New Update: Permanent Migration Program Planning Levels.
The Australian Government has set the 2026–27 Permanent Migration Program at 185,000 places, unchanged from previous years, with a 70:30 split between Skilled and Family migration.
The program prioritises onshore applicants, with around 129,590 places allocated to people already living in Australia, supporting faster pathways to permanent residency and reducing pressure on Net Overseas Migration (NOM). A further 55,110 offshore places will focus on attracting highly skilled migrants to address long-term labour shortages.
The program includes:
Skilled Migration (132,240 places / ~71%) – targeting workers in key sectors like health, ICT, engineering, construction, and education.
Family Program (52,460 places / ~28%) – mainly Partner visas, supporting family reunion for Australian citizens and permanent residents.
Special Eligibility (300 places) – for unique cases such as returning residents.
The Skilled stream includes Employer-Sponsored, Skilled Independent, and State/Territory Nominated visas, with adjustments to support workforce needs and regional migration. The Family stream remains demand-driven, especially for Partner and Child visas.
According to the Department of Home Affairs, Net Overseas Migration has fallen significantly, and the Migration Program is now less of a driver of population growth, as most permanent visas are granted to people already in Australia.
For more information please visit:
https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/what-we-do/migration-program-planning-levels