How many people are in the EOI queue for NSW 190 visa for developers?
NSW does not publicly publish a real-time breakdown of EOI numbers by occupation for its state nomination program. However, the scale of competition is evident from invitation behaviour: in software-related occupations such as ICT Business Analyst (ANZSCO 261111), Developer Programmer (261312), and Software Engineer (233913), NSW has at times required scores of 90 points or above to issue an invitation, which itself signals an enormous backlog below that threshold.
At VJ Consulting and Education, we monitor invitation round outcomes closely and advise our clients that the developer queue is among the most competitive of any occupation group in the NSW 190 program. If your points score sits below 90, your EOI is statistically unlikely to receive attention in the near term unless you actively boost your score.
📖 NSW 190 Visa: Full Requirements & How to Apply →How many places are available for NSW 190 and 491 visas in 2025-26?
Each state and territory receives a share of this national allocation, negotiated with the Department of Home Affairs (DOHA). NSW typically receives the largest or second-largest state allocation due to its population size and labour market demand. However, the precise NSW-specific allocation is not always publicly disclosed in advance — it emerges progressively through invitation rounds and ministerial announcements.
| Visa Subclass | National Allocation 2025–26 (approx.) | NSW Share (indicative) |
|---|---|---|
| 190 (State Nominated) | ~14,000–16,000 places | ~3,000–4,500 places |
| 491 (Regional Nominated) | ~19,000–21,000 places | ~1,500–2,500 places (NSW regional) |
How many NSW 190 visa places have already been used in the 2025-26 program year?
State governments manage their allocations carefully throughout the program year (July to June). NSW typically front-loads invitations in Q1 and Q2 (July–December), then reduces or pauses rounds as available places diminish. This means that by February or March of any given program year, NSW may have consumed 70–85% of its quota, leaving very few invitations for the remainder of the year.
DOHA does not release a live "places remaining" counter, but the effect is visible: invitation rounds become less frequent, score cutoffs rise sharply, and offshore applicants are the first cohort to be deprioritised. Clients of VJ Consulting who applied in Q1 had materially better outcomes than those who lodged EOIs in Q3.
Will NSW still issue new 190 visa invitations in 2026?
If you are waiting for NSW to re-open invitations in the current program year (2025–26), the likelihood of a significant new round before June 2026 is low if quota is exhausted. However, from 1 July 2026, a fresh allocation resets and NSW typically opens nominations relatively promptly to capture demand.
The key actions to take now are: ensure your SkillSelect EOI is live, your skills assessment is current and valid, and your points score is maximised before the July 2026 reset. See our EOI & State Nomination step-by-step guide for exactly how to position your application before the new program year opens.
Why did NSW 190 visa stop inviting offshore applicants this financial year?
Under the state nomination framework, NSW has full discretion over which cohorts to invite. When places are scarce, states consistently prioritise:
- Applicants already living and working in NSW on a relevant temporary visa
- Applicants with a job offer from an NSW employer
- Applicants in critical shortage occupations designated by NSW government
Offshore applicants — those living outside Australia — are the first to be paused because the state derives less immediate economic benefit from nominating someone who has not yet arrived. This is a policy decision, not a legislative requirement, and it can change at any time as places become available or if NSW receives additional quota from DOHA.
The government's broader tightening of visa processing — including working holiday visa slowdowns reported in August 2026 — signals a systemic approach to managing total migration numbers. NSW 190 offshore pauses are part of this same macro-level management.
📖 How to Get PR After a Temporary Visa: 482→186, 491→191, Student→PR →How long does it take to get a 190 visa granted in NSW?
The 190 visa process has two distinct stages, and applicants often conflate the two timelines:
| Stage | What Happens | Typical Timeframe |
|---|---|---|
| Stage 1: State Nomination | NSW assesses and approves your nomination application | 4–12 weeks after receiving invitation |
| Stage 2: Visa Application | DOHA assesses the visa application after nomination is granted | 6–14 months from lodgement |
DOHA publishes processing time percentiles on their website. As of 2025–26, 75% of 190 visa applications are decided within approximately 9 months, but complex cases involving health, character waivers, or large family units can take significantly longer.
Why would someone with the same points, same occupation and an earlier EOI submission date not receive a NSW 190 invitation when another applicant did?
This is one of the most common sources of frustration we hear from clients at VJCE. The SkillSelect system and state nomination programs both use a layered selection logic. Points score is the primary filter, but within the same score band, states apply their own internal criteria before falling back to EOI date. These can include:
- Onshore vs offshore status — onshore applicants are currently preferred by NSW
- Occupation priority — some occupations within a round receive preferential treatment
- Employment in NSW — applicants with demonstrable NSW-based employment are ranked higher
- English proficiency level — superior English scores may give an advantage
- Age bracket — younger applicants score more points, which can separate candidates within the same declared score band
Additionally, NSW does not invite from a single unified pool. Rounds are often occupation-specific or cohort-specific, meaning an earlier EOI date in a later-processed cohort will be beaten by a newer EOI in an earlier-processed cohort. See our 2026 invitation rounds analysis for how this plays out across different occupations.
When does NSW or Victoria invite applicants for 190 visa in the software engineer occupation?
Software Engineer (ANZSCO 233913) is listed on the NSW Skilled Occupation List and Victoria's Skilled Migration occupation list, but listing does not guarantee frequent invitations. Both states have at various points in 2024–26 paused invitations for this occupation entirely due to overwhelming demand relative to available places.
For Victoria specifically, invitations have been issued in irregular rounds through Vic State Nominated programs, often requiring 85–95 points for competitive consideration. NSW has shown similar patterns. Both states tend to favour onshore applicants with current employment in the state.
The most reliable strategy is to have your EOI lodged and your skills assessment active so you are positioned for any round that opens, rather than waiting to lodged after a round is announced — by then, it is too late to be competitive. Check which skills assessment authority applies to your occupation.
Why are Australia 190 invitation scores increasing to 90-100 points?
Several structural factors are driving this upward pressure on cutoff scores:
| Factor | Effect on Scores |
|---|---|
| Post-pandemic backlog still clearing | Large cohort of experienced applicants with high points accumulating in pool |
| DOHA reducing overall migration intake | Fewer state places available nationally |
| More applicants completing NAATI credentials | 5-point NAATI bonus now common, compressing the competitive band |
| Increased awareness of points-boosting strategies | More applicants achieving 90+ through combination of age, English, education, and partner bonuses |
| Popular tech occupations listed on state schedules | IT professionals disproportionately represented in pool |
A score of 90 points now represents a minimum competitive threshold for high-demand states and occupations. Applicants sitting at 65 or 70 points — once considered comfortable — are now effectively waiting indefinitely. See how NAATI credentials can add 5 points to your score.
📖 NSW 190 Visa: Complete Requirements & Application Guide →Does the month you submit an EOI for the 190 visa affect your chances of receiving an invitation?
The Australian migration program year runs from 1 July to 30 June. States receive their annual quota at the start of July and progressively issue invitations throughout the year. The practical implication is:
- July–September: Fresh quota available, broadest invitation rounds, typically the most competitive but also the highest invitation volumes
- October–December: Quota still available but narrowing; cutoff scores begin to firm
- January–March: Reduced quota; states become more selective; offshore pauses often begin here
- April–June: Most states have little to no remaining quota; very few invitations issued
Submitting your EOI in May for a June invitation is generally futile if NSW has exhausted its quota. Submitting in June for the July 2026 reset is the correct strategy — your EOI will be live and aged from day one of the new program year, giving you a marginal advantage in tiebreaker scenarios.
What is the current 190 visa quota for 2024-2025?
For the 2024–25 program year (which has now concluded), the Albanese Government maintained a total migration program of 185,000 places. Within this, the state and territory nominated stream — covering both 190 and 491 — was allocated 35,000 places. The 190 subclass has historically received roughly 40–50% of that combined stream allocation.
NSW's individual share for 2024–25 is estimated to have been between 3,500 and 5,000 places across all 190 occupations. Given the volume of EOIs in the pool for tech occupations alone, this represents severe competition. VJ Consulting and Education recommends that any client with under 85 points actively pursue strategies to increase their score before the 2026–27 program year begins.
📖 All PR Pathways After a Temporary Visa: Full 2026 Guide →How many people are in the 190 visa pool waiting for an invitation?
SkillSelect operates as a managed queue across all subclasses including 189, 190, and 491. While DOHA periodically publishes statistical data on EOI numbers, real-time pool sizes are not disclosed. Based on published SkillSelect data releases and occupation-level demand analysis, the following picture emerges for 190-specific EOIs:
| Occupation Category | Estimated EOI Volume (indicative) | Competitive Score Threshold |
|---|---|---|
| ICT / Software (Developer, Engineer, Analyst) | Very high — multiple thousands | 90–100 points |
| Accounting / Finance | High | 85–95 points |
| Engineering (Civil, Mechanical) | Moderate to high | 80–90 points |
| Nursing / Healthcare | Moderate | 75–85 points |
| Trades (Electricians, Plumbers) | Lower (but state-specific) | 65–80 points |
The sheer size of the pool means that passive waiting is not a viable strategy for most applicants. At VJ Consulting and Education, we conduct a comprehensive points audit for every client to identify legitimate ways to increase their score — whether through a higher English test result, a partner skills assessment, a NAATI credential, or a professional year program. Even a 5-point increase can move an applicant from the inactive waiting group to the invitation-eligible group in a single program year reset.
If you are currently in the 190 pool and have not received an invitation, the most important steps are: verify your EOI is still active (EOIs expire after 2 years if not updated), confirm your skills assessment is valid, and seek a professional review of your points claim to ensure you are not leaving legitimate points on the table. Our EOI and state nomination guide walks through every step of this process.
