News
There are 190,000 visa places to migrate to Australia in the 2023-24 financial year, a reduction of 5,000 permanent places.
Although the skilled and business innovation and investment streams were cut to 1,900 when the permanent migration program was announced in May, permanent employer sponsored visa allocations increased by 1,825 to 36,825.
Several business advocacy groups called on the government earlier in the year to increase migration levels to as many as 220,000 places to match the country’s population growth and the treasury expected net overseas migration – which includes students and working holidaymakers – to be as high as 400,000.
Australia has long been suffering from acute skills shortages across many industries. The aged care, child care and teaching industries are still struggling to find workers, and many skilled jobs including carpentry are crying out for qualified tradespeople.
The family stream allocation remained unchanged from the previous financial year at 52,500 places. Some 40,500 partner visas, 8,500 parent visas and 3,000 child visas were planned for but the department says this number is subject to demand and a limit has not been set on how many permanent family visas are issued.
Permanent visa places for migrants to regional areas were reduced by 1,700 places to 32,300 and the number of state nominated visas the government planned to allow fell by 600 places to 30,400.
The Department of Home Affairs said the changes were aimed at increasing the number of working age people allowed to migrate to Australia.
Prime Minister of Australia Anthony Albanese has previously outlined his intention to move the country towards more permanent forms of migration and the slight reduction in migration allayed concerns the government would lower the permanent intake.
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