2019-2020 detailed report on the Migration program is now available on the Department of Home Affairs website. The permanent migration intake in 2019-2020 was 140,366 which has been the smallest intake for a long time and is well below the ceiling of 160,000.
The migration program planning level was set to 190,000 in 2012 and stayed at this figure until 2019. In 2015 and 2016 the total permanent migration program outcome was remarkably close to the planning level of 190,000. The gap between the actual ceiling and the number of places filled has been increasing since 2017. In the 2018-2019 migration program, there were only 160,323 places that were filled from the planned ceiling of 190,000. The migration program planning level was decreased to 160,000 in 2019-2020 and major focus was given to regional visas. Places given to the Skilled Independent category fell to 16,652 places in 2019/2020 from 39,137 in the previous year. The definition of the designated regional area also changed drastically, and many major cities were added to the list of the designated regional areas.
The skill stream has always been given more places than the family stream. Skill stream includes Employer-sponsored visas, state nominated visas, skilled independent visa, regional work, and skilled visas, business innovation and investor program, Global talent visa, and Distinguished talent visa.
Global talent visa was introduced in November 2019 and 4109 visas have been granted under this program in the 2019-2020 migration program.
2015-2016 Migration Program
The total permanent migration program outcome for 2015–16 was 189,770 places within the planning level of 190,000.
The major source countries in the migration program were India (21.2 per cent), China (15.3 per cent) and the United Kingdom (10.0 per cent).
Within the managed migration program the breakdown was:
• 128,550 places were delivered in the Skill stream.
• 57,400 places were delivered in the Family stream: and
• 308 places were delivered in the Special Eligibility stream
2016-2017 Migration Program
The total permanent migration program outcome for 2016–17 was 183,608 places within the planning level of 190,000.
The major source countries in the migration program were India (21.2 per cent), China (15.4 per cent) and the United Kingdom (9.3 per cent).
Within the managed migration program the breakdown was:
123,567 places were delivered in the Skill stream.
56,220 places were delivered in the Family stream: and
421 places were delivered in the Special Eligibility stream
2017-2018 Migration Program
The total permanent Migration Program outcome for 2017–18 was 162,417 places.
The breakdown for those sub-programs within the Migration Program, under the ceiling, was as follows:
111,099 places were delivered in the Skill stream;
47,732 places were delivered in the Family stream; and
236 places were delivered in the Special Eligibility stream.
The outcome of Child visas for the year was 3,350 places.
2018-2019 Migration Program
The total permanent Migration Program outcome for 2018-19 was 160,323 places.
The breakdown for those streams within the Migration Program, under the ceiling, was as follows:
09,713 places were delivered in the Skill stream;
47,247 places were delivered in the Family stream; and
115 places were delivered in the Special Eligibility stream.
The outcome of Child visas for the year was 3,248 places
Skill stream places allocated since 2015:
2019-2020 Migration Program
The permanent migration intake was 140,366 in 2019-20 which has been the smallest intake for a long time and is well below the ceiling of 160,000. In this program year, Seventy percent of the visas were granted through the skilled stream (95,843 in total), including 4,109 places under the highly skilled Global Talent – Independent program, launched in November 2019.
There were 23,372 regional visas delivered, from the 25,000 places allocated. This compares to 18,308 regional visas granted in 2018-19 – an increase of 27 percent. Two-thirds of permanent visas were granted to individuals already in Australia who transitioned from a temporary visa to permanent residency.
This also indicates that the government’s focus has been towards regional visas and on the applicants, who were already in Australia.
The government has also indicated that the size and composition of the 2020-21 Migration and Humanitarian programs will be considered considering the developing COVID-19 situation and announced as part of the Budget process in October.
We will likely see a further cut in the 2020-2021 migration program given the current situation and the backlog of visa applications in various streams.
Below is the 2019-2020 Migration program breakdown of places in each category
