The three visas
189 vs 190 vs 491 — three separate pools
People search for “189 vs 190 vs 491” expecting a ranking, but SkillSelect does not work that way. The three subclasses are counted as three separate pools, and an occupation that looks crowded in one can look quiet in another for reasons that have nothing to do with how hard the visa is. This article sets them side by side and shows how to compare them without mixing the numbers.
Key terms. SkillSelect is the Australian government’s online system for skilled migration. An Expression of Interest (EOI) is the form you lodge in it, and it is not a visa application. An EOI counted as submitted was still sitting in the pool when the monthly snapshot was taken; one counted as invited was holding an invitation at that moment. ANZSCO is the occupation-code list SkillSelect uses. Every figure on this site counts EOIs rather than people, because one person can lodge more than one.
Three pools, not one ladder
The three subclasses are often discussed as if they were rungs on a ladder, with 189 at the top and 491 as the fallback. The published statistics do not support that reading. Each subclass has its own eligibility rules, its own occupation lists and its own pool, and an EOI in one of them is never counted in another.
| Subclass | Nomination | Status | Where to start in EOI Insights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 189 | None | Permanent | Occupation Trends, then the points views |
| 190 | State or territory | Permanent | Occupation Trends, then State Mix |
| 491 | State, territory or eligible relative | Provisional, five years | The same views with the visa locked to 491 (sign in) |
In the EOI statistics
Because the pools are counted separately, the only fair comparison is one occupation at a time, with the visa filter locked, looking at the same months. Anything else compares different populations. A short 491 pool does not make 189 easy, and an occupation that looks crowded on 190 may be quiet on 189 simply because fewer people bothered to seek nomination for it.
If somebody offers you “the EOI data for accountants”, the first question is which subclass they mean. The second is whether the status filter was on submitted or invited, because those two answer different questions.
In the dashboard
The dashboard never draws two subclasses on one axis. Open 189 first, then switch the visa filter to 190 and read the same occupation again — the guest trial covers both. The sketch below illustrates the idea rather than showing live counts.
The guest trial covers 189 and 190 plus five occupations. Opening 491 asks you to sign in.
Reading these charts
The three pools in EOI data is the Guides explainer for why the streams stay apart, and Occupation Trends covers reading the lines once you have chosen a subclass.
For applicants
Compare only the subclasses you are actually eligible for. Nomination requirements, regional residence conditions and occupation lists rule options in or out long before pool size matters, and none of that is visible in these charts.
When you do compare, look at the shape of the line over a year or two rather than the latest number. Direction is more informative than the last data point.
For migration professionals
Show two charts rather than one. A single image with a 189 line and a 190 line side by side invites the client to subtract them, which is exactly the mistake this page exists to prevent.
State the status filter out loud each time you switch. Submitted and invited move differently across the three subclasses, and a swapped filter is the easiest way to end up with a story that is not true.
Related pages
- Subclass 189 — Skilled Independent
- Subclass 190 — Skilled Nominated
- Subclass 491 — Skilled Work Regional
- What a SkillSelect EOI is
- Guides: the three pools in EOI data
Common questions
Which visa is easier, 189, 190 or 491?
The statistics cannot answer that, because there is no single ranking across the three. Each subclass is counted as its own pool, so the comparison has to be made occupation by occupation, with the visa filter locked, and even then pool size is only one of the things that decides an outcome.
Can I look at all three in EOI Insights?
Yes, one at a time. The guest trial opens Occupation Trends for 189 and 190; subclass 491 asks you to sign in. The dashboard deliberately never plots two subclasses on one axis.
Why can’t the three pools be added together?
Because one person can hold EOIs in more than one of them, and because the pools have different eligibility rules and occupation lists. A total across all three would count some applicants twice and compare things that are not alike.