2024-25 Migration Program Planning Levels
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, including 132,200 skilled visa category places, 52,500 family visa category places and 300 special eligibility stream places.
Notably, of particular significance to migrants is:
an increase in allocation to Employer Sponsored visas such as the Employer Nomination Scheme (Subclass 186) Visa from 36,825 places in 2023-24 to 44,000 places in 2024-25;
an increase in allocation to State/Territory Nominated visas such as the Skilled Nominated (Subclass 190) Visa and Skilled Nominated (Subclass 491) Visa from 30,400 places in 2023-24 to 33,000 places in 2024-25;
a decrease in the allocation of Skilled Independent (Subclass 189) Visas from 30,375 places in 2023-24 to 16,900 places in 2024-25, which means that a focus on inviting persons nominated in healthcare and teaching occupations is likely to continue;
a decrease in the allocation of Business Innovation & Investment Visas from 1,900 places in 2023-24 to 1,000 places in 2024-25, with the Business Innovation & Investment Visa Program being formally closed to new Subclass 188 Visa applications from 1 July 2024 onward (after 0 places were allocated to Subclass 188 visas in the 2023-24 program anyway), and transitioning into a new National Innovation Visa which provides a permanent pathway for the most exceptional talented migrants e.g. high performing entrepreneurs, major investors and global researchers;
a decrease in the allocation of Global Talent (Independent) (Subclass 858) Visas from 5,000 places in 2023-24 to 4,000 places in 2024-25, with the Global Talent Independent Program transitioning into a new National Innovation Visa which provides a permanent pathway for the most exceptional talented migrants e.g. high performing entrepreneurs, major investors and global researchers;
a reform to the points test used for the Skilled Independent (Subclass 189) Visa, Skilled Nominated (Subclass 190) Visa and Skilled Work Regional (Subclass 491) Visa;
the halving of net overseas migration from 528,000 in 2022-23 to 260,000 in 2024-25, which appears to mostly affect certain temporary visas since the permanent migration allocation is only being reduced by 5,000 from 2023-24 to 2024-25;
lowering of the the work experience requirement for Temporary Skill Shortage (Subclass 482) Visa holders from two (2) years to one (1) year from 23 November 2024 onward; and
the number of places for international students will be capped and determined through consultation with the education sector; under legislation due to be introduced by the Australian Government which will require education providers to limit the maximum number of new international student enrolments each year, unless they build new purpose-built student accommodation to benefit both international and domestic students.
What this means for migrants going forward
Going forward, the decrease in allocations for the Skilled Independent (Subclass 189) Visa and the meagre increase in allocations for the Skilled Nominated (Subclass 190) Visa and the Skilled Work Regional (Subclass 491) Visa mean that the general skilled migration program will remain extremely competitive, if not become more competitive for applicants nominated in occupations other than in the healthcare, teaching and aged care and social work sectors.
If you will have at least one (1) year of full-time work experience in your nominated occupation after 23 November 2024 and have an employer who is willing to sponsor you for a Temporary Skill Shortage (Subclass 482) Visa at that stage, you may have a pathway to permanent residence through the Subclass 482 Visa and the Employer Nomination Scheme (Subclass 186) Visa Program’s Temporary Residence Transition stream after working for your sponsoring employer for at least two (2) years on your Subclass 482 Visa.
Alternatively, if you are already working in Australia in your nominated occupation which is on the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List, have at least three (3) years of full-time work experience and would be able to obtain a positive skills assessment in your occupation, we recommend that you speak to your employer about sponsoring you for an Employer Nominated Scheme (Subclass 186) Visa in the Direct Entry stream.
Other upcoming proposed changes not mentioned in the budget
Temporary Graduate (Subclass 485) Visa
As detailed in our previous blog post about proposed changes to the Temporary Graduate (Subclass 485) Visa Program in the new financial year, the age limit for Temporary Graduate (Subclass 485) Visas is intended to be lowered to 35 years of age from 1 July 2024 onward (with the exception of Hong Kong and British National Overseas passport holders and select Indian nationals). There has been some speculation that the Australian Government may potentially introduce grandfathering provisions to exempt existing Student Visa holders from this lowered age requirement, although there have not been any formal announcements made about this and the exact details remain to be seen.
Additionally, the 2-year extension available to certain graduates and Temporary Graduate (Subclass 485) Visa holders who have completed a specified course of study in Australia will no longer be available from 1 July 2024 onward, so Student (Subclass 500) Visa holders, recent Student (Subclass 500) Visa holders and Temporary Graduate (Subclass 485) Visa holders who have already completed a specified course of study should immediately check their eligibility and lodge their Subclass 485 visa application as soon as possible before 1 July 2024.
Skills in Demand Visa
Additionally, a new Skills in Demand Visa will be introduced with 3 streams in late 2024:
Specialist Skills Pathway for applicants with guaranteed annual earnings of at least AUD135,000 per year in any occupation except trades workers, machinery operators, drivers and labourers with a priority processing period of 7 days
Core Skills Pathway for applicants with guaranteed annual earnings for at least AUD70,000 per year with skills in short supply that are on the new Core Skills Occupation List (which is currently in development*) with a processing period of 21 days
Essential Skills Pathway for applicants with earnings under AUD70,000 per year but are working in essential skill occupations (which is currently in development), speculated to be mainly the care and support industry or other industries who currently have access to labour agreements with the Australian Government with a processing period of 21 days
As the Skills in Demand Visa is intended to replace the Temporary Skill Shortage (Subclass 482) Visa Program in late 2024, it is unclear as to how exactly when this will be implemented and for how much longer the Subclass 482 Visa will continue to be available, given that the work experience requirement for the Subclass 482 Visa is being reduced from two (2) years to one (1) year from 23 November 2024 onward (which is effectively in late 2024).
*NOTE: The following occupations (amongst others) are currently targeted for consultation as to whether they should be included in the new Core Skills Occupation List, and persons in these nominated occupations should therefore seek advice about their options as soon as possible in case their occupation is not included in the final Core Skills Occupation List:
ANZSCO 221111 Accountant (General)
ANZSCO 221112 Management Accountant
ANZSCO 111211 Corporate General Manager
ANSZSCO 132111 Corporate Services Manager
ANSZSCO 132211 Finance Manager
ANZSCO 132311 Human Resource Manager
ANZSCO 132411 Policy and Planning Manager
ANZSCO 133112 Project Builder
ANZSCO 133512 Production Manager (Manufacturing)
ANZSCO 133611 Supply and Distribution Manager
ANZSCO 133612 Procurement Manager
ANZSCO 223111 Human Resource Adviser
ANZSCO 224115 Data Scientist
ANZSCO 224713 Management Consultant
ANZSCO 225113 Marketing Specialist
ANZSCO 225211 ICT Account Manager
ANZSCO 225213 ICT Sales Representative
ANZSCO 261112 Systems Analyst
ANZSCO 26131 Analyst Programmer
ANZSCO 261313 Software Engineer
ANZSCO 261315 Cyber Security Engineer
ANZSCO 351111 Baker
ANZSCO 351112 Pastrycook
ANZSCO 351311 Chef
ANZSCO 351411 Cook
There are presently 183 occupations that will most likely be included in the Core Skills Occupation List.
You can check whether your nominated occupation is targeted for consultation at the following link: https://www.jobsandskills.gov.au/topics/migration-strategy/draft-core-skills-occupations-list-csol-consultation/draft-csol-targeted-consultation, and whether the Australian Government is confident that it will be off the Core Skills Occupation List at the following link: https://www.jobsandskills.gov.au/topics/migration-strategy/draft-core-skills-occupations-list-csol-consultation/draft-csol-confident-off-list.
While the Core Skills Occupation List only affects one (1) stream of the new Skills in Demand Visa that will be introduced in late 2024, the Skills in Demand Visa will be replacing the Temporary Skill Shortage (Subclass 482) Visa Program, and is also indicative of the Australian Government’s attitude as to which occupations are actually “in demand” in Australia.
Should you wish to discuss your visa options in Australia in light of the upcoming changes to the migration program, please send an email to info@inclusivemigration.com.au or use the contact form on our website to send us an enquiry.
