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Budget 2024-25: Update on Australia’s Immigration Program
The labour government has addressed critical skill shortages, driving innovation, and attracting investment as part of the 2024-25 Budget. The 2024-25 permanent Migration Program ceiling will be 185,000 places.
Federal Budget 2024-25 Highlights for Immigration.
The Government will set the 2024–25 permanent Migration Program planning level at 185,000 places and allocate 132,200 places (around 70 %) to the Skill stream.
A new National Innovation visa, is set to replace the current Global Talent visa (subclass 858) from late 2024, to target exceptionally talented migrants who will drive growth in sectors of national importance.
The BIIP (Business Innovation and Investment Provisional) visa will cease from September 2024.
The work experience requirement for the Temporary Skill Shortage (subclass 482) visa will reduce from two years to one year for all applicants from 23 November 2024.
A visa pre-application (ballot) process will be introduced for the capped Work and Holiday (subclass 462) visa program for China, Vietnam and India from 2024–25.
The validity of the Visitor visa (subclass 600) Business Visitor stream for Indian nationals will increase from up to three years to up to five years.
Net overseas migration is estimated to decrease by 110,000 people from 1 July 2024.
From 2025–26, the government will increase the planning horizon for the Permanent Migration Program from 1 to 4 years.Â
The migration program aims to address skill shortages, prioritize visa processing for regional Australia, and strengthen family and community bonds.
The 2024-25 Migration Program is designed to supplement Australia’s workforce with highly skilled individuals, thus boosting participation rates and increasing the size of the labour force. The Skill stream, comprising 132,200 places (71% of the program), targets filling skill shortages and enhancing the productive capacity of the economy, particularly in regional areas.
The Family stream, with 52,500 places (28% of the program), predominantly focuses on Partner visas, allowing Australians to reunite with their loved ones and providing pathways to citizenship. The program also includes 3,000 Child visas, emphasizing the importance of family reunification and social cohesion.
A smaller portion of the program, the Special Eligibility stream, includes 300 places for individuals in special circumstances, such as returning permanent residents.
Detailed Breakdown of the Migration Program
The planning levels for the 2024-25 Migration Program are as follows:
Skill Stream: 132,200 places
The planning level for Employer Sponsored visas has increased to 44,000 places. This allows more temporary migrants to transition to permanent residence, supporting Australia’s economic needs.
The planning levels for Regional and State/Territory Nominated visas have been increased to 33,000 each. This supports regional Australia by attracting skilled migrants to meet specific economic and labour force challenges.
The Skilled Independent visa category has been allocated 16,900 places, a decrease from the previous year but still significantly higher than pre-pandemic levels.
The planning level for BIIP has been reduced to 1,000 places, with the program set to close permanently from July 2024. The Government will introduce a new National Innovation visa aimed at high-performing entrepreneurs and investors.
The Global Talent visa program will see a slight reduction to 4,000 places. It will transition to the National Innovation visa, providing a permanent pathway for exceptional talents.
Maintaining Family Migration
The Family stream remains a crucial part of Australia’s migration system. The Partner visa category continues to operate on a demand-driven model, ensuring flexibility and reduced processing times. The Parent visa program is maintained at 8,500 places, and the Child visa program remains at 3,000 places for planning purposes.
Conclusion
The 2024-25 permanent Migration Program is a balanced and strategic approach to addressing Australia’s economic and social needs. By focusing on skilled migration, family reunification, and regional development, the program aims to build a stronger, more cohesive, and prosperous Australia.
If you would like to avail of expert migration assistance contact the Registered Migration Agents at Better Life Migration on +61 415 419 414.
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