Blog · 2026-09-05

Australia's in-demand occupations 2026: the CSOL and the visas that go with it

Who Australia is actually inviting in 2026, which visas fit, how many points you need and what the move will cost

In short: what has changed by September 2026

If you researched Australian migration a year ago, half of the numbers you remember are out of date. Here is what applies now.

• The 2026-27 permanent migration program: 185,000 places, 132,240 of them in the skilled streams. Employer-sponsored visas rose to 58,040 places (+14,040), the 189 visa to 21,090 (+4,190) and state nomination 190 to 35,500 (+2,500). Regional visas 491/494/191 were cut from 33,000 to 14,110, and the Talent and Innovation stream from 5,300 to 3,500.
• Salary thresholds for sponsored visas from 1 July 2026: Core Skills Income Threshold (CSIT) AUD 79,423, Specialist Skills Income Threshold (SSIT) AUD 146,576. The figures 79,499 and 146,717 still circulating online come from a miscalculation; the official numbers are lower.
• Government fees went up by roughly 25% on 1 July 2026: AUD 4,015 for the 482 visa and AUD 6,135-6,140 for the 189/190/491 visas for the main applicant.
• The 189 invitation round of 4 June 2026 issued 10,000 invitations. Construction trades got in at 65 points, health and teaching at 75, while ICT occupations, civil and mechanical engineers and accountants received no invitations at all.
• A points test reform is under discussion but not legislated. A realistic start date is mid-2027 at the earliest.

The Core Skills Occupation List and how to read it

The CSOL is a single list of 456 occupations coded under ANZSCO 2022. It took effect on 7 December 2024 and replaced the old MLTSSL and STSOL for sponsored visas. It is compiled by Jobs and Skills Australia from labour market analysis and industry consultation, not by the immigration department. It is refreshed more often than the old lists, and that cuts both ways: occupations can be added, and they can be removed.

Three things worth understanding about the CSOL.

• It unlocks the Core Skills stream of the 482 visa and the Direct Entry stream of the permanent 186 visa. The independent 189/190/491 visas run on their own lists and rules.
• Being on the list does not get you a visa. It only means an employer is allowed to sponsor you. Without an employer the list is worthless.
• The CSOL is a legislative instrument. Applications are assessed against the list in force on the date of decision, not the date of lodgement. If your occupation is removed while you wait, the refusal is lawful.

Top in-demand occupations by group

Below are the occupations that are actually receiving invitations and nominations in 2026, together with the route that works for each. Points are the minimum scores from the 189 round of 4 June 2026.

The uncomfortable conclusion for the IT crowd: the Australian market is not closed to developers, but the government has stopped handing them permanent visas directly. The demand is real; it is now met through employer sponsorship, not through SkillSelect.

The Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482)

This visa replaced the Temporary Skill Shortage visa on 7 December 2024. The basics are unchanged: a sponsoring employer, a stay of up to 4 years, three streams with different rules. For a detailed breakdown of the conditions and how it differs from the old TSS, see our pages on the Skills in Demand visa and the 482 visa.

Specialist Skills stream

No occupation list, apart from the excluded trades, machinery operators and drivers (ANZSCO major groups 3, 7 and 8). One condition: a guaranteed salary of at least the SSIT, AUD 146,576 from 1 July 2026. Processing as of early September 2026: 50% of applications within 15 days, 90% within 45 days. The target is around 3,000 visas a year.

Core Skills stream

The occupation must be on the CSOL, and the salary must be at least the CSIT of AUD 79,423 and at the same time no lower than the market rate for the role (the Annual Market Salary Rate). This is the main stream by volume. Processing: 50% within 4 months, 90% within 9 months.

Labour Agreement stream

For industry and regional agreements (including DAMAs) where the occupation is not listed or the salary is below the threshold. The separate Essential Skills stream promised for lower-paid but critical sectors (aged care, disability) has still not launched, so everything runs through labour agreements. Processing: 50% within 7 months, 90% within 10.

Common requirements

• At least 1 year of experience in the occupation or a related field within the last 5 years (previously 2 years).
• English at IELTS 5.0 in each component or equivalent.
• No age limit for the 482 itself, but the move to the permanent 186 carries a 45-year cap with exemptions.
• If your employment ends, you have 180 consecutive days (no more than 365 over the life of the visa) to find a new sponsor, and you may work for any employer in the meantime.
• Permanent residence: after 2 years of sponsored work, via the 186 visa in the Temporary Residence Transition stream. All sponsored time counts, even if you changed employers.

The independent visas: 189, 190 and 491

These are points-tested visas run through SkillSelect: you lodge an Expression of Interest, accumulate points and wait for an invitation.

• 189 Skilled Independent - no state, no employer, permanent residence from day one. 21,090 places in 2026-27. The last round on 4 June 2026 issued 10,000 invitations; the next was expected by the end of September. Processing: 50% within 7 months, 90% within 8.
• 190 Skilled Nominated - a state nomination adds 5 points and gives permanent residence. States usually expect you to live there for 2 years. 35,500 places. Processing: 50% within 5 months, 90% within 17.
• 491 Skilled Work Regional - a 5-year provisional visa for regional areas, +15 points. After 3 years with a verified income you can move to the permanent 191. All regional visas combined received only 14,110 places, so expect fierce competition for nominations. Processing is the slowest: 50% within 16 months, 90% within 26.

States open their 2026-27 programs in stages. The Northern Territory opened on 21 August 2026 with 850 nominations for 190 and 1,000 for 491. For the other states check their own websites: quotas and lists change every year, and popular streams close within months.

Government fees from 1 July 2026: 189 at AUD 6,135, 190 and 491 at AUD 6,140 for the main applicant, plus AUD 3,070 per adult family member and around AUD 1,540 per child (payment to the government). A family of three pays the government about AUD 10,750 before skills assessment and tests.

How the points test works

The minimum to lodge an EOI is 65 points. In practice, in 2026 only construction trades get invited at 65; health and teaching need 75-80, electronics engineers 95.

Example: a 34-year-old engineer (25) with superior English (20), 8 years of overseas experience (15), a master's degree (15) and a partner without a skills assessment scores 75. That is enough for a 190 with a nomination and not enough for a 189 in that occupation.

On the reform. The government launched a review of the points test back in 2024 and confirmed in the 2026-27 Budget that it intends to rebuild it: more weight on age and English, points for high income earned in Australia, a likely cut to Australian study bonuses and a probable rise in the minimum to 70. As of September 2026 nothing has been legislated, consultations are ongoing and a realistic start is mid-2027. If you are 33 or older, or are counting on the Australian degree bonus, waiting is a losing strategy.

National Innovation Visa (subclass 858)

This visa replaced the Global Talent visa on 6 December 2024. It is a permanent visa with no points, no occupation list and no salary threshold, for people with an internationally recognised record of achievement in priority sectors. See our page on the National Innovation Visa and our review of what happened to Global Talent for requirements and evidence.

How it works: a free EOI, then an invitation, then 60 days to lodge. Invitations follow four priority tiers under Ministerial Direction 112: winners of world-class awards, candidates nominated by a government agency, achievers in Tier One sectors (critical technologies, health industries, renewables and low-emission technologies), and achievers in Tier Two sectors (agri-food and agtech, defence and space, education, financial services and fintech, infrastructure and transport, resources). You need a nominator with a national reputation in your field, using Form 1000.

Now the odds. In April-June 2026, 2,166 EOIs were lodged and 248 invitations issued: 192 in priority three, 38 in priority four and fewer than 25 in the top two tiers. By sector: critical technologies 122, health 45, renewables 33, fintech 14. Since launch, more than 9,000 EOIs, roughly 300 invitations and about 85 visas granted by early 2026. The 2026-27 allocation is 3,500 places, down from 5,300. Processing after lodgement is quick: 50% within 4 months, 90% within 7. The government fee for the main applicant was AUD 4,985 before July 2026 and also rose on 1 July; check the exact figure in the Home Affairs pricing estimator.

Real timelines and budget: a summary

On top of the government fees, budget for a skills assessment (AUD 500-1,500 and 6-12 weeks depending on the authority), an English test, medicals, police checks and translations. For a 482, the employer's sponsorship costs and SAF levy on a 4-year visa come to AUD 5,550-9,950, which is one reason mid-sized businesses sponsor reluctantly.

What to do if your occupation is on the list

• Check your occupation code under ANZSCO 2022 and compare the task description with what you actually do. A mismatch between title and duties is a common reason for a failed assessment.
• Start with the skills assessment: ACS for IT, Engineers Australia for engineers, AHPRA and ANMAC for health, AITSL for teachers, TRA for trades, VETASSESS for most others. Neither an EOI nor sponsorship works without it.
• Take the English test to the highest level you realistically can. The gap between proficient and superior is 10 points, more than a master's degree gives you.
• Lodge your SkillSelect EOI and state Registrations of Interest in parallel, not one after another. Invitations only go to active EOIs.
• If you are in IT or engineering, start looking for a sponsor now. Waiting for a 189 round in those occupations in 2026 is wasted time.

For an overview of Australian visas and residence requirements, see our pages on Australian residence permits and Australia.

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