Table 1: EOI and Invitation Volume by Quarter
| Quarter | EOIs Received | Invitations Issued | Invitation Rate |
| Apr – Jun 2025 | 3,299 | 70 | 2.1% |
| Jul – Sep 2025 | 1,841 | 122 | 6.6% |
| Oct – Dec 2025 | 2,368 | 226 | 9.5% |
| Jan – Mar 2026 | 1,815 | 146 | 8.0% |
| TOTAL | 9,323 | 564 | 6.1% |
* Jul-Sep 2025 data sourced from the standalone quarterly report. Totals are calculated across all four quarters. Data source – Department of Home Affairs.
Table 2: Invitations Issued by Priority Level
| Priority Level | Apr-Jun 25 | Jul-Sep 25 | Oct-Dec 25 | Jan-Mar 26 |
| Priority 1 – Global award recipients | 6 | <5 | <5 | 0 |
| Priority 2 – Govt nominated (Form 1000) | 9 | 17 | <10 | 15 |
| Priority 3 – Tier One sector achievers | 76 | 84 | 166 | 113 |
| Priority 4 – Tier Two sector achievers | 21 | 20 | 52 | 18 |
* ‘<5’ and ‘<10’ denote suppressed figures as published by the Department of Home Affairs. Data source – Department of Home Affairs.
Table 3: Invitations Issued by Sector
| Tier | Sector | Apr-Jun 25 | Jul-Sep 25 | Oct-Dec 25 | Jan-Mar 26 |
| Tier 1 | Critical Technologies | 41 | 48 | 106 | 66 |
| Tier 1 | Renewables & Low Emission Tech | 13 | 15 | 25 | 18 |
| Tier 1 | Health Industries | 27 | 30 | 36 | 34 |
| Tier 2 | Agri-food and AgTech | <5 | <5 | 8 | 5 |
| Tier 2 | Education | <5 | <5 | 8 | 6 |
| Tier 2 | Defence Capabilities and Space | <5 | 9 | 5 | <5 |
| Tier 2 | Financial Services and FinTech | 12 | <5 | 20 | 7 |
| Tier 2 | Infrastructure and Transport | <5 | <5 | 5 | <5 |
| Tier 2 | Resources | 0 | <5 | 8 | <5 |
| Other | Sports and the Arts | 8 | 8 | 5 | 6 |
* ‘<5’ denotes suppressed figures as published by the Department of Home Affairs. Colour coding: Blue = Tier 1 sectors | Yellow = Tier 2 sectors | Purple = Other Source: Department of Home Affairs, National Innovation Visa quarterly invitation data.
FAQs
How many people have been invited to apply for the National Innovation Visa?
564 invitations have been issued from 9,323 Expressions of Interest submitted between April 2025 and March 2026 – an overall invitation rate of just 6.1%. The programme is highly selective by design, and the majority of EOIs do not result in an invitation.
Which sector gets the most invitations for the National Innovation Visa?
Critical Technologies is by far the dominant sector, accounting for the largest share of invitations in every quarter – 41 in April-June 2025, rising to 106 in October-December 2025, and 66 in January-March 2026. If your work sits in Critical Technologies, you are applying into the most active part of the programme. Health Industries and Renewables and Low Emission Technologies round out the top three Tier One sectors consistently.
Does government nomination improve your chances of getting an NIV invitation?
Yes, very much so. Government-nominated applicants hold Priority Two status, meaning they are assessed and invited ahead of the broader pool. In January-March 2026, 15 of the 146 invitations issued went to Priority Two applicants. While the numbers are smaller than Priority Three, the processing advantage is significant – Priority Two candidates are identified and invited as soon as assessed, rather than waiting for standard invitation rounds.
What are the chances of receiving an invitation for the National Innovation Visa?
The overall invitation rate across all four quarters from April 2025 to March 2026 was 6.1% – meaning roughly 1 in 16 EOIs resulted in an invitation. The rate has improved over time, rising from 2.1% in the first quarter to around 8-9.5% in later quarters, but the programme remains highly competitive. Sector, priority level, and the strength of your evidence of exceptional achievement are the primary factors that determine whether your EOI receives an invitation.
Are Tier Two sectors worth applying under for the National Innovation Visa?
They can be, but the data shows significantly lower invitation volumes compared to Tier One. Financial Services and FinTech has been the strongest Tier Two performer, with 20 invitations in October-December 2025. Defence Capabilities and Space, AgTech, and Education each show modest but consistent numbers. Resources and Infrastructure and Transport are the weakest, frequently returning suppressed figures of fewer than five invitations per quarter. A strong Tier Two candidate can still receive an invitation, but the bar for what constitutes an exceptional profile is effectively higher given the competition within those sectors.