ANZSCO 272511 · MLTSSL
Social Worker
The 189 cut-off held at 75 points in Jun 2026.
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.
Skills assessment
Get a positive assessment from Australian Association of Social Workers. It must still be valid when you’re invited: usually 3 years, or less if the assessment says so.
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.
Points
Score at least 65 on the federal points test, counting nomination points for the 190 (+5) or 491 (+15). For the 189, the latest round invited Social Worker at 75 points (Jun 2026). Work out your points · see when they change.
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.
State nomination (190 / 491)
4 of 8 list Social Worker: 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.
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.
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 Social Worker 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 Social Worker does
Official description and tasks from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ANZSCO 2022).
Assesses the social needs of individuals, families and groups, assists and empowers people to develop and use the skills and resources needed to resolve social and other problems, and furthers human wellbeing and human rights, social justice and social development. Registration or licensing may be required.
Qualifications and experience: Most occupations in this unit group have a level of skill commensurate with a bachelor degree or higher qualification. In some instances relevant experience and/or on-the-job training may be required in addition to the formal qualification (ANZSCO Skill Level 1).
- SpecialisationsWhanau Support Worker (Family Support Worker) (NZ)
- ANZSCO skill level1 of 5 (1 is highest)
- Unit group2725 Social Workers
Tasks
ABS lists tasks for the whole unit group, Social Workers. Skills assessments and employer nominations compare the duties you’ve done with the ANZSCO description and tasks, so check yours match.
- Acting as a facilitator between clients in need and community services
- Assessing resources for health, welfare, recreation, housing, employment and other community services
- Providing leadership and assistance for the implementation of pilot projects in community development and self-help, and planning and implementing research projects to address client needs, organisation goals and social policy
- Cooperating with community organisations, social agencies and voluntary groups to improve services and develop new services
- Conducting individual and family case interviews to identify the nature and extent of clients' problems
- Assisting clients to understand and resolve problems by providing information, acting as a mediator and referring them to community and self-help agencies
- Analysing, developing, promoting and implementing social policies through the use of practice experience, research, analytic frameworks, and negotiation skills to respond to social need through a fair, equitable and effective allocation of social resources
- Monitoring the progress of clients by maintaining contact
- Compiling case records and reports
- Occupation:
189 cut-off history
Lowest score invited in each round, and whether your points would have been enough.
Visa processing priority
Direction 122, in force from 19 September 2026.
Social Worker 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.
- 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.
- All other primary applicants who were in Australia when they applied.
- Primary applicants outside Australia when they applied, whose application isn't combined with anyone else's.
- 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 Social Worker, from the official SkillSelect EOI dashboard.
| Visa | EOIs waiting | Invited |
|---|---|---|
| Skilled Independent (189) | 1,567–1,657 | fewer than 20 |
| Skilled Nominated (190) | 1,884–1,974 | under 60 |
| Skilled Work Regional (491), state | 1,287–1,359 | 0 |
| Skilled Work Regional (491), family | 33–159 | 0 |
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 Social Worker is on each state’s current list, and where each program stands.
| State or territory | 190 | 491 | Program |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACT | ✓ | ✓ | See site |
| New South Waleslisted by unit group | ✓ | ✓ | Inviting |
| Northern Territory | No list | No list | Closed |
| Queensland2025–26 list | – | ✓ | Not open yet |
| South Australia | No list | No list | Not open yet |
| Tasmania | No list | No list | Open |
| Victoria | ✓ | ✓ | Not open yet |
| Western Australia | No list | No list | Not open yet |
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
No shortage nationally, except regional shortage in VIC; shortage in SA, NT, ACT.
- NSWNone
- VICRegional
- QLDNone
- SAShortage
- WANone
- TASNone
- NTShortage
- ACTShortage
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
| Round | 189 cut-off | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 4 Jun 2026 | 75 | |
| 13 Nov 2025 | 75 | −10 |
| 21 Aug 2025 | 85 | +15 |
| 7 Nov 2024 | 70 | −5 |
| 5 Sep 2024 | 75 | −10 |
| 13 Jun 2024 | 85 | +20 |
| 18 Dec 2023 | 65 | |
| 25 May 2023 | – | |
| 8 Dec 2022 | 65 | |
| 6 Oct 2022 | 65 | |
| 22 Aug 2022 | 65 |
After an invitation
Home Affairs’ current processing times for the points-tested visas.
| Visa | Half decided within | 90% decided within |
|---|---|---|
| Skilled Independent (189) | 61 days | 8 months |
| Skilled Nominated (190) | 4 months | 16 months |
| Work Regional (491), state nominated | 5 months | 18 months |
| Work Regional (491), family sponsored | 4 months | 7 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
- 189 rounds: Home Affairs invitation rounds and previous rounds. 2022–23 rounds reported offshore and onshore separately; we show the lower score.
- State lists: each state’s official site, checked 15 October 2026. Queensland shows its 2025–26 lists until 2026–27 is announced; NSW lists by ANZSCO unit group; Victoria accepts any occupation on the federal lists.
- Shortage: Jobs and Skills Australia 2025 Occupation Shortage List (ANZSCO 2022 codes).
- Processing times: Home Affairs processing times guide.
- Skilled lists and assessing authorities: LIN 19/051, checked 14 October 2026.
- Occupation description, titles and tasks: Australian Bureau of Statistics, ANZSCO 2022, used under CC BY 4.0.
- Employer route: Core Skills Occupation List, LIN 24/089 (compilation 2025-11-07). Fees: Home Affairs visa pages, checked 14 October 2026.
- Agents: embed this occupation on your website.