189Federal
80- Est. Invitations
- 12–14
- Salary
- —
- DOE / EOI
- —
Metal Fabricator
As at September 2026, Metal Fabricator (ANZSCO 322311) has 259 EOIs in the subclass 189 pool (1 at 85+ points), 317 in 190 and 316 in 491. Last 189 invitation: 80 points on 4 June 2026. Latest state cut-offs: 190 at 70 points (30 April 2026) and 491 at 65 points (8 December 2022). Cut-offs are trending upward across recent rounds.
⬡ Personal report
Checking your access…
01
Latest Metal Fabricator invitation rounds & points
Subclass 189
↑ Rising80pts
4 June 2026 · ~16 invited
Down from 85 · 3 rounds so far this FY
75–105 pts over last 6 roundsⓘ
Subclass 190
Stable70pts
30 Apr 2026
Unchanged · 3 rounds so far this FY
70–75 pts over last 6 roundsⓘ
Subclass 491
65pts
8 Dec 2022
1 round so far this FY
189 places this financial year
FY2026-27 · estimatedShared by all 2 occupations in Structural Steel and Welding Trades Workers, not just Metal Fabricator
813est. ceiling361est. 189 places165–273est. left after 15 Oct
24–54%
452 to 186 / 190 / 491~88–196 invited by 189open
15 Oct cut-off for the whole group: 75–80 pts
Who shares these places · 2 occupationsMetal Fabricator used ~2–20
| Occupation | Est. invited this FY | EOIs ≥ 75–80 pts | In pool |
|---|---|---|---|
| Metal Fabricator322311THIS | 2–20 | 56 | 257 |
| Welder (First Class)322313 | 86–176 | 174 | 524 |
| 3223 total | 88–196 | 230 | 781 |
ImmiTrend estimate — official figures not yet published. FY2025-26 official: 775 ceiling, 486 remaining · Invited counts from community round reports · EOIs from SkillSelect 9 Oct 2026, before the round · How we estimate · All occupation ceilings →
Subclass 189 wait estimates · September 2026 EOI pool
Metal Fabricator shares unit group 3223's 189 places with 1 other occupation — these waits count Metal Fabricator invitations only. Check your score for the group view.
80
Points
20
Ahead
about 6 months
3/6
Met the cut-off
85
Points
1
Ahead
less than a month
5/6
Met the cut-off
These are model averages across the queue — for your personal rank and wait based on your own DOE, jump to Check My Score below.
"Met the cut-off" counts how many of the last 6 subclass-189 rounds your points would have been at or above the round's minimum.
Figures describe observed invitation rounds and the current EOI pool — indicative only, not migration advice.
189 rank can be estimated from points and DOE; 190 and state/territory-nominated 491 are selected by each jurisdiction under its own policy and priorities, so a national EOI queue rank doesn't apply.
02
How this occupation ranks
189
Where it ranks · subclass 189 · last 2 FY
Outside top 50 by volume
of 196 occupations invited
▼ Falling
⋯
This occupation · most invited →least invited
47 invites last 2 FY · busiest 6,052 · typical 48
Most consistently invited
invited 5 of 5 roundsOccasional
oldest → newest · filled = invited
Year over year
25last FY
22this FY
▼ −12%Round to round · last 2 FY
15
10
1
7
14
▼ Falling · invites per round
03
Is 75–105 points enough for Metal Fabricator?
Can I get invited for Metal Fabricator with my points?
04
189 Invitation Predictions
What points and Date of Effect may be needed for Metal Fabricator in the next 189 round?
NEXT 189 ROUND · FROZEN 9 Oct 2026projected cutoff 85 pts · DOE 10 Aug 2026 – 9 Sept 2026this group 14–19 invitationsGet your verdict →
Calculate invitation predictions
Compare all occupationsSee the predicted cutoff score and Date of Effect for Metal Fabricator if a given number of 189 invitations are issued in the next round.
At a glance — by round size
If 10 invited
80DOE ≤ July 26
If 20 invited
80DOE ≤ Sept 26
If 50 invited
75DOE ≤ Aug 26
If 100 invited
70DOE ≤ May 26
If 200 invited
60DOE ≤ Apr 26
If 500 invited
All invited (257)
If 1000 invited
All invited (257)
Or calculate a custom number
189 prediction — full row
This occupation's complete row from the 189 invitation-prediction table: latest cutoff, this financial year's estimated round sizes, spots left, and predicted cutoffs at each scenario.
| Last round | Cutoff | Aug 25 | Nov 25 | June 26 | Spots left (FY) | If floor invited | If anchored invited | Active EOIs | At/above | Ceiling remaining | If 10 invited | If 20 invited | If 50 invited | If 100 invited | If 200 invited | If 500 invited | If 1000 invited |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 26 | 80 | 1–1 | 6–7 | 12–14 | 378–394 | 80DOE ≤ July 26 | 80DOE ≤ Aug 26 | 257 | 20 | 486 | 80DOE ≤ July 26 | 80DOE ≤ Sept 26 | 75DOE ≤ Aug 26 | 70DOE ≤ May 26 | 60DOE ≤ Apr 26 | All invited (257) | All invited (257) |
05
Cut-offs & capacity
189 Occupation CeilingTier 3
2025-26 · Structural Steel and Welding Trades Workers (3223xx)
Ceiling
775
1.0% multiplier
Grants (190/491/ENS)
289
Remaining for 189
486
Spots left (FY)
378 – 394
Minimum Points Invited
All sources · 17 data points
Est. Invitations Per Round
Federal SkillSelect · 9 rounds
Estimated based on this occupation's share of invited EOIs in the backlog. Not official data.
Point Reality Gauge
EOI minimum vs actual invited
Minimum (65)Actual (80)
Key Insights for Metal Fabricator
- ↑
Points are rising. Recent invited scores for Metal Fabricator are rising, which suggests competition may be increasing. Higher points generally improve 189 ranking; 190/491 outcomes still depend on each state and territory's policy and priorities.
- ⚠
Still 15 points above the EOI minimum. Despite current trends, Metal Fabricator remains competitive. Applicants significantly below 80 points are unlikely to receive invitations soon.
- ℹ
6 rounds so far in FY25-26. Metal Fabricator has been invited in 6 invitation rounds this financial year. The round count alone doesn't indicate future demand or guarantee invitations.
06
A profile of the invited
07
Metal Fabricator EOI queue & points distribution
How many people are ahead of me in the EOI pool for Metal Fabricator?
EOI Pool Distribution (All Subclasses)
09/2026 snapshot · 892 submitted EOIs in queue
Peak Points
65
At 80+ pts
254
Below Cutoff
635
EOI Submission Trends
Feb 24 – Sep 26
Latest
892
MoM Change
+17 (1.9%)
Peak Month
Sep 26 (892)
EOI Queue Age
Backlog by submission month — 09/2026 snapshot
Counts may differ from the EOI pool total. "Month Submitted" reflects the last submission date, and the Qlik data model may distribute EOIs across multiple months. Use this chart for relative distribution, not absolute queue sizes.
≥
In Queue
892
Oldest Waiting
Sep 24
Total Invited
204
Likelyⓘ
~21 mo ~ ~21 mo
Jul 2028~21 mo
Jul 2028Likely
Aug 2028~22 mo
Estimated wait based on monthly invitation rate variance. By the 25th percentile mark, there's a 25% chance you'll have been invited. By the 75th percentile, 75% likely.
Invitation Trends
Mar 24 – Sep 26
Latest
47
MoM Change
-7 (-13.0%)
Peak Month
Jun 26 (96)
08
Metal Fabricator round history
Round History
Source:
| Date | Subclass | Source | Points | Est. Invitations | Salary | DOE / EOI | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 Jun 2026 | 189 | Federal | 80 | 12–14 | — | — | |
| 30 Apr 2026 | 190 | NSWCommunity | 70 | — | 💰60000 | onshore | |
| 16 Apr 2026 | 190 | NSWCommunity | 70 | — | 💰60000 | onshore | |
| 5 Feb 2026 | 190 | QLDCommunity | 75 | — | 💰- | offshore | |
| 13 Nov 2025 | 189 | Federal | 85 | 6–7 | — | — | |
| 21 Aug 2025 | 189 | Federal | 105 | 1–1 | — | — | |
| 26 Feb 2025 | 190 | SACommunity | 70 | — | 💰- | offshore | |
| 7 Nov 2024 | 189 | Federal | 75 | 6–10 | — | — | |
| 13 Sep 2024 | 190 | SACommunity | 70 | — | 💰- | offshore | |
| 5 Sep 2024 | 189 | Federal | 75 | 12–15 | — | — | |
| 5 Sep 2024 | 189 | FederalCommunity | 80 | — | 💰- | onshore | |
| 5 Sep 2024 | 189 | FederalCommunity | 80 | — | 💰- | onshore | |
| 19 Aug 2024 | 190 | SACommunity | 70 | — | 💰- | offshore | |
| 13 Jun 2024 | 189 | Federal | 85 | 3–4 | — | — | |
| 13 Jun 2024 | 189 | FederalCommunity | 85 | — | 💰- | offshore | |
| 30 May 2024 | 190 | QLDCommunity | 75 | — | 💰- | onshore | |
| 19 Apr 2024 | 190 | NSWCommunity | 75 | — | 💰- | onshore | |
| 8 Dec 2022 | 491 | Federal | 65 | — | — | — | |
| 8 Dec 2022 | 189 | Federal | 65 | ~54Est. | — | — | |
| 22 Aug 2022 | 189 | Federal | 70 | ~19Est. | — | — |
- ··
- 190NSWCommunity70
- Est. Invitations
- —
- Salary
- 💰60000
- DOE / EOI
- onshore
·· - 190NSWCommunity70
- Est. Invitations
- —
- Salary
- 💰60000
- DOE / EOI
- onshore
·· - 190QLDCommunity75
- Est. Invitations
- —
- Salary
- 💰-
- DOE / EOI
- offshore
·· - 189Federal85
- Est. Invitations
- 6–7
- Salary
- —
- DOE / EOI
- —
·· - 189Federal105
- Est. Invitations
- 1–1
- Salary
- —
- DOE / EOI
- —
·· - 190SACommunity70
- Est. Invitations
- —
- Salary
- 💰-
- DOE / EOI
- offshore
·· - 189Federal75
- Est. Invitations
- 6–10
- Salary
- —
- DOE / EOI
- —
·· - 190SACommunity70
- Est. Invitations
- —
- Salary
- 💰-
- DOE / EOI
- offshore
·· - 189Federal75
- Est. Invitations
- 12–15
- Salary
- —
- DOE / EOI
- —
·· - 189FederalCommunity80
- Est. Invitations
- —
- Salary
- 💰-
- DOE / EOI
- onshore
·· - 189FederalCommunity80
- Est. Invitations
- —
- Salary
- 💰-
- DOE / EOI
- onshore
·· - 190SACommunity70
- Est. Invitations
- —
- Salary
- 💰-
- DOE / EOI
- offshore
·· - 189Federal85
- Est. Invitations
- 3–4
- Salary
- —
- DOE / EOI
- —
·· - 189FederalCommunity85
- Est. Invitations
- —
- Salary
- 💰-
- DOE / EOI
- offshore
·· - 190QLDCommunity75
- Est. Invitations
- —
- Salary
- 💰-
- DOE / EOI
- onshore
·· - 190NSWCommunity75
- Est. Invitations
- —
- Salary
- 💰-
- DOE / EOI
- onshore
·· - 491Federal65
- Est. Invitations
- —
- Salary
- —
- DOE / EOI
- —
·· - 189Federal65
- Est. Invitations
- ~54Est.
- Salary
- —
- DOE / EOI
- —
·· - 189Federal70
- Est. Invitations
- ~19Est.
- Salary
- —
- DOE / EOI
- —
··
FederalSkillSelectOfficialState governmentCommunityCrowdsourced
09
Metal Fabricator 190 / 491 state nominations
Which states nominate Metal Fabricator for 190 or 491?
190/491 State Nominations
EOI queue & eligibility per state for this occupation
133EOIs
Peak Bracket
65pts
Above Cutoff ≥80
41(31%)
31M Trend
↑ 2900%
Points Distribution
Queue Trend (31M)
Invited & Lodged (31M)
182EOIs
Peak Bracket
65pts
Above Cutoff ≥80
77(42%)
31M Trend
↑ 5900%
Points Distribution
Queue Trend (31M)
Invited & Lodged (31M)
69EOIs
Building & Construction
Peak Bracket
65pts
Above Cutoff ≥80
13(19%)
31M Trend
↑ 6300%
Points Distribution
Queue Trend (31M)
Invited & Lodged (31M)
64EOIs
Peak Bracket
65pts
Above Cutoff ≥80
8(13%)
31M Trend
↑ 3000%
Points Distribution
Queue Trend (31M)
Invited & Lodged (31M)
212EOIs
Peak Bracket
65pts
Above Cutoff ≥80
81(38%)
31M Trend
↑ 2843%
Points Distribution
Queue Trend (31M)
Invited & Lodged (31M)
17EOIs
Peak Bracket
65pts
Above Cutoff ≥80
3(18%)
31M Trend
↑ 650%
Points Distribution
Queue Trend (31M)
Invited & Lodged (31M)
26EOIs
Peak Bracket
65pts
Above Cutoff ≥80
4(15%)
31M Trend
↑ 2400%
Points Distribution
Queue Trend (31M)
Invited & Lodged (31M)
15EOIs
Peak Bracket
65pts
Above Cutoff ≥80
5(33%)
31M Trend
↑ 650%
Points Distribution
Queue Trend (31M)
Invited & Lodged (31M)
EOI counts may include multi-state nominations.
10
Metal Fabricator visa grants
How many Metal Fabricator visas were actually granted, and through which visa?
In 2024-25, 148 skilled visas went to Metal Fabricator main applicants, the 76th most of 581 occupations. Most came through employer sponsorship (186: 107).
25-26* is provisional: the full year to June 2026 from a Home Affairs data release. Hover for the figures; the official release is expected in late 2026.
| Visa | Share of total | 2024-25 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 148 | +9% | ||
72% | 107 | +18% | |
8% | 12 | — | |
8% | 12 | — | |
7% | 11 | — | |
4% | 6 | — |
494 includes the closed 187 (peak 70 in 2016-17). 491 includes the closed 489 (peak 8 in 2018-19). — means last year had fewer than 20 grants. Tap a colour to show or hide its line. The grey area is the total.
Show the numbers for every year
| Year | Total | 186 | 190 | 491 | 189 | 494 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015-16 | 210 | 97 | 12 | 7 | 26 | 68 |
| 2016-17 | 208 | 104 | 10 | 7 | 17 | 70 |
| 2017-18 | 143 | 75 | 14 | 5 | 7 | 42 |
| 2018-19 | 97 | 48 | 14 | 8 | 3 | 24 |
| 2019-20 | 97 | 58 | 13 | 6 | 1 | 19 |
| 2020-21 | 51 | 42 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| 2021-22 | 53 | 30 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 12 |
| 2022-23 | 193 | 100 | 34 | 17 | 2 | 40 |
| 2023-24 | 136 | 91 | 10 | 8 | 11 | 16 |
| 2024-25 | 148 | 107 | 12 | 6 | 11 | 12 |
Where they were granted
Employer location, 2024-25. Coloured by how each state's share of Metal Fabricator 186 grants compares with its usual share of all 186 grants.
- 1WAMore than usual37% · usually 17%40
- 2NSWLess than usual21% · usually 33%23
- 3QLDMore than usual21% · usually 15%22
- 4VICAbout usual19% · usually 25%20
- 5TASToo few to saytoo few to compare1
- 6NTToo few to saytoo few to compare1
- 7SAToo few to saytoo few to compare0
- 8ACTToo few to saytoo few to compare0
- More than usual (1.3× or more)
- About usual
- Less than usual (under 0.75×)
- Too few to say (under 10)
Who was granted
Country of citizenship, 2022-23 to 2024-25 combined.
- 1Philippines22.4%
- 2United Kingdom13.2%
- 3South Africa8.8%
- 4India8.0%
- 5Ireland7.8%
Data: July 2015 to June 2025, main applicants only. Occupation is recorded only for main applicants in the Skill stream, so partner, parent, business and 858 visas can't appear here, and temporary visas such as 482 aren't in this data. Source: Department of Home Affairs, BP0068 (CC BY). The views expressed are those of ImmiTrend and not necessarily those of the Department.
11
Common questions about Metal Fabricator
What points do you need for Metal Fabricator subclass 189?
Metal Fabricator was last invited for subclass 189 on 4 June 2026 at 80 points. In the last 6 rounds in which it was invited, the cut-off ranged 75–105 points.
Is the Metal Fabricator subclass 189 cut-off rising or easing?
The subclass 189 cut-off for Metal Fabricator has been trending upward across recent rounds — competition is increasing.
Is 85, 90 or 95 points enough to be invited for Metal Fabricator (subclass 189)?
In the last 6 subclass 189 rounds in which Metal Fabricator was invited (most recently on 4 June 2026), the cut-off ranged 75–105 points. Your points would have met the cut-off in: 95 points in 5 of 6, 90 points in 5 of 6, 85 points in 5 of 6, 80 points in 3 of 6, 75 points in 2 of 6. At 70 points or below, none of the last 6 rounds would have been met. Meeting a previous cut-off does not guarantee a future invitation — invitations also depend on your Date of Effect, the round size and other applicants.
Check how your own points and Date of Effect rank →What are the latest 190 and 491 cut-offs for Metal Fabricator?
For Metal Fabricator: subclass 190 was last invited at 70 points (30 April 2026). subclass 491 was last invited at 65 points (8 December 2022).
How do I compare to applicants who got invited for Metal Fabricator?
Subclass 190 and state/territory-nominated 491 invitations are issued by each state and territory under its own policy and priorities — not by national EOI queue order. ImmiTrend's Check My Score compares your points, English, salary, partner status, onshore/offshore status and NAATI against community-reported invited samples for Metal Fabricator. Samples may be incomplete — for reference only, not a guarantee.
Which states nominate Metal Fabricator for 190/491?
Metal Fabricator has state-nomination activity in: NSW, QLD, VIC, WA. State lists and quotas change each program year — check each state's official list.
How many subclass 189 places are likely left this FY2026-27 for Metal Fabricator?
Around 361 subclass 189 places are projected for Metal Fabricator in FY2026-27. The Department of Home Affairs has not yet published FY2026-27 occupation ceilings, so this is an ImmiTrend estimate based on prior-year ceilings and current pool data.
How long is the wait for Metal Fabricator at 80 points (subclass 189)?
At 80 points, the estimated subclass 189 wait for Metal Fabricator is about 6 months, based on the September 2026 EOI pool.
How long is the wait for Metal Fabricator at 85 points (subclass 189)?
At 85 points, the estimated subclass 189 wait for Metal Fabricator is less than a month, based on the September 2026 EOI pool.
How often are Metal Fabricator invitation rounds held?
Subclass 189: no federal rounds have been held yet in FY2026-27; the most recent was on 4 June 2026, and in FY2025-26 there were 3 federal rounds (21 August 2025, 13 November 2025 and 4 June 2026), with Metal Fabricator invited in 3 of them. State nominations in FY2025-26: subclass 190 invitations on 3 round dates and subclass 491 on none (NSW, QLD; 70–75 points).
How many Metal Fabricator visas were granted in 2024-25?
148 main applicants: 107 through 186, 12 through 190, 12 through 494, 11 through 189 and 6 through 491.
Related occupations
Structural Steel and Welding Trades Workers 3223
- 322311Metal FabricatorYou are here
- 322312Pressure WelderCompare
- 322313Welder (First Class)Compare
Related:Guide: check your 189 invitation chancesFirst 189 round of 2026-27, October update: every occupation’s projected cutoff189 invitation chances
Last updated 30 September 2026Sources:OfficialEstimatedCommunity-reported
Community-reported and estimated figures are indicative and may be incomplete — treat them as a guide, not a guarantee. Official figures come from Home Affairs / SkillSelect.
General information only — not migration advice.
Compiled by ImmiTrend from official SkillSelect data.