Australia Issued 20,000 Subclass 189 Invitations: Why Construction and Electrical Trades Reached 65 Points but Mechanics Did Not

A large round, but not a universal invitation for trades

The Department of Home Affairs has published the results of the 15 October 2026 SkillSelect invitation round. A total of 20,000 invitations were issued for the Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189).

This is the only federal Subclass 189 round recorded so far in the 2026-27 program year. The most important feature of the results is the sharp difference between occupations.

Several construction, electrical and finishing trades were invited at a minimum of 65 points. Fitter, Fitter-Welder and Welder (First Class) required 80 points. Motor Mechanic and Diesel Motor Mechanic did not appear in the published occupation results.

The round should therefore not be reduced to the claim that “all trades can now receive a 189 invitation at 65 points”. Some occupations received broad invitation outcomes, while others faced higher scores or were not listed.

Trade occupations appearing at 65 points

The published results include the following occupations at a minimum invited score of 65:

Airconditioning and Refrigeration Mechanic — 65 — 08/10/2026
Automotive Electrician — 65 — 10/10/2026
Bricklayer — 65 — 17/09/2026
Cabinetmaker — 65 — 14/10/2026
Carpenter — 65 — 21/09/2026
Carpenter and Joiner — 65 — 15/09/2026
Electrician (General) — 65 — 18/09/2026
Roof Plumber — 65 — 20/09/2026
Wall and Floor Tiler — 65 — 19/09/2026

Other industrial and metal trades required higher scores:

Fitter (General) — 80
Fitter-Welder — 80
Welder (First Class) — 80
Construction Project Manager — 80

These results do not show a single priority setting for all trades. Similar occupational names or work in the same industry do not produce the same invitation outcome.

Why were mechanics not included despite labour shortages?

Jobs and Skills Australia continues to identify Motor Mechanics as an occupation affected by a persistent training-supply gap. Labour-market shortage analysis and Subclass 189 invitations, however, are different systems.

An invitation round is affected by the occupations selected for that round, the available EOI pool, points rankings, occupation ceilings and the Department’s invitation parameters. An occupation can be difficult to recruit without receiving invitations in every round.

Automotive Electrician appeared at 65 points, while Motor Mechanic and Diesel Motor Mechanic did not appear in the published table. This is a useful reminder that occupations connected with the automotive industry cannot be treated as one broad category. An applicant’s occupation should be based on actual duties, equipment and skills-assessment requirements, not changed to follow one invitation round.

Home Affairs also notes that an occupation not appearing in the table may mean that no EOIs were available, or that the available EOIs did not meet the invitation parameters. Absence from this round does not prove permanent exclusion or remove the possibility of a 190, state-nominated 491, 482/SID, 186, 494 or relevant DAMA pathway.

What does a 65-point result mean?

Sixty-five points is the basic threshold for points-tested skilled visas. In the published round table, however, 65 is the lowest score at which an invitation was issued for that occupation in this particular round.

It does not mean:

every applicant with 65 points received an invitation;
the next round will use the same score;
skills assessment, English, age or EOI requirements are relaxed; or
state-nominated 190 and 491 programs will use the same occupations and scores.

Home Affairs ranks EOIs by points. Where candidates have equal scores, the tie-break date is the date on which the EOI reached that score. Some occupations in this round have tie-break dates close to 15 October, while others have much earlier dates, reflecting different competition and EOI pools.

What offshore tradespeople should do with the result

Applicants whose occupation appears in the round should check:

whether the skills assessment remains valid and matches their actual duties;
whether English, age, employment and partner points are correctly claimed;
whether the EOI score, date and personal circumstances remain accurate; and
whether a state 190 or 491 pathway is also available.

Applicants whose occupation did not appear, or whose points are not competitive, should not treat Subclass 189 as the only possible route. State nomination and employer sponsorship assess different criteria. A 482/SID, 186 or 494 pathway does not automatically close because an occupation was absent from one 189 round, although occupation eligibility, a genuine position, employer requirements, market salary, experience, skills assessment and licensing still need to be checked.

The October round issued no invitations for the 491 Family Sponsored stream. This does not mean state and territory nominated 491 programs have all stopped. Federal invitation rounds and state nomination programs are managed separately.

Noice perspective: identify the occupation before chasing the score

The round is clearly positive for a number of construction and electrical trades. It also shows why occupational classification matters. People working broadly in mechanics, construction or engineering may in fact align with Automotive Electrician, Airconditioning and Refrigeration Mechanic, Fitter, Welder, Motor Mechanic or Diesel Motor Mechanic, each with different invitation, skills-assessment and employment implications.

Noice International begins a pathway and employer-matching assessment by examining the applicant’s equipment, daily duties, project environment, qualifications and employment evidence. Applicants in occupations invited in this round can assess the 189, 190 and 491 requirements carefully. Those whose occupation was not included or whose points are less competitive can compare whether a genuine employer position and a 482/SID, 186 or 494 pathway better fit their actual background.

Conclusion

The 20,000 invitations create a substantial new Subclass 189 window in the 2026-27 program year, but they do not represent a general relaxation for every skilled occupation.

Construction, electrical and several finishing trades were invited at 65 points. Fitters and welders required 80 points, while Motor Mechanic and Diesel Motor Mechanic did not appear in the published results. The useful question is not simply whether “65 points is enough”, but whether the applicant’s occupation appears, whether the points claim is accurate, how the tie-break date applies, and whether state nomination or employer sponsorship should remain part of the strategy.

Official sources and scope

Sources checked on 2 November 2026. This article provides general policy and industry information, not individual migration, skills-assessment, legal or employment advice. Invitation numbers, occupations, minimum scores and state nomination arrangements may change in future rounds. Current government pages and case-specific requirements should always be checked.