The Australian Government announced that the planning levels for the 2024–25 permanent Migration Program (Migration Program) will be set at 185,000 places. The permanent Migration Program will help fill skills shortages in priority sectors and prioritise visa processing for regional Australia by building the domestic pipeline of highly skilled workers.
From 2024-25, the government will introduce a visa ballot process for the capped Work and Holiday (Subclass 462) visa program for applicants from the People’s Republic of China, Vietnam, and India. The ballot process will help to manage program demand and application processing times for these countries. A ballot charge of $25 (indexed for CPI each year) will apply.
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.
2024–25 Permanent Migration Program
Skill stream (132,200 places, approximately 71 per cent of the program) – This stream has been designed to improve the productive capacity of the economy and fill skill shortages in the labour market, particularly those in regional Australia.
Family stream (52,500 places, approximately 28 per cent of the program) – This stream is predominantly made up of Partner visas, enabling Australians to reunite with family members from overseas and provide them with pathways to citizenship. Of this stream:
- 40,500 Partner visas are estimated for 2024–25 for planning purposes, noting this category is demand driven.
- 3,000 Child visas are estimated for 2024–25 for planning purposes, noting this category is demand driven.
- Special Eligibility stream (300 places) – This stream covers visas for those in special circumstances, including permanent residents returning to Australia after a period overseas.
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.
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. Skilled Independent visa is for invited workers, eligible New Zealand citizens and eligible Hong Kong or British National (Overseas) passport holders with skills we need, to live and work permanently anywhere in Australia.
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. BIIP visa allows you to own and manage a business in Australia, conduct business and investment activity in Australia or undertake an entrepreneurial activity in Australia.
Global Talent Visa Vategory
The Government has slightly reduced the planning level for the Global Talent Visa Program to 4,000 visas for the 2024–25 Migration Program. The Global Talent visa is a permanent visa for exceptionally talented and prominent individuals who can raise Australia’s standing in their field.
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
Family migration is an important element of Australia’s migration system as it allows Australian citizens and permanent residents to reunite with their family members. The Partner visa category is the largest component within the family stream.
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.