Subclass 188 Visa Grants 2024-25 by State & Country

Closed

Australia granted 728 subclass 188 places in 2024-25. The visa is closed to new applicants. Its peak was 9,248 in 2020-21.

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

188 places granted each year

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

728places granted
180main applicants, down 50%
4.0people per visa, incl. family
20%of main applicants applied from within Australia
  • All places (main applicants + family)
  • Main applicants
Show the numbers for every year
YearPlacesMain applicants
2015-166,5571,853
2016-176,3111,771
2017-186,2041,724
2018-195,8051,637
2019-203,6161,016
2020-219,2482,648
2021-228,9402,606
2022-234,1361,199
2023-241,319360
2024-25728180

188 grants by state

Main applicants by place of residence. Select a state on the map to filter the whole page.

Where main applicants were granted

2024-25. Darker means more grants.

Western Australia — 10Northern Territory — 0South Australia — 26Queensland — 29New South Wales — 51Victoria — 62Tasmania — 1Australian Capital Territory — 0WA10NT0SA26QLD29NSW51VIC62TAS1ACT0

Change from 2023-24

Victoria fell by 53.

  1. ACT0—
  2. NT−2—
  3. TAS−3—
  4. WA−5—
  5. NSW−34−40%
  6. QLD−36−55%
  7. SA−48−65%
  8. VIC−53−46%

Who is granted an 188

Main applicants in 2024-25: 57% men, 43% women.

Country of citizenship

Share of main applicants.

  1. 1China62.8%2023-24: 51.1%
  2. 2Vietnam16.1%2023-24: 9.4%
  3. 3Iran3.9%2023-24: 8.9%
  4. 4Hong Kong3.3%2023-24: 12.5%
  5. 5Taiwan1.7%2023-24: 1.1%
  6. 6Bangladesh1.7%2023-24: 0.8%

Age at grant

3% were aged 25 to 34, down from 10% in 2015-16. 89% were 40 or older.

  • 2024-25
  • 2015-16

Where 188 applicants applied from

20%applied from within Australia in 2024-25.

Share applying from within Australia, by year

Show the numbers for every year
  • 2015-166%
  • 2016-175%
  • 2017-185%
  • 2018-198%
  • 2019-208%
  • 2020-2110%
  • 2021-228%
  • 2022-238%
  • 2023-2418%
  • 2024-2520%

Subclass 188 grants in 2024-25: summary

In program year 2024-25, Australia granted 728 subclass 188 places to 180 main applicants and 548 family members. Victoria had the most main applicants (62), down 46% on 2023-24. 20% 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.

State is where the applicant was living. Temporary skilled and graduate visas such as 482 and 485 aren't in this data.

Questions about 188 grants

How many subclass 188 visas were granted in 2024-25?
728 places: 180 main applicants and 548 family members.
Which state had the most subclass 188 grants in 2024-25?
Victoria with 62 main applicants, followed by New South Wales (51).
How many subclass 188 applicants applied from inside Australia in 2024-25?
20% 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).