189 Invitation Rounds 2026: Points Cutoffs by Occupation

#What changed in Australia 189 visa invitation policy announced on 4 June 2025?

Prior to June 2025, DOHA issued 189 invitations primarily on a rank-order basis — highest points first — with little differentiation between occupations within the same ANZSCO group. The June 2025 changes introduced occupation-level demand weighting, meaning that two applicants with identical points scores can now receive different outcomes depending on their nominated occupation's position on the skilled occupation list and the Department's internal workforce priority signals.

In practical terms, this means that occupations flagged as high-priority — such as certain engineering, health, and early childhood education roles — may clear at lower points thresholds than before, while occupations with lower demand or higher application volumes may see their effective cutoffs rise. The change also formalized a mechanism allowing DOHA to hold invitations for specific occupations across multiple rounds rather than always clearing them in a single draw.

#How many 189 visa invitations were issued in the June 2025 round?

The exact number fluctuates each round based on the annual migration program planning level and the number of places already consumed in the financial year. The 2024–25 skilled independent (189) program allocation was set within the broader 137,100 permanent skilled visa ceiling. As the financial year end approached in June 2025, DOHA typically accelerates invitation issuance to exhaust remaining places, which is why the June round can sometimes be larger than mid-year rounds.

It is important to understand that the total invitation count across all occupations does not directly tell you how many invitations were issued for your specific occupation. Occupations with very few active EOIs may see all eligible candidates invited, while high-volume occupations like software engineering may see only the top-scoring candidates receive invitations in any given round.

#What are the current minimum points required to receive a 189 visa invitation for Early Childhood Education?

Early childhood education has been a consistent priority occupation across multiple Australian government workforce strategies, and this is reflected in the invitation data. While most competitive technology and engineering occupations require 85–90+ points, early childhood teachers have historically cleared at lower thresholds because the pool of eligible applicants is smaller relative to demand.

#Are low-point 189 invitations still possible for Early Childhood Education in 2025?

Early childhood education is one of the few occupations on the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL) where 65-point invitations have been observed consistently. This makes it one of the most accessible pathways to permanent residence through the skilled independent stream for qualified early childhood professionals.

If you hold qualifications in this field, a score of 65 points — achievable with age points, English proficiency, qualifications, and work experience — may be sufficient to receive an invitation without waiting years for your score to become competitive. At VJ Consulting and Education, we regularly advise clients in this field to submit their EOI as soon as their skills assessment is positive and their points are confirmed, rather than waiting to accumulate additional points.

#What are current 189 visa invitation points cutoffs for physiotherapists?

Physiotherapy sits on the MLTSSL, which means the occupation is eligible for both the Subclass 189 (independent) and the Subclass 491 (regional). The relatively low cutoff reflects genuine workforce shortages across both metropolitan and regional areas. However, applicants must hold a positive skills assessment from the Australian Physiotherapy Council (APC) before their EOI can be considered.

#How often does Painting Trades Worker receive an EOI invitation for Subclass 189?

Painting Trades Worker is listed on the Short-term Skilled Occupation List (STSOL) in some state contexts and has historically had very limited access to the Subclass 189. Because the 189 is restricted to occupations on the MLTSSL, Painting Trades Workers generally do not have a direct pathway to the independent skilled visa. Applicants in this trade are more commonly directed toward state-nominated pathways (Subclass 190) or regional pathways (Subclass 491), where individual state and territory skill needs drive invitations.

#Does the new points test system affect Painter occupation invitations for 189 visa?

This is a common misconception that our VJCE team encounters regularly. The points test determines your ranking within the pool of eligible EOI holders. But to be in that pool in the first place, your occupation must appear on the relevant skilled occupation list for the visa subclass you are targeting. For the Subclass 189, this means the MLTSSL. If Painting Trades Worker is not on the MLTSSL, no number of points — even a perfect score — will result in a 189 invitation.

The June 2025 policy changes adjusted how invitations are distributed across eligible occupations within the pool, but they did not change which occupations are eligible for the 189 in the first place. Painters and decorators should instead investigate the Subclass 190 or 491, where the eligible occupation lists are broader and include more trades.

#Are industrial engineers currently being invited for skilled independent visa 189?

Industrial engineering sits on the MLTSSL and has seen consistent — though not guaranteed — invitation activity across 2025 and into 2026. The cutoff is higher than health and education occupations because the pool of eligible applicants with engineering skills assessments (typically through Engineers Australia) is large relative to the number of invitations allocated to this occupation group.

If you are an industrial engineer with 80 points or fewer, you should seriously consider whether a state nomination pathway (Subclass 190) or a regional nomination pathway (Subclass 491) might offer a faster or more certain route to permanent residence, as these can grant additional points or provide direct invitation access outside the national SkillSelect pool.

#What are the chances of receiving an invite for 189 visa with 80 points for aeronautical engineering?

Aeronautical engineering is a relatively small occupation in the SkillSelect pool, which works in your favour — fewer competitors means a better chance of being among the highest-ranked candidates when invitations are issued. However, the volatility of the cutoff means that 80 points may be sufficient in some rounds and insufficient in others.

#What are the chances of getting a 189 visa invitation as a secondary teacher with a diploma?

Under the current points test, a diploma qualifies for 10 qualification points (same as a Bachelor degree is 15 points, and a Masters or higher is 20 points). For secondary teaching, AITSL requires at least a four-year teaching qualification for a positive skills assessment, so most applicants in this occupation hold a Bachelor degree or higher. If you hold only a diploma, you should verify whether your qualification meets the skills assessment requirements before relying on a secondary teaching nomination.

Assuming your skills assessment is positive and you hold a diploma, your points score will likely be in the 65–75 range without significant additional point sources. Secondary teachers have been invited at 65 points in some rounds, but competition from higher-scoring applicants in the same occupation means this is not consistent. A Subclass 190 nomination from a state with a secondary teacher shortage — such as South Australia, Tasmania, or the ACT — may offer a more reliable path, as the 5 additional points from state nomination could be decisive.

#What are the recent 189 visa invitation rounds for software engineers in 2026?

The software engineering occupation group remains among the most heavily subscribed in the SkillSelect pool. Thousands of eligible EOI holders compete for a limited number of invitations each round, driving the effective cutoff upward year after year. In 2026, the data from published SkillSelect rounds shows the following pattern:

If you are a software engineer with fewer than 85 points, the Subclass 189 is unlikely to be your fastest pathway to permanent residence in the current environment. State nomination (190), regional nomination (491), or employer-sponsored pathways (482 transitioning to 186) are worth serious consideration. Many of our clients in software engineering have successfully obtained PR through employer sponsorship in significantly less time than waiting for a 189 invitation.

#What are the current invitation scores for Australia 189 skilled independent visa by occupation?

The table below summarises the most recent observed invitation data across key occupation groups. These figures reflect the lowest points score at which an invitation was issued in that occupation in recent rounds. They are not guarantees — they can and do change each round based on the composition of the EOI pool and DOHA's workforce priorities.

Understanding where your occupation sits in this landscape is the essential first step before committing to an EOI strategy. At VJ Consulting and Education, we conduct a full points audit and occupation list eligibility check for every client before advising on which visa subclass to target.

If your occupation currently clears at 65–70 points, submitting your EOI promptly after a positive skills assessment is strongly recommended. If your occupation requires 85+ points and you are not yet at that threshold, a frank conversation about alternative pathways — including Subclass 190, Subclass 491, or Subclass 482 transitioning to Subclass 186 — is essential. These are not fallback options; for many occupations, they are objectively faster and more certain routes to Australian permanent residence.