Australia’s Department of Home Affairs holds an invitation round every month – usually the 11th day of the month – for the Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189) as well as the Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491) – family sponsored.
Let us get an overview of the subclasses to be discussed here:
| Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189) |
For those invited workers and New Zealand citizens that have the skills needed in Australia to live and work anywhere in Australia on a permanent basis.
Note:– If you are an Indian applying for subclass 189, you:
|
| Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491) – Family-Sponsored |
A provisional visa for those skilled workers that wish to live and work in regional Australia. Stay in Australia for 5 years while you live, study and work in a designated regional area of the country. Note:- For applying for subclass 491, you must have:
|
IMPORTANT:
Do keep in mind that you cannot apply for either 189 or 491 unless you receive an invitation to apply.
While generally the invitation round is held on the 11th day of each month, the dates for the rounds are subject to being changed.
The latest invitation round was held on January 10, 2020.
The State/Territory nominations for subclass 491 are not to be affected by these monthly invitation rounds.
The total number of invitations sent in any such round commonly referred to as the SkillSelect invitation round depends on the volume of applications under processing with the Department of Home Affairs at that moment.
The SkillSelect invitation round on January 10 saw invitations being sent as per:
| Visa subclass | No. of Invitations | Minimum points score | Latest date of effect |
| Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189) | 1,000 | 90 | 2/10/2019
11:05pm |
| Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491) – Family-Sponsored | 300 | 90 | 16/12/2019
1:01am |
The minimum points score required was 90.
For the Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189), the 1000 invitations sent were as per:
| Invitations | Points Score |
| 646 | 90 |
| 285 | 95 |
| 45 | 100 |
| 17 | 105 |
| 6 | 110 |
| <5 | 115 |
In the category of Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491) – Family Sponsored visa, on the other hand, the 300 invitations sent were as per:
| Invitations | Points Score |
| 168 | 90 |
| 82 | 95 |
| 42 | 100 |
| 8 | 105 |
By the “date of effect” is meant that time when that particular profile reached the points score for that specific subclass. This comes into play when the profiles have equal points. In such cases, it is the date of the effect that determines the order of invitations to be sent. Those expressions of interest that have an earlier date of effect will be invited before the later dates.
Occupations that received invitations in January 10 invitation round were:
| Subclass | Occupation ID | Description |
| 189 | 2211 | Accountants |
| 189 | 2212 | Auditors, Company Secretaries and Corporate Treasurers |
| 189 | 2334 | Electronics Engineer |
| 491 | 2334 | Electronics Engineer |
| 189 | 2335 | Industrial, Mechanical and Production Engineers |
| 189 | 2339 | Other Engineering Professionals |
| 189 | 2611 | ICT Business and System Analysts |
| 189 | 2613 | Software and Applications Programmers |
| 491 | 2613 | Software and Applications Programmers |
| 189 | 2631 | Computer Network Professionals |
| 491 | 2631 | Computer Network Professionals |
IMPORTANT:
In keeping with the trend of the previous years and the current high demand, the above-mentioned occupation groups will be subject to pro rata or proportionate allocation to ensure that invitations can be sent throughout the year.
Simply put, this means that SkillSelect initially allocates the available places to subclass 189. The remaining places are then allotted to 491. Subsequently, if all the places are taken up by subclass 189, then there will be no invitations issued for 491 in these occupations.
How many migrants will be invited in any occupation by Australia in 2020?
There is an “occupational ceiling” on the number of invitations to be issued by Australia under the skilled independent regional [provisional] visas. There is a cap on the Expressions of Interest [EOIs] that are to be selected for skilled migration from any specific occupation group. Once the limit is reached, no further invitations will be issued for that specific occupation in that program year.
Occupation ceilings for the 2019-20 program year:
[Note. – Occupation ceilings are NOT applicable to subclasses related to:
- Investment visa
- State/territory nominated
- Employer-sponsored
- Business innovation
Occupation ceilings for the 2019-20 program year.
| ANZSCO code | Description | Occupation Ceiling for 2019-20 |
| 1213 | Livestock Farmers | 5,934 |
| 1331 | Construction Managers | 4,983 |
| 1332 | Engineering Managers | 1,000 |
| 1341 | Child Care Centre Managers | 1,000 |
| 1342 | Health and Welfare Services Managers | 1,785 |
| 1399 | Other Specialist Managers | 3,044 |
| 2111 | Actors, Dancers and Other Entertainers | 1,000 |
| 2112 | Music Professionals | 1,000 |
| 2121 | Artistic Directors, and Media Producers and Presenters | 1,098 |
| 2211 | Accountants* | 2,746 |
| 2212 | Auditors, Company Secretaries and Corporate Treasurers* | 1,552 |
| 2241 | Actuaries, Mathematicians and Statisticians | 1,000 |
| 2243 | Economists | 1,000 |
| 2245 | Land Economists and Valuers | 1,000 |
| 2247 | Management consultant | 5,269 |
| 2321 | Architects and Landscape Architects | 2,171 |
| 2322 | Cartographers and Surveyors | 1,000 |
| 2331 | Chemical and Materials Engineers | 1,000 |
| 2332 | Civil Engineering Professionals | 3,772 |
| 2333 | Electrical Engineers | 1,000 |
| 2334 | Electronics Engineers* | 1,000 |
| 2335 | Industrial, Mechanical and Production Engineers* | 1,600 |
| 2336 | Mining Engineers | 1,000 |
| 2339 | Other Engineering Professionals* | 1,000 |
| 2341 | Agricultural and Forestry Scientists | 1,000 |
| 2342 | Chemists, and Food and Wine Scientists | 1,000 |
| 2343 | Environmental Scientists | 1,472 |
| 2344 | Geologists, Geophysicists and Hydrogeologists | 1,000 |
| 2345 | Life Scientists | 1,000 |
| 2346 | Medical Laboratory Scientists | 1,505 |
| 2347 | Veterinarians | 1,000 |
| 2349 | Other Natural and Physical Science Professionals | 1,000 |
| 2411 | Early Childhood (Pre-primary School) Teachers | 2,294 |
| 2414 | Secondary School Teachers | 8,052 |
| 2415 | Special Education Teachers | 1,111 |
| 2421 | University Lecturers and Tutors | 3,407 |
| 2512 | Medical Imaging Professionals | 1,203 |
| 2514 | Optometrists and Orthoptists | 1,000 |
| 2519 | Other Health Diagnostic and Promotion Professionals | 1,000 |
| 2521 | Chiropractors and Osteopaths | 1,000 |
| 2524 | Occupational Therapists | 1,082 |
| 2525 | Physiotherapists | 1,784 |
| 2526 | Podiatrists | 1,000 |
| 2527 | Speech Professionals and Audiologists | 1,000 |
| 2531 | General Practitioners and Resident Medical officers | 3,550 |
| 2533 | Internal Medicine Specialists | 1,000 |
| 2534 | Psychiatrists | 1,000 |
| 2535 | Surgeons | 1,000 |
| 2539 | Other Medical Practitioners | 1,250 |
| 2541 | Midwives | 1,218 |
| 2544 | Registered Nurses | 17,509 |
| 2611 | ICT Business and Systems Analysts* | 2,587 |
| 2612 | Multimedia Specialists and Web Developers | 1,000 |
| 2613 | Software and Applications Programmers* | 8,748 |
| 2621 | Database and Systems Administrators and ICT Security Specialists | 2,887 |
| 2631 | Computer Network Professionals* | 2,553 |
| 2633 | Telecommunications Engineering Professionals | 1,000 |
| 2711 | Barristers | 1,000 |
| 2713 | Solicitors | 4,650 |
| 2723 | Psychologists | 1,832 |
| 2725 | Social Workers | 2,128 |
| 3122 | Civil Engineering Draftspersons and Technicians | 1,000 |
| 3123 | Electrical Engineering Draftspersons and Technicians | 1,000 |
| 3132 | Telecommunications Technical Specialists | 1,000 |
| 3211 | Automotive Electricians | 1,000 |
| 3212 | Motor Mechanics | 6,399 |
| 3222 | Sheetmetal Trades Workers | 1,000 |
| 3223 | Structural Steel and Welding Trades Workers | 3,983 |
| 3232 | Metal Fitters and Machinists | 7,007 |
| 3233 | Precision Metal Trades Workers | 1,000 |
| 3241 | Panelbeaters | 1,000 |
| 3311 | Bricklayers and Stonemasons | 1,610 |
| 3312 | Carpenters and Joiners | 8,536 |
| 3322 | Painting Trades Workers | 3,330 |
| 3331 | Glaziers | 1,000 |
| 3332 | Plasterers | 2,100 |
| 3334 | Wall and Floor Tilers | 1,682 |
| 3341 | Plumbers | 5,060 |
| 3411 | Electricians | 8,624 |
| 3421 | Airconditioning and Refrigeration Mechanics | 1,851 |
| 3422 | Electrical Distribution Trades Workers | 1,000 |
| 3423 | Electronics Trades Workers | 1,313 |
| 3513 | Chefs | 2,738 |
| 3611 | Animal Attendants and Trainers | 1,051 |
| 3941 | Cabinetmakers | 2,112 |
| 3991 | Boat Builders and Shipwrights | 1,000 |
| 4523 | Sports Coaches, Instructors and Officials | 4,071 |
| 4524 | Sportspersons | 1,000 |
*Subject to pro rata arrangements.
Most popular occupations in Australia’s 2019-20 program year:
Certain occupations are more popular than the rest. These are also reaching their individual occupation ceilings much faster than the others. These occupations include:
| ANZSCO code | Description | Invited so far |
| 2211 | Accountants* | 378 out of 2,746 |
| 2212 | Auditors, Company Secretaries and Corporate Treasurers* | 215 out of 1,552 |
| 2247 | Management consultant | 14 out of 5,269 |
| 2321 | Architects and Landscape Architects | 240 out of 2,171 |
| 2331 | Chemical and Materials Engineers | 55 out of 1,000 |
| 2332 | Civil Engineering Professionals | 299 out of 3,772 |
| 2333 | Electrical Engineers | 187 out of 1,000 |
| 2334 | Electronics Engineers* | 126 out of 1,000 |
| 2335 | Industrial, Mechanical and Production Engineers* | 221 out of 1,600 |
| 2339 | Other Engineering Professionals* | 136 out of 1,000 |
| 2611 | ICT Business and Systems Analysts* | 348 out of 2,587 |
| 2613 | Software and Applications Programmers* | 1,156 out of 8,748 |
| 2621 | Database and Systems Administrators and ICT Security Specialists | 252 out of 2,887 |
| 2631 | Computer Network Professionals* | 345 out of 2,553 |
| 2633 | Telecommunications Engineering Professionals | 171 out of 1,000 |
*Subject to pro rata arrangements.
Which occupations are getting invitations the fastest?
Based on the current trends, occupations that are getting invitations the fastest of them all are:
| ANZSCO code | Description |
| 2211 | Accountants* |
| 2611 | ICT Business and Systems Analysts* |
| 2613 | Software and Applications Programmers* |
| 2621 | Database and Systems Administrators and ICT Security Specialists |
| 2631 | Computer Network Professionals* |
*Subject to pro rata arrangements.
While many occupations are in high demand in Australia in 2019-20 program year, the highest occupation ceiling of 17,509 places is for Registered Nurses [ANZSCO Code 2544].
With the individual allocation of 8,000+ places each, Electricians [ANZSCO Code 3411], Carpenters and Joiners [ANZSCO 3312], Software and Applications Programmers [ANZSCO Code 2613], and Secondary School Teachers [ANZSCO Code 2414] are also in great demand in Australia.
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