June 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 June 2026
- The tracked subclass 491 pool contained 301,835 Submitted EOIs in June 2026 and decreased by 19,081 from the previous snapshot.
- The 491 pool was lower in June and had the strongest visa-stream movement overall. Software Engineer remained its largest occupation but was also the fastest-declining, making the fall especially visible in the stream’s leading pool.
- Civil Engineer, Mechanical Engineer, ICT Business Analyst, Accountant (General) and Electrical Engineer were also down in the 491 list. This gives the regional stream a broad cooling pattern across several large professional occupations.
- Developer Programmer and Civil Engineering Draftsperson rose in the 491 stream, while Chef and Engineering Technologist were flat. These steadier or rising groups sit beside declines across much of the stream’s larger engineering and technology pool.
- Submitted pool
- 301,835
- Monthly change
- −19,081
- Data snapshot
- 2026-06-30
Across 50 tracked occupations
−5.9% month on month
Report data cutoff: 2026-06-30
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 2026-06-30
First snapshot
739,040
Latest snapshot
745,217
Period movement
+6,177
Focused vertical scale to make month-to-month movement readable. Hover or use the accessible table for exact values.
| Month | Submitted EOIs |
|---|---|
| 2025-07 | 739040 |
| 2025-08 | 568037 |
| 2025-09 | 746070 |
| 2025-10 | 763526 |
| 2025-11 | 750773 |
| 2025-12 | 760020 |
| 2026-01 | 764961 |
| 2026-02 | 770180 |
| 2026-03 | 774417 |
| 2026-04 | 782065 |
| 2026-05 | 784842 |
| 2026-06 | 745217 |
Occupation concentration
Largest subclass 491 pools
| Occupation | Submitted pool | MoM |
|---|---|---|
261313 Software EngineerANZSCO 261313 | 24,810 | −1,764 |
233512 Mechanical EngineerANZSCO 233512 | 20,010 | −1,504 |
233211 Civil EngineerANZSCO 233211 | 19,573 | −1,444 |
351311 ChefANZSCO 351311 | 18,180 | −882 |
261312 Developer ProgrammerANZSCO 261312 | 15,746 | −882 |
233914 Engineering TechnologistANZSCO 233914 | 13,490 | −914 |
261111 ICT Business AnalystANZSCO 261111 | 13,155 | −817 |
312211 Civil Engineering DraftspersonANZSCO 312211 | 12,736 | −420 |
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 June 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.