What has been circulating online for weeks is now official: Australia has confirmed a new 4-tier system for occupation ceilings under the Subclass 189 (Skilled Independent) and Subclass 491 (Family Sponsored) visas for the 2025–26 program year.
So, if you have applied for a Skilled Independent visa or Family Sponsored visa or are planning to apply, check your occupation tier and understand the number of available spots in your field.
Understanding Occupation Ceilings
Occupation ceilings define how many visa spots are available for each occupation under the 189 and 491 visa programs. The new 4-tier system determines the multiplier applied to each occupation based on its demand:
- Tier 1: High-demand occupations
- Tier 2: Moderate-demand occupations
- Tier 3: Low-demand occupations
- Tier 4: Minimal-demand occupations
However, occupation ceilings are subject to change based on operational requirements, Ministerial Directions, and shifting government priorities.
Some Key Points to Remember
- Ceilings only apply to Subclass 189 and Subclass 491 (Family Sponsored) visas.
- Skilled Nominated visa 190 and Employer-sponsored visas are not affected.
- A minimum floor of 500 spots applies where calculations are low.
Full 2025–26 Occupation Ceilings
| Unit Code | Occupation | Tier | Multiplier | Average Stock | Occupation Ceiling | Grants in PY24/25 | Remaining Places PY25/26 |
| 2544 | Registered Nurses | 1 | 4% | 348,233 | 13,929 | 3,539 | 10,390 |
| 2539 | Other Medical Practitioners | 1 | 4% | 20,749 | 830 | 183 | 647 |
| 2533 | Specialist Physicians | 1 | 4% | 14,449 | 578 | 105 | 473 |
| 2531 | General Practitioners & Resident Medical Officers | 1 | 4% | 90,567 | 3,623 | 660 | 2,963 |
| 2525 | Physiotherapists | 1 | 4% | 47,783 | 1,911 | 358 | 1,553 |
| 2524 | Occupational Therapists | 1 | 4% | 29,799 | 1,192 | 184 | 1,008 |
| 2534 | Psychiatrists | 1 | 4% | 7,816 | 500 | 69 | 431 |
| 2527 | Audiologists & Speech Pathologists | 1 | 4% | 26,525 | 1,061 | 67 | 994 |
| 2541 | Midwives | 1 | 4% | 22,832 | 913 | 58 | 855 |
| 2512 | Medical Imaging Professionals | 1 | 4% | 22,391 | 896 | 49 | 847 |
| 2535 | Surgeons | 1 | 4% | 11,374 | 500 | 23 | 477 |
| 2514 | Optometrists & Orthoptists | 1 | 4% | 8,798 | 500 | 11 | 489 |
| 2526 | Podiatrists | 1 | 4% | 6,741 | 500 | 7 | 493 |
| 2411 | Early Childhood Teachers | 2 | 2% | 79,172 | 1,583 | 556 | 1,027 |
| 2725 | Social Workers | 2 | 2% | 50,447 | 1,009 | 133 | 876 |
| 2414 | Secondary School Teachers | 2 | 2% | 160,951 | 3,219 | 382 | 2,837 |
| 1341 | Child Care Centre Managers | 2 | 2% | 16,305 | 500 | 40 | 460 |
| 2723 | Psychologists | 2 | 2% | 52,778 | 1,056 | 64 | 992 |
| 2415 | Special Education Teachers | 2 | 2% | 27,577 | 552 | 15 | 537 |
| 2335 | Industrial, Mechanical & Production Engineers | 3 | 1% | 38,154 | 500 | – | 1,848 |
| 2332 | Civil Engineering Professionals | 3 | 1% | 74,491 | 745 | – | 2,013 |
| 2339 | Other Engineering Professionals | 3 | 1% | 16,155 | 500 | – | 1,180 |
| 2333 | Electrical Engineers | 3 | 1% | 32,989 | 500 | – | 950 |
| 3212 | Motor Mechanics | 3 | 1% | 109,684 | 1,097 | – | 1,178 |
| 2334 | Electronics Engineers | 3 | 1% | 5,171 | 500 | 25 | 475 |
| 3122 | Civil Engineering Draftspersons & Technicians | 3 | 1% | 15,705 | 500 | 130 | 370 |
| 2321 | Architects & Landscape Architects | 3 | 1% | 35,899 | 500 | 221 | 279 |
| 2331 | Chemical & Materials Engineers | 3 | 1% | 7,006 | 500 | 237 | 263 |
| 3322 | Painting Trades Workers | 3 | 1% | 52,310 | 523 | 231 | 292 |
| 2336 | Mining Engineers | 3 | 1% | 17,180 | 500 | 275 | 225 |
| 2421 | University Lecturers & Tutors | 3 | 1% | 66,169 | 662 | 89 | 573 |
| 2342 | Chemists, Food & Wine Scientists | 3 | 1% | 9,826 | 500 | 301 | 199 |
| 3312 | Carpenters & Joiners | 3 | 1% | 148,137 | 1,481 | 573 | 908 |
| 2247 | Management & Organisation Analysts | 3 | 1% | 101,112 | 1,011 | 408 | 603 |
| 1331 | Construction Managers | 3 | 1% | 129,224 | 1,292 | 490 | 802 |
| 3223 | Structural Steel & Welding Trades Workers | 3 | 1% | 77,475 | 775 | 486 | 289 |
| 2341 | Agricultural & Forestry Scientists | 3 | 1% | 9,596 | 500 | 322 | 178 |
| 2345 | Life Scientists | 3 | 1% | 9,685 | 500 | 323 | 177 |
| 2344 | Geologists, Geophysicists & Hydrogeologists | 3 | 1% | 15,044 | 500 | 338 | 162 |
| 3232 | Metal Fitters & Machinists | 3 | 1% | 124,440 | 1,244 | 371 | 873 |
| 3334 | Wall & Floor Tilers | 3 | 1% | 21,015 | 500 | 363 | 137 |
| 2322 | Surveyors & Spatial Scientists | 3 | 1% | 19,051 | 500 | 372 | 128 |
| 1332 | Engineering Managers | 3 | 1% | 31,989 | 500 | 374 | 126 |
| 3123 | Electrical Engineering Draftspersons & Technicians | 3 | 1% | 9,584 | 500 | 382 | 118 |
| 2241 | Actuaries, Mathematicians & Statisticians | 3 | 1% | 11,531 | 500 | 394 | 106 |
| 3423 | Electronics Trades Workers | 3 | 1% | 31,720 | 500 | 395 | 105 |
| 2343 | Environmental Scientists | 3 | 1% | 30,800 | 500 | 397 | 103 |
| 3311 | Bricklayers & Stonemasons | 3 | 1% | 22,700 | 500 | 399 | 101 |
| 1399 | Other Specialist Managers | 3 | 1% | 67,032 | 670 | 533 | 137 |
| 3411 | Electricians | 3 | 1% | 188,003 | 1,880 | 1,286 | 594 |
| 3341 | Plumbers | 3 | 1% | 104,672 | 1,047 | 156 | 891 |
| 2347 | Veterinarians | 3 | 1% | 16,875 | 500 | 74 | 426 |
| 2349 | Other Natural & Physical Science Professionals | 3 | 1% | 14,197 | 500 | 59 | 441 |
| 4523 | Sports Coaches, Instructors & Officials | 3 | 1% | 58,755 | 588 | 66 | 522 |
| 2713 | Solicitors | 3 | 1% | 94,263 | 943 | 93 | 850 |
| 3332 | Plasterers | 3 | 1% | 31,772 | 500 | 50 | 450 |
| 2519 | Other Health Diagnostic & Promotion Professionals | 3 | 1% | 10,969 | 500 | 44 | 456 |
| 3941 | Cabinetmakers | 3 | 1% | 39,329 | 500 | 44 | 456 |
| 3421 | Airconditioning & Refrigeration Mechanics | 3 | 1% | 34,714 | 500 | 43 | 457 |
| 2243 | Economists | 3 | 1% | 4,977 | 500 | 39 | 461 |
| 1342 | Health & Welfare Services Managers | 3 | 1% | 41,489 | 500 | 36 | 464 |
| 3611 | Animal Attendants & Trainers | 3 | 1% | 24,282 | 500 | 35 | 465 |
| 3211 | Automotive Electricians | 3 | 1% | 9,747 | 500 | 34 | 466 |
| 3241 | Panelbeaters | 3 | 1% | 12,515 | 500 | 28 | 472 |
| 3331 | Glaziers | 3 | 1% | 7,826 | 500 | 21 | 479 |
| 3991 | Boat Builders & Shipwrights | 3 | 1% | 2,467 | 500 | 17 | 483 |
| 2245 | Land Economists & Valuers | 3 | 1% | 16,113 | 500 | 16 | 484 |
| 3422 | Electrical Distribution Trades Workers | 3 | 1% | 12,536 | 500 | 15 | 485 |
| 3222 | Sheetmetal Trades Workers | 3 | 1% | 6,617 | 500 | 14 | 486 |
| 2346 | Medical Laboratory Scientists | 3 | 1% | 31,712 | 500 | 13 | 487 |
| 2112 | Music Professionals | 3 | 1% | 9,090 | 500 | <5 | <500 |
| 3233 | Precision Metal Trades Workers | 3 | 1% | 7,405 | 500 | <5 | <500 |
| 2521 | Chiropractors & Osteopaths | 3 | 1% | 9,052 | 500 | <5 | <500 |
| 4524 | Sportspersons | 3 | 1% | 15,811 | 500 | <5 | <500 |
| 2711 | Barristers | 3 | 1% | 8,811 | 500 | <5 | <500 |
| 2121 | Artistic Directors, Media Producers & Presenters | 3 | 1% | 15,415 | 500 | 0 | 500 |
| 2111 | Actors, Dancers & Other Entertainers | 3 | 1% | 9,855 | 500 | 0 | 500 |
| 3513 | Chefs | 4 | 0.5% | 120,827 | 604 | 3,110 | – |
| 2613 | Software & Applications Programmers | 4 | 0.5% | 182,332 | 912 | 3,800 | – |
| 2611 | ICT Business & Systems Analysts | 4 | 0.5% | 43,169 | 500 | 2,018 | – |
| 2211 | Accountants | 4 | 0.5% | 207,708 | 1,039 | 3,025 | – |
| 2631 | Computer Network Professionals | 4 | 0.5% | 43,895 | 500 | 756 | – |
| 2212 | Auditors, Company Secretaries & Corporate Treasurers | 4 | 0.5% | 31,905 | 500 | 751 | – |
| 2621 | Database & Systems Administrators & ICT Security Specialists | 4 | 0.5% | 68,049 | 500 | 643 | – |
| 2633 | Telecommunications Engineering Professionals | 4 | 0.5% | 16,683 | 500 | 272 | 228 |
| 2612 | Multimedia Specialists & Web Developers | 4 | 0.5% | 12,642 | 500 | 213 | 287 |
| 3132 | Telecommunications Technical Specialists | 4 | 0.5% | 3,633 | 500 | 62 | 438 |
Essential Insight for Visa Applicants
Australia’s new 4-tier system makes the allocation of Subclass 189 and 491 invitations clearer, but it also shows how competitive Australia PR has become. Competition is increasing for many in-demand occupations, so understanding your tier and planning ahead is more important than ever.
If you are unsure about your occupation tier or how the new ceilings affect your chances, contact Growmore Immigration today.
Our experts will guide you step by step to plan and submit a strong Australia PR application.