Australia’s 2024-25 Permanent Migration Program: Increased Places Allocated for Employer-Sponsored Visas

In May, the Australian Government announced the Federal Budget which provided some insight into the Permanent Migration Program for the next financial year. This includes the exact number of visas that can be issued for permanent residence in skilled, family, and special eligibility categories. 

To align with the main focus of Australia’s Migration Strategy of addressing skill shortages, roughly 70% of all places in the 2024-25 Permanent Migration Strategy have been assigned to the skill stream. This is the pathway that the majority of migrants apply for to come to the country. In this blog, we’ll explore these new planning levels for the skill stream and the impact on visa applicants and employers. 

New planning levels for the Skill Stream

The skill stream enables highly skilled and productive individuals to migrate to Australia to fill labour gaps. Currently, some of the most in-demand jobs for skilled migrants include registered nurses, software and application programmers, accountants, and engineers. If you are skilled or trained in such occupations, you may be able to apply for a visa through the skill visa category. Planning levels for the skill stream have been set as the following for the next financial year:

What does this mean for visa applicants?

These new planning levels impact visa applicants in different ways depending on the type of visa you are looking to apply for. 

An extra 7,175 places have been allocated to the employer sponsored visa category, allowing more migrants to secure permanent residency in Australia through this pathway. Employer sponsored visas allow skilled overseas workers to live and work in Australia for their nominating Australian employer. These new planning levels encourage migrants to apply through this category in order to address persistent and emerging skill shortages within the Australian workforce. If you are qualified to work or train in an eligible occupation on the current Skilled Occupation List and can meet all other requirements, you may be able to qualify for employer sponsorship and apply for an Employer Sponsored Visa below:

• Temporary Skill Shortage Visa (Subclass 482) 
• Employer Nominated Scheme (ENS) (Subclass 186).

In addition to the above, extra places have been allocated to regional and state/territory nominated categories. If you want to express your interest in a state/territory nominated visa or want to live and work in regional Australia, you are encouraged to apply under these categories as more visas can now be granted. You can explore these visa pathways:

• Skilled Nominated Permanent Visa (Subclass 190)
• Skilled Nominated Permanent Visa (Subclass 191)
• Skilled Regional Permanent Visa (Subclass 887)

• Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) Visa (Subclass 491)
• Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) Visa (Subclass 494)
• Skilled Regional Permanent Visa (Subclass 887)

However, with places for other visa categories being reduced, you might find it difficult to be successful in your application as places are now limited. For example, the Skilled Independent Permanent Visa (Subclass 189) is being cut back by nearly 50%. As an alternative, you can explore other visa options and pathways to permanent residency that have increased planning levels for the next financial year, such as employer sponsorship. Alternatively, if you believe that a skilled independent visa is the best option for you, it is recommended that you speak with an immigration specialist. As this visa category is now highly competitive, it is important that you seek expert advice and assistance to ensure your application has the best chance of being approved. 

What does this mean for employers?

Employer sponsorship is a common pathway for skilled workers who are looking to start their Australian dream. With an additional 7,175 places available for permanent employer sponsorship visas, these new planning levels bring good news for employers. If you are experiencing skill shortages in your workforce that are unable to be filled by Australian workers, you can apply to become a sponsor to source skilled workers from overseas.

It is important to note that becoming a sponsor can be complex and time-consuming. If you are interested in becoming a sponsor, seek advice from our experts in immigration. We can ensure that you understand the process and meet all requirements when sponsoring workers from overseas.

Whether you are an employer or skilled individual, the new planning levels for the skill stream may impact you in some way. At AustraliaMigrate, we can help you navigate Australia’s 2024-25 Permanent Migration Program and find the best visa pathway for you or your business. Book a visa consultation online with us today.