July 2026
Subclass 491 EOI Trends
Submitted EOI pool movement, occupation concentration and practical context for the Skilled Work Regional visa (subclass 491).
TL;DR
What changed in July 2026
- The tracked subclass 491 pool contained 314,622 Submitted EOIs in July 2026 and increased by 12,787 from the previous snapshot.
- The 491 pool was higher in July and recorded the strongest movement of the three streams. Every listed large occupation increased, spanning software, engineering, chefs, teachers, ICT business analysis and accounting.
- Software Engineer was both the largest 491 occupation pool and its fastest-growing occupation. This places software at the front of a broadly rising regional stream rather than as an isolated increase.
- Engineering occupations featured heavily among the larger 491 pools, including mechanical and civil engineers, engineering technologists and civil engineering draftspersons. The stream’s growth has a clear engineering presence alongside technology.
- Submitted pool
- 314,622
- Monthly change
- +12,787
- Data snapshot
- 2026-07-31
Across 50 tracked occupations
+4.2% month on month
Report data cutoff: 2026-07-31
Tracked pool trend
Subclass 491 across comparable snapshots
This chart uses the same 50-occupation scope in every month so subclass 491 changes remain comparable.
12 comparable monthly snapshots · latest data cutoff 2026-07-31
First snapshot
185,498
Latest snapshot
314,622
Period movement
+129,124
Focused vertical scale to make month-to-month movement readable. Hover or use the accessible table for exact values.
| Month | Submitted EOIs |
|---|---|
| 2025-08 | 185498 |
| 2025-09 | 303730 |
| 2025-10 | 310780 |
| 2025-11 | 303900 |
| 2025-12 | 308382 |
| 2026-01 | 310130 |
| 2026-02 | 312275 |
| 2026-03 | 314575 |
| 2026-04 | 319256 |
| 2026-05 | 320916 |
| 2026-06 | 301835 |
| 2026-07 | 314622 |
Occupation concentration
Largest subclass 491 pools
| Occupation | Submitted pool | MoM |
|---|---|---|
261313 Software EngineerANZSCO 261313 | 25,742 | +932 |
233512 Mechanical EngineerANZSCO 233512 | 20,520 | +510 |
233211 Civil EngineerANZSCO 233211 | 20,006 | +433 |
351311 ChefANZSCO 351311 | 17,839 | −341 |
261312 Developer ProgrammerANZSCO 261312 | 16,645 | +899 |
233914 Engineering TechnologistANZSCO 233914 | 14,120 | +630 |
261111 ICT Business AnalystANZSCO 261111 | 13,475 | +320 |
312211 Civil Engineering DraftspersonANZSCO 312211 | 12,696 | −40 |
Method and source
Direct public data, aggregated for comparison
This report covers 50 selected high-interest occupations. It is not the complete national EOI pool. Suppressed source cells below 20 are represented by NovenAI's standard analytical estimate of 10.
Australian Department of Home Affairs SkillSelect EOI DataState signals
Where tracked 491 demand is concentrated
Frequently asked questions
How to read subclass 491 EOI trends
What does the subclass 491 EOI trend report measure?
It compares aggregated SkillSelect Submitted EOI counts for subclass 491 across 50 tracked high-interest occupations. It highlights month-to-month movement, concentration and occupation-level changes for July 2026.
Does a larger EOI pool mean a higher invitation score?
No. Pool size is a competition signal, not an invitation cutoff or a prediction. Invitations also depend on occupation settings, points, nomination rules, invitation rounds and policy decisions.
What is the difference between Submitted and Lodged EOIs?
Submitted describes active expressions of interest in the SkillSelect dataset. Lodged is a separate status and should not be added to Submitted when reading the active pool.
How should I interpret subclass 491 data?
Subclass 491 is state or territory nominated. Submitted EOI counts show the candidate pool, not a state's nomination allocation, selection rules or invitation probability.
How often is this EOI trends page updated?
NovenAI checks for a new source snapshot every hour. When a new month appears, the permanent visa page updates and a dated monthly page is published.
Where does the EOI data come from?
The primary source is the Australian Department of Home Affairs SkillSelect EOI dataset. NovenAI aggregates and explains the public data; it does not use applicant-level personal information.