Skilled migration · Resources
Invitation Rounds for Australian Skilled Migration Visas — How SkillSelect Invites, and Who It Does Not
SkillSelect invitation rounds decide when a Subclass 189 or family-sponsored 491 applicant can lodge. State-nominated applicants are invited differently. This guide explains both, and what to do while you wait.
What are SkillSelect invitation rounds?
SkillSelect invitation rounds are periodic rounds where the Department invites the highest-ranked EOIs to apply for a 189 or family-sponsored 491. Equal scores are ordered by the date the score was reached. State-nominated 190 and 491 applicants are invited through their nomination instead. An invitation is not a visa.
Key facts
- Who the rounds cover: the Subclass 189 and the family-sponsored Subclass 491.
- Who they do not cover: state-nominated 190 and 491 applicants, invited once a state nominates them.
- Ranking: highest points first; equal scores ordered by the date the score was reached.
- Time to apply: 60 days from the invitation, with no extension.
- Points are fixed at invitation: your claims are assessed as they stood on the invitation date.
- Result: the 189 and 190 are permanent; the 491 is a five-year provisional visa.
What Are Invitation Rounds?
SkillSelect is the system where you lodge an Expression of Interest (EOI). The Department uses it to run invitation rounds for two visas: the Subclass 189 and the family-sponsored Subclass 491. It runs them periodically during the program year, and the number of invitations varies from round to round.
| Visa | How you are invited | What the visa gives you |
|---|---|---|
| Subclass 189 | Department invitation round, ranked on points | Permanent residence |
| Subclass 491 (family sponsored) | Department invitation round, ranked on points | Five-year provisional visa, with a path to the Subclass 191 |
| Subclass 190 | After a state or territory nominates you | Permanent residence |
| Subclass 491 (state nominated) | After a state or territory nominates you | Five-year provisional visa, with a path to the Subclass 191 |
General guide only. The Department can change how and when rounds run.
States run their own selection, not SkillSelect rounds. Searches such as NSW invitation round or WA 491 invitation round are about state selection. So are Tas invitation round, 190 invitation round Vic and 190 invitation round QLD. Each state's process is on our state nomination hub, and our nomination criteria guide explains what a state decides.
Step-by-Step: How Invitation Rounds Work
- Lodge your EOI. Claim the points you can prove, for the visas you want considered.
- Your EOI is ranked. Higher points rank first; equal scores go by the date the score was reached.
- The Department runs a round. It invites from the top down, and occupation limits can apply.
- You receive an invitation. It states the score you were invited on and your occupation.
- Lodge within 60 days. The period cannot be extended.
- The Department assesses the visa. Every criterion, tested as at the invitation date.
Common Mistakes
- Treating an invitation as a visa. It only lets you apply; the visa is still assessed.
- Waiting for a Department round for a 190. The 190 comes through state nomination, not these rounds.
- Claiming points you cannot evidence. Your score at lodgement must not fall below the invited score.
- Leaving documents until the invitation arrives. Sixty days goes quickly with police certificates and translations.
- Nominating the wrong occupation. The invited occupation cannot be changed after you lodge.
Practitioner insight. Your points are fixed on the invitation date, and that cuts both ways. A birthday that would drop your age points does not matter once you are invited. But an English result or skills assessment that had lapsed on that day cannot be fixed later. The invited occupation is also locked. To change it, you must let the invitation lapse and be invited again on the new occupation.
Required Documents for Invitation Round Application
You do not upload documents to an EOI. Every claim in it must still be provable when you lodge the visa. Have these ready before a round:
- Your skills assessment for the nominated occupation.
- English test results, or an eligible passport.
- Evidence for each period of skilled employment you claim.
- Qualifications, and evidence of any Australian study, Professional Year or NAATI credential you claim.
- Identity documents, and police certificates for each country where they are required.
See our EOI guide, points test guide and police clearance guide.
Why This Matters
A round only helps a candidate who is ready. Knowing whether your visa comes through a Department round or a state nomination tells you where to focus. Our points calculator shows where you stand before the next round.
Invitation Rounds Frequently Asked Questions
How often are Invitation Rounds held?
The Department runs invitation rounds periodically during the program year, not on a fixed monthly timetable. The number of invitations in each round varies with how many applications it already has on hand. It publishes each round's results and its expected next round on its SkillSelect invitation rounds page. Read that page on the day, because dates move and older third-party posts go stale quickly.
Can I improve my chances of receiving an invitation?
Yes, by raising your points or widening your options. Better English results, more skilled employment, a partner's skills, a Professional Year or a NAATI credential can all add points. Update your EOI as soon as a claim becomes true, because your ranking date moves with it. Seeking state nomination or a regional 491 as well can also bring an invitation that the 189 alone may not.
How long do I have to apply after receiving an invitation?
You have 60 days from the invitation to lodge your visa application, and that period cannot be extended. If it passes, the invitation lapses and you must be invited again. Prepare your documents before you are invited: skills assessment, English results, employment evidence and identity documents. Sixty days is short if you are still gathering police certificates, medical results or translations of documents.
What happens if my occupation is not selected in the invitation round?
Your EOI stays in SkillSelect and remains eligible for later rounds. The Department can set limits by occupation. A crowded occupation may need a higher score than others in the same round. Use the time to add points, or look at state nomination for a 190 or 491. A state can nominate you whether or not your occupation was reached in a Department round.
How long does it take to get an invitation from SkillSelect?
There is no set waiting time. It depends on your points and your occupation. It also depends on how many invitations issue and how many EOIs rank above you. Some candidates are invited in the next round; others wait many months or are never reached. The Department's published results by occupation are the best guide to how competitive your occupation currently is.
When can we expect the next 189 round?
The Department publishes its expected timing for the next Subclass 189 round on its SkillSelect invitation rounds page. It does not commit to a fixed schedule, and it can change the date. Check that page directly rather than relying on forum posts or agent blogs. Our Last reviewed date at the top of this page shows when we last checked it.
How do invitation rounds work?
In each round the Department invites the highest-ranked EOIs for the Subclass 189 and the family-sponsored 491. Candidates with equal points are ordered by the date they reached that score. Occupation limits can apply. State and territory nominations do not depend on these rounds. A state nominates you, and your 190 or state 491 invitation follows.
Does SkillSelect guarantee a visa?
No. An invitation only lets you lodge a visa application. The Department still assesses every criterion, including your skills assessment, English, points, health and character. Claims are tested as they stood on the day you were invited. A points claim you cannot prove can lead to a refusal. Treat an invitation as the start of the visa stage, not the end of the process.
Waiting for an invitation? Check your eligibility free, or book a consultation with a migration agent in Sydney.
Visa Advisor is a MARA-registered visa agent in Sydney, NSW, advising skilled applicants in Australia and offshore.
Sources and last checked dates
- Migration Regulations 1994 — Schedule 2 Parts 189, 190 and 491 (invitation, 60-day period, points at invitation, occupation), Schedule 6D points, Compilation No. 288, 1 July 2026 (F2026C00667)read 23 Sep 2026open ↗
- Department of Home Affairs — SkillSelect invitation rounds (which visas the rounds cover, tie-break by date, state nominations unaffected)read 23 Sep 2026 from the search-indexed page textopen ↗