Australia 189 Visa Invitation Round, October 2026: Which Occupations Got Invited and Which Missed Out, Explained
Australia held its first Skilled Independent (subclass 189) invitation round of the 2026-27 program year on 15 October 2026. Official results are not out yet, but early reports show nurses, teachers, social workers and construction trades getting invites, while ICT, accounting and civil engineering are largely missing. Here is what we know, what is still unconfirmed, and what it means for Indian applicants.
Australia held a Skilled Independent (subclass 189) invitation round on 15 October 2026, the first of the 2026-27 program year. For thousands of Indians waiting in the SkillSelect pool, it is the round that decides whether permanent residency moves closer this year. The early picture is clear: health, education and construction are being favoured, while ICT, accounting and civil engineering are largely missing.
Important: As of 17 October 2026, the Department of Home Affairs has not published official results for this round. The occupation details below come from invitations reported by migration agents' clients. They are an early snapshot, not the full round.
The 60-second version
- When: A 189 round was held on 15 October 2026. Home Affairs first expected it by 30 September, then "by 31 October", before fixing the date on its website on 9 October.
- How many: Not officially known yet. One agency, Newstars, estimates 15,000 to 20,000 invitations, but that is unofficial. The previous round, on 4 June 2026, issued 10,000.
- Invited (reported): Nurses, early childhood and secondary teachers, social workers, construction trades, plus selected health, science and engineering roles.
- Missing (so far): Software and ICT developer roles, accountants and civil engineers. No early reports show them being invited.
- Points: Reported scores range from 65 (construction trades) to 100 (electronics engineer).
How the 189 round works
The subclass 189 visa is a points-tested permanent visa that needs no employer or state sponsorship. Applicants lodge an Expression of Interest (EOI) in SkillSelect, and Home Affairs invites the highest-ranked people in each occupation.
- Invitations go in order of points score. People with equal scores are ranked by their date of effect (when they reached that score).
- Each occupation has an occupation ceiling, an upper limit on how many invitations it can get in a program year.
- Not every EOI is invited. The number of invitations and the occupations chosen change from round to round.
Which occupations were invited (early reports)
These are scores seen on clients' invitations, reported by three migration agencies. They are not official cut-offs: the real minimum for an occupation could be lower or higher.
| Occupation group | Reported points | Reported by |
|---|---|---|
| Early Childhood (Pre-primary School) Teacher | 90 | Newstars, RACC |
| Secondary School Teacher | 80 to 90 | Newstars, RACC |
| Social Worker | 75 to 90 | Newstars, RACC |
| Registered Nurses (Medical, Aged Care, Perioperative, nec) | 70 to 75 | Newstars, RACC |
| Carpenter, Bricklayer, Wall and Floor Tiler, Plasterer, Cabinetmaker, Joiner, Electrician (General) | 65 | Newstars, Pathway to Aus |
| Panelbeater, Boat Builder, Electrical Engineering Draftsperson | 70 | Pathway to Aus |
| Painting Trades Worker | 75 | Newstars, Pathway to Aus |
| General Practitioner, Veterinarian | 80 | Newstars |
| Speech Pathologist, Occupational Therapist, Midwife | 75 to 80 | Newstars, RACC |
| Physiotherapist | 70 | Newstars |
| Psychologists, Spatial Scientist | 80 | Pathway to Aus |
| Economist | 75 to 80 | RACC |
| Architect, Actuary | 85 | Newstars, RACC |
| Statistician, Materials Engineer, Biotechnologist | 90 | Newstars, RACC |
| Chemical Engineer, Microbiologist, Life Scientist, Multimedia Specialist | 90 to 95 | Newstars, RACC |
| Electronics Engineer | 100 | Newstars |
Newstars described early childhood teachers, secondary teachers, social workers and nurses as the clear priority groups in this round. RACC said it saw 27 invitations across 18 occupations, with scores from 75 to 95. Pathway to Aus said its clients received 33 invitations.
Which occupations missed out
This is the part many Indian applicants care about most, and the honest answer is: we will know for sure only when the official table is out. But the early signs are not good for some popular occupations.
- Civil engineering: Newstars reported that civil engineers, civil engineering draftspersons and civil engineering technicians were not invited among its clients this round.
- Software and ICT developer roles: No early report shows invitations for occupations such as Software Engineer, Developer Programmer or ICT Business Analyst. The only ICT-related roles seen are Multimedia Specialist (at 90 to 95 points) and Telecommunications Engineer.
- Accountants: No invitations reported in the October round so far. Claims online about whether accountants have had any 189 invitations this program year conflict, and none of them come from official data.
The June round showed the same pattern. Published summaries of the 4 June 2026 results, such as AHC Lawyers' breakdown, list nurses, teachers, engineers, scientists and trades, but no software, accounting or civil engineering occupations.
A word of caution: agencies point out that their lists are not complete. An occupation missing from them means no client of theirs reported an invitation, not that nobody was invited. Newstars also suggested some missing occupations may have no 189 places left this program year, but that is the agency's own reading, not an official statement.
The June 2026 round, for comparison
The last round with published results, on 4 June 2026, issued 10,000 subclass 189 invitations, with points ranging from 65 to 100. Selected minimum scores:
| Occupation | Minimum points (4 June 2026) |
|---|---|
| Carpenter, Bricklayer, Electrician (General), Plumber (General) | 65 |
| Gasfitter | 70 |
| Most Registered Nurse categories, Secondary School Teacher | 75 |
| Nurse Practitioner, Construction Project Manager, Management Consultant | 80 |
| Mining Engineer, Petroleum Engineer, Engineering Manager | 80 |
| Special Education Teachers nec | 85 |
| Actuary | 90 |
| Electronics Engineer, Telecommunications Engineer, Multimedia Specialist | 95 |
If the agency estimate of 15,000 to 20,000 invitations turns out to be correct, October would be a bigger round than June, but concentrated in the same priority areas.
What it means for Indian applicants
Indians are among the largest groups applying for Australian skilled visas, and many are in IT, accounting and engineering, the very areas getting few or no 189 invitations. Options people commonly look at:
- State nomination (subclass 190) and regional visas (subclass 491). States and territories run their own lists and criteria, and some still nominate ICT and engineering occupations.
- Raising points. English test scores, years of skilled work experience, an Australian qualification, a partner's skills and a Professional Year in ICT, accounting or engineering can all add points.
- Keeping the EOI accurate. Home Affairs' own notice before the round asked applicants to keep their EOI up to date and accurate. Claims in an EOI must be backed by evidence when you apply.
- Considering a priority occupation, if you genuinely hold the qualifications. Teaching, nursing, social work and trades are getting the most invitations right now.
Every case is different, so check eligibility with a registered migration agent (MARA) or a lawyer before making big decisions.
What happens next
- Official results: Home Affairs is expected to publish the total number of invitations and each occupation's minimum points and date of effect on its SkillSelect invitation rounds page. Agencies say this usually takes a few weeks.
- If you were invited: You normally have 60 days to lodge your visa application, with all supporting documents.
- Next round: Home Affairs has not announced the date of the next 189 round.
We will update this article when the official figures are published.
This article is based on information published by the Department of Home Affairs (as reported by migration agencies) and on early, client-reported invitation data from Newstars Education & Migration, RACC and Pathway to Aus, plus summaries of the 4 June 2026 round by AHC Lawyers and Emigrate Lawyers, as of 17 October 2026. Client-reported scores are not official cut-offs. This is general information, not migration advice.
Frequently asked questions
›When was the latest 189 invitation round?
The Department of Home Affairs held a Skilled Independent (subclass 189) invitation round on 15 October 2026. It is the first 189 round of the 2026-27 program year. The previous round was on 4 June 2026, when 10,000 invitations were issued.
›Have the official results of the October 2026 round been published?
Not yet. As of 17 October 2026, Home Affairs had not published the total number of invitations or the minimum points for each occupation. Migration agents say official results usually appear a few weeks after a round. Everything known so far comes from invitations reported by agents' clients.
›Which occupations were invited in the October 2026 189 round?
Early, unofficial reports from migration agents show invitations for registered nurses (from about 70 to 75 points), early childhood teachers (90), secondary school teachers (80 to 90), social workers (75 to 90), construction trades such as carpenters, bricklayers, tilers and electricians (65), and smaller numbers in health, science, engineering and professional occupations, with scores up to 100.
›Were software engineers and accountants invited in the 189 round?
There are no reports of them so far. ICT developer roles, accountants and civil engineers do not appear in agents' early lists for October or in published summaries of the June 2026 results. One agency reported that civil engineers were not invited among its clients. Until Home Affairs publishes the official table, it cannot be confirmed whether these occupations received zero invitations or only very few.
›What should Indian applicants in non-invited occupations do?
Many applicants in competitive occupations also look at state-nominated visas (subclass 190) and regional visas (subclass 491), which have their own occupation lists and criteria. Raising your points through English test scores, skilled work experience or an Australian Professional Year can also help. A registered migration agent can advise on your specific case.