Source: Department of Home Affairs FOI fa-260100545 and data-access releases, compiled by ImmiTrend  
Data as at: 2026-10-23  
Page: https://immitrend.com.au/occupation-ceilings/highlights

ImmiTrend estimate, not an official Department of Home Affairs figure; the change lists compare it with the official 2025-26 ceilings

# 2026-27 189 ceilings at a glance

Estimates as of 23 October 2026, after the 15 October 2026 round.

After 15 October 2026, Registered Nurses have the most 189 places left; 5 groups are past our estimate. Registered Nurses have an estimated 2,240–4,870 places left. Against the official 2025-26 ceilings, our 2026-27 estimate rises most for Registered Nurses (+599) and falls most for Audiologists and Speech Pathologists (−251).

## The six lists (Top 10 each)

## Ceiling size

Which groups have the largest 2026-27 ceilings, and which have the fewest places for 189.

### Largest ceilings

ImmiTrend's 2026-27 estimate, before other visas take their share.

| Rank | Unit group | Occupation group | 2026-27 ceiling | Places for 189 | 189 invited (low–high) | Places left |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | 2544 | Registered Nurses | 14,528 | 11,561 | 6,691–9,321 | 2,240–4,870 |
| 2 | 2531 | General Practitioners and Resident Medical Officers | 3,784 | 3,171 | 493–682 | 2,489–2,678 |
| 3 | 2414 | Secondary School Teachers | 3,354 | 2,845 | 358–383 | 2,462–2,487 |
| 4 | 3411 | Electricians | 1,974 | 1,664 | 199 | 1,465 |
| 5 | 2525 | Physiotherapists | 1,772 | 1,515 | 350–496 | 1,019–1,165 |
| 6 | 2524 | Occupational Therapists | 1,608 | 1,442 | 288–437 | 1,005–1,154 |
| 7 | 3312 | Carpenters and Joiners | 1,484 | 913 | 937–1,121 | 0 |
| 8 | 2411 | Early Childhood Teachers | 1,372 | 526 | 300 | 226 |
| 9 | 1331 | Construction Managers | 1,302 | 720 | 387–491 | 229–333 |
| 10 | 2512 | Medical Imaging Professionals | 1,189 | 1,146 | 104–121 | 1,025–1,042 |

### Fewest places for 189

The fewest places set aside for 189 once other visas are counted. 11 groups with none are in the table.

| Rank | Unit group | Occupation group | Places for 189 | 2026-27 ceiling | 189 invited (low–high) | Places left |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | 2621 | Database and Systems Administrators and ICT Security Specialists | 38 | 500 | 36 | 2 |
| 2 | 3212 | Motor Mechanics | 39 | 1,136 | 72 | 0 |
| 3 | 2421 | University Lecturers and Tutors | 128 | 616 | 334–359 | 0 |
| 4 | 2334 | Electronics Engineers | 217 | 500 | 9–339 | 0–208 |
| 5 | 2321 | Architects and Landscape Architects | 221 | 500 | 170–178 | 43–51 |
| 6 | 3322 | Painting Trades Workers | 252 | 500 | 436–644 | 0 |
| 7 | 2345 | Life Scientists | 262 | 500 | 112–141 | 121–150 |
| 8 | 2336 | Mining Engineers | 333 | 500 | 112–168 | 165–221 |
| 9 | 2612 | Multimedia Specialists and Web Developers | 340 | 500 | 195–265 | 75–145 |
| 10 | 2344 | Geologists Geophysicists and Hydrogeologists | 341 | 500 | 9–16 | 325–332 |

## Places left after the 15 October 2026 round

Our estimate of the 189 places each group has left, shown as a range because invitations are community-reported.

### Most places left

Our estimate of 189 places left after the invitations reported so far.

| Rank | Unit group | Occupation group | Places left (low–high) | 189 invited (low–high) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | 2544 | Registered Nurses | 2,240–4,870 | 6,691–9,321 invited |
| 2 | 2531 | General Practitioners and Resident Medical Officers | 2,489–2,678 | 493–682 invited |
| 3 | 2414 | Secondary School Teachers | 2,462–2,487 | 358–383 invited |
| 4 | 3411 | Electricians | 1,465 | 199 invited |
| 5 | 2525 | Physiotherapists | 1,019–1,165 | 350–496 invited |
| 6 | 2524 | Occupational Therapists | 1,005–1,154 | 288–437 invited |
| 7 | 2512 | Medical Imaging Professionals | 1,025–1,042 | 104–121 invited |
| 8 | 2723 | Psychologists | 977–999 | 24–46 invited |
| 9 | 3341 | Plumbers | 899 | 71 invited |
| 10 | 4523 | Sports Coaches Instructors and Officials | 626–630 | 7–11 invited |

### Fewest places left

Groups past our estimate first, then the ones closest to full.

| Rank | Unit group | Occupation group | Left or over | 189 invited (low–high) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | 2421 | University Lecturers and Tutors | over by 206–231 | 334–359 invited, 128 places |
| 2 | 3322 | Painting Trades Workers | over by 184–392 | 436–644 invited, 252 places |
| 3 | 2343 | Environmental Scientists | over by 78–193 | 457–572 invited, 379 places |
| 4 | 3212 | Motor Mechanics | over by 33 | 72 invited, 39 places |
| 5 | 3312 | Carpenters and Joiners | over by 24–208 | 937–1,121 invited, 913 places |
| 6 | 2621 | Database and Systems Administrators and ICT Security Specialists | 2 left | 36 invited, 38 places |
| 7 | 2241 | Actuaries Mathematicians and Statisticians | 9–10 left | 358–359 invited, 368 places |
| 8 | 2331 | Chemical and Materials Engineers | 0–33 left | 319–401 invited, 352 places |
| 9 | 2342 | Chemists and Food and Wine Scientists | 0–102 left | 258–465 invited, 360 places |
| 10 | 3123 | Electrical Engineering Draftspersons and Technicians | 38–134 left | 272–368 invited, 406 places |

## Change from 2025-26

Our 2026-27 estimate compared with the official 2025-26 ceilings.

### Biggest increase

Our 2026-27 estimate against the official 2025-26 ceiling.

| Rank | Unit group | Occupation group | Change | Previous ceiling | 189 invited (low–high) | Places left |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | 2544 | Registered Nurses | +599 | from 13,929 (+4%) | 6,691–9,321 | 2,240–4,870 |
| 2 | 2524 | Occupational Therapists | +416 | from 1,192 (+35%) | 288–437 | 1,005–1,154 |
| 3 | 2512 | Medical Imaging Professionals | +293 | from 896 (+33%) | 104–121 | 1,025–1,042 |
| 4 | 2531 | General Practitioners and Resident Medical Officers | +161 | from 3,623 (+4%) | 493–682 | 2,489–2,678 |
| 5 | 2713 | Solicitors | +160 | from 943 (+17%) | 696 | 338 |
| 6 | 2414 | Secondary School Teachers | +135 | from 3,219 (+4%) | 358–383 | 2,462–2,487 |
| 7 | 2539 | Other Medical Practitioners | +130 | from 830 (+16%) | 400–532 | 267–399 |
| 8 | 2613 | Software and Applications Programmers | +126 | from 912 (+14%) | 0 | 0 |
| 9 | 4523 | Sports Coaches Instructors and Officials | +125 | from 588 (+21%) | 7–11 | 626–630 |
| 10 | 3411 | Electricians | +94 | from 1,880 (+5%) | 199 | 1,465 |

### Biggest decrease

Our 2026-27 estimate against the official 2025-26 ceiling.

| Rank | Unit group | Occupation group | Change | Previous ceiling | 189 invited (low–high) | Places left |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | 2527 | Audiologists and Speech Pathologists | −251 | from 1,061 (−24%) | 119–131 | 570–582 |
| 2 | 2411 | Early Childhood Teachers | −211 | from 1,583 (−13%) | 300 | 226 |
| 3 | 2541 | Midwives | −193 | from 913 (−21%) | 49–81 | 589–621 |
| 4 | 2725 | Social Workers | −159 | from 1,009 (−16%) | 214–254 | 417–457 |
| 5 | 2525 | Physiotherapists | −139 | from 1,911 (−7%) | 350–496 | 1,019–1,165 |
| 6 | 3232 | Metal Fitters and Machinists | −57 | from 1,244 (−5%) | 74–116 | 529–571 |
| 7 | 2421 | University Lecturers and Tutors | −46 | from 662 (−7%) | 334–359 | 0 |
| 8 | 3322 | Painting Trades Workers | −23 | from 523 (−4%) | 436–644 | 0 |

## Frequently asked questions

### Which 189 occupation groups have the most places left after the 15 October 2026 round?

After the 15 October 2026 round, the groups with the most 189 places left are Registered Nurses (2,240–4,870), General Practitioners and Resident Medical Officers (2,489–2,678) and Secondary School Teachers (2,462–2,487). These are ImmiTrend estimates: each group's estimated 189 places minus community-reported invitations, shown as a range of places left.

### Which occupation groups have already passed ImmiTrend's estimate of their 189 places?

5 groups have passed ImmiTrend's estimate of their 189 places after the 15 October 2026 round: University Lecturers and Tutors (over by 206–231), Painting Trades Workers (over by 184–392), Environmental Scientists (over by 78–193), Motor Mechanics (over by 33) and Carpenters and Joiners (over by 24–208). Passing our estimate is not the same as being full: it may mean the estimate is low.

### Which occupation groups have the largest 189 ceilings in 2026-27?

In ImmiTrend's 2026-27 estimate, the largest occupation ceilings are Registered Nurses (ceiling 14,528, 11,561 for 189), General Practitioners and Resident Medical Officers (ceiling 3,784, 3,171 for 189) and Secondary School Teachers (ceiling 3,354, 2,845 for 189). A ceiling is shared: grants to subclasses 186, 190, 491 and 494 come off it first, and the rest is left for 189.

### Which groups have the fewest places for 189 in 2026-27?

Once grants to subclasses 186, 190, 491 and 494 are counted, the groups with the fewest places set aside for 189 in ImmiTrend's 2026-27 estimate are Database and Systems Administrators and ICT Security Specialists (38 of a 500 ceiling), Motor Mechanics (39 of a 1,136 ceiling) and University Lecturers and Tutors (128 of a 616 ceiling). A further 11 groups have no 189 places at all.

### Which occupation ceilings increased most from 2025-26?

Comparing ImmiTrend's 2026-27 estimate with the official 2025-26 ceilings, the biggest increases are Registered Nurses (+599, from 13,929), Occupational Therapists (+416, from 1,192) and Medical Imaging Professionals (+293, from 896). The 2026-27 figures stay estimates until Home Affairs publishes them.

### Which occupation ceilings decreased most from 2025-26?

Comparing ImmiTrend's 2026-27 estimate with the official 2025-26 ceilings, the biggest decreases are Audiologists and Speech Pathologists (−251, from 1,061), Early Childhood Teachers (−211, from 1,583) and Midwives (−193, from 913). The 2026-27 figures stay estimates until Home Affairs publishes them.

### How are these lists ranked, and how often do they update?

Ceilings and 189 places come from ImmiTrend's 2026-27 estimate, made with the Department's method from FOI fa-260100545; the change lists compare it with the official 2025-26 ceilings. Places left subtract community-reported invitations up to the 15 October 2026 round, so they are ranges. The lists update after each 189 round and on the monthly data sync.

## Sources

- https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/foi/files/2026/fa-260100545-document-released.PDF
- DA 26/07/00368: https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/foi/files/data-request-2026/da-260700368-document-released.PDF
- DA 26/06/00293: https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/foi/files/data-request-2026/da-260600293-document-released.PDF
- BP0068: https://data.gov.au/data/dataset/permanent-migration-program-skilled-family
- ABS: https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/labour/employment-and-unemployment/labour-force-australia-detailed/latest-release

Cite as: ImmiTrend, https://immitrend.com.au/occupation-ceilings/highlights. Licence: CC BY 4.0 (reuse with attribution).