Our monthly routine update on the 189/190/491 data. Thanks to the 190Grant database, this time we have data up to the end of October 2025 (lead image) — and we have 191 data too!
Source data shown in Images 2-3
A closer look
Subclass 189 (Image 4)
1,439 applications were lodged — 1,696 fewer than September — so primary-applicant lodgements across August to October totalled 4,631 (944 + 2,142 + 1,545). That means the actual acceptance rate for August’s 189 invitation round came in at 67%, which is relatively high compared with past rounds. 785 visas were granted, a slight decrease of 61, and the actual processing pace is still below the average the quota would imply. The backlog currently sits at just under 9,000, and we expect to see a significant jump once the late-November data comes in. In October, 189 was still clearing applications lodged in December 2024, and moving into November some of our clients who lodged in August 2025 have already received grants.
Subclass 190 (Image 4)
Fewer than 500 applications were lodged. In October the states had yet to receive their formal quotas, so any invitations were just a drizzle; we should see more 190 lodgements from November onwards. 3,272 visas were granted — 1,100+ more than in the previous month and above the expected monthly average of 2,750 — processing has finally picked up speed. With fewer lodgements and more decisions, the backlog naturally dropped by almost 2,800, and now sits at just over 28,000. 190 is still not being processed in lodgement order, with applications from different months all getting some grants, some more and some less. The oldest backlog from June and July 2023 has continued to see the most action — 850 cases cleared across those two months, accounting for 26% of total grants.
Subclass 491 (Image 4)
Fewer than 450 applications were lodged — still subdued. 2,121 visas were granted, and 491 processing sped up significantly in October, coming close to the expected monthly average of 2,333. The backlog also shrank by 1,717 cases, with the total now below 26,000. 491 grants cluster across three periods, with lodgements from June and July 2023 attracting the most grants — 40% of the total!
Subclass 191 special feature (Image 5)
This time we’ve finally got the 191 data as well. In the first four months of the current financial year, 12,369 191 visas were granted — July was the peak, with an average of 3,000+ grants per month. As at 31 October, the 191 backlog stood at 11,288. Total grants over these four months far exceed the number lodged, so the 191 backlog has stabilised at around 10,000. More concerning is that the grant count is trending down — fewer than 1,000 in October. We hope it won’t keep falling; holding at around 1,000 per month would be acceptable.
From October onwards, 190/491 grants finally began to pick up, and from November onwards 190/491 invitations have started to increase as well. Since December, WA, Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia, and the ACT have all issued invitations.
That said, most states have essentially finished issuing invitations before December (this mainly applies to the states that release pre-invitations on a large monthly schedule — Tas/NT and the like continue to process earlier lodgements as normal, and eligible applicants can still lodge). For the rest, we’ll have to wait until January or later for the next round.
