Australia ready to welcome 190,000 permanent migrants in the 2023-24 financial year

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On 9 May 2023, the Australian Government announced that the planning level for the 2023-24 permanent Migration Program will be set at 190,000 places.

The 2023-24 Migration Program has been designed to address persistent and emerging skills shortages and support the transition to a net-zero emissions economy by attracting specialist skillsets that are difficult to find or develop in Australia. The Program has the following composition:

  • Skill stream (137,100 places) – this stream is designed to improve the productive capacity of the economy and fill skill shortages in the labour market, including those in regional Australia.
  • Family stream (52,500 places) – 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 2023-24 for planning purposes, noting this category is demand driven and not subject to a ceiling.
    • 3,000 Child visas are estimated for 2023-24 for planning purposes, noting this category is demand driven and not subject to a ceiling.
  • Special Eligibility stream (400 places) – this stream covers visas for those in special circumstances, including permanent residents returning to Australia after a period overseas.
Visa StreamVisa Category2022-23 Planning levels2023-24 Planning levels
SkillEmployer Sponsored35,00036,825
Skilled Independent32,10030,375
Regional34,00032,300
State/Territory Nominated31,00030,400
Business Innovation & Investment5,0001,900
Global Talent (Independent)5,0005,000
Distinguished Talent300300
Skill Total142,400137,100
FamilyPartner140,50040,500
Parent8,5008,500
Child13,0003,000
Other Family500500
Family Total52,50052,500
Special Eligibility100400
Total Migration Program195,000190,000

1 For 2023-24, delivery of the Partner and Child visa categories are demand driven, with indicative planning levels only.

Program size and composition

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 2023-24 Migration Program, consultation occurred widely with state and territory governments, representatives of academia, industry, unions and community organisations.

When planning the Migration Program, the Australian Government considers​ the following:

  • Public submissions
  • Economic and labour force forecasts
  • International research
  • Net overseas migration, and
  • Economic and fiscal modelling.

Click here for further information on the 2023-24 Migration Program

The Department also invites public submissions as part of the planning process for future Migration Programs. For more information, see Australia’s 2023-24 Migration Program.

Source: Australian Government | Department of Home Affairs

Disclaimer

The information in this publication is of a general nature and is not intended to address the circumstances of any particular individual or entity. Although we endeavour to provide accurate and timely information, we do not guarantee that the information in this article is accurate at the date it is received or that it will continue to be accurate in the future.

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