March 2026 EOI Update — VIC Pulls Further Ahead on 190 Invitations
Victoria's lead over NSW on 190 invitations widened sharply in March, while Carpenter led all occupations for invitations issued.
Headlines
- Carpenter (331212) topped the invitation leaderboard on the 190 visa with 375 invitations issued in March.
- Victoria extended its lead over NSW on 190 invitations — the gap widened from ~220 in February to 750 in March.
- Software Engineer (261313) held #4 by invitations — the highest-ranked ICT occupation, trailing three trades / engineering roles.
What changed on the state side
Victoria has been ahead of NSW on 190 invitations for three consecutive snapshots, but the gap was modest until March. In the latest snapshot, VIC issued roughly 47% more invitations than NSW (2,360 vs 1,610).
NSW's count actually dropped month-on-month (from 1,990 to 1,610), while VIC continued climbing. If the trend holds, VIC nominations are becoming a materially better option for candidates in occupations eligible for both.
Who this affects
- Trades applicants — if you hold a current skills assessment for Carpenter, Painting Trades Worker, or Electrician, the 190 pool is moving in your favour. Three of the top 10 invited occupations are trades.
- ICT applicants — Software Engineer and ICT Business Analyst both sit in the top 10, but Engineers and Civil Engineers are pulling ahead on invitation volume.
- NSW-leaning candidates — if your points are borderline, it's worth re-checking VIC's current nomination criteria; they're issuing meaningfully more invitations this quarter.
What's next
The April snapshot (covering EOIs valid as at 30 April 2026) will drop off March 2024 entries from the rolling 24-month window. Expect some movement in the lower points tiers as those older submissions roll off.
This post is generated from the latest SkillSelect snapshot. You can explore the same data interactively in the dashboard.