The Department has released the state and territory government nomination figures for subclass 190 and 491 visas for November 2025. For businesses following skilled migration, these monthly numbers help illustrate current nomination volumes, and accompanying state updates reveal anticipated program changes.
The reported nominations for the period of 31 October to 30 November 2025 are detailed below:
| State/Territory | Subclass 190 (Skilled Nominated) | Subclass 491 (Skilled Work Regional) |
| ACT | 122 | 140 |
| NSW | 311 | 156 |
| NT | 97 | 17 |
| QLD | 12 | 61 |
| SA | 9 | 19 |
| TAS | 123 | 6 |
| VIC | 195 | 115 |
| WA | 32 | 18 |
NSW’s program settings for 2025–26 are also clearer now. NSW has been allocated 2,100 places for subclass 190 and 1,500 places for subclass 491. Three invitation rounds have already been held this program year, with monthly rounds returning from January 2026. As of December 2025, around 25% of the annual allocation had been nominated, and NSW has confirmed only occupations on the NSW Skills List will be considered for invitation.
On the subclass 491 side, Pathway 1 (Work in Regional NSW) and Pathway 3 (Regional NSW Graduate) are set to open on 19 January 2026, with applications processed in date order and only valid applications entering the processing queue. NSW has also flagged that any need for a Pathway 2 invitation round will depend on demand under Pathways 1 and 3, with April 2026 identified as the earliest possible timing if one is required.
In the ACT, the next Canberra Matrix invitation round is scheduled for 10 December 2025. Updated guidance for Canberra residents includes higher salary thresholds, and the 482 streamlined pathway has been removed. These changes apply to Canberra Matrix submissions lodged from 1 February 2026, creating a short transition window for those preparing submissions now.
Western Australia held an invitation round on 5 December 2025, issuing 1,058 subclass 190 nomination invitations and 742 subclass 491 nomination invitations.
Tasmania has made several minor adjustments to its program settings, while confirming that existing Registrations of Interest are not affected. Changes include updated points settings for new ROIs under the subclass 491 Tasmanian Skilled Employment pathway, an expanded graduate program offer attribute for the Skilled Graduate pathways, and clarified wording for the subclass 190 Established Resident pathway, referencing a personal income figure of $76,515 and net profit after receiving that income.
For organisations supporting key hires, the takeaway from these updates is timing. Nomination volumes vary by state, invitation rounds can restart after pauses, and some settings now have clear effective dates into early 2026. Bravo Migration can assist with planning across nomination options and visa strategy for roles that need a reliable pathway.
