In September 2025, the Australian Government confirmed the permanent migration program planning levels for 2025–26, keeping the overall ceiling steady at 185,000 places, the same as the 2024–25 program. This announcement also marked a strategic shift with planning now set across a four-year horizon instead of annual cycles.

Why it Matters

Maintaining migration program levels at 185,000 in 2025-26 places stabilises migration policy for both applicants, sponsors and employers and provides certainty and clarity in a volatile year of global migration changes.

The Australian Government plans its migratory year for the period ending 30 June of each year, for example, the 2025-26 year started on 1 July 2025 and ends on 30 June 2026.

The Australian Government’s official allocations, determined through consultation with states and territories, highlight skilled migration as a policy priority. These levels guide application strategies and career planning for prospective migrants, families and sponsoring employers and influence eligibility, processing times and overall migration pathways.

While the 2025-26 Migration Program planning levels is a key part of overall migration it is only one factor of Net Overseas Migration (‘NOM’). NOM is also heavily impacted by temporary migration included across students, temporary graduates, visitors and working holiday makers.

The Details

Both the 2024-25 and 2025-26 programs have 185,000 permanent places allocated. The majority of allocations are in the Skilled Migration stream being approximately 70% or 132,200 in both years. Family Migration contributes almost the entire balance, being approximately 30% or 52,200 permanent places in both years.

Within this stream, employer-sponsored visas, state/territory nominated visas and regional skilled visas receive priority.

From 2025-26 the Australian Government has adopted a four-year planning horizon enhancing strategic alignment with, among other services, infrastructure, housing and schooling. This aims for long-term stability, sustainability and planned growth. Public consultation will be used with allocations through 2028-29 with the aim to integrate economic needs, social needs and population policy.

The 185,000 permanent migration places in 2025-26 25 includes both primary applicants and secondary applicants.

Migration Program Planning Levels by Financial Year

Visa Stream	Visa Category	2024-25 Planning Levels	2025-26 Planning Levels
Skilled Migration	Employer Sponsored	44,000	44,000
	Skilled Independent	16,900	16,900
	Regional	33,000	33,000
	State/Territory Nominated	33,000	33,000
	Business Innovation & Investment	1,000	1,000
	National Innovation	–	4,300
	Global Talent	4,000	–
	Distinguished Talent	300	–
	Skilled Migration – Total	132,200	132,200
Family Migration	Partner	40,500	40,500
	Parent	8,500	8,500
	Child	3,000	3,000
	Other Family	500	500
	Family Migration – Total	52,500	52,500
	Special Eligibility	300	300
	Total Migration Program	185,000	185,000

Key Take-aways

• Skilled migration focus: Priority given to employer-sponsored, state/territory nominated and regional visas supports economic and workforce growth
• Consistency: The Migration Program relating to permanent migration will remain the same in 2025-26 as it did in 2024-25 at 185,000 permanent places
• Stability for families: Family migration allocations remain unchanged, continuing to support family reunification
• New multi-year planning model: Enables better coordination with housing, infrastructure and schooling, among other public services, supporting better planned growth with a longer time horizon
• Ongoing public consultation: Stakeholder input will continue to assist in shaping the composition and size of migration allocations in 2025-26 and beyond

Conclusion

The 2025-26 migration program planning levels reflects the Australian government’s commitment to planned migration, supporting productivity, economic and community needs with a stable allocation of 185,000 permanent places. Skilled migration – and particularly employer-sponsored skilled migration – continues to be a focus of the Australian government.

For visa applicants and their sponsors, employers and/or families the 2025-26 migration program offers clarity and stability in the Australian migration process, which enables effective planning and engagement in the years ahead.