This data, obtained through a third-party FOI request, offers valuable guidance for skilled migration applicants seeking to understand how invitation availability may vary across occupations.
What Are Occupation Ceilings?
Occupation ceilings are policy limits used by the Australian Government to manage the intake of skilled migrants.
They:
- Apply to Subclass 189 and family-sponsored Subclass 491 visas
- Do not apply to employer-sponsored or state-nominated visas
- Are based on labour market data and program priorities
- Do not guarantee visa grants
The Department emphasises that ceilings are policy guidance tools, not final migration outcomes.
Complete Occupation Ceilings — Subclass 189 (2025–26)
The FOI data shows significant variation in available places across occupations.
| Occupation group | ANZSCO group | Occupation ceiling | Visa grants |
|---|---|---|---|
| REGISTERED NURSES | 2544 | 13929 | 10,390 |
| OTHER MEDICAL PRACTITIONERS | 2539 | 830 | 647 |
| SPECIALIST PHYSICIANS | 2533 | 578 | 473 |
| GENERAL PRACTITIONERS AND RESIDENT MEDICAL OFFICERS | 2531 | 3623 | 2,963 |
| PHYSIOTHERAPISTS | 2525 | 1911 | 1,553 |
| OCCUPATIONAL THERAPISTS | 2524 | 1192 | 1,008 |
| PSYCHIATRISTS | 2534 | 500 | 431 |
| AUDIOLOGISTS AND SPEECH PATHOLOGISTS / THERAPISTS | 2527 | 1061 | 994 |
| MIDWIVES | 2541 | 913 | 855 |
| MEDICAL IMAGING PROFESSIONALS | 2512 | 896 | 847 |
| SURGEONS | 2535 | 500 | 477 |
| OPTOMETRISTS AND ORTHOPTISTS | 2514 | 500 | 489 |
| PODIATRISTS | 2526 | 500 | 493 |
| EARLY CHILDHOOD (PRE-PRIMARY SCHOOL) TEACHERS | 2411 | 1583 | 1,027 |
| SOCIAL WORKERS | 2725 | 1009 | 876 |
| SECONDARY SCHOOL TEACHERS | 2414 | 3219 | 2,837 |
| CHILD CARE CENTRE MANAGERS | 1341 | 500 | 460 |
| PSYCHOLOGISTS | 2723 | 1056 | 992 |
| SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHERS | 2415 | 552 | 537 |
| INDUSTRIAL, MECHANICAL AND PRODUCTION ENGINEERS | 2335 | 500 | - |
| CIVIL ENGINEERING PROFESSIONALS | 2332 | 745 | - |
| OTHER ENGINEERING PROFESSIONALS | 2339 | 500 | - |
| ELECTRICAL ENGINEERS | 2333 | 500 | - |
| MOTOR MECHANICS | 3212 | 1097 | - |
| ELECTRONICS ENGINEERS | 2334 | 500 | 25 |
| CIVIL ENGINEERING DRAFTSPERSONS AND TECHNICIANS | 3122 | 500 | 130 |
| ARCHITECTS AND LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS | 2321 | 500 | 221 |
| CHEMICAL AND MATERIALS ENGINEERS | 2331 | 500 | 237 |
| PAINTING TRADES WORKERS | 3322 | 523 | 231 |
| MINING ENGINEERS | 2336 | 500 | 275 |
| UNIVERSITY LECTURERS AND TUTORS | 2421 | 662 | 89 |
| CHEMISTS, AND FOOD AND WINE SCIENTISTS | 2342 | 500 | 301 |
| CARPENTERS AND JOINERS | 3312 | 1481 | 908 |
| MANAGEMENT AND ORGANISATION ANALYSTS | 2247 | 1011 | 603 |
| CONSTRUCTION MANAGERS | 1331 | 1292 | 802 |
| STRUCTURAL STEEL AND WELDING TRADES WORKERS | 3223 | 775 | 486 |
| AGRICULTURAL AND FORESTRY SCIENTISTS | 2341 | 500 | 322 |
| LIFE SCIENTISTS | 2345 | 500 | 323 |
| GEOLOGISTS, GEOPHYSICISTS AND HYDROGEOLOGISTS | 2344 | 500 | 338 |
| METAL FITTERS AND MACHINISTS | 3232 | 1244 | 873 |
| WALL AND FLOOR TILERS | 3334 | 500 | 363 |
| SURVEYORS AND SPATIAL SCIENTISTS | 2322 | 500 | 372 |
| ENGINEERING MANAGERS | 1332 | 500 | 374 |
| ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING DRAFTSPERSONS AND TECHNICIANS | 3123 | 500 | 382 |
| ACTUARIES, MATHEMATICIANS AND STATISTICIANS | 2241 | 500 | 394 |
| ELECTRICAL TRADES WORKERS | 3423 | 500 | 395 |
| ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENTISTS | 2343 | 500 | 397 |
| BRICKLAYERS AND STONEMASONS | 3311 | 500 | 399 |
| OTHER SPECIALIST MANAGERS | 1399 | 670 | 533 |
| ELECTRICIANS | 3411 | 1880 | 1,594 |
| PLUMBERS | 3341 | 1047 | 891 |
| VETERINARIANS | 2347 | 500 | 426 |
| OTHER NATURAL AND PHYSICAL SCIENCE PROFESSIONALS | 2349 | 500 | 441 |
| SPORTS COACHES, INSTRUCTORS AND OFFICIALS | 4523 | 588 | 522 |
| SOLICITORS | 2713 | 943 | 850 |
| PLASTERERS | 3332 | 500 | 450 |
| OTHER HEALTH DIAGNOSTIC AND PROMOTION PROFESSIONALS | 2519 | 500 | 456 |
| CABINETMAKERS | 3941 | 500 | 456 |
| AIRCONDITIONING AND REFRIGERATION MECHANICS | 3421 | 500 | 457 |
| ECONOMISTS | 2243 | 500 | 461 |
| HEALTH AND WELFARE SERVICES MANAGERS | 1342 | 500 | 464 |
| ANIMAL ATTENDANTS AND TRAINERS | 3611 | 500 | 465 |
| AUTOMOTIVE ELECTRICIANS | 3211 | 500 | 466 |
| PANELBEATERS | 3241 | 500 | 472 |
| GLAZIERS | 3331 | 500 | 479 |
| BOAT BUILDERS AND SHIPWRIGHTS | 3991 | 500 | 483 |
| LAND ECONOMISTS AND VALUERS | 2245 | 500 | 484 |
| ELECTRICAL DISTRIBUTION TRADES WORKERS | 3422 | 500 | 485 |
| SHEETMETAL TRADES WORKERS | 3222 | 500 | 486 |
| MEDICAL LABORATORY SCIENTISTS | 2346 | 500 | 487 |
| ARTISTIC DIRECTORS AND MEDIA PRODUCERS | 2121 | 500 | 500 |
| ACTORS, DANCERS AND ENTERTAINERS | 2111 | 500 | 500 |
| CHEFS | 3513 | 604 | - |
| SOFTWARE AND APPLICATIONS PROGRAMMERS | 2613 | 912 | - |
| ICT BUSINESS AND SYSTEMS ANALYSTS | 2611 | 500 | - |
| ACCOUNTANTS | 2211 | 1039 | - |
| COMUPTER NETWROK PROFESSIONALS | 2631 | 500 | - |
| AUDITORS , COMPANY SECRETERIES, CORPORATE TREASURERES | 2212 | 500 | - |
| DATAVASE , SYSTEMS ADMINSISTRATORS, ICT SECUIRITY SPECIALIST | 2621 | 500 | - |
| TELECOMUNICATIONS ENGINEERING PROFESSIONALS | 2633 | 500 | 228 |
| MULTIMEDIA SPECIALISTS , WEB DEVELOPERS | 2612 | 500 | 287 |
| TELECOMMUNICATIONS TECHNICAL SPECIALISTS | 3132 | 500 | 438 |
Occupations Where Visa Grants Have Already Exceeded the Ceiling
The FOI data shows that in several occupations, the number of visas granted during the 2025–26 program year has already exceeded the official occupation ceiling. This occurs where the “Remaining Places” column displays “–”, indicating that visa grants have gone beyond the planned allocation.
Engineering Occupations
- Civil Engineering Professionals (ANZSCO 2332)
Occupation ceiling: 745
Visas granted: 878 - Other Engineering Professionals (ANZSCO 2339)
Occupation ceiling: 500
Visas granted: 618 - Electrical Engineers (ANZSCO 2333)
Occupation ceiling: 500
Visas granted: 530 - Industrial, Mechanical and Production Engineers (ANZSCO 2335)
Occupation ceiling: 500
Visas granted: 574
Technical & Trade Occupations
- Motor Mechanics (ANZSCO 3212)
Occupation ceiling: 1,097
Visas granted: 1,145 - Chefs (ANZSCO 3513)
Occupation ceiling: 604
Visas granted: 742
ICT & Professional Occupations
- Software and Applications Programmers (ANZSCO 2613)
Occupation ceiling: 912
Visas granted: 1,102 - ICT Business and Systems Analysts (ANZSCO 2611)
Occupation ceiling: 500
Visas granted: 542 - Accountants (ANZSCO 2211)
Occupation ceiling: 1,039
Visas granted: 1,127 - Computer Network Professionals
Occupation ceiling: 500
Visas granted: 756 - Auditors, Company Secretaries and Corporate Treasurers
Occupation ceiling: 500
Visas granted: 751 - Database and Systems Administrators, and ICT Security Specialists
Occupation ceiling: 500
Visas granted: 643
Why This Happens and What It Means for Applicants
Occupation ceilings are planning thresholds, not strict legal limits. As a result, visa grants can sometimes exceed the allocated ceiling for certain occupations.
This can occur due to:
- Invitations issued in previous program years but finalised later
- Processing backlogs being cleared
- Labour-market priority adjustments
- Administrative timing differences between invitations and visa decisions
For applicants, once an occupation exceeds its ceiling, it usually indicates that:
- New invitations become extremely limited
- Points thresholds typically increase
- Invitation rounds may pause temporarily
- Competition intensifies significantly
In practical terms, when an occupation exceeds its ceiling, it is effectively considered saturated for the remainder of the program year.
Important note (because accuracy matters)
These numbers come directly from the FOI table column: “Number of visa grants in PY 25–26”and are not estimates or projections.
