I just opened my email and can't believe it. Skillselect wrote that I got invited for 189 (env consultant) with 65 points. I just did an eoi, just in case, and was ready to take a new English test, Naati exam etc, but it seems it wasn't necessary... I can't believe it!!

Now with this invitation, should I 100% apply? Or is there a big chance of rejection once I apply with only 65 points? Things are getting real...! 😱

The new NSW skilled occupation list for FY 2026–27 no longer includes Industrial, Mechanical and Production Engineers for the Subclass 190 visa.

According to NSW Business and Skilled Migration , the first Subclass 190 invitation round is expected to take place in the week commencing 19 October 2026.

“First subclass 190 invitation round 
NSW expects to conduct its first subclass 190 invitation round in the week commencing 19 October 2026. If you’re hoping to be invited, keep your SkillSelect EOI up to date and make sure you can provide valid evidence for every claim in your EOI. “

A disappointing update for mechanical engineers hoping to receive a NSW 190 nomination.

After today's 189 invitations, we can confirm the ceiling system is still active, which means those occupation groups unfortunately won't ever receive any 189 invitations due to the ceiling being exceeded:

2211 Accountants

3212 Motor Mechanics

2613 Software & Applications Programmers

2332 Civil Engineering Professionals

3513 Chefs

2611 ICT Business & Systems Analysts

2621 Database & Systems Admins, ICT Security

2631 Computer Network Professionals

2212 Auditors, Company Secretaries & Treasurers

2333 Electrical Engineers

2335 Industrial, Mechanical & Production Engineers

2339 Other Engineering Professionals

Unfortunately, the prediction comes true if your occupation is within the group; at least for 26/27 FY, there won't be 189 invitations

https://www.reddit.com/r/AusVisa/comments/1x4hqnj/comment/pgroc86/?screen_view_count=2

I just got invited for 189. Since submitting the EOI I moved in with my boyfriend (of less than a year together).
In the EOI there isnt a de facto relationship option (as screenshot) so I never changed it.
However, when I am applying for the visa now there is a de facto option.
Can someone help me choose??

Note: I do not see our relationship as de facto but more of housemates, but that isnt a thing is it :(
My boyfriend and I are applying separately and not planning to have a joint application.

Hi everyone, I received a 189 invitation at 75 points
I started casual agency RN work in October 2025 but only completed 5 shifts (38.5 hours total). I stopped accepting shifts in November but remained employed with the agencies until December without formally resigning.
I started regular full time RN employment on 27 November 2025 but haven’t completed 12 months of eligible work experience yet.
My agency jobs were listed as ongoing in my EOI, which I suspect caused SkillSelect to automatically award me an extra 5 points.
However, I’ve been working full-time as an RN since 27 November 2025.
My question is: Does this count as one year of Australian skilled employment, considering I was employed with the agencies from October but only worked a few shifts before starting full-time work in November?
please help ♥️

Hoping to get some advice!

Yesterday I finally recieved my 189 visa invite after nearly 2 years of waiting! However on my EOI i put single. Since then I have an Australian boyfriend, and we have last week registered our relationship because I'd started to lose hope of getting an independent visa and a partner visa was looking more and more likely for us.

Fast forward, I have now been invited, BUT my EOI is wrong now :( my point will be the same, as you get 10 points for being single and 10 for having an Australian partner, but I dont know if my EOI being wrong is going to ruin my chances?

Note: registered nurse aged care 70 points - so I cant afford to lose the 10 points for relationship status.

I just received a 189 invitation as a Critical Care RN with 75 points.

Under the new processing priorities, healthcare occupations are in the highest priority group regardless of onshore or offshore status, as far as I know🙂

Would it be better to lodge offshore while travelling in Europe, or return to Australia and lodge onshore after my trip? Does onshore status give any additional advantage for healthcare applicants under the new rules?

FYI ㅡ I have all my documents ready and can lodge anytime.

Hello!

Please post your invites in this thread along with your points/profile/occupation. Good luck!

Got my 189 invite today (15 Oct round) and I’m stuck on a decision, would really appreciate input from anyone who’s been through this.

My situation

Environmental Consultant (234312), VETASSESS Group A, offshore (living in France)

Bachelor’s in Environmental Science finished June 2018, started a full-time environmental role in Aug 2018, same employer continuously until Nov 2021, then other related roles up to now

VETASSESS used my first year (Aug 2018 – Jul 2019) as the “qualifying period”, so date deemed skilled = Aug 2019

My EOI counted from Aug 2018, so it ticked over to 8+ years in Aug and I got invited at 80

If they go with the VETASSESS date I’m around 7.2 years = 10 pts = 75 total

Why I think the year should count

The Department’s own points policy (SM-5006, section 10.4.1, it’s out there via FOI) says that if the assessing authority’s view gives fewer points than claimed, the officer should look at ANZSCO and “apply the more beneficial outcome”. ANZSCO 2343 is Skill Level 1, bachelor degree, and my degree was done before I started. VETASSESS’s own FAQ also says the PTA is “an opinion only”. I have the contract, payslips, duties letter etc for that first year, and I’d disclose the VETASSESS date upfront in a cover letter, not hide it.

What I’d love to hear

Has anyone claimed the VETASSESS (or ACS / EA) qualifying year under this policy and actually got the grant? Roughly when, and what occupation?

Did you get an s56 about it? What did they ask for?

Did you write a submission citing 10.4.1, or just lodge with the evidence?

Anyone refused on this? As far as I understand, offshore 189 has no ART review, so I really get one shot.

Side question: my VETASSESS letter says 5.21 years assessed, but the periods it lists add up to about 5.45. Anyone else seen their “years assessed positively” come out lower than their own dates? Did it matter?

I just want to hear real experiences before deciding anything. Thanks a lot 🙏

Hi everyone!

I’m Brazilian and planning to apply for the Work and Holiday visa (subclass 462). The remaining places for Brazil could reopen at any time, potentially even before my English test next Monday.

I’m worried about missing the opportunity if the places open over the weekend. However, I understand that I need to meet the English requirement when submitting my application.

Has anyone been in a similar situation? Is there any way to secure a place or start the application before taking the English test and provide the results afterwards, or would submitting without meeting the requirement put my application at risk?

Hi everyone,

I am feeling incredibly anxious looking at the massive scores people are throwing around for the new 2026–27 Victorian Points Test (VPT) matrix. Being an offshore applicant, it feels so disheartening knowing that I am completely locked out of the points for Victorian skilled earnings. It makes me feel like I stand no chance against onshore applicants.

I am an offshore Other Spatial Scientist (ANZSCO 232214). My federal SkillSelect EOI is sitting at 70 points for the 190 baseline, which translates to an estimated 620 points on the new Victorian state matrix.

Here is my point breakdown:

Age: 300
English: 200
Education: 50
Skill Level: 50
Experience: 20
Partner / Local Income: 0

I am so confused about my next steps and which path to focus on. For niche STEM fields like spatial science where almost everyone applies from overseas, does Victoria realistically select human-capital-only profiles, or do the high onshore earning scores completely dominate the selection rounds across all codes?

Given how nervous I am about the missing income points, I'm trying to decide if it's strategically wiser to play it safe by targeting the Subclass 491 (Regional) from day one, or if maintaining a focus on the Subclass 190 (PR) path still makes sense for an offshore profile with this kind of breakdown.

I would deeply appreciate any reality check or advice on how to approach the 190 vs 491 decision from anyone who understands how Victoria handles offshore STEM applicants.

Thank you so much 🙏

Hey everyone!
I’m interested in working as either a bricklayer or a wall and floor tiler in Australia, and I’d like to hear from people who work in the construction industry.
I have a few questions:
How is the current job market for bricklayers and tilers?
Which trade has higher demand and better job opportunities?
How difficult is it to find an employer willing to offer visa sponsorship?
Are there particular states or cities where sponsorship opportunities are better?
Is employer sponsorship common in these trades, or is it relatively rare?
I’d really appreciate hearing from tradies, employers, or anyone familiar with the industry.
Thanks in advance!

Is 4190€ (6780 AUD) enough savings for a Working Holiday (subsclass 417) visa application?

Hi everyone,

My wife, our two daughters and I are Australian permanent residents, but our travel facilities expire on 6 October 2028. We have a young son whose subclass 101 application we still need to lodge.

With current processing estimates of 24 months for 50% of applications and 33 months for 90%, I'm concerned his visa won't be granted before our travel facilities expire.

Our lawyer has suggested applying for a visitor visa for our son when we relocate in 2028, but I'm not convinced this is a reliable solution. Considering all the visa changes lately. Has anyone successfully used a visitor visa while a 101 application was pending, and what conditions and length of stay were granted?

One alternative I'm considering is moving a couple of months before our travel facilities expire, establish a home and employment. Then apply for onshore RRV and if approved, have my family (still in our home country) apply for off-shore RRV, via the family-unit pathway, once our son has his 101 granted. Has anyone successfully applied for RRV with only 4 months being in Australia and has anybody applied for an RRV via the family-unit pathway?

Is there any another practical solutions when a child's 101 processing time exceeds the family's PR travel-facility expiry?

Sorry for all the questions, but I am at a loss.

Thanks!

Hi everyone,

I recently received a WA state nomination invitation for subclass 491 under the General Stream (WASMOL Schedule 2).

My SkillSelect EOI has 85 points, including 10 points for Skilled Partner qualifications. My partner has Competent English and a positive skills assessment.

I’ve completed the WA State Nomination application form, but I couldn’t find any section to enter my partner’s details or upload his supporting documents.
Has anyone experienced the same situation?

Did you need to provide your partner’s English test results and skills assessment during the WA nomination stage, or were these only required later when lodging the subclass 491 visa application with Home Affairs?

Thanks in advance!

I applied for visitor visa back on august 4th and after getting biometrics done on the 10th confirmed my documents on the 24th. I'm from Kazakhstan.

My plan was to be in Australia today (October 15th) but that's obviously not happening. Good thing I didn't book any flights. But I'm just confused and waiting for anything. I was wondering if anyone's had similar issues.

Any help would be appreciated! Anything I can do?

Hi all,

Just wondering if anyone can help with the below, or had a similar issue?? Circumstances as follows -

- Became a permanent resident on 23 June 1992
- Has HECS Debt
- Has been on Centrelink before
- has Aus drivers license, TFN etc.

Immigration Australia is saying she does not exist and there is no record of her having a VEVO number. (Also not sure if this was something that automatically should have been assigned, or if she needed to apply years ago??)

We have a blue piece of paper that notes her permanent residence status from Department Of Immigration and Citizenship - but when things went digital she was never assigned a number.

She didn’t work for nearly 20yrs and was a stay at home mum - so not sure if that has an impact?

Hired an immigration lawyer and they couldn’t really help… she was on the phone for hours trying to get this sorted out. Customer service officers from immigration said paper resident slips aren’t a thing (obviously they were in the 90’s)

She was able to get a HECS debt, Centrelink etc etc. so obviously once an upon a time the slip was enough.

Anyone have anything similar or able to assist? Can answer more questions if needed. Honestly the whole thing is so confusing.

The immigration lawyer said she can apply old school for citizenship, and post in her original documents. Obviously we are nervous to do this, because that blue piece of paper is the only thing she has with proof of her residency…

Choosing between these three Melbourne firms for an onshore Victorian 190 (ICT, with my partner as secondary applicant). Reviews online are all glowing, so I'm after honest first-hand experience.

If you've been a client of any of them, I'd love to know:

1. Which visa, and roughly when?

2. Who actually handled your file day to day, and did the senior person review it?

3. Was the final cost what they quoted, or were there extras along the way?

4. How responsive were they once you'd paid, especially during an RFI or a tight deadline?

5. Did they get anything wrong (EOI details, points, documents), and how did they handle it?

6. Any experience with Victorian 190 specifically under the new points test?

And would you use them again?

Good and bad both welcome. DMs open if you'd prefer not to post publicly.

Hi everyone! I’m back in France after a working holiday in Australia, and I can’t log in to myGov because I no longer have my Australian SIM card to receive the verification codes.
Despite several calls and attempts, nothing has worked. I was apparently told I should have sorted this out before leaving Australia…
Has anyone experienced this? Can a tax agent lodge my tax return without me having access to myGov? And what would the consequences be if I don’t lodge my return or lodge it late, given that I’d like to return to Australia in the future?

And If I need a tax agent, could you please recommend a tax agent who could help with my situation, I’d really appreciate it!
Thanks for your help 🙏

Hello everyone! Before anything else, congratulations to those people who got invitation.

Finally I got an invite! ​Looking for some advice on lodging a 189 visa while currently on a BVA (pending Student Visa grant). ​My current semester finishes shortly and the new semester starts in two weeks. I want to discontinue my studies to save tuition fees and use that money (plus an OSHC couple refund) toward the 189 lodgement fee.

​

Seeking for your help and guidance with below please:

​Stopping Study: What is the proper procedure to stop studying without negatively impacting my visa status/BVA while I lodge the 189?

​OSHC Refund: Planning to cancel and claim an OSHC refund

​Medicals: My medical exam was completed recently for the student visa—can this be re-used/linked to the 189 application in ImmiAccount?

​Thanks in advance for any guidance!

Hi everyone! 😊
I’ve received an invitation to apply for the 189 visa with 75 points and would appreciate advice on proving overseas skilled employment.
I’m a UK-trained nurse with nearly seven years of NHS experience in rehabilitation, general medicine, elderly care and ICU. My ANMAC assessment recognises around 3.5 years of ICU experience, but I’m claiming 10 points for 5–8 years of overseas skilled employment based on my other closely related nursing roles.
I have an NHS statement of service listing my positions, dates and hours, plus payslips and P60s.
Has anyone successfully claimed points for nursing roles not included in their ANMAC assessment? Were these documents sufficient, or were separate duty statements required?
Thank you! 😊

Need advice I am panicking 😭
Got my 189 invite today (15 Oct 2026) with 75 points. I just noticed in my EOI i might have made a mistake.

Timeline
4 Jun 2026: daughter born in Australia
15 Jun 2026: last EOI update
15 Oct 2026: invited (75 points)

EOI answers
"Family members to include in a future application?": No (but my baby was already born)

"Accompanied by partner?": Yes (husband correctly declared)

My daughter doesn't affect my points.

Context
- My husband and I held 482s. We lodged renewals and are now on bridging visas.

- Our daughter is included in the pending 482 application.
She has no passport yet.

- I want to include both my husband and daughter in the 189 lodgement

My questions
- Is my invitation still valid, or does this error mean it's effectively void or will be refused?

- What should I do now: lodge as normal and include my daughter, or take some other step first?

- Do I have to attach a statement explaining the EOI mistake?

- Has anyone been in the same situation (child not declared in the EOI but added at lodgement)? What was the outcome?

- Any tips for lodging with an Australian-born newborn who doesn't have a passport yet?

Hi there,

Pretty excited today to get an invitation (85 for Cabinetmaker).

I submitted a 482 visa application with my employer in March and I'm still on my bridging visa for that.

Can I apply for my 189 now?

Thanks for your help