Social Worker is a skilled occupation with the official Australian job code ANZSCO 272511. It sits on the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL), one of the government's skilled occupation lists, which means people in this job can apply for the skilled visas below. Here you will find the visa options, the body that checks your skills, current fees, and how much competition there is right now, from live SkillSelect data.
How skilled migration works (in plain English)
Australia selects skilled migrants using a points test. If your job is on an official skilled occupation list (like this one), you can compete for a visa. Most people follow four steps:
- Get a skills assessment. An approved assessing body (listed further down) confirms your qualifications and work experience match this occupation.
- Submit an EOI. An Expression of Interest (EOI) is a free online profile in the government's SkillSelect system. It records your points score and the visa you want.
- Wait for an invitation. The government, and for some visas a state, invites the highest scorers to apply. A higher score means a better chance.
- Apply for the visa. Once invited, you lodge the full application and pay the fee.
The three main skilled visas on this page are:
- Subclass 189 (Skilled Independent): permanent residency, no sponsor needed, decided purely on points.
- Subclass 190 (Skilled Nominated): permanent residency where a state or territory nominates you and adds 5 points.
- Subclass 491 (Skilled Work Regional): a 5 year provisional visa for regional Australia that adds 15 points and leads to permanent residency later.
Your points come from things like age, English level, work experience and qualifications. The minimum to enter the pool is 65 points, but the scores that actually get invited are usually higher, as the tables below show.
Skilled Visa Pathways for Social Worker
| Visa | Status | Main applicant fee |
|---|---|---|
| Subclass 189 (Skilled Independent) | Eligible | $6,135 |
| Subclass 190 (Skilled Nominated) | Eligible | $6,140 |
| Subclass 491 (Skilled Work Regional) | Eligible | $6,140 |
Fees shown are the primary-applicant base charge and change over time. Confirm current charges with the Department of Home Affairs before lodging.
Live SkillSelect Competition for Social Worker
As at April 2026, the Subclass 189 (Skilled Independent) national pool held 1,361 Expressions of Interest submitted for Social Worker, based on official Department of Home Affairs SkillSelect data. Subclass 189 is points-only with no state nomination, so it is usually the most competitive pathway.
For the state-nominated pathways, submitted EOIs by state and territory are shown below. A single applicant can lodge one EOI selecting both 190 and 491, so the two columns overlap. Read each column across states rather than adding them together.
| State / Territory | 190 EOIs | 491 EOIs |
|---|---|---|
| New South Wales | 531 | 268 |
| Victoria | 490 | 179 |
| Western Australia | 278 | 308 |
| Queensland | 174 | 117 |
| South Australia | 162 | 107 |
| Australian Capital Territory | 81 | 65 |
| Northern Territory | 71 | 57 |
| Tasmania | 55 | 43 |
Points of Submitted EOIs, by Subclass
Where submitted EOIs for Social Worker sit (median score): Subclass 189 around 75; Subclass 190 around 75; Subclass 491 around 85 points. Subclass 189 is points-only, so its score is directly comparable; 190 adds +5 and 491 adds +15 nomination points on top of your base score, which is why their pools typically show higher totals.
| Points range | 189 EOIs | 190 EOIs | 491 EOIs |
|---|---|---|---|
| 65 to 69 | 219 | 130 | 27 |
| 70 to 74 | 361 | 276 | 47 |
| 75 to 79 | 351 | 419 | 112 |
| 80 to 84 | 228 | 328 | 224 |
| 85 to 89 | 107 | 282 | 260 |
| 90+ | 30 | 163 | 346 |
Source: SkillSelect EOI data, April 2026 (national, by subclass). Counts are rounded by the Department of Home Affairs.
Who Assesses Social Worker?
Before lodging an Expression of Interest, a Social Worker must have their skills assessed by the relevant authority:
- Australian Association of Social Workers Limited
Subclass 189 Occupation Ceiling
Social Workers: 876 of 1009 189 places remaining for FY25-26
This is a shared, group-level figure. Australia sets 189 occupation ceilings for the broader ANZSCO occupation group (the 4-digit code 2725), not for each individual occupation. Social Worker belongs to the Social Workers group, so this ceiling is shared across every occupation in that group, not reserved for Social Worker alone. When the group ceiling is close to full, 189 invitation rounds for the whole group slow down.
Check your eligibility and points across the 189, 190 and 491 visas in minutes, with Kobi, backed by live SkillSelect data.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Social Worker on the Australian skilled occupation list?
Yes. Social Worker (ANZSCO 272511) is on the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL), which makes it eligible for the Subclass 189, Subclass 190, Subclass 491 visa pathway.
Which visas can a Social Worker apply for in 2026?
Based on the MLTSSL, Social Worker can apply for Subclass 189 (Skilled Independent), Subclass 190 (Skilled Nominated), Subclass 491 (Skilled Work Regional). Eligibility also depends on your points score, skills assessment and (for 190/491) state nomination.
Who assesses Social Worker for migration?
Social Worker is assessed by Australian Association of Social Workers Limited. You must obtain a positive skills assessment from this authority before you can be invited to apply.
How many points do you need as a Social Worker?
Based on live SkillSelect data (April 2026), for the points-only Subclass 189 most submitted EOIs for Social Worker sit around 75 points. For the state-nominated pathways, submitted EOIs sit around 75 for Subclass 190, around 85 for Subclass 491 (these include nomination points). Meeting the 65-point minimum lets you lodge an EOI, but a competitive score is typically higher.
How competitive is Social Worker?
As at April 2026, the Subclass 189 independent pool held about 1,361 submitted EOIs; among state-nominated pathways the most 190 interest was in New South Wales. Competition varies by state and subclass, so check each pathway rather than a single national figure.