On 27 September 2024, the Migration Institute of Australia (MIA) made an announcement regarding legislative updates. These updates included important information about State nomination updates.as following:
ACT Skilled migration nomination invitation round
ACT held a skilled migration nomination invitation round on 19 September 2024.
During this round, a total of 68 nominations were issued for the Subclass 190 visa, and 62 nominations were issued for the Subclass 491 visa. Below is a detailed breakdown of the invitations provided:
Canberra residents Matrix nominating Small Business Owners Matrix submissions for Small Business Owners were not considered in this invitation round. Matrix nominating 457 / 482 visa holders 190 nominations: 12 invitations 491 nominations: 1 invitation
An update from The Tasmanian skilled migration webpage on 26 September 2024 included important details about the requirements and processes for Sc 190 and Sc 491 skilled migration nominations, applications, and Registrations of Interest (ROI) as follow:
Skilled Nominated (subclass 190) visa: Nominations – 360 of 2100 places used Nomination applications lodged but not decided – 211 Invitations to apply for nomination issued but not yet accepted – 100 Registrations of interest on hand – 402
Skilled Work Regional (subclass 491) visa: Nominations – 104 of 760 places used Nomination applications lodged but not decided – 81 Invitations to apply for nomination issued but not yet accepted – 45 Registrations of interest on hand – 386
Invitation rounds will be run periodically during the program year for:
Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189)
Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491) – Family Sponsored.
In each round, invitation numbers may vary depending on the number of onhand applications.
State or territory government nominations for skilled visas will not be affected by the departmental invitation rounds.
For results of previous SkillSelect invitation rounds, see Previous rounds.
Occupation ceilings
Occupation ceilings do not apply to these visa subclasses:
Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190)
Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491) – State and Territory Nominated
Invitation process
The highest ranked EOI, by points score, will be invited to apply for their visa before an EOI with a lower points score.
For EOIs who have equal points scores, we will determine the time and date at which the EOI reached its score for that subclass. We call this a ‘tie break’ or the ‘date of effect’. The EOI with an earlier date of effect will be invited before EOIs with a later date of effect.
Current round
Invitations issued on 13 June 2024
The table below shows the number of EOIs invited, and the tie break month and year, for the SkillSelect invitation round on 13 June 2024.
Invitations issued by occupation and minimum score invited
Occupation*
Subclass 189* Minimum scored
Accountant (General)
100
Actuary
95
Aeronautical Engineer
95
Agricultural Consultant
95
Agricultural Engineer
95
Agricultural Scientist
95
Airconditioning and Mechanical Services Plumber
65
Analyst Programmer
95
Architect
85
Audiologist
85
Biomedical Engineer
95
Biotechnologist
95
Bricklayer
65
Cabinetmaker
65
Carpenter
65
Carpenter and Joiner
65
Chef
95
Chemical Engineer
95
Chemist
95
Child Care Centre Manager
85
Chiropractor
85
Civil Engineer
90
Civil Engineering Draftsperson
85
Civil Engineering Technician
85
Clinical Psychologist
85
Computer Network and Systems Engineer
100
Construction Project Manager
85
Dancer or Choreographer
95
Developer Programmer
100
Diagnostic and Interventional Radiologist
85
Drainer
65
Early Childhood (Pre-primary School) Teacher
85
Economist
95
Electrical Engineer
90
Electrician (General)
65
Electrician (Special Class)
70
Electronics Engineer
95
Emergency Medicine Specialist
85
Endocrinologist
95
Engineering Manager
95
Engineering Professionals nec)
95
Engineering Technologist
95
Environmental Consultant
95
Environmental Engineer
95
Environmental Research Scientist
95
External Auditor
95
Fibrous Plasterer
65
Food Technologist
95
Forester
95
Gasfitter
65
General Practitioner
85
Geophysicist
95
Geotechnical Engineer
85
Glazier
65
ICT Business Analyst
100
ICT Security Specialist
100
Industrial Engineer
95
Internal Auditor
95
Joiner
65
Land Economist
95
Landscape Architect
85
Life Scientist (General)
95
Life Scientists nec
95
Lift Mechanic
65
Management Accountant
100
Management Consultant
95
Marine Biologist
95
Materials Engineer
95
Mechanical Engineer
90
Medical Diagnostic Radiographer
85
Medical Laboratory Scientist
85
Medical Practitioners nec
85
Metal Fabricator
85
Metallurgist
95
Microbiologist
95
Midwife
85
Mining Engineer (excluding Petroleum)
95
Motor Mechanic (General)
95
Multimedia Specialist
95
Naval Architect
100
Obstetrician and Gynaecologist
85
Occupational Therapist
85
Other Spatial Scientist
95
Paediatrician
85
Painting Trades Worker
65
Pathologist
85
Petroleum Engineer
95
Physicist
95
Physiotherapist
85
Plumber (General)
65
Production or Plant Engineer
90
Psychiatrist
85
Psychologists nec
85
Quantity Surveyor
85
Registered Nurse (Aged Care)
85
Registered Nurse (Child and Family Health)
85
Registered Nurse (Community Health)
90
Registered Nurse (Critical Care and Emergency)
85
Registered Nurse (Medical Practice)
85
Registered Nurse (Medical)
85
Registered Nurse (Mental Health)
85
Registered Nurse (Paediatrics)
85
Registered Nurse (Perioperative)
85
Registered Nurse (Surgical)
85
Registered Nurses nec
85
Roof Plumber
65
Secondary School Teacher
85
Sheetmetal Trades Worker
85
Shipwright
105
Social Worker
85
Software and Applications Programmers nec
95
Software Engineer
100
Solicitor
95
Solid Plasterer
65
Special Needs Teacher
85
Specialist Physician (General Medicine)
85
Speech Pathologist
85
Statistician
95
Stonemason
65
Structural Engineer
85
Surveyor
95
Systems Analyst
100
Taxation Accountant
95
Telecommunications Engineer
95
Telecommunications Field Engineer
100
Telecommunications Network Engineer
95
Telecommunications Network Planner
90
Transport Engineer
85
University Lecturer
95
Valuer
95
Veterinarian
95
Wall and Floor Tiler
65
Welder (First Class)
85
Zoologist
95
* Results could indicate that no EOIs were available to be invited, or EOIs were available but did not meet parameters to receive an invitation. Note – ‘nec’ means ‘not elsewhere classified’.
Total invitations issued during 2023-24 program year
The above figures do not include invitations issued for state and territory government-nominated visa subclasses. State and territory governments nominate throughout the month for specific visas.
State and Territory nominations
2024-25 program year
The number of EOIs that have received nominations from state and territory governments from 1 July 2024 to 30 June 2025.
The Australian Government has announced that a National Planning Level will apply to the international education and training sector from 2025.
On 27 August 2024, the Australian Government announced that a National Planning Level (NPL) will put limits on the growth of international student programs each year. For 2025, new student commencement numbers for Australia’s universities will be set at around 2023 levels.
Why has an NPL been put in place?
Australia remains a top study destination globally and there have been large increases in the number of students choosing to study in Australia in recent years.
A new NPL will help Australia’s education and training providers to manage this growth. It will also help to ensure that providers can continue to deliver high-quality programs, offer comprehensive student support services and best prepare their students for future employment in their chosen career.
What are the numbers?
National Planning Level limits will apply from 1 January 2025, with a total of 270,000 new international student commencements for the 2025 calendar year. This does not include enrolments or offers. It is the actual number of international students starting a course. If a student starts a second course at the same provider, also in calendar year 2025, it will not be counted under that year’s planning limit.
From 1 January 2025, new commencements will be divided between Higher Education and VET:
Public universities will have a total of around 145,000 commencements.
Private universities and NUHEPs will have around 30,000.
VET providers will have around 95,000.
This means that most public universities in Australia will be able to enrol more new international students in 2025 than they did before the COVID-19 pandemic. Some universities will even welcome more new students in 2025 than in 2024.
Who is not affected?
Current international students will not be affected by these changes.
Other student cohorts that will not be affected by the NPL also include:
International students enrolled at an Australian provider or partner provider campus around the world, studying an Australian transnational education (TNE) or twinning program
School students
Higher degree by research students
‘Standalone’ ELICOS students
Non-award, including Study Abroad and Exchange students
Australian Government sponsored (and partner sponsored) scholars
Australia values and welcomes international students
International students from all over the world are welcomed and valued in Australia. International students bring new ideas and skills to our society, diverse perspectives to our classrooms and communities, and sought-after talent to Australia’s workforce.
There are many benefits to studying in a smaller student city in Australia. One advantage can be a cheaper cost of living compared to larger cities.
There are incredible benefits to studying in smaller student cities in Australia (also known as regional cities or centres). But it’s not just the relaxed lifestyle, unique environments and friendly communities in smaller cities that attract many international students each year. There are also some financial advantages.
If you’re thinking of studying in Australia, here’s a guide to help you understand how much your everyday life might cost if you choose a smaller city.
What are the smaller cities of Australia?
n general terms, smaller cities and major towns are those located outside of Australia’s major cities (Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane).
The map below shows all the places across Australia where you can study:
The Australian Government’s Department of Home Affairs have created categories for the cities of Australia. This serves as a guide for the different incentives that are offered for studying in smaller cities and regional centres. For example, one of these incentives is additional post study work rights.
Cost of living
Some smaller student cities will have a similar cost of living to the major cities. But most do have more affordable rental accommodation, transport and entertainment options.
The cost of groceries won’t change too much from city to city across Australia, especially if you shop at one of the major supermarkets that operates nationally. However, you can usually find local markets with cheaper fresh fruit, vegetables, meat and dairy products.
How to research the cost of living in smaller cities
It’s very important to understand how much it costs to live in Australia so that you can plan to have enough money while you study.
1. Get an estimate of your salary
Start by working out how much money you could earn by working while you study, in line with your student visa conditions. Here are some ways to get an estimate of your potential earnings:
Go to a job search site such as SEEK.com and look at part-time and casual jobs that you could do when studying. Some ads will offer a salary guide.
You can only work up to 48 hours in a fortnight during study terms and semesters (unlimited during study breaks).
That’s why it’s important to come to Australia with some savings.
2. Use the Cost of Living Calculator
You can get an estimate of the cost of living in the major regional cities (Adelaide, Perth, Canberra, Darwin and Hobart) using our Cost of living calculator. The major cities (Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney) are also included in this tool so you can compare costs with some of the smaller student cities.
Check out the websites for major grocery stores in Australia such as Coles, Aldi and Woolworths to get an idea of how much your weekly groceries would cost.
5. Compare accommodation costs
When choosing where to study, accommodation is one of the most important considerations. The good news is that smaller student cities often have a wider variety of housing options and less competition for rental accommodation.
Start your education journey to Australia today. Use our Course Search tool to look at courses in the smaller cities. You can also use our university list as a guide.
UK universities experienced record international enrolments in the 2022-2023 academic year, reaching a new high of 758,855 students — a 12% increase from the previous year. The UK hosted a total of 758,855 international students during the last academic year – with India, China and Nigeria sending the most students, new data released by HESA today revealed. It marked a record high for students coming to the UK, beating the previous record set in the 2021/22 academic year, when there were 675,200 international students. India sent more students to the UK than any other overseas nation in 2022/23, with students from this country representing just over a quarter (26%) of non-EU students. It was the first time since 2018/19 that another country took China’s top spot as the country sending the most overseas students to the UK. Some 173,190 students from India chose the UK for study opportunities in 2022/23 – a 39% increase compared to the previous year and 145,650 more students than in 2018/19, the data showed. Meanwhile, China sent 154,260 students (a 2% increase on the previous year), Nigeria 72,355 (a 66% increase) and Pakistan 34,960 in the same year. Of countries in the EU, France was the biggest sending country, with 10,305 students travelling to the UK. This was followed by Ireland, sending 9,410 students, Italy, sending 9,220, and Spain, sending 8,730.
While the number of non-EU international students in the UK rose between 2021/22 and 2022/23 – going from 555,060 to 663,355 – the number of international students from the EU fell. Some 95,505 EU students came to the UK in 2022/23, compared to 120,145 the previous year. It was the second year in a row that EU student numbers declined year on year after this cohort reached a peak in 2020/21, with 152, 910 students.
University College London logged the highest number of international students of all UK HE institutions in 2022/23, with 28,120 overseas students. It was followed by BPP University, with 19,205 international students, The University of Manchester, with 18,515, and the University of Hertfordshire, with 17,095.
HESA’s data for the 2022/323 academic year has been published three months later than anticipated, with the organisation blaming the delay on the challenges of bringing in a new data model.
The 2024-25 Skilled Migration State Nomination Program is now open for Registrations of Interest. Updated eligibility requirements, policy guidance and service fees apply.
Features of the 2024-25 Skilled Migration State Nomination Program
The 2024-25 program includes:
Changes to priority attributes, including a reduction in green attributes and a new “orange-plus” attribute category.
All occupations listed on the Australian Government’s subclass 190 and 491 list remain eligible for nomination in at least one program pathway.
18 new occupation groups, comprising 78 individual occupations, have been added to the Tasmanian Onshore Skilled Occupation List for the subclass 190 Tasmanian Skilled Employment pathway. Candidates with a skills assessment and directly related employment qualify for permanent visa nomination after six months of work.
Changes to income thresholds in minimum eligibility requirement and priority attributes based on updates to Australian median and average earnings and the Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold.
An updated critical roles list (for gold priority in the Tasmania Skilled Employment, Skilled Graduate and Established Resident pathways).
More detailed policy guidance in the Additional Information, Exclusions and Definitions section of the Migration Tasmania website.
An increased service fee to apply for nomination to $360 (plus $36 GST). There is no charge to submit a Registration of Interest.
Change to priority attributes
Green priority attributes have been reduced for the Tasmanian Skilled Employment, Skilled Graduate Established Resident and Business Owner pathways. Some previously green attributes have been moved to a new “orange-plus” category. This will provide greater certainty, allowing all green pass holders to receive an invitation to apply for nomination within eight weeks of submitting a registration of interest.
Candidates with at least one orange-plus attribute will be issued an Orange Pass. However they will be noted internally by Migration Tasmania as a high priority and are highly likely to receive an invitation to apply for nomination within six months. The higher the number of orange-plus attributes a candidate attains, the sooner an invitation will be issued.
All subclass 190 candidates with at least one orange-plus attribute will be invited to apply for nomination this program year.
Employment must be skilled to claim orange-plus attributes.
Additions to the Tasmanian Onshore Skilled Occuaption List (TOSOL)
The TOSOL is used to determine eligibility for subclass 190 nomination in the Tasmanian Skilled Employment – TOSOL option nomination Pathway. It lists skilled occupation groups for which employers are currently experiencing significant recruitment difficulty. It also aims to attract new skilled migrants by providing a fast and simple pathway to permanent residency.
Candidates may have a migration skills assessment and an employment role within the same four-digit group to be considered for subclass 190 nomination in the Tasmanian Skilled Employment Pathway. Where an occupation is not on the Home Affairs skilled occupation lists, and a skills assessment is not available for that role, candidates may have a skills assessment for any one of the occupations listed in that group.
For example, an applicant who holds a skills assessment for “232212 Surveyor” could be working in any of the roles listed in the “2322 Surveyors and Spatial Scientists” group to meet the subclass 190 nomination requirement.
The following 19 occupation groups have been added to the TOSOL.
1311 Advertising, Public Relations and Sales Managers
1322 Finance Managers
1342 Health and Welfare Services Managers
1351 ICT Managers
2223 Financial Investment Advisers and Managers
2231 Human Resource Professionals
2242 Archivists, Curators and Records Managers
2321 Architects and Landscape Architects
2325 Interior Designers
2326 Urban and Regional Planners
2343 Environmental Scientists
2713 Solicitors
3112 Medical Technicians
3114 Science Technicians
3129 Other Building and Engineering Technicians
3611 Animal Attendants and Trainers
3991 Boat Builders and Shipwrights
4111 Ambulance Officers and Paramedics
Critical Roles list
The critical roles list is used to prioritise invitations to apply for nomination based on employment in highly skilled roles.
Thirty-seven occupations have been added to the critical roles list and 30 have been removed. The impact of removal is minor, as all candidates working in their skills assessment area are of high priority for nomination.
All the occupations slated for removal remain high priority and are included in the updated TOSOL.
Added
Removed
135111 Chief Information Officer 135112 ICT Project Manager 135199 ICT Managers nec 224211 Archivist 224212 Gallery or Museum Curator 224213 Health Information Manager 224214 Records Manager 233311 Electrical Engineer 233411 Electronics Engineer 233911 Aeronautical Engineer 233912 Agricultural Engineer 233913 Biomedical Engineer 233914 Engineering Technologist 233915 Environmental Engineer 233916 Naval Architect / Marine Designer 233999 Engineering Professionals nec 234211 Chemist 234212 Food Technologist 234213 Wine Maker 261111 ICT Business Analyst 261112 Systems Analyst 261113 User Experience Designer (ICT) 261211 Multimedia Specialist 261212 Web Developer 263111 Computer Network and Systems Engineer 263112 Network Administrator 263113 Network Analyst 263211 ICT Quality Assurance Engineer 263212 ICT Support Engineer 263213 ICT Systems Test Engineer 263299 ICT Support and Test Engineers nec 411211 Dental Hygienist 411212 Dental Prosthetist 411213 Dental Technician 411214 Dental Therapist 411311 Diversional Therapist 411411 Enrolled Nurse
133111 Construction Project Manager 133112 Project Builder 133211 Engineering Manager 232212 Surveyor 232213 Cartographer 232214 Other Spatial Scientist 232411 Graphic Designer 232412 Illustrator 232413 Multimedia Designer 232414 Web Designer 233211 Civil Engineer 233212 Geotechnical Engineer 233213 Quantity Surveyor 233214 Structural Engineer 233215 Transport Engineer 234111 Agricultural Consultant 234113 Forester / Forest Scientist 234711 Veterinarian 252111 Chiropractor 252112 Osteopath 311112 Agricultural and Agritech Technician 312111 Architectural Draftsperson 312113 Building Inspector 312114 Construction Estimator 312116 Surveying or Spatial Science Technician 312199 Architectural, Building and Surveying Technicians nec 312211 Civil Engineering Draftsperson 312212 Civil Engineering Technician 312511 Mechanical Engineering Draftsperson 312512 Mechanical Engineering Technician
Policy Guidance (Additional Information, Exclusions and Definitions)
Income thresholds updated to reflect latest Australian average and median earnings and the new Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold.
Excluded business operations – clarification about including parcel delivery contracting services (eg, Australia Post, Aramex). These are accepted as employment where the applicant has a related skills assessment or at least two years’ prior experience.
Claiming skilled employment related to gold or green attributes – Additional guidance about indicators of skilled employment including:
Roles that match ANZSCO Skill Levels 1,2 or 3
Pay rate above the Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold
Pay rate at or around National Minimum Salary isan indicator that employment is not skilled.
Excluded employment – employment with a related skills assessment as Chef, Cook, or Café or Restaurant manager in a fast casual restaurant or café business is now accepted. It is not accepted in relation to limited-service restaurants:
Fast casual restaurants combine elements of fast food and casual dining, blending the speed and convenience of fast food chains and the quality and atmosphere of a casual restaurant. These establishments typically offer freshly prepared dishes, and a more appealing dining environment without the full table service of traditional sit-down restaurants. Fast casual restaurants and cafes are usually characterised by:
Off-premise and on-premise dining, but with an emphasis on dining in
Lower average meal price than fine dining
No drive-through.
ANZSCO 4 or 5 roles – Qualifications or experience consistent with ANZSCO – Claiming employment in lieu of qualification specified in ANZSCO for a role – clarification added that for the purposes of Tasmanian nomination only qualification will be accepted:
If using employment in a role equivalent to ANZSCO Skill Level 4 or 5 to meet minimum requirements or priority attributes, you must have the relevant qualifications or experience as defined in ANZSCO (note that for the purposes of this program qualifications must be a minimum Certificate III, or at least 12 months experience).
For example, if working as a Retail Supervisor (ANZSCO 621511 – ANZSCO Skill Level 4), you must have an AQF Certificate III or at least one year of relevant experience.
For some occupations ANZSCO indicates that an amount of time in employment may substitute for the specified qualification. However, for the purposes of Tasmanian nomination you cannot use that work experience concession for ANZSCO 4 or 5 work: you will need the relevant qualification to claim this priority attribute.
Where ANZSCO does not list a qualification or experience for an occupation Migration Tasmania requires you to have a related AQF Certificate III qualification or one year of relevant Australian experience.
Where a priority attribute or Gateway question / response specifically refers to a qualification, experience cannot be used as a substitute.
Employment related to skills assessment or study – additional guidance about how a relationship between employment and Tasmanian study can be shown:
If you are claiming employment in a skilled role directly related to your Tasmanian study, one way this can be shown is by supplying a role description or relevant job advertisement demonstrating that the role requires the qualification you gained.
For example, if you have completed a Bachelor of Social Work or have a skills assessment as a Social Worker, your job advertisement or job description may state:
“A Bachelor of Social Work or a Diploma of Community Welfare Work or other tertiary qualifications at Diploma or above level which includes units of case management/casework practice and supervised practical work placements in relevant fields.”
Migration Tasmania would accept this employment as being directly related to your study.
Job interviews related to skills assessment or Tasmanian study – New guidance clarifying that this can only be claimed if the applicant is not currently in skilled employment.
Genuine employment / business operation – indicators of concern – New item listing indicators of concern regarding employment claims that could prompt an officer to consider deeper checks from an applicant or employing business. All available information will be assessed and a determination made on the balance of information. This may lead to a decision to decline nomination.
Applications lodged or invited and before 12:00pm
Applications for nomination that have been lodged but not decided or have been invited before 1 August 2024 will continue to be processed against the requirements that were in place at the time of invitation.
Registrations of Interest submitted in the 2023-24 program year
Registrations of Interest (ROIs) submitted during before 1 July 2024 will remain valid for the 2024-25 program year up until the six-month expiry date or until an invitation to apply for nomination is issued.
If invited to apply for nomination, the requirements and settings in place at the time of ROI submission will apply.
New priority attributes apply to ROIs submitted from 12pm 1 August 2024. In cases where new requirements are likely to be beneficial, candidates may wish to withdraw their current ROI and submit a new one.
Questions?
If you have any questions about The Tasmanian Skilled Migration State Nomination Program you can email us at contact@emkglobal.com.au
The Department processes existing on-hand applications and new applications nominated by a state or territory in line with the permanent Migration Program planning levels and skilled visa processing priorities.
2024–25 state and territory nomination allocations
Nomination allocations are the number of new primary applicants each state or territory can nominate in a program year. New applications are added to the existing on-hand caseload in these visa categories.
Nomination allocations do not reflect the total number of visa applicants in these categories and do not limit the number of visas able to be granted in these visa categories.
Nomination allocations for the 2024–25 Migration Program are below.
State
Skilled Nominated (Subclass 190) visa
Skilled Work Regional (Subclass 491) visa
ACT
1,000
800
NSW
3,000
2,000
NT
800
800
QLD
600
600
SA
3,000
800
TAS
2,100
760
VIC
3,000
2,000
WA
3,000
2,000
Total
16,500
9,760
Net overseas migration – relationship with the permanent Migration Program
The permanent Migration Program is only one component of net overseas migration (NOM). NOM includes temporary migration, such as Working Holiday Makers and Students. It also includes Australian citizens, New Zealanders and Humanitarian migrants.
The size of the permanent Migration Program has decreased since 2022–23 and it is not the cause of recent volatility in NOM. Around 60 per cent of visas under the permanent Migration Program are granted to migrants already onshore and in the community, residing in established households at the time of visa grant. This minimises the permanent Migration Program’s near-term impact on housing, infrastructure and services.
From 2025–26, the Migration Program will move to a multi-year planning model, extending the Program planning horizon to four years from the current twelve month cycle.
Extending the outlook of Australia’s Migration Program will enable migration planning to better align with longer-term infrastructure, housing and services planning across all levels of government. The multi-year approach will incorporate housing supply as one of the key factors to shape the broad direction of long-term migration planning.
Public consultation on the size and composition of the first four-year cycle (covering 2025–26 to 2028–29) will commence later this year.
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On 14 May 2024, the Australian Government announced that the planning levels for the 2024–25 permanent Migration Program will be set at 185,000 places.
This Migration Program aims to address skills shortages in priority sectors and prioritize visa processing for regional Australia, while also building a domestic pipeline of highly skilled workers.
Recognizing the significant contributions of all migrants to social cohesion, the 2024–25 Migration Program focuses on strengthening family and community bonds in Australia.
A well-targeted, skills-focused Migration Program supplements the working-age population, boosting participation rates and expanding the labour force.
The 2024–25 permanent Migration Program consists of the following components:
Skill stream (132,200 places, approximately 71% of the program) – Designed to enhance the productive capacity of the economy and address skill shortages in the labour market, particularly in regional Australia.
Family stream (52,500 places, approximately 28% of the program) – Predominantly comprising Partner visas, this stream allows Australians to reunite with family members from overseas and provides pathways to citizenship. Within this stream:
An estimated 40,500 Partner visas are planned for 2024–25, noting that this category is demand-driven.
An estimated 3,000 Child visas are planned for 2024–25, also noting that this category is demand-driven.
Special Eligibility stream (300 places) – This stream includes visas for individuals in special circumstances, such as permanent residents returning to Australia after a period overseas.
Visa Stream
Visa Category
2023–24 Planning levels
2024–25 Planning levels
Skill
Employer Sponsored
36,825
44,000
Skilled Independent
30,375
16,900
Regional
32,300
33,000
State/Territory Nominated
30,400
33,000
Business Innovation & Investment
1,900
1,000
Global Talent (Independent)
5,000
4,000
Distinguished Talent
300
300
Skill Total
137,100
132,200
Family
Partner1
40,500
40,500
Parent
8,500
8,500
Child1
3,000
3,000
Other Family
500
500
Family Total
52,500
52,500
Special Eligibility
400
300
Total Migration Program
190,000
185,000
Delivery of the Partner and Child visa categories are demand driven, with indicative planning levels only.
2024–25 permanent Migration Program planning levels
The 2024–25 permanent Migration Program has been set at a planning level of 185,000 with an approximate 70:30 split between the Skill and Family streams.
Employer Sponsored visa category
The Government has increased the planning level for Employer Sponsored from 36,825 visas in 2023–24 to 44,000 visas for the 2024–25 permanent Migration Program.
This planning level builds on the expanded pathway to permanent residence introduced by the Government from November 2023. It will allow a greater proportion of temporary migrants to secure permanent residence in a timely manner through the Temporary Residence Transition Stream.
State/Territory Nominated visa category
The Government has increased the planning level for the State/Territory Nominated category to 33,000 visas, and the planning level for the Regional category to 33,000 visas for the 2024–25 Migration Program.
Together these categories, which both contain visas nominated by state and territory governments, account for 36 per cent of the overall planning level and 50 per cent of the Skill stream.
Increasing the planning levels for the State and Territory Nominated and Regional categories will allow jurisdictions to attract skilled migrants to meet their specific economic and labour force challenges. Increases to the Regional category planning level will also support key commitments in the Migration Strategy to support regional Australia, in addition to priority visa processing.
Skilled Independent visa category
In the 2024–25 Migration Program, the Government has allocated 16,900 places for Skilled Independent visas. This is a decrease compared to the 2023–24 program allocation of 30,375 places, but still well above the COVID-era planning levels of 7,500 and 6,500 places in 2020–21 and 2021–22 respectively.
Business Innovation and Investment Program (BIIP) visa category
The Government has reduced the planning level for the BIIP from 1,900 visas in 2023–24 to 1,000 visas for the 2024–25 permanent Migration Program.
As part of the Migration Strategy, the Government announced that it would not provide any new allocations for the BIIP while a new talent and innovation visa was considered. This new visa – to be called the National Innovation visa – will be available at the end of 2024.
The BIIP will be closed permanently from July 2024 and new applications for the Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) (subclass 188) visa will no longer be able to be lodged. The Migration Review concluded that the BIIP is delivering poor economic outcomes for Australia. This has been supported by other studies, including work undertaken by the Treasury, Productivity Commission and the Grattan Institute.
Subclass 188 BIIP visa applications that have been lodged will continue to be processed in line with Government priorities and the Migration Program planning levels. BIIP policy guidance will be tightened to ensure that all business migrants coming to Australia through this program have overall had a successful business career and will bring an economic benefit to Australia.
Those who hold a subclass 188 visa and meet the relevant criteria for the grant of the Business Innovation and Investment (Permanent) (subclass 888) visa will still be able to continue on this pathway after July 2024.
Reducing the planning level for BIIP will ensure the 2024–25 permanent Migration Program is focussed on highly-skilled individuals who will help to support a stronger, more robust, economy.
Global Talent visa category
The Government has slightly reduced the planning level for the Global Talent Visa Program to 4,000 visas for the 2024–25 Migration Program.
This planning level aligns with the Government’s broader reforms around talent and innovation, and accounts for the last year of the Global Talent visa program as it transitions to new arrangements using the forthcoming National Innovation visa. Through the new visa, the Government will provide a permanent visa pathway for the most exceptional talented migrants – such as high performing entrepreneurs, major investors and global researchers. National Innovation visas granted in 2024-25 will be counted within the Global Talent visa Program.
Home Affairs will manage the transition to the new National Innovation visa to ensure applicants, including existing applicants of the Global Talent visa, are supported in the application process. Existing Global Talent visa applicants will not be adversely affected by the transition. Visa applicants will be assessed against the eligibility criteria at the time of their application.
Family stream
The Government has maintained the size of the family stream. Family migration is an important element of Australia’s migration system. It allows Australian citizens and permanent residents to reunite with their family members and contribute to stronger social cohesion outcomes. The Australian Government recognises that immigrant parents can make valuable social contributions to their families and local communities.
The Partner visa category is the largest component within the family stream. From 2022–23, the Partner program moved to a demand driven model which:
recognises the social, economic and demographic benefits of family reunification and the Partner visa program in particular
provides the flexibility to adjust the program in line with expected demand and help to reduce the Partner visa pipeline and processing times for many applicants.
The Parent visa program has been maintained at 8,500 places while the Other Family (including Aged Dependent Relative, Remaining Relative and Carer programs) visa category has been maintained at 500 places.
The Child visa program allows Australian residents to sponsor their dependent or adopted child or an orphaned relative. The Child program is demand-driven and remains set at 3,000 places for planning purposes only. The Australian Government prioritises the reunification of a child with an Australian parent or family sponsor. This ensures we uphold our international obligations to consider the best interest of a child as a primary consideration.
2024–25 permanent Migration Program consultation
The size and composition of the Migration Program is set each year alongside the Australian Government’s Budget process.
To inform the planning levels and policy settings of the 2024–25 Migration Program, consultation occurred with:
state and territory governments
academia
industry
unions
community organisations.
When planning the Migration Program, the Australian Government considers the following:
Public submissions
Economic and labour force forecasts
International research
Demand for permanent visa programs
Net overseas migration
Economic and fiscal modelling.
The Department invites public submissions as part of the planning process for future Migration Programs. Submissions to inform the 2024–25 Migration Program have now closed. For more information, see Australia’s 2024–25 Migration Program.
