Hi @gregormendel, is there an explanation on why Immigration...

Some more info: Last FY2023-24, the regional planning level was 32300, and total FY 491 grants were ~24500. So 76% of the regional level was used for 491 grants.

Current FY regional level is 33000 and as at 31 Mar 2025, 20945 SC491 grants have been consumed. 75% of 33000 = 24750.

My guess is that a greater % of the regional quota might have been used by by 494 visa grants this year.

FY2024-25 Planning Level Usage Learn more about planning levels → Regional planning level is 33000 places of which ~80% (guesstimate) can be estimated to be available for 491 regional visa = 26400 places (primary + secondary). As at 31 Mar 2025, 20945 (79.3%) out of 26400 places have been consumed by visa grants, with 5455 remaining places until the end of FY. The number of ONHAND visas as at 31 Mar 2025 is 24860 (see table below). Therefore, the remaining FY planning level (5455) is enough to grant 21.9% of the ONHAND visas. ===============================================

In my opinion the guesstimate is more like 65% rather than 80%. which is 21,450.

This also makes sense as the state allocations for last year 491 total was 9760 which if multiplied by 2.2 (average number of applicants for each 491 application) give us 21,472 grants. I suspect this number was reached by early April. The FOI for april should confirm this.

It sucks that 491 has to share the allocation with 494 while 190 has full 33,000 allocated to the single visa.