Australia: 20,000 invitations in one 189 visa round — what's behind it

On October 15, the Department of Home Affairs sent out around 20,000 invitations for the 189 visa in a single round, almost the entire program allocation for the migration year, which stands at 21,090 places. The round covered 159 occupations, including rare ones like tennis coach and dancer, all of which received invitations at 65 points. This suggests the round may signal not just a lucky month, but a shift toward a new system.

What happened in the round

The migration year aligns with the financial year, and 21,090 places have been allocated to the 189 program this year. In a single round on October 15, invitations were sent to approximately 20,000 people. The previous two rounds covered 140 and 129 occupations, this one covered 159.

The breadth was unusual: those invited included solicitors, valuers, tennis coaches, dancers, and musicians. All received invitations at 65 points. Almost 900 carpenters received invitations in total. Not all invitations will necessarily turn into applications, but a significant share of the places has already been used.

Points by occupation

In this round, the invitation points were distributed as follows:

• 65 points: carpenters, plumbers, electricians
• 70 points: registered nurses, general practitioners, painters
• 80 points: social workers, mining engineers, agricultural consultants
• 90 points: early childhood teachers and university lecturers

More than 5,000 nurses received invitations in this round — 25% of all invitations. Popular occupations such as accountant, chef, and motor mechanic received no invitations: according to one commentator, they will remain within employer sponsorship pathways.

Why this round might be the last under the current system

This is a personal reading of the situation, not an official announcement. The round likely signals the end, or near-end, of the current GSM system and the 189 program as it stands. The first sign is the frequency of migration changes, and the direction is clear: the government wants to restructure the intake of skilled migrants.

The second sign is the new points test. According to Damian Kilner of the Department of Home Affairs, speaking at the Migration Institute of Australia’s national conference in Sydney, the new points test is scheduled for March 2027. The department sometimes runs late, but the deadline is still close.

The changes are expected to be more than cosmetic: entire points categories could be removed, such as points for community language, regional study points may be reduced, and the age and English gradations may become smoother. Most likely, the new test will resemble the Victorian points test (VPT), which gives significant weight to age, experience, employability, and English.

Distribution of places by state

The third sign is state quotas. The government still hasn’t published the allocation of places across all states, and they are being opened one by one. Victoria announced 900 places for the 190 visa, down from 2,700 last year. For one of the largest states, that’s a noticeable drop.

The combination of signs — a single round, almost the entire allocation of places, a new points test, and delayed quotas — points to a transition to a new system. It’s impossible to predict exactly what comes next, but relying solely on the current points system in the coming months is, according to the author, unreliable.

What to do while waiting for an invitation

Another, smaller 189 round is expected, since invitations haven’t been fully exhausted. But waiting for an invitation as the only plan isn’t advisable. Most applications on a permanent pathway are now lodged through employer sponsorship visas or partner visas. The core skills occupation list for the 482 and 186 visas includes 456 occupations. There are also Labour Agreements and Dharmas that offer more flexibility and cover other occupations.

It’s worth looking for a sponsor and exploring options now, rather than after the new points test takes effect.