The Migration Program 2025 to 26 at a glance

For 2025 to 26, the Australian Government has again set the overall planning level for permanent visas at 185,000 places, maintaining the same total as last year. The focus remains firmly on the Skilled stream, with around 132,000 places available. This includes pathways such as the Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189), regional visas, State/Territory nominated visas (primarily subclasses 190 and 491), employer sponsored visas, and the new Talent and Innovation category, which includes the National Innovation Visa.

These Migration Program planning levels indicate how many visas can be granted across each category during the program year. For 2025 to 26, the planned allocations include 16,900 places for Skilled Independent, 33,000 for the Regional category, a further 33,000 for State and Territory nominated visas, 44,000 for Employer Sponsored, and 4,300 places for Talent and Innovation.

Later start and fewer places for state nominations

In a typical program year, states and territories receive their nomination allocations for General Skilled Migration (GSM), meaning subclasses 190 and 491, in July or August. Most programs then open around August or September. The 2025 to 26 year has unfolded differently. Final allocations were only issued and published in November, without this delay being announced in advance.

For applicants, this means the invitation window is significantly shorter this year, in practical terms only around half a year. Many states opened their nomination programs in late November or early December, but they still need to issue their full annual allocation by the end of June.

In addition, the overall number of available nomination places has decreased. For 2025 to 26, states and territories have access to 20,350 state nominations, compared to 26,260 in the previous year. Larger states such as Victoria, New South Wales and Western Australia are working with smaller allocations, while Queensland has received a noticeably higher share. Overall, competition has become more intense. That does not mean there are no opportunities, but targeted planning matters more than ever.

Skilled Independent (subclass 189): a return to structure and predictability

Alongside the tighter settings for state nominations, there are also positive developments. Invitation rounds for the Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189), which does not require state nomination and is issued directly by the Australian Government, are now happening more regularly again. Instead of irregular one off rounds that targeted selected occupations, the expectation is a quarterly invitation cycle. This program year has already seen a round in August with more than 6,000 invitations, followed by a large round in November 2025 with around 10,000 invitations. Further rounds are expected to follow on a three month cycle.

The points based nature of this visa has not changed. Invitations within an occupation are still issued in points order, starting with the highest scores, until the available places are filled. What is new is that occupations are now grouped into priority tiers, and invitation rounds are again being spread across a wider range of occupations. In addition, when deciding invitation numbers, the Government takes into account how many places within an occupation have already been used through other pathways, such as state nomination or employer sponsorship.

For candidates, this means outcomes are now easier to assess realistically, and strategic planning based on occupation, points and timing is more important than ever. For certain occupations, subclass 189 has become noticeably more attractive and more predictable again. At the same time, pressure on state nominations in some areas has eased slightly.

Program places vs nomination places: why the numbers do not align

At first glance, it can seem confusing that the overall Migration Program planning level for skilled visas remains unchanged, while states and territories have received fewer nomination places. The reason is that program places and nomination allocations measure two different things.

Program places in the Migration Program refer to the number of visa grants expected within a given year. Every person who is granted a visa is counted, meaning the primary applicant as well as each accompanying family member.

State and territory nomination places, on the other hand, refer only to the number of new nominations available for primary applicants during a specific program year. Partners and children are included in the same visa application, but they do not use additional nomination places.

For example, a family of four granted a subclass 190 visa will take up four program places, even though there is only one application and only one state nomination.

This also explains why some states pay close attention to partner skills. In an ideal scenario, a single nomination may effectively bring two skilled workers to Australia. For applicants, this means a qualified partner is not only valuable from a points perspective, but can also be a strategic advantage.

Timing is another important factor. There is often a delay between nomination and the actual visa decision. Many nominations issued by a state during the 2025 to 26 program year may therefore result in visa grants in 2026 to 27 and will only then be reflected in the program statistics.

How states are responding to the new conditions

The later start and reduced allocations have pushed states and territories to further refine their selection strategies. Some are focusing heavily on construction trades, healthcare roles or teachers. Others are prioritising candidates who already live and work in the state.

As in previous years, most states do not select applicants purely based on points alone. In practice, other factors often carry significant weight, particularly proven English language ability and relevant work experience. These selection and ranking approaches vary considerably from one state to another.

That does not mean overseas applicants or candidates in lower priority occupations have no chance. Especially in occupations with relatively low EOI volumes, a combination of strong English and solid work experience can still result in invitations.

The practical takeaway is clear. A general “any state will do” approach has become riskier in the 2025 to 26 program year. If you are relying on General Skilled Migration, it is essential to assess which states match your profile and to follow their specific rules and selection criteria closely.

Skills in Demand Visa – employer sponsorship as a strategic pathway

Alongside the skilled visa program, Australia has restructured its key temporary skilled visa pathway through the Skills in Demand (SID) visa. The former TSS visa has been replaced, and the new framework is more clearly linked to salary levels, occupation lists and longer term permanent residency prospects.

The SID visa provides different pathways for highly paid specialists as well as for core shortage occupations on the Core Skills List. In all cases, however, a sponsoring Australian employer is required, and that employer must be willing to meet the minimum salary requirements and satisfy the relevant business obligations.

For many candidates, this combination of the SID visa and a longer term permanent residence option, for example via the ENS visa, is becoming more important in the 2025 to 26 program year than it has been in the past. If your occupation offers realistic employer opportunities in Australia, a strong job search and sponsorship strategy can often improve your prospects more effectively than a GSM only approach, particularly in occupations where state nomination allocations have been reduced.

National Innovation Visa: 4,300 places and a cautious rollout

The National Innovation Visa (subclass 858) is Australia’s new visa category for highly innovative and internationally recognised talent. It largely replaces the former Global Talent visa as well as parts of the previous business and investor programs, however it is not directly comparable to those pathways in terms of eligibility requirements.

Within the Migration Program, 4,300 program places have been allocated to the Talent and Innovation category. This makes the NIV relevant in scale, but it has so far been used cautiously. Between July and September 2025, around 1,800 EOIs were submitted, yet only just over one hundred invitations were issued. This indicates that the Department is assessing profiles very selectively and is still developing a clearer selection framework. While early patterns are beginning to emerge, this remains a highly dynamic space.

The NIV is aimed at applicants with genuinely standout profiles, such as internationally recognised researchers, successful entrepreneurs, investors with a proven track record, or exceptionally accomplished creative and sporting professionals. For the vast majority, however, it remains a specialist pathway rather than a shortcut compared to GSM or employer sponsorship.

Family visas and additional pathways

The Family Stream, particularly partner and child visas, remains largely stable. If you are in a committed relationship with an Australian citizen or permanent resident, it is always worth considering this pathway alongside other options.

Parent visas are still available, however they continue to involve long processing times and significant costs.

Temporary programs such as the Working Holiday visa or bilateral mobility arrangements can be useful as complementary options, but they generally do not provide a direct pathway to permanent residency on their own.

Summary

In the 2025–26 program year, it has become particularly clear that a successful move to Australia depends less on finding the “right form” and more on building a well thought out overall strategy. The key trends can be summarised as follows:

  • Australia’s overall Migration Program remains stable at 185,000 places, however state and territory pathways have become more limited due to reduced nomination allocations.

  • General Skilled Migration that does not rely on an employer remains possible, but it is highly competitive and the timeframe this year is noticeably compressed. If you are planning to pursue this pathway, you need a realistic assessment of your profile and a well prepared strategy.

  • Employer sponsored pathways via the Skills in Demand visa, and potential follow on PR options such as the ENS visa, are becoming increasingly important.

  • The National Innovation Visa can be an exciting option for outstanding profiles in selected sectors, but it is being rolled out cautiously and remains a pathway for a relatively small group. Even where an applicant is a strong fit, the key success factor is a well structured Expression of Interest strategy that aligns closely with the program requirements.

For anyone considering Australia as a long term future, clarity is essential: clarity about your professional value in the Australian labour market, your family situation, especially your partner’s qualifications, and your willingness to consider regional pathways or employer based options if needed. With that foundation, it becomes possible to decide whether GSM, employer sponsorship, the NIV, or a combination of pathways is the most suitable approach.

That is exactly why professional advice matters more than ever in the current environment. The practical realities of General Skilled Migration, constantly evolving state criteria, and real world invitation patterns can only be interpreted reliably with experience, ongoing monitoring, and a strong understanding of the political and policy context. For most people, even with the support of AI tools, it is extremely difficult to track all developments in parallel, assess them correctly, and turn them into a workable long term strategy. Independent, well founded advice helps you assess your chances realistically, identify risks early, and develop a pathway that truly matches your situation.