Is It Hard to Get a 189 Visa in Australia? Points and Odds for 2026

Yes, getting a Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189) is hard, but how hard depends mostly on your occupation. The legal minimum is 65 points. The score you actually need is set round by round, job by job.

In the 4 June 2026 round, the latest with published results, construction trades were invited at 65 points. Most nursing and teaching roles needed 75. The most common minimum was 80.

Some occupations, including software engineers and accountants, were not invited at all. For those jobs, a higher score alone did not help.

This guide uses the official Home Affairs results to answer the question most applicants are really asking: is this score enough?

It covers each score from 65 to 90+ and why the 189 is competitive. It also gives six ways to lift your odds and shows when a 190 or 491 makes more sense.

Not sure where your Expression of Interest (EOI) stands? Book a points review with a MARA-registered migration agent.

Is it hard to get a 189 visa in Australia in 2026?

Yes, for most applicants, the 189 is the most competitive skilled visa. You have no state or employer behind you, so you compete only on points. It is still realistic if your occupation is being invited and your score sits at or above its recent minimum.

Three things decide how hard it is for you:

• Your occupation: Home Affairs chooses which occupations to invite in each round. If yours is left out, no score gets an invitation that round.
• Your score against that occupation’s minimum: minimums in June 2026 ranged from 65 to 100 points.
• Your tie-break date: when scores are equal, the EOI that reached that score earlier is invited first.

Home Affairs says the number of invitations and occupations in each round “varies depending on the needs of the Australian economy and on the number of applications already on-hand”. That is why the same score can work one round and not the next.

How many points do you really need for a 189 visa in 2026?

You need at least 65 points to lodge an EOI, but most invited occupations needed 75 to 85 points in the June 2026 round. The most common minimum was 80. Trades were the exception at 65, and a small group of science, engineering and medical roles needed 95 or more.

Is your score enough? June 2026 round at a glance

Source: Department of Home Affairs, SkillSelect invitation rounds, 4 June 2026 round, as at 30 October 2026. Minimums change every round and are not a guarantee.

Two limits apply to the table. First, it only helps if your occupation was invited. Software engineers, ICT business analysts, accountants, civil engineers, chefs and early childhood teachers were not in the June 2026 list. Second, a 15 October 2026 round has been reported by migration agencies, but Home Affairs had not published its results as at 30 October 2026.

For every round and its tie-break date, see the 189 invitation rounds guide. To check whether your job is eligible at all, see the 189 visa occupation list.

How to build a competitive points profile

• Age: 25 to 32 earns 30 points. 18 to 24 and 33 to 39 earn 25, and 40 to 44 earn 15. You must be under 45 when invited.
• English: Competent earns 0, Proficient 10 and Superior 20. This is often the biggest lift you control.
• Skilled work: overseas experience earns up to 15 points and Australian experience up to 20. The two together are capped at 20.
• Qualifications: a doctorate earns 20, a bachelor’s degree 15, and a diploma or trade qualification 10.
• Extra claims: Australian study, Professional Year, regional study and a credentialed community language (NAATI CCL) earn 5 each. Specialist education (a STEM research Master’s or doctorate from an Australian institution) earns 10.
• Partner: a skilled partner earns 10, a partner with Competent English earns 5, and single applicants (or those whose partner is an Australian citizen or permanent resident) earn 10.

Score yourself with The Migration’s Australian PR Points Calculator before you lodge.

Why has the 189 visa become more competitive?

The 189 is competitive because Home Affairs invites only a set number of EOIs in each chosen occupation, and many applicants in popular jobs have scores well above 65. Rounds are also periodic rather than monthly, so EOIs build up between them.

Fewer, larger rounds

• Home Affairs runs 189 rounds “periodically during the program year”, not on a fixed monthly or quarterly schedule.
• The 2025–26 program year had three rounds: 21 August 2025 (6,887 invitations), 13 November 2025 (10,000) and 4 June 2026 (10,000).
• Between rounds, new EOIs keep joining the pool, so your rank can fall even if your score stays the same.

Occupations chosen round by round

• Each round lists the occupations being invited. An occupation can be missing from a round completely.
• An occupation ceiling may cap how many EOIs are invited from one occupation group.
• In June 2026, trades, health, teaching and many professional roles were invited, while several popular ICT and accounting occupations were not.

Strong competing profiles

• Many applicants add points through partner claims, a better English result or Australian study before they are invited.
• When scores are tied, the earlier date of effect wins, so a score reached sooner ranks ahead.
• The minimums have eased recently. The most common minimum was 90 in August 2025, 85 in November 2025 and 80 in June 2026. Past rounds still don’t predict the next one.

What are 6 tips to improve your 189 visa chances?

The six moves that most often lift 189 odds are a better English result, documented skilled work, the right skills assessment, every partner and bonus point you can prove, the correct occupation code, and an application ready to lodge as soon as you are invited. Each one either adds points or removes a reason to refuse.

1. Lift your English language score

• Moving from Competent to Proficient English (for IELTS, 7 in each band) adds 10 points.
• Superior English adds 20 points. For PTE Academic tests taken from 7 August 2025, that means at least 69 listening, 70 reading, 85 writing and 88 speaking. For IELTS, it is 8 in each band (Home Affairs Superior English).
• Older PTE tests taken before 7 August 2025 use the earlier score of 79 in each part, so check which rule applies to your result.
• Choose the test that suits you. Update your EOI with the new result as soon as you have it, because the date you reach a higher score affects your tie-break.

2. Build documented skilled work experience

• Claim only years where your work matches your nominated occupation and its ANZSCO duties.
• Keep employer reference letters on letterhead showing your title, dates, duties, hours and pay.
• Keep payslips, tax records and contracts for every year you claim. Home Affairs can ask for them at decision.
• Australian experience can earn more points per year than overseas experience, so time spent working on a 485 can lift your score.

3. Get the right skills assessment

• Apply to the authority for your occupation, such as ACS for most ICT roles, Engineers Australia for engineering, VETASSESS for many general professions and TRA for many trades.
• Match your qualification and duties to the occupation before you pay. A wrong assessment is one of the most common EOI dead ends.
• Your assessment must be valid when you are invited. It lasts 3 years, or a shorter period if one is stated on it.
• If you have more than one qualification, check which gives the strongest assessment before applying.

4. Maximise age, partner and bonus points

• Age points are counted on the day you are invited, not the day you lodge the EOI. If a birthday will drop your age band, lift other points before it.
• A partner under 45 with Competent English and a positive skills assessment in an occupation on the same list as yours adds 10 points.
• If your partner can’t meet that, Competent English alone adds 5 points.
• Single applicants get 10 points automatically.
• Add Australian study, regional study, Professional Year or NAATI CCL (5 each) and specialist education (10) only where you can prove them.

5. Choose the right ANZSCO code

• Check that your day-to-day duties match the ANZSCO description. A forced fit can surface at decision.
• Don’t switch to an occupation that is being invited if your assessment and work evidence don’t support it.
• If your real occupation is not being invited, plan for a 190 or 491 alongside your 189 EOI.

6. Be ready to lodge once invited

• Make every claim accurate and the same across your EOI, skills assessment and visa application.
• Prepare your passport, English result, qualifications, skills assessment, work evidence, partner documents and police checks before the invitation arrives.
• You have 60 days to lodge after an invitation, and that period can’t be extended.
• If a claim is borderline, such as a part year of experience, claim less rather than more.

For the full document list and lodgement steps, see the guide to applying for a 189 visa. For EOI rules, see how many EOIs you can submit.

Want to know which of these six moves gives you the most points? Book a 189 points review with a MARA-registered migration agent (MARN 2518738).

When should you consider a 190 or 491 visa instead of a 189?

Consider a 190 or 491 when your score is below your occupation’s recent 189 minimum, or when your occupation was left out of recent 189 rounds. Both are state or regional pathways that add points, and you can keep a 189 EOI open at the same time.

When the 190 visa is a better fit

• State nomination adds 5 points, which can bring a 75 to 80 profile within reach of a state’s list.
• Your occupation is on a state nomination list even if it is not being invited for the 189.
• You are happy to live and work in the nominating state, as most states ask for a commitment of at least two years.
• You have a link to a state, such as study, work or family there.

When the 491 visa is a better fit

• Regional nomination or family sponsorship adds 15 points, which can lift a 65 to 75 profile into range.
• Your occupation is on a regional list that is wider than the 189 list.
• You are open to living and working in a designated regional area. After 3 years of regional income, you may apply for the permanent 191 visa.

See the Subclass 190 visa and Subclass 491 visa pages. If your score is short, the not enough points for a 189 guide sets out every option.

What are the most common 189 visa refusal risks?

Most 189 refusals come from claims that can’t be proven, not from low scores. A refusal after invitation ends that application, so check every point before you lodge.

Refusal triggers to check before you lodge

• Occupation mismatch: the duties in your references don’t match your nominated ANZSCO occupation.
• Missing work evidence: no payslips, tax records or contracts for the years you claimed.
• Inconsistent details: titles, dates or duties differ between your skills assessment, EOI and application.
• Expired skills assessment: it was no longer valid on the day you were invited.
• Points you can’t prove at invitation: for example, partner points without the partner’s assessment, or an English result taken too late.
• Character or health issues: missing police certificates for countries you have lived in, or undisclosed health conditions.
• False or misleading information: this can lead to refusal and affect future visa applications.

A document check by a registered migration agent before lodging catches most of these problems early.

How The Migration Helps

The Migration has helped skilled applicants with points-tested visas for 7+ years. Its MARA-registered migration agents (MARN 2518738) work with high scorers, borderline applicants weighing a 190 or 491, and people rebuilding a profile after a round passed them by. You can confirm registration on the MARA register.

What The Migration does for 189 applicants

• Scores every claim against your evidence and the latest published round, not an older cut-off.
• Matches your real duties to the correct ANZSCO code and the right skills assessment before you pay for one.
• Shows what your odds look like if you lift English, add partner points or wait for an Australian study claim.
• Compares the 189, 190 and 491 for your occupation, points and state preferences.
• Prepares your documents so you can lodge well inside the 60-day invitation window.
• Meets you at the Harris Park office in Sydney or by secure video call.

No agent can guarantee an invitation or a visa outcome. Explore The Migration’s skilled migration services or book a consultation.

Conclusion

The 189 visa is hard to get, but not in the way most guides suggest. The June 2026 round invited trades at 65, most nursing and teaching roles at 75 and many professions at 80. The real barrier for some applicants is an occupation that isn’t being invited.

Start by checking your occupation and its recent minimum. Then lift the points you control, prove every claim and keep a 190 or 491 EOI open if your score or occupation is borderline.

Ready to find out where your score stands? Book a 189 consultation with a MARA-registered migration agent (MARN 2518738) and leave with a clear plan for your points and pathway.

Frequently asked questions