With close monitoring of Skillselect invitation rounds, we have prepared this article that compares the August’s invitation round with previous ones and takes a look at how these changes may impact applicants.
Since July 2019, only 1,500 invitations have been issued to prospective 189 visa and 489 visa applicants. Even though the migration points threshold has been set at 65 points, no invitations were issued to candidates with less than 85 points. Cut off points for the pro-rata occupations are even higher than 85. For example, accountants are required to achieve at least 95 points before an invitation can be received!
The number of intending migrants who received nominations from State and Territory Governments in September 2019 is shown in the table below:
| Visa subclass | ACT | NSW | NT | Qld | SA | Tas. | Vic. | WA | Total |
| Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190) | 106 | 237 | 85 | 34 | 53 | 32 | 96 | 13 | 656 |
| Skilled Regional (provisional) visa (subclass 489) | 0 | 507 | 96 | 49 | 1,481 | 410 | 18 | 9 | 2,570 |
| Business Innovation and Investment (provisional) visa (subclass 188) | 0 | 88 | <5 | 119 | 19 | <5 | 149 | 6 | 383 |
| Business Talent (Permanent) visa (subclass 132) | 0 | <5 | 0 | 34 | 24 | <5 | <5 | <5 | 69 |
| Total | 106 | 835 | 182 | 236 | 1,577 | 444 | 267 | 31 | 3,678 |
Subclass 489 visa has now closed for future applications, as no invitations will be issued beyond 10th September 2019 due to the fact it is being replaced by the 491 visa in November of this year.
Candidates who have received invitations can still apply for the Subclass 489 visa within 60 days of receiving the invitation.
Several factors will affect the waiting time in receiving an invitation, including migration points you can claim for; the number of candidates in the Pool who can claim the same or higher level of migration points under the same occupation group; date of EOI submission, etc.
With reference to the last three invitation rounds, it appears that candidates with less than 85 points will not be issued with an invitation for a Subclass 189 visa.
Due to the highly competitive nature under the independent skilled visa stream, it is expected that the same level of competition applies through the state nomination process.
We have witnessed that candidates boost their migration points by claiming additional points that they are not eligible for, receiving an invitation and submitting their visa applications, with a negative outcome from the Department of Home Affairs for their visa applications.
We understand the motivation of candidates wishing to receive an invitation sooner; however, we remind candidates to be diligent when claiming their migration points that it is accurate and correct, to avoid any possible negative outcome.
The following table shows the occupation ceiling value for each group of occupations and the number of invitations issued to each group as of 11 September 2019.
| Occupation | Occupation Ceiling 2019-2020 | Invitations 11/07/2019 | Invitations 11/08/2019 | Invitations 11/09/2019 | Total of Invitations | Remaining |
| Livestock Farmers | 5,934 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5,934 |
| Construction Managers | 4,983 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4,983 |
| Engineering Managers | 1,000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1,000 |
| Child Care Centre Managers | 1,000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1,000 |
| Health and Welfare Services Managers | 1,785 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1,785 |
| Other Specialist Managers | 3,044 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3,044 |
| Actors, Dancers and Other Entertainers | 1,000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1,000 |
| Music Professionals | 1,000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1,000 |
| Artistic Directors, and Media Producers and Presenters | 1,098 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1,098 |
| Accountants* | 2,746 | 83 | 98 | 113 | 294 | 2,452 |
| Auditors, Company Secretaries and Corporate Treasurers* | 1,552 | 47 | 56 | 65 | 168 | 1,384 |
| Actuaries, Mathematicians and Statisticians | 1,000 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 19 | 981 |
| Economists | 1,000 | <5 | <5 | <5 | Unknown | Unknown |
| Land Economists and Valuers | 1,000 | <5 | <5 | <5 | 0 | 1,000 |
| Management consultant | 5,269 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 16 | 5,253 |
| Architects and Landscape Architects | 2,171 | 124 | 125 | 125 | 374 | 1,797 |
| Cartographers and Surveyors | 1,000 | <5 | <5 | <5 | Unknown | Unknown |
| Chemical and Materials Engineers | 1,000 | 13 | 16 | 19 | 48 | 952 |
| Civil Engineering Professionals | 3,772 | 26 | 41 | 57 | 124 | 3,648 |
| Electrical Engineers | 1,000 | 20 | 23 | 29 | 72 | 928 |
| Electronics Engineers* | 1,000 | 30 | 36 | 42 | 108 | 892 |
| Industrial, Mechanical and Production Engineers* | 1,600 | 49 | 58 | 67 | 174 | 1,426 |
| Mining Engineers | 1,000 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 15 | 985 |
| Other Engineering Professionals* | 1,000 | 30 | 35 | 40 | 105 | 895 |
| Agricultural and Forestry Scientists | 1,000 | <5 | <5 | <5 | Unknown | Unknown |
| Chemists, and Food and Wine Scientists | 1,000 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 19 | 981 |
| Environmental Scientists | 1,472 | <5 | <5 | <5 | 0 | 1,472 |
| Geologists, Geophysicists and Hydrogeologists | 1,000 | <5 | <5 | <5 | 0 | 1,000 |
| Life Scientists | 1,000 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 33 | 967 |
| Medical Laboratory Scientists | 1,505 | <5 | <5 | <5 | 0 | 1,505 |
| Veterinarians | 1,000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1,000 |
| Other Natural and Physical Science Professionals | 1,000 | <5 | <5 | <5 | 0 | 1,000 |
| Early Childhood (Pre-primary School) Teachers | 2,294 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 15 | 2,279 |
| Secondary School Teachers | 8,052 | 5 | 7 | 8 | 20 | 8,032 |
| Special Education Teachers | 1,111 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1,111 |
| University Lecturers and Tutors | 3,407 | <5 | <5 | 5 | Unknown | Unknown |
| Medical Imaging Professionals | 1,203 | 0 | <5 | <5 | Unknown | Unknown |
| Optometrists and Orthoptists | 1,000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1,000 |
| Other Health Diagnostic and Promotion Professionals | 1,000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1,000 |
| Chiropractors and Osteopaths | 1,000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1,000 |
| Occupational Therapists | 1,082 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1,082 |
| Physiotherapists | 1,784 | <5 | <5 | <5 | 0 | 1,784 |
| Podiatrists | 1,000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1,000 |
| Speech Professionals and Audiologists | 1,000 | <5 | <5 | <5 | Unknown | Unknown |
| General Practitioners and Resident Medical officers | 3,550 | 14 | 16 | 17 | 47 | 3,503 |
| Internal Medicine Specialists | 1,000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1,000 |
| Psychiatrists | 1,000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1,000 |
| Surgeons | 1,000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1,000 |
| Other Medical Practitioners | 1,250 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 35 | 1,215 |
| Midwives | 1,218 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1,218 |
| Registered Nurses | 17,509 | 52 | 68 | 86 | 206 | 17,303 |
| ICT Business and Systems Analysts* | 2,587 | 79 | 93 | 107 | 279 | 2,308 |
| Multimedia Specialists and Web Developers | 1,000 | 7 | 8 | 13 | 28 | 972 |
| Software and Applications Programmers* | 8,748 | 265 | 313 | 361 | 939 | 7,809 |
| Database and Systems Administrators and ICT Security Specialists | 2,887 | 34 | 51 | 71 | 156 | 2,731 |
| Computer Network Professionals* | 2,553 | 77 | 91 | 103 | 271 | 2,282 |
| Telecommunications Engineering Professionals | 1,000 | 22 | 30 | 34 | 86 | 914 |
| Barristers | 1,000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1,000 |
| Solicitors | 4,650 | <5 | <5 | <5 | Unknown | Unknown |
| Psychologists | 1,832 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1,832 |
| Social Workers | 2,128 | 37 | 39 | 39 | 115 | 2,013 |
| Civil Engineering Draftspersons and Technicians | 1,000 | 8 | 11 | 12 | 31 | 969 |
| Electrical Engineering Draftspersons and Technicians | 1,000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1,000 |
| Telecommunications Technical Specialists | 1,000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1,000 |
| Automotive Electricians | 1,000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1,000 |
| Motor Mechanics | 6,399 | <5 | <5 | <5 | Unknown | Unknown |
| Sheetmetal Trades Workers | 1,000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1,000 |
| Structural Steel and Welding Trades Workers | 3,983 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3,983 |
| Metal Fitters and Machinists | 7,007 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7,007 |
| Precision Metal Trades Workers | 1,000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1,000 |
| Panelbeaters | 1,000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1,000 |
| Bricklayers and Stonemasons | 1,610 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1,610 |
| Carpenters and Joiners | 8,536 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8,536 |
| Painting Trades Workers | 3,330 | <5 | <5 | <5 | Unknown | Unknown |
| Glaziers | 1,000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1,000 |
| Plasterers | 2,100 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2,100 |
| Wall and Floor Tilers | 1,682 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1,682 |
| Plumbers | 5,060 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5,060 |
| Electricians | 8,624 | <5 | <5 | <5 | Unknown | Unknown |
| Airconditioning and Refrigeration Mechanics | 1,851 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1,851 |
| Electrical Distribution Trades Workers | 1,000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1,000 |
| Electronics Trades Workers | 1,313 | <5 | <5 | <5 | Unknown | Unknown |
| Chefs | 2,738 | <5 | <5 | <5 | Unknown | Unknown |
| Animal Attendants and Trainers | 1,051 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1,051 |
| Cabinetmakers | 2,112 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2,112 |
| Boat Builders and Shipwrights | 1,000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1,000 |
| Sports Coaches, Instructors and Officials | 4,071 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4,071 |
| Sportspersons | 1,000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1,000 |
Due to the highly competitive nature and lengthy process of the general skilled visa scheme, it’s always worth confirming the possible migration points you can claim, to maximise your opportunity to be invited.
There are certain factors that you may consider to increase your points, such as Partner Skills, higher English skills, additional work experience, state nomination/sponsorship.
The registered migration agents at Migration Downunder are all highly qualified and will be happy to assess your options for not only skilled migration but also for a family stream, study opportunities and employer sponsored. Please contact us today to discuss your pathways for a visa to Australia!
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