Australia’s Skilled Migration Program: Invitation Rounds Update and Key Insights

Australia’s skilled migration program continues to attract top talent across a wide range of industries. The latest SkillSelect invitation rounds have provided valuable insights into the trends and priorities set by the government for 2024.

In the 13 June 2024 invitation round, 5,292 invitations were issued for the Skilled Independent Visa (subclass 189). However, no invitations were issued for the Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491) – Family Sponsored. The minimum points scores for popular occupations, such as Clinical Nurse Manager and Software Engineer, were high, with many occupations requiring 90-100 points for consideration. These rounds prioritize applicants with the highest rankings by points score. For candidates with the same score, the ‘tie-breaker’ rule applies, favoring those who achieved their score earlier.

The occupation ceilings also play an essential role in ensuring balanced and diverse invitations across various sectors. For instance, while the Skilled Independent Visa subclass is capped, the Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190) and Skilled Work Regional (491) – State Nominated remain unaffected, providing more flexibility for candidates seeking state or territory nomination.

Key takeaway? Prepare and update your Expression of Interest (EOI) strategically and consider which visa subclass aligns best with your qualifications and circumstances. Always keep an eye on occupation ceilings and tie-break dates to ensure your best shot at receiving an invitation.