Here’s a fresh roundup of the latest updates shaping the Australian migration landscape as we head toward the end of 2025.
189 Visa and Invitation Round
Can you believe it? Just when it felt like the 189 Skilled Independent Visa program had drifted off into the sunset, the Department of Home Affairs surprised us with fresh rounds of invitations. The first round for the 2026 financial year came in August, followed by an early heads-up for a November round.
The November focus was on:
Health professionals – nurses, doctors, and allied health specialists.
Teachers and educators – especially in early childhood, secondary, and special education.
Construction and trade workers – electricians, carpenters, plumbers, engineers, and similar roles.
Social and community service workers – supporting aged care, disability services, community welfare, and broader social support needs.
This round shows Australia’s continuing commitment to filling national skill shortages with qualified professionals who can plug straight into critical workforce gaps.
Are you a professional or tradesperson in one of these areas? There’s no guarantee of further invitations this financial year – or what they might focus on – so don’t miss your chance. If you’re eligible and everything is lined up, lodge your EOI while the window is open.
Invitation allocation number 190/491
Each year, Australian states and territories receive a nomination allocation. This allows them to nominate skilled migrants for the State Nominated (190) and Regional (491) visa streams within the permanent Migration Program.
This year’s allocation arrived much later than usual, so we’re hoping the states and territories will be generous with their invitations to make up for lost time.
That said, it’s important to remember that the number of available places is always far smaller than the number of people submitting Expressions of Interest. Each state and territory sets its own occupation lists and criteria, and meeting them doesn’t guarantee an invite. To strengthen your chances, aim for the highest points possible. In reality, the only factor you can quickly improve in the short term is your English test score — it’s often the single biggest points booster within your control.
Allocations are determined by considering:
the workforce and demographic needs of each jurisdiction
the number of visa applications already on hand
the overall Migration Program planning levels
2025–26 State and Territory Nomination Allocations
MATES is a new temporary mobility pathway designed for Indian graduates and early-career professionals with expertise in key technical fields. It allows successful applicants to live and work in Australia for up to two years. Eligible areas of study include renewable energy, mining, engineering, ICT, artificial intelligence, financial technology, and agricultural technology.
The program offers up to 3,000 Subclass 403 (MATES stream) visas each year, and applicants are selected through a pre-application ballot. Think of it as a lottery—minus the jackpot, but with a pretty great Australian work-experience opportunity.
To participate, you must first register for the ballot. Only those randomly selected will be invited to apply for the visa. No invitation = no application.
Key eligibility requirements
Applicants must:
• Be selected in the ballot • Be aged 18 to 30 (inclusive) at the start of the ballot registration period • Not have previously participated in MATES • Have graduated within two years of the ballot opening, from an eligible institution • Hold a Bachelor degree or higher relevant to one of the approved sectors • Demonstrate proficient English (IELTS 6 overall, minimum 5 in each band or equivalent) • Show evidence of financial capacity • Hold adequate health insurance • Meet standard character and health requirements
Eligibility is quite strict, especially regarding the educational institution. Only graduates from the Top 100 institutions listed in India’s National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) Overall 2024 list qualify. Institutions must match the official name and location exactly — affiliated colleges not on the Top 100 list do not count.
Additionally, graduates must have completed their qualification on or after 1 November 2023.
Why a ballot?
The ballot system is intended to give eligible Indian nationals equal access and ensure a fair, transparent selection process. Although only 3,000 primary applicants will be selected each year, successful applicants may bring eligible family members — and these do not count toward the cap.
Please note: registering for the ballot costs AUD 25, and if you are selected, you must still meet all visa criteria before the visa can be granted.
We all remember the optimistic promises from the Department of Home Affairs last December: the new 482 SID visa would be a faster, simpler way for employers to meet staffing needs, with processing times as short as 11 days.
Well… that honeymoon period didn’t last long. The current processing time for most 482 visas is now sitting at around six months. And to be fair, the reasons do make sense:
The criteria for the new 482 are more relaxed than the old 482 TSS, so naturally more people are applying.
A surge in applications creates pressure on DHA staffing levels. New officers are being hired, but training takes time — and as an agent, I can confirm that some decisions and requests definitely show signs of a colleague who’s very new to the job.
DHA also still needs to finalise the old 482 TSS backlog, where applicants have been waiting up to 14 months for a temporary visa. (Yes — fourteen.)
Unless you fall under certain priority circumstances — such as:
Your employer is an accredited sponsor
You’re applying in the specialist skills stream
Your salary is well above the CSIT threshold
— you’ll likely need to prepare for a longer wait.
Can you do anything to help?
Absolutely. You can’t speed up the queue, but you can make your application easier to process once it reaches an officer’s desk. That means:
Providing all documents upfront
Lodging a fully decision-ready application
Requesting the correct police certificates
Completing medical checks soon after lodgement
Including translations for any non-English documents
This won’t get you picked faster, but it will reduce the chance of unnecessary delays and those wonderfully time-consuming “requests for further information.”
Kalgoorlie + South West DAMA merging and take away from your conference
That’s it! What we’ve been saying loud and clear on our YouTube channel is finally unfolding. The Government is giving serious weight to DAMA pathways — and honestly, we couldn’t be happier. We’re embracing this shift with open arms.
Last week, our senior agents attended a migration conference in Kalgoorlie hosted by the local Regional Representative and the Department of Home Affairs. A key message was unmistakable: Western Australia is moving toward a single, unified DAMA framework.
Regional stakeholders across WA are collaborating closely with the Department of Training and Workforce Development, the team behind the Statewide WA DAMA. The plan is to progressively bring all existing DAMA programs under one umbrella. The first merger will be the Goldfields DAMA, followed by the South West DAMA. In practice, as each DAMA reaches the end of its five-year agreement, it will transition under the WA DAMA jurisdiction.
As these programs evolve, several important questions still need answers, such as:
Will the visa quotas change?
Will there be one consolidated occupation list?
If so, will all occupations be accessible statewide, or will some remain region-specific?
What happens to the current concessions — English, age, salary, skills?
We’ll be watching these developments closely and will share updates as soon as they’re released.
The information provided is a general guide and does not constitute legal or immigration advice; there are many regulations that may apply depending on each individual’s circumstances alongside changes in the industry. It is the user’s responsibility to verify the currency of information. Those seeking advice should engage a MARA registered migration agent.
📩 For business inquiries: info@greenwingsmigration.com.au ✅ MARN 1679969 | QEAC M628 🏆 Best Migration Agency in Western Australia for 2023 by APAC Legal Awards
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