Overview
The Australian Federal Government has announced the 2024-25 permanent Migration Program planning level will be set at 185,000 places with 70% being allocated to the Skillstream. The Federal Government will also introduce changes to the migration program to address skill shortages and attract exceptional talent.
These include:
- Introducing a new National Innovation visa to replace the Global Talent visa from late 2024
- Reducing the work experience requirement for the Temporary Skill Shortage (subclass 482) visa from two years to one year
- Introducing a new Mobility Arrangement for Talented Early-professionals Scheme (MATES)
- Ceasing the Business Innovation and Investment visa program.
Migration System Reforms
The Government will provide $18.3 million over four years from 2024–25 to further reform Australia’s migration system to drive greater economic prosperity and restore its integrity.
Funding includes:
- $15.0 million over three years from 2024–25 for information and education activities to provide migrant workers with accurate and appropriate information about workplace safeguards, protections and compliance measures related to migration laws
- $1.9 million in 2024–25 to conduct a data-matching pilot between the Department of Home Affairs and the Australian Taxation Office of income and employment data to mitigate exploitation of migrant workers and abuse of Australia’s labour market and migration system
Migration numbers
Government actions are estimated to reduce net overseas migration by 110,000 people over the forward estimates from 1 July 2024. Net overseas migration is forecast to approximately halve from 528,000 in 2022–23 to 260,000 in 2024–25.
Reports from fellow Migration Agent collegues are already indicating this area is being heavily managed with refusals of Tourist and Student visas. We are also experiencing longer processing times for subclass 482 compared to 6 months ago.
Permanent Migration Program
The Government will set the 2024–25 permanent Migration Program planning level at 185,000 places and allocate 132,200 places (around 70 per cent) to the Skill stream. The permanent migration program in 2023-2024 was set at 190,000.
From 2025–26, the Government will extend the planning horizon for the permanent Migration Program from one year to four years. This is a welcome relief from the Migration industry and will give certainty across all visa categories in order to set expectations.
Skilled Program
| 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 Program
| Family | Partner | 40,500 | 40,500 |
| Parent | 8,500 | 8,500 | |
| Child | 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.
Temporary Skill Shortage (subclass 482) visa – work experience reduced
The Government have announced that it will reduce the work experience requirement for the Temporary Skill Shortage (subclass 482) visa from two years to one year for all applicants from 23 November 2024 onwards .
Southeast Asia Engagement – additional funding
The Government will provide $505.9 million over five years from 2023–24 (and $118.3 million per year ongoing) to deepen Australia’s engagement with Southeast Asia, including measures to implement the next phase of the Government’s response to ‘Invested: Australia’s Southeast Asia Economic Strategy to 2040’.
Funding includes $1.1 million over two years from 2023–24 to improve visa access and provide long validity business and frequent traveller visas for ASEAN member countries and Timor-Leste
Work and Holiday visa – China, Vietnam and India
A visa pre-application (ballot) process will be implemented for the capped Work and Holiday (subclass 462) visa program for China, Vietnam and India from 2024–25. The ballot process will help to manage program demand and application processing times for these countries. A ballot charge of $25 (indexed to the Consumer Price Index in future years) will apply.
Mobility Arrangement for Talented Early-professionals Scheme (MATES)
The Government will implement a new Mobility Arrangement for Talented Early-professionals Scheme (MATES) program for Indian nationals from 1 November 2024.
MATES will provide a new mobility pathway for 3,000 Indian graduates and early career professionals (aged 18 to 30 years at the time of application), with knowledge and skills in targeted fields of study to live and work in Australia for up to two years. The visa will have a pre-application (ballot) charge of $25 and an application charge of $365, both of which will be indexed to the consumer price index in future years.
Extending the validity of the Business Visitor visa for Indian nationals
The validity of the Visitor visa (subclass 600) Business Visitor stream for Indian nationals will increase from three years to up to five years.
National Innovation visa, replacing the current Global Talent visa
The Government will implement a new National Innovation visa, replacing the current Global Talent visa (subclass 858) from late 2024, to target exceptionally talented migrants who will drive growth in sectors of national importance. Further details will be provided regarding this program when we have more information.
Business Innovation and Investment visa program
The Business Innovation and Investment visa program (BIIP), subclass 188, will cease, with refunds of the visa application charge provided from September 2024 for those who wish to withdraw their BIIP application.
MARN 1386281
