WA state nomination bucks the trend with an uptick

In FY24-25 the number of primary applicants nominating WA as their intended state rose 12.5% on FY23-24 — the only one of the larger states to grow — showing that more applicants have been securing PR through WA state nomination against the broader trend. The NT and the ACT also recorded increases.

Subclass 491 is the practical option for offshore applicants

In FY24-25 nearly 20,000 Subclass 491 grants went to applicants offshore, versus fewer than 14,000 onshore. Setting aside the small number of onshore applicants who happened to be overseas at the moment of grant, this shows that among the various skilled migration streams, Subclass 491 is comparatively friendly to offshore applicants — every other stream is dominated by onshore applicants: offshore Subclass 190 grants account for only 35% of the total, Subclass 186 fewer than 30%, and Subclass 189 just 25%.

Top five skilled-migration occupation groups in FY24-25

*Counts primary applicants granted via Subclass 189 + 190 + 186 + 491 + 494

ANZSCO 2544 Nursing had more than 5,000 grants, and the largest share surprisingly came through Subclass 186 employer sponsorship.

2613 saw around 4,200 grants, with Subclass 190 and Subclass 186 running neck and neck.

ANZSCO 3513 Chefs totalled close to 3,500 grants, with Subclass 186 employer sponsorship clearly dominant.

ANZSCO 2211 Accountants had 3,250 grants, mainly via state nomination.

ANZSCO 2332 Civil Engineering Professionals totalled close to 2,700 grants, mainly via state nomination.

Nursing and early-childhood teaching are neck and neck among priority occupations

*Counts primary-applicant grants only

Among the priority occupations under Ministerial Direction 105，Registered Nurses nec received 1,600 grants, and Early Childhood (Pre-primary School) Teachers received more than 1,500 in FY24-25 — making them the top two occupations overall. Broken down by sector, healthcare-related grants are still well ahead of teaching。

Top 10 occupations under Subclass 186 employer sponsorship

*Counts primary-applicant grants only

Registered Nurses took first place, Chefs second and Software Engineers third — all three cleared the 1,000 mark。The FY24-25 employer-sponsored grant volume for each occupation is one of the inputs that drives the FY25-26 Subclass 189 invitation allocation — for details see:New 189 Invitation Strategy, Full Document Released | The Formula for Each Occupation’s Invitations and How It Coordinates with State Governments to Avoid Duplicate Invitations!Most occupations in the last two financial years are familiar faces — with Police perhaps the notable exception.

Subclass 186 backlog up by more than 50%

*Includes both primary and secondary applicant grants

After last year’s easing of employer-sponsored policy settings, applications for Subclass 482 and Subclass 186 Direct Entry have risen in step. Combined Subclass 186 TRT + DE lodgements exceeded 65,000, and although FY24-25 grants also rose by several thousand, by 30 June 2025 the Subclass 186 backlog sat above 58,000 — an increase of 20,000 year on year.

Subclass 189 backlog has shrunk further

*Includes both primary and secondary applicant grants

Consistent with the figures we previously pulled, the Subclass 189 backlog was brought below 7,000 by the end of last financial year. This is what makes it feasible to hold a steady three-monthly invitation cadence through FY25-26, with the next round expected in February.

Subclass 491 is absorbing more of the regional quota

*Includes both primary and secondary applicant grants

Subclass 491 and Subclass 494 share a combined 33,000 places. In FY24-25 new lodgement volumes in both streams grew by several thousand; Subclass 494 grants slipped slightly, while Subclass 491 rose steadily, so the Subclass 491 backlog fell by more than 7,000.

Across all skilled categories, however, only the regional stream fell short of its cap in FY24-25 — by just 52 places — with every other stream landing right on quota.

Subclass 188 withdrawals outpace grants

The 1,000 places available each year were fully used up in FY24-25, but spread across each stream the numbers are modest.

DigiTech makes up roughly half of GTI

43.7% came from the DigiTech sector, with close to 20% from Financial Services and FinTech