Subclass 189 Invitation Round: October 2026
Latest update: 20 October 2026 (Community-reported results. Official SkillSelect results not yet released) The Department of Home Affairs held the Subclass 189 (Skilled Independent) invitation round on Thursday, 15 October 2026. This Subclass 189 invitation round is the first round of the 2026-27 program year, and the first round since 4 June 2026. Invitations started to arrive from around 9 AM Melbourne time, in batches throughout the day. Home Affairs has not yet published the official invitation total, tie-break date, or minimum score for each occupation. This article compiles the points that applicants and migration agencies have reported so far. We will replace these figures with the official SkillSelect data when Home Affairs releases it. Next 189 Visa Invitation Round: Not Yet Announced As of 20 October 2026, Home Affairs has not announced the date of the next Skilled Independent (Subclass 189) invitation round. If you received an invitation on 15 October 2026, your deadline to lodge is 14 December 2026. Need help preparing your visa application or EOI? Book a consultation Last updated: October 2026 Subclass 189 Invitation Round October 2026: Key Facts The October 2026 Subclass 189 invitation round followed a long gap. Home Affairs first expected the round by 30 September 2026. Around 1 October, the SkillSelect page changed the timing to “by 31 October 2026”. On 9 October 2026, Home Affairs confirmed the fixed date of 15 October. Item Details Visa subclass Skilled Independent visa (Subclass 189) Round date Thursday, 15 October 2026 Program year 2026-27 (first round of the year) Previous round 4 June 2026 (10,000 invitations, tie-break 24/04/2026) Lowest score reported 65 points (trades) Official total and tie-break date Not yet published by Home Affairs Lodgement deadline for 15 October invitations 14 December 2026 Subclass 491 Family Sponsored invitations None reported Reported Invitations by Occupation: 15 October 2026 The table below lists the lowest invited score reported for each occupation in the 15 October 2026 round. The data combines round-up reports from two Australian migration agencies (Aussizz Group and Trades Australia) with invitations that applicants posted in the r/AusVisa community thread. The last column shows the official minimum score from the 4 June 2026 round, for comparison. Important: each score is the lowest individual invitation reported, not the official cut-off. The official minimum score for an occupation may be lower than the score reported here. Occupation Lowest reported score (15 Oct 2026) Official minimum (4 Jun 2026) Accountant (General) 100* Not listed Actuary 85 90 Agricultural Consultant 80 80 Agricultural Scientist 85 80 Airconditioning and Refrigeration Mechanic 65 80 Architect 85 85 Arts Administrator or Manager 80 80 Automotive Electrician 70 80 Biochemist 95 Not listed Biotechnologist 95 95 Cabinetmaker 65 80 Carpenter 65 65 Chemical Engineer 85 Not listed Chemist 85 85 Civil Engineer 80* Not listed Construction Manager 90 Not listed Construction Project Manager 80 80 Diagnostic and Interventional Radiologist 85 85 Early Childhood (Pre-primary School) Teacher 90 Not listed Economist 85 80 Electrical Engineering Draftsperson 80 80 Electrician (General) 65 65 Electronic Equipment Trades Worker 65 80 Electronic Instrument Trades Worker (Special Class) 70 80 Electronics Engineer 95 95 Environmental Consultant 75 80 Environmental Manager 80† 80 Environmental Research Scientist 75 80 Food Technologist 85 85 General Practitioner 75 75 Landscape Architect 85 85 Life Scientist (General) / Life Scientists nec 95 95 Locksmith 75 Not listed Management Consultant 80 80 Materials Engineer 85 Not listed Medical Diagnostic Radiographer 75 80 Medical Laboratory Scientist 80 80 Medical Practitioners nec 90 75 Metal Fabricator 80 80 Microbiologist 95 95 Occupational Therapist 75 75 Painting Trades Worker 70* Not listed Petroleum Engineer 85 80 Physiotherapist 70 75 Podiatrist 80 75 Psychologists nec 85 75 Registered Nurse (Aged Care) 75 75 Registered Nurse (Community Health) 80 75 Registered Nurse (Critical Care and Emergency) 75 75 Registered Nurse (Medical) 75 75 Registered Nurse (Mental Health) 75 75 Registered Nurse (Paediatrics) 85 80 Registered Nurse (Surgical) 80 75 Registered Nurses nec 70* 75 Secondary School Teacher 80 75 Social Worker 80 75 Solicitor 75 80 Sonographer 75 85 Speech Pathologist 75 75 Statistician 85 90 Telecommunications Engineer 85 95 Telecommunications Field Engineer 85 Not listed Telecommunications Network Engineer 85 95 Telecommunications Technical Officer 85 Not listed University Lecturer 90 Not listed Wall and Floor Tiler 70* 65 Welder (First Class) 75 80 * Single or unconfirmed report. † Exact score unclear. “Not listed” means the occupation was not in the official 4 June 2026 table. Occupations With No Confirmed Invitations Some occupation groups had no confirmed invitations in the community reports for the 15 October 2026 round. Many applicants in these groups waited all day without an invitation. A missing report does not prove that an occupation received zero invitations. Some occupations have very few applicants online. The official Home Affairs data will confirm the full list. Not sure where your occupation stands? Book a consultation with RACC Indonesia to review your points and your options. What This Round Means The 15 October 2026 Subclass 189 invitation round shows two clear patterns: lower scores for trades and some health occupations, and very few invitations for ICT and accounting. Trades performed strongly in this round. Carpenters and electricians received invitations at 65 points, which is the minimum score for the Subclass 189 visa. Cabinetmakers, Airconditioning and Refrigeration Mechanics, and Electronic Equipment Trades Workers were reported at 65 points, compared with 80 points in June. This result matches the government’s stated focus on construction and housing trades, which Immigration Minister Tony Burke also highlighted in the proposed 2026 points test reform for trades. The new trade point values are not yet in effect. Two factors likely explain why some scores were lower than in June: Scores still differ within the same occupation. Two applicants with the same points can receive different results, because Home Affairs ranks tied scores by the date of effect (DOE). The date of effect is the date your EOI reached its current points score. Applicants with an earlier date of effect receive priority.
