September SkillSelect Surprises unimaginable. Immigration has finally released information on the September SkillSelect round, and the results are somewhat surprising! Only 100 subclass 189 visa invitations were sent out with a minimum of 85 points, and an eye-watering 95 points minimum required for Accountants.
In the final opportunity for a Subclass 489 Skilled Regional (Provisional) family-sponsored visa, Immigration issued 100 invitations. The lowest score required for applicants was also 85 points.
Pro-rata occupations:
Pro-rata occupations are classified as those for which there is more demand for places than there are places available. SkillSelect first allocates places to SC189 visas, and then if there are places available, to the SC489 family-sponsored visas. If all places are taken up by SC189 visa applications, then no SC489 invitations will be issued.
For the 11 September 2019 invitation round, the scores for pro-rata occupations were as follows:
| Occupation ID | Description | Minimum Points Score | Latest date of EOI |
| 2211 | Accountants | 95 | 05/09/2019 9:57pm |
| 2212 | Auditors, Company Secretaries and Corporate Treasurers | 85 | 03/08/2018 11:37am |
| 2334 | Electronics Engineer | 85 (SC489) | 28/05/2019 12:12am |
| 2335 | Industrial, Mechanical and Production Engineers | 95 | 10/09/2019 10:53pm |
| 2339 | Other Engineering Professionals | 95 (SC189) | 27/08/2019 4:41pm |
| 2339 | Other Engineering Professionals | 85 (SC489) | 03/06/2018 12:06am |
| 2611 | ICT Business and System Analysts | 85 (SC189) | 08/07/2019 3:29am |
| 2611 | ICT Business and System Analysts | 90 (SC489) | 23/08/2019 12:04pm |
| 2613 | Software and Applications Programmers | 85 (SC189) | 03/08/2019 3:22pm |
| 2613 | Software and Applications Programmers | 85 (SC489) | 05/07/2019 3:36pm |
| 2631 | Computer Network Professionals | 85 (SC189) | 10/07/2019 5:53am |
| 2631 | Computer Network Professionals | 85 (SC489) | 13/08/2019 2:44pm |
So who received invitations?
Based on our analysis of the previous occupational ceiling numbers, it appears that almost 25% of the total 200 invitations issued (for 189 and 489) went to Software and Applications Programmers (48), followed by 20 invitations for Database and Systems Administrators and ICT Security Specialists, 18 for Registered Nurses, and 16 for Civil Engineering Professionals. Only 15 invitations were sent for Accountants. Four invitations out of the 200 are unaccounted for, as they could be for occupations with less than 5 invitations in total (including Mechanics, Electricians, Chefs, and Physiotherapists).
Our Advice
As previously advised, if obtaining the high points that are required to be competitive is not possible, applicants may need to consider going to a regional area once the new Subclass 491 Skilled Regional visas open in November.
State sponsorship for a 190 visa is also still possible for most states (Queensland remains closed at the time of publishing this article), as only 65 points are generally required.
Employer sponsorship for a Subclass 482 TSS or an ENS/RSMS visa may also be a possibility for migrants with a job offer in their nominated occupation, however, please note that the RSMS Direct Entry pathway will close on 15 November 2019.
We encourage applicants to speak to a registered Migration Agent for sound professional advice on your options before potentially wasting your time and money. Also, check this page frequently for trends. https://www.eejaysblog.com We hope this September SkillSelect Surprises worked for you.
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