Subclass 187 Visa Grants 2024-25 by State, Occupation & Country

Closed → 494

Australia granted 217 subclass 187 places in 2024-25. The visa is closed to new applicants; subclass 494 replaced it. Its peak was 12,180 in 2015-16.

Official Home Affairs data (BP0068), released December 2025. Covers July 2015 to June 2025. Next release expected late 2026.

187 places granted each year

Program years 2015-16 to 2024-25, all states.

217places granted
71main applicants, down 80%
3.1people per visa, incl. family
96%of main applicants applied from within Australia
  • All places (main applicants + family)
  • Main applicants
Show the numbers for every year
YearPlacesMain applicants
2015-1612,1805,733
2016-1710,1904,748
2017-186,2212,765
2018-198,9874,369
2019-208,2873,608
2020-211,492582
2021-221,784672
2022-233,2351,218
2023-24961348
2024-2521771

187 grants by state

Main applicants by employer location. Select a state on the map to filter the whole page.

Where main applicants were granted

2024-25. Darker means more grants.

Western Australia — 14Northern Territory — 4South Australia — 3Queensland — 21New South Wales — 14Victoria — 8Tasmania — 4Australian Capital Territory — 3WA14NT4SA3QLD21NSW14VIC8TAS4ACT3

Change from 2023-24

Victoria fell by 76.

  1. TAS−3—
  2. NT−8—
  3. ACT−11—
  4. SA−22−88%
  5. WA−43−75%
  6. NSW−57−80%
  7. QLD−57−73%
  8. VIC−76−90%

187 grants by occupation

Main applicants, 2024-25 compared with 2023-24. 34 occupations were granted an 187.

Share of all 187 grants, change in percentage points. Occupations with at least 50 grants in either year.

Gaining share

No occupation had 50 or more grants in either year here.

Losing share

No occupation had 50 or more grants in either year here.

Rising and falling occupations across all skilled visas →

OccupationANZSCO2023-242024-25Share change
Motor Mechanic (General)321211227+3.5
Welder (First Class)322313226+2.1
Diesel Motor Mechanic321212145+3.0
Metal Fabricator322311114+2.5
Panelbeater324111114+2.5
Vehicle Painter32431184+3.3
Cook351411373−6.4
Pig Farmer12131883+1.9
Showing 8 of 81.

Who is granted an 187

Main applicants in 2024-25: 86% men, 14% women.

Country of citizenship

Share of main applicants.

  1. 1Philippines66.2%2023-24: 37.4%
  2. 2India5.6%2023-24: 23.6%
  3. 3United Kingdom4.2%2023-24: 3.4%
  4. 4Malaysia4.2%2023-24: 0.6%
  5. 5Fiji2.8%2023-24: 0.3%
  6. 6Italy2.8%2023-24: 0.3%

Age at grant

10% were aged 25 to 34, down from 65% in 2015-16. 61% were 40 or older.

  • 2024-25
  • 2015-16

Where 187 applicants applied from

96%applied from within Australia in 2024-25.

Share applying from within Australia, by year

Show the numbers for every year
  • 2015-1691%
  • 2016-1790%
  • 2017-1892%
  • 2018-1993%
  • 2019-2091%
  • 2020-2196%
  • 2021-2296%
  • 2022-2395%
  • 2023-2495%
  • 2024-2596%

Subclass 187 grants in 2024-25: summary

In program year 2024-25, Australia granted 217 subclass 187 places to 71 main applicants and 146 family members. Queensland had the most main applicants (21), down 73% on 2023-24. Motor Mechanic (General) was the most-granted occupation with 7 grants. 96% of main applicants applied from within Australia.

How to read this data

A grant is a visa actually issued in a program year (1 July to 30 June). It is counted when granted, not when invited. A nomination in one year is often granted the next, so grants trail the invitation rounds. “Places” counts main applicants and their family members.

Occupation is recorded only for main applicants in the Skill stream. State is where the applicant was employed. Temporary skilled and graduate visas such as 482 and 485 aren't in this data.

Questions about 187 grants

How many subclass 187 visas were granted in 2024-25?
217 places: 71 main applicants and 146 family members.
Which state had the most subclass 187 grants in 2024-25?
Queensland with 21 main applicants, followed by New South Wales (14).
Which occupations were granted the most subclass 187 visas in 2024-25?
Motor Mechanic (General) (7), Welder (First Class) (6) and Diesel Motor Mechanic (5).
How many subclass 187 applicants applied from inside Australia in 2024-25?
96% of main applicants applied from within Australia.

Source: Department of Home Affairs, BP0068 (CC BY 4.0). The views expressed are those of ImmiTrend and not necessarily those of the Department.

Last updated 22 December 2025Sources:Official

General information only — not migration advice.

Compiled by ImmiTrend from Department of Home Affairs visa grant data (BP0068).