Finally unveiled! The Australian Department of Home Affairs has just released the permanent migration program for the new financial year: a total intake of 185,000 places, exactly in line with industry forecasts and maintained at the same level for two consecutive years.
Key Figures
🌐 Total program places: 185,000
⚡ Subclass 189 Skilled Independent visas: 16,900
🏛️ Subclass 190 State Nominated visas: 33,000
💼 Subclass 186 Employer Sponsored visas: 44,000 (largest allocation)
🗺️ Regional visas (subclass 491/494): 33,000
👨👩👧 Parent visas: 8,500
❤️ Partner and child visas: Demand-driven, no cap
Trends and Strategic Advice
1. Employer-Sponsored Pathway (Subclass 186/482)
Processing times remain lengthy, but 482 visa backlogs are manageable.
The 482 visa is a stable transition option after the 485 graduate visa, offering full-time work and a future pathway to permanent residency via the 186 visa.
If you have Australian work experience or employer support → the 186 visa is the most reliable and well-resourced pathway.
2. Skilled Migration Pathway (Subclass 189)
Invitations will not stop at a single round. Around 10,000 places are expected this year, likely spread across 2–3 invitation rounds of 3,000–4,000 places each.
High competition will continue, particularly for accounting, IT, and engineering occupations.
Recommendation: Prepare multiple options — lodge 189, 190, and 491 applications to maximize chances of receiving an invitation.
3. State Nomination Pathway (Subclass 190/491)
State allocations are yet to be announced, but the structure is expected to remain similar to last year.
491 regional visas are likely to become the main invitation stream.
Recommendation: Be flexible with pathways, boost your points early, and closely monitor state nomination policy updates.
Summary and Key Takeaways
With local work experience or employer support → Employer sponsorship (186/482) remains the safest and most resource-rich route.
If you’re competing on points → The 189 visa is still viable, but have backup plans through 190 and 491.
Seeking state support → The 190/491 visas are the main battleground; keep an eye on updated occupation lists and state nomination rules.