Australia Migration HubVisas · Points · Pathways

ANZSCO 253322 · MLTSSL

Renal Medicine Specialist

No 189 invitations in Jun 2026. Last invited in Oct 2022 at 80 points.

Official data, checked 15 October 2026Skills assessment: MedBAVictorian priority (Healthcare)Priority processing: Healthcare
Latest 189 cut-off–not invited in Jun 2026
189 rounds invited0of 6lowest ever 80 pts (Oct 2022)
State lists4of 8list it for 190 or 491
ShortageShortagenational · JSA 2025

Path to permanent residence

The steps for the points-tested visas, with this occupation’s own assessing body, lists, cut-offs, fees and processing times.

  1. Skills assessment

    Get a positive assessment from Medical Board of Australia. It must still be valid when you’re invited: usually 3 years, or less if the assessment says so.

  2. English

    Show at least Competent English (IELTS 6 in each band, or an equivalent PTE, TOEFL, OET or Cambridge score). Proficient adds 10 points and Superior adds 20.

  3. Points

    Score at least 65 on the federal points test, counting nomination points for the 190 (+5) or 491 (+15). Renal Medicine Specialist had no 189 invitations in the latest round (Jun 2026). Work out your points · see when they change.

  4. Expression of Interest

    Submit a free EOI in SkillSelect for the visas this occupation allows: 189 (independent), 190 (state nominated), 491 (regional, nominated). It stays active for 2 years, and your points and date of effect decide your place.

  5. State nomination (190 / 491)

    4 of 8 list Renal Medicine Specialist: ACT, New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria. Open or inviting now and listing it: New South Wales. Also open, with no published occupation list: Tasmania (check its criteria). Each state ranks applicants its own way. See every state.

  6. Invitation and visa application

    When invited, lodge within 60 days. Base fee for the main applicant: AUD 6,135 for the 189, AUD 6,140 for the 190, AUD 6,140 for the 491; family members pay extra. You’ll also need health checks and police certificates.

  7. Decision and PR

    Home Affairs decides 90% of applications within 189: 8 months · 190: 16 months · 491: 18 months. The 189 and 190 are permanent visas. The 491 is a 5-year provisional visa; after at least 3 years living and working in regional Australia you can apply for permanent residence (191) if you meet its requirements, including income.

Employer-sponsored route

✓On the Core Skills Occupation List

An Australian employer can sponsor Renal Medicine Specialist on a Skills in Demand (subclass 482) visa, Core Skills stream (base fee AUD 4,015). The Employer Nomination Scheme (186) is the usual next step to permanent residence for 482 holders who meet its requirements.

What a Renal Medicine Specialist does

Official description and tasks from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ANZSCO 2022).

Investigates, diagnoses and treats disorders of the human kidney. Registration or licensing is required.

Qualifications and experience: Occupations in this unit group have a level of skill commensurate with a bachelor degree or higher qualification, two years hospital-based training, and at least five years specialist study and training (ANZSCO Skill Level 1).

  • Also calledNephrologist, Renal Medicine Physician
  • ANZSCO skill level1 of 5 (1 is highest)
  • Unit group2533 Specialist Physicians

Tasks

ABS lists tasks for the whole unit group, Specialist Physicians. Skills assessments and employer nominations compare the duties you’ve done with the ANZSCO description and tasks, so check yours match.

  • Examining patients to determine the nature and extent of problems after referral from General Medical Practitioners and other medical specialists, and undertaking laboratory tests and diagnostic procedures
  • Analysing test results and other medical information to make diagnoses
  • Prescribing and administering drugs, and remedial and therapeutic treatment and procedures
  • Recording medical information and data
  • Reporting specified contagious and notifiable diseases to government health and immigration authorities
  • May admit or refer patients to hospitals
  • May consult other medical specialists

189 cut-off history

Lowest score invited in each round, and whether your points would have been enough.

6065707580859095Aug’2285Oct’2280Dec’22May’23Dec’23Jun’24Sep’24Nov’24Aug’25Nov’25Jun’266065707580859095Aug’2285Oct’2280Dec’22May’23Dec’23Jun’24Sep’24Nov’24Aug’25Nov’25Jun’26
Lowest 189 points score invited, by round. Grey dots: no 189 invitations for this occupation.

Visa processing priority

Direction 122, in force from 19 September 2026.

Renal Medicine Specialist is a healthcare occupation under Direction 122, so applications for it are in the first processing group for the 189, 190, 491 and other permanent and provisional skilled visas, whether you apply in or outside Australia.

  1. Primary applicants in a construction, healthcare, teaching, agriculture, aquaculture, fishing or resources occupation, or one related to Australia's law enforcement or defence interests, whether in or outside Australia.
  2. All other primary applicants who were in Australia when they applied.
  3. Primary applicants outside Australia when they applied, whose application isn't combined with anyone else's.
  4. All other applications.

This sets the order Home Affairs works through applications, not who is eligible or who gets invited. Check your processing group →

SkillSelect queue

Expressions of interest waiting for Renal Medicine Specialist, from the official SkillSelect EOI dashboard.

VisaEOIs waitingMost common scoreInvitedLodged
Skilled Independent (189)fewer than 20–0fewer than 20
Skilled Nominated (190)fewer than 20–0fewer than 20

SkillSelect EOIs as at September 2026. Counts are EOIs, not people; 190 and 491 scores include nomination points. See how many are ahead of your points →

State and territory nomination

Whether Renal Medicine Specialist is on each state’s current list, and where each program stands.

✓ On the state’s current list– Not on the list No current list to check
State or territory190491ProgramNominated so far
ACT✓✓See site<5 / <5
New South Waleslisted by unit group✓✓Inviting11 / 0
Northern TerritoryNo listNo listClosed91 / 25
Queensland2025–26 list✓✓Not open yet6 / <5
South AustraliaNo listNo listNot open yet0 / 0
TasmaniaNo listNo listOpen206 / 55
Victoria✓✓Not open yet0 / 0
Western AustraliaNo listNo listNot open yet17 / 120

Program status is for 2026–27. Being listed doesn’t mean a state is inviting now, and each state has its own criteria. “Nominated so far”: 190 / 491 nominations this program year (Home Affairs).

Shortage rating

Shortage nationally, and the same in every state and territory.

Jobs and Skills Australia’s rating of the labour market. Invitations also depend on planning levels, ceilings and how many EOIs are waiting, so the two don’t always line up.

Every round since 2022

Round189 cut-offChange491 familyTotal 189 invited
4 Jun 2026––10,000
13 Nov 2025––10,000
21 Aug 2025––6,887
7 Nov 2024––15,000
5 Sep 2024––7,973
13 Jun 2024––5,292
18 Dec 2023––8,300
25 May 2023––7,353
8 Dec 2022––35,000
6 Oct 202280−5–11,714
22 Aug 202285–12,200

After an invitation

Home Affairs’ current processing times for the points-tested visas.

VisaHalf decided within90% decided within
Skilled Independent (189)61 days8 months
Skilled Nominated (190)4 months16 months
Work Regional (491), state nominated5 months18 months
Work Regional (491), family sponsored4 months7 months

Home Affairs, decisions to 31 August 2026. Clock starts when you lodge, which you must do within 60 days of an invitation.

Plan with this occupation

Sources and method