Proposed migration budget
2024-2025 Permanent visa allocations
The allocation for permanent visa places have been published on the Home Affairs website today.
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 | 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 |
With the latest government budget announcement, this is a summary of the changes towards the Migration program.
Expected fee increase 1 July 2024
Filing fee increases are expected on 1 July 2024 in line with the Consumer Price Index or higher depending on the visa category.
Temporary Skill Shortage (subclass 482) visa:
The work experience requirement for the Temporary Skill Shortage (subclass 482) visa to be reduced from two years to one year for all applicants, effective from 23 November 2024.
There are other expected changes to this program, including proposed changes to the occupation lists. More information to follow, as the changes are announced.
Temporary Graduate (subclass 485) visa
Proposed upcoming changes from 1 July 2024:
Renaming of the visa streams and eligibility:
Post-Vocational Education Work (previously the Graduate Work) stream
- Applicant’s maximum eligible age will be 35 years of age or under at the time of application, and with a visa period of for up to 18 months
- Hong Kong and British National Overseas passport holders will still be eligible if they are under 50 years of age and may be able to stay for up to 5 years.
- Must hold an associate degree, diploma or trade qualification used to meet the Australian study requirement.
- Qualification must be closely related to your nominated occupation on the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL).
Post-Higher Education Work (previously the Post-Study Work) stream
- Qualification use to meet the Australian study requirement is degree level or higher
- Applicant’s maximum eligible age will be 35 years of age or under at the time of application, and with a visa period of
- Bachelor degree (including honours) – up to 2 years
- Masters (coursework and extended) – up to 2 years
- Masters (research) and doctoral degree (PhD) – up to 3 years.
- Hong Kong and British National Overseas passport holders will still be eligible if they are under 50 years of age and may be able to stay for up to 5 years.
- Stay periods for Indian nationals, as agreed in the Australia India – Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (AI-ECTA), remain as:
- Bachelor degree (including honours) – up to 2 years
- Bachelor degree (with first class honours in STEM, including ICT) – up to 3 years
- Masters (coursework, extended and research) – up to 3 years
- Doctoral degrees (PhD) – up to 4 years.
- The ‘select degree’ 2 year extension will cease.
- The second Post-Higher Education Work (renamed from the Post-Study Work) stream has no additional changes
The Replacement stream will cease.
Global Talent visa replaced
A new National Innovation visa to be implemented in late 2024, which will replace the current Global Talent visa (subclass 858). This visa aims to attract exceptionally talented migrants who will contribute to growth in sectors of national importance
Business Innovation and Investment visa program
The Business Innovation and Investment visa program (BIIP) will end, and refunds of the visa application charge will be available starting September 2024 for those who want to withdraw their BIIP application.
Work and Holiday visa
A visa pre-application (ballot) system will be introduced for the capped Work and Holiday (subclass 462) visa program for China, Vietnam, and India. The ballot will cost applicants $25. This system aims to manage program demand and reduce application processing times.
Establishment of the Administrative Review Tribunal
The establishment and operation of the new Administrative Review Tribunal (ART), replacing the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT), to manage court backlogs of applications for judicial review of migration decisions.
Mobility Arrangement for Talented Early-professionals Scheme (MATES)
A new Mobility Arrangement for Talented Early-professionals Scheme (MATES) program for Indian nationals to be implemented from 1 November 2024. MATES will provide a new pathway for 3,000 Indian graduates and early career professionals (aged under 30 years at the time of application), in targeted fields of study to live and work in Australia for up to two 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 from up to three years to up to five years.
VETASSESS and NSDC India join in Workforce Mobility Plan
VETASSESS and the National Skills Development Corporation of India (NSDC) will work on comparing qualifications between Australia and India, benchmarking of qualifications between the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) and the Indian National Skill Qualification Framework (NSQF), assessing workers’ skills and training in India, any English language training required, preliminary skills assessment and provide any gap training in partnership with Australian and Indian Institutions.
VETASSESS and the NSDC have agreed to jointly develop a plan to enable skilled workers from India to travel to Australia to fill labour shortages with Australian sponsors. The Workforce Mobility plan will allow specific Australian employers to fill jobs in their industry under Australian Industry Labour Agreements in the proposed priority areas:
- Hospitality
- Automotive
- Agriculture
- Aged care
Please note that the information provided above is general only based on what is proposed, and that it is subject to change.
