Subclass 189 round of 15 October 2026: 20,000 invitations across 159 occupations

The results of the SkillSelect invitation round held on 15 October 2026 are out. It issued 20,000 invitations for the Skilled Independent (subclass 189) visa, the first of the 2026-27 program year, and no family-sponsored Skilled Work Regional (subclass 491) invitations. The largest round of 2025-26 issued 10,000.

The published table lists 159 occupations with the minimum points score invited and the tie-break date for each. Forty-four occupations were invited at 65 points, among them carpenters, bricklayers, electricians, plumbers, drainers, glaziers, tilers and plasterers, most with tie-break dates in August to October 2026. Every registered nurse specialisation, midwives, nurse practitioners, general practitioners, physiotherapists and occupational therapists were invited at 70 points, with tie-break dates in 2025.

At the top of the scale, ICT Security Specialist and Urologist were invited at 100 points, Electronics Engineer, Marine Biologist and Zoologist at 95, and the five telecommunications occupations at 85. Compared with the last round of 2025-26 on 4 June 2026, 77 occupations were invited at a lower minimum score, 50 at the same score and 9 at a higher one. Solicitor moved from 80 to 65; Clinical Psychologist from 75 to 90.

State and territory nominations recorded in SkillSelect from 1 July to 30 September 2026 ran separately: for subclass 190, Tasmania 271, the Northern Territory 188, Western Australia 17, New South Wales 11 and Queensland 7; for state-nominated subclass 491, the Northern Territory 208, Western Australia 120 and Tasmania 96.

Invitations go to the highest-ranked Expressions of Interest by points score, with the earlier date of effect winning a tie. The round shows the outcome for each occupation, not the reasons behind it. The full table, searchable by occupation and compared with every 2025-26 round, is in Insights.