189 invitation rounds 2026–27: dates and results so far
Settledin Team4 min readThe latest 189 invitation round was held on 15 October 2026. Home Affairs invited 20,000 Skilled Independent (subclass 189) EOIs in it. It is the only round Home Affairs has published for the 2026–27 program year so far. Home Affairs says rounds run "periodically during the program year". Its page shows no date for the next one.
Last updated: 12 November 2026. Checked against Home Affairs' invitation rounds page, which was last updated on 9 November 2026.
Which 189 invitation rounds has Home Affairs published?
Home Affairs lists the current round on its invitation rounds page and earlier ones on its previous rounds page. The program year runs from 1 July to 30 June.
| Round date | Program year | 189 EOIs invited | 491 Family Sponsored EOIs invited | Also published |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 October 2026 | 2026–27 | 20,000 | None in this round | Minimum points score and tie break date for each occupation |
| 4 June 2026 | 2025–26 | 10,000 | None in this round | Tie break date, minimum points score for each occupation |
| 13 November 2025 | 2025–26 | 10,000 | 300 | Tie break month, minimum points score for each occupation |
| 21 August 2025 | 2025–26 | 6,887 | 150 | Tie break month, minimum points score for each occupation |
Data as of November 2026. Round dates and invitation numbers as published by Home Affairs, read on 12 November 2026.
Home Affairs' monthly table for 2026–27 shows invitations in October only. July, August, September and November show none so far.
The minimum points score for each occupation is on the Home Affairs pages linked above.
When is the next 189 invitation round?
Home Affairs has not published a date. Its invitation rounds page says rounds "will be run by the Department of Home Affairs periodically during the program year" for the 189 and the 491 Family Sponsored visa. The 189 visa page says only that "invitations are issued regularly through SkillSelect".
No notice about a coming round was on those pages on 12 November 2026. This page is updated when Home Affairs publishes a new round.
How does a 189 invitation round work?
Home Affairs ranks EOIs by points score, then by date. Its invitation rounds page sets out the order:
- Points first. "The highest ranked EOI, by points score, will be invited to apply for their visa before an EOI with a lower points score."
- Then date of effect. For EOIs with equal points, Home Affairs looks at the time and date the EOI reached its score. It calls this the "tie break date" or "date of effect". The earlier date is invited first.
- Occupation ceilings. There "may be an upper limit" on how many EOIs it can invite from an occupation group.
- Round size varies. The number of invitations and occupations in each round "varies depending on the needs of the Australian economy" and on the applications the Department already has on hand.
Home Affairs also notes that not everyone who submits an EOI will receive an invitation. The 189 page states that an EOI with a score under 65 points will not be invited. How the score is built is in the Australian PR points test, explained, and the visa itself is on the subclass 189 page.
What did the latest 189 invitation round show?
The 15 October 2026 round invited 20,000 subclass 189 EOIs. That is double the 10,000 invited in each of the two rounds before it, on 4 June 2026 and 13 November 2025. No 491 Family Sponsored invitations appear in it. Home Affairs also published a minimum points score and tie break date for each occupation. The figures are on its invitation rounds page and previous rounds page.
The background to that round is in the 189 invitation round on 15 October. The occupation table format is described in 189 minimum points by occupation.
Do states run their own invitation rounds?
Yes, separately. Home Affairs says state and territory nominations for the 190 and the state nominated 491 "will not be affected by the departmental invitation rounds". Each government views EOIs in SkillSelect and decides whom to nominate. A nomination triggers the invitation. Occupation ceilings do not apply to these visas.
Each state's current status is in the state nomination tracker. The state guides cover New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia, Tasmania, the ACT and the Northern Territory.
What happens after a 189 invitation?
The invitation opens a 60 day window. The 189 visa page says: "You have 60 days from the date of your invitation to apply for the visa." The invitation also states the points score that Home Affairs will check when it assesses the application.
The steps after that are in invited in SkillSelect: what happens next.
Frequently asked questions
How often are 189 invitation rounds held?
Home Affairs says "periodically during the program year". It does not set a fixed interval on its invitation rounds page.
Is there a 189 invitation round every month?
No. Home Affairs' pages show three rounds in the 2025–26 program year and one so far in 2026–27, on 15 October 2026.
How many 189 invitations has Home Affairs issued in 2026–27?
20,000 so far, all in the 15 October 2026 round. Home Affairs' monthly table shows none in July, August, September or November.
Where does Home Affairs publish round results?
The latest round is on the invitation rounds page. Earlier rounds move to the previous rounds page.
What is the date of effect?
It is the time and date an EOI reached its points score for that visa. Home Affairs uses it to order EOIs with equal points. How updates affect an EOI is in how long a SkillSelect EOI lasts.
Does a higher score mean an invitation?
Home Affairs invites the highest ranked EOI by points score first. It also says not everyone who submits an EOI will receive an invitation. What a waiting EOI means is in EOI submitted but not invited yet.
How can I see where an occupation sits?
The monthly SkillSelect EOI data post shows occupation ranks. The PR points calculator adds up an indicative points total from the official points table.
Settledin shows the published SkillSelect EOI data by occupation and visa, month by month.
Explore EOI data for your occupation
This article describes published Department of Home Affairs information, checked on 12 November 2026. It is general information, not migration advice. For advice on your situation, speak to a registered migration agent. Check the register.
Source: Department of Home Affairs, SkillSelect invitation rounds, November 2026.