The Federal Government has kept Australia’s permanent Migration Program at 185,000 places, maintaining the 70% skilled / 30% family split, with a strong continued focus on onshore applicants. Around 70% of places (129,590) will be allocated to people already living in Australia, while offshore places will prioritise highly skilled migrants to meet long‑term workforce needs.
Net Overseas Migration is forecast to continue easing, projected to fall to 245,000 in 2026–27 and 225,000 the following year, reflecting measures aimed at stabilising migration levels.
A key feature of the Budget is investment in skills recognition, with $85.2 million committed to faster and more streamlined trade skills assessments and occupational licensing. This is expected to bring an extra 4,000 skilled trades workers into the workforce each year, particularly in priority occupations such as electricians and plumbers.
The Government has also flagged upcoming changes to the points test, aiming to better select younger, highly skilled and more highly educated migrants, although detailed reforms are yet to be released.
Other notable measures include:
- Reform of the Working Holiday Maker program, including greater use of ballots to manage demand
- Funding to address misuse of the protection visa system, including early legal advice to reduce unmeritorious claims
- Increased resources for border enforcement, national security and character testing, including new visa refusal and cancellation powers linked to extremism and hate‑related conduct
- Ongoing support for migrant workers, victims of trafficking, and future reforms to the Adult Migrant English Program
Overall, the Budget reinforces a clear direction: fewer but better‑targeted migrants, faster skills recognition, and stronger integrity measures across the migration system.
If you’d like to understand your options, then get in touch with us here at Migration Downunder.