The Australian Government announced that the planning levels for the 2024–25 permanent Migration Program (Migration Program) will be set at 185,000 places with an approximate 70:30 split between the Skill and Family streams. The Skill stream will receive 132,200 places, which allocated for about 71.5% of the total allocation.
Employer Sponsored Visa
The Government has increased the planning level for Employer-Sponsored from 36,825 visas in 2023–24 to 44,000 visas for the 2024–25 Migration Program.
From 23 November 2024, the Government will also reduce the work experience requirement for the Temporary Skill Shortage (subclass 482) visa from two years to one year for all applicants with an unquantifiable increase in receipts and payments over
four years from 2024–25.
State/Territory Nominated
The Government also increased the planning level for both the State/Territory Nominated and Regional categories to 33,000 visas allocation each for the 2024-25 Migration Program.
By increasing the planning levels for the State and Territory Nominated and Regional categories, can attract skilled migrants to address their specific economic and labor force needs. Additionally, the increased planning level for the Regional category supports key commitments in the Migration Strategy to bolster regional Australia, along with priority visa processing.
Skilled Independent visa
In the 2024-25 Migration Program, the Government has set aside 16,900 places for Skilled Independent visas. This allocation is lower than the 30,375 places allocated in the 2023-24 program but remains significantly higher than the COVID-era planning levels, which were 7,500 and 6,500 places in 2020-21 and 2021-22, respectively.
Global Talent visa
The Government has slightly reduced the planning level for the Global Talent Visa Program to 4,000 visas for the 2024–25 Migration Program.
The Government will implement a new National Innovation visa, replacing the current Global Talent visa (subclass 858) from late 2024, to target exceptionally talented migrants who will drive growth in sectors of national importance, which will offer a permanent pathway for exceptionally talented migrants, including high-performing entrepreneurs, major investors, and global researchers.
This plan aligns with the Government’s broader reforms around talent and innovation. It accounts for the last year of the Global Talent visa program as it transitions to new arrangements using the forthcoming National Innovation visa.
We can see the breakdown of the Migration Planning Level 2024-25 below:
