accurate for the 189 visa. Both onshore and offshore EOIs sit in SkillSelect together and are ranked purely on points score and EOI submission date (as a tiebreaker). What does differ between onshore and offshore is the processing pathway after invitation — offshore applicants must apply from outside Australia or be offshore at the time of decision. If you are currently onshore and considering the 189, the offshore vs onshore distinction only becomes relevant at the visa application stage, not the EOI or invitation stage.

#When will the next 189 visa invitation round happen in May 2026?

Looking at historical data, DOHA has typically run at least one round per month during high-activity periods of the financial year, including May and June as the year-end approaches. If the annual allocation has not been exhausted by May, a round is probable. If you are targeting a May round, ensure your EOI is current, your skills assessment has not expired, and your points are accurate and provable with documentation.

#Are there still places left in the 189 visa program this financial year?

If rounds are still being issued, places remain. When the allocation is exhausted, rounds simply stop for the remainder of the financial year. The appearance of a new round is itself confirmation that places were still available. Our clients at VJ Consulting and Education are advised to treat the continued issuing of rounds as a green light to maintain their EOI in SkillSelect rather than waiting for a formal announcement.

#Will there be a subclass 189 invitation round this financial year?

Australia's Migration Program is legislated and budgeted annually. The skilled stream — which includes the 189 — has a planning level that must be met. DOHA is obligated to issue invitations to fill these places. Historical data shows that every financial year since the SkillSelect system launched has included 189 rounds. The question is not whether rounds will occur, but whether your occupation and points score position you to receive one.

#What are the latest 189 visa invitation rounds and cutoff points?

The table below reflects recent historical patterns from DOHA's published Invited Applicant Statistics. Note that these are indicative and can change substantially between rounds based on EOI pool depth and annual allocation remaining.

#Will offshore 189 applicants receive fewer invitations under the new migration policy?

Recent policy discourse has focused on total net migration reduction rather than creating formal onshore preference in the 189 pool. The Migration Strategy released by the Australian Government does signal a preference for skills-based migration and better targeting of occupations. This may result in tighter overall caps rather than explicit offshore restrictions. Offshore applicants should monitor the Skilled Occupation List (SOL) closely, as removal of an occupation from the SOL renders an offshore EOI ineligible for invitation regardless of points.

#Will there be a subclass 189 invitation round in May 2026?

May falls in the final quarter of the financial year (April–June), which is typically when DOHA accelerates round frequency to ensure the annual allocation is met. In years where the program has been under-subscribed relative to planning levels, DOHA has increased round volumes in this period. If your occupation is on the SOL and your points are competitive, May is a reasonable window to target — but do not delay improving your score on the assumption that May will definitely produce an invitation.

#Has there been a 189 visa invitation round in May 2025?

May 2025 rounds included invitations across a range of occupations on the Skilled Occupation List, with points cutoffs varying by occupation. This confirms that the late-financial-year period remains active for 189 invitations and supports expectations for similar activity in May 2026.

#How many registered nurses are typically invited in a 189 visa round?

Registered Nurses (ANZSCO 254411 and related nursing codes) appear in almost every 189 round, reflecting Australia's sustained and critical shortage of nursing professionals. The total annual invitation volume for nursing occupations across the 189 program can reach into the thousands when all nursing ANZSCO codes are aggregated. The lower points cutoffs for nursing (often 65–70) mean that applicants who meet the minimum threshold and have a valid AHPRA-compatible skills assessment have a realistic chance of invitation without needing to score in the 80s or 90s.

#What is the current points cutoff for Registered Nurse subclass 189 invitations?

This lower threshold reflects the acute national shortage of registered nurses, which has been a consistent workforce priority for successive Australian governments. To reach 65 points as a registered nurse under 33 years of age with a bachelor-level qualification, 8+ years of skilled employment, and a Competent English score is very achievable. Applicants who also hold a Proficient English score (IELTS 7.0 in each band) or have completed Australian study can push significantly higher.

#Is mechanical engineering on the skilled occupation list for Australia 189 visa?

Mechanical Engineering is assessed by Engineers Australia (EA) and appears on the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL), which is the relevant list for 189 visa purposes. However, appearance on the MLTSSL does not guarantee invitation in every round. Competition in engineering categories is significant, and cutoffs can reach 80–85 points. Applicants with lower scores in this occupation may find better traction through the Subclass 491 Skilled Regional pathway, where state nomination can provide additional points and access to the 491 to 191 permanent residence pathway.

#When was mechanical engineering last invited for Australia subclass 189 visa?

The DOHA Invited Applicant Statistics page shows historical data per occupation. Mechanical Engineer invitations have occurred, but the frequency is lower than nursing or IT occupations. If you are a mechanical engineer with 75 or fewer points, the 189 pathway is extremely competitive. A VETASSESS or Engineers Australia assessment confirming a higher ANZSCO classification, additional English test points, or state nomination via the 190 or 491 may be more viable options to explore with a registered migration agent.

#Is Electrical Engineering Draftsperson on the 189 visa priority occupation list?

The 189 visa requires the occupation to appear on the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL). Electrical Engineering Draftsperson appears on the Short-term Skilled Occupation List (STSOL), which supports the 482 Temporary Skills in Demand visa and some state-nominated streams but does not make applicants eligible for the 189. If you hold this occupation classification, you should consider the Subclass 482 employer-sponsored pathway, or work with a migration agent to assess whether reclassification under a different ANZSCO code — such as Electrical Engineer (233311), which is on the MLTSSL — is appropriate given your qualifications and experience.

#Why is Marketing Specialist not on the 189 visa occupation list?

The MLTSSL is constructed based on labour market analysis, national skills priority assessments, and advice from the National Skills Commission. Marketing Specialist (ANZSCO 225113) has not been included in recent iterations of the MLTSSL because the domestic labour supply — including Australian graduates in marketing and business — is considered adequate to meet demand. Occupation lists are reviewed periodically, and there is no fixed policy that permanently excludes any occupation, but DOHA has shown no current intention to add marketing occupations to the MLTSSL. If you are a marketing professional, alternative pathways may include employer-sponsored visas or state-nominated streams where the occupation appears on the relevant state list.

#What is the minimum points score for Australia 189 visa for quantity surveyors?

Meeting the 65-point minimum allows you to submit an EOI, but it does not mean you will receive an invitation. The actual cutoff is determined by the competition in your occupation at the time of each round. Quantity Surveying is a genuinely in-demand profession in Australia, and AIQS (the Australian Institute of Quantity Surveyors) conducts skills assessments for this occupation. If you are at 65 points, you are unlikely to be invited in the current competitive environment. Focus on accumulating points through extended skilled employment, state nomination alternatives, or improved English scores before expecting an invitation.

#What is the minimum points score for early childhood teachers to get a 189 visa invitation in 2025?

Early Childhood Teachers are on the MLTSSL and are assessed by AITSL (Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership). Australia's early childhood education sector faces a significant and well-documented shortage, meaning DOHA has been actively issuing invitations to this occupation. In 2025, clients of VJ Consulting and Education working as early childhood educators were among the lower-points invitees, with some securing invitations at 70 points. If you are an early childhood teacher with valid AITSL assessment and at least Competent English, you are in a genuinely favourable position relative to most other 189 occupations.

#Why are occupations like dancer and tennis coach now getting 189 invitations?

Many people find it counterintuitive that performing arts and sports coaching occupations receive 189 invitations while seemingly more "essential" occupations do not. The explanation is that MLTSSL inclusion is based on whether a genuine medium-to-long-term skills shortage exists and whether the occupation requires a qualification level commensurate with skilled migration. Some performing arts and sports occupations are included because the domestic labour market genuinely cannot fill specialist roles — particularly in elite coaching and professional performance — with Australian residents at the required level.

Additionally, occupations like Dancer and Sports Coach (where listed) often have very small EOI pools. Even if only a handful of invitations are issued, that may represent 100% of the eligible EOIs. This creates the perception of these occupations being "easy" pathways, but the practical reality is that skills assessment bodies (such as Artisan for performing arts occupations) apply strict criteria for what qualifies as skilled employment in the field.

If your occupation is on the MLTSSL and you have a realistic path to a valid skills assessment, the 189 pathway may be available regardless of how niche your field appears. The key is obtaining the correct skills assessment from the relevant assessing authority. Always confirm current SOL status before investing in an assessment, as occupation lists do change. For occupations not on the MLTSSL, the Subclass 482 or employer-sponsored Subclass 186 routes may offer more practical access to Australian permanent residence.