Australia has announced its new Migration Program planning levels for the 2021-22 migration year.
The Migration Program, which is designed to attain a wide range of economic and social outcomes, will have an overall planning level of 160,000 places for the 2021-22 migration year.
The total 160,000 places ceiling is distributed among Skill, Family, Special Eligibility, and Child streams for Australian immigration.
The Skill stream for Australian immigration in the new migration year will have a cap of 79,600 places, and the Family stream will have a ceiling of 77,300 places. Special Eligibility applicants will have 100 places.
The Child stream – despite being allocated 3,000 places – will have no ceiling, seeing as it is demand driven. It will be managed outside the Migration Program.
The migration streams and their targets are as follows:
- Skill stream (79,600 places) – this stream will aim to address skill shortages in Australia’s labour market, including in the different states and regional Australia. Migrants to Australia under this stream will contribute towards improving the productive capacity of the Australian economy.
- Family stream (77,300 places) – this stream will predominantly consist of immigrants with Australia’s Partner visas, which will allow them to travel to Australia and reunite with their family members in the country. Immigrants under this stream will also have pathways to Australian citizenship.
- Special Eligibility (100 places) – this stream for Australian immigration in the 2021-22 migration year will be applicable for individuals in special circumstances, such as permanent residents returning to Australia after spending time overseas.
- Child (3,000 places) – this stream will be outside the Migration Program, as it is demand driven. As a result, the Child stream will not have a fixed places ceiling.
A detailed breakdown of Australia’s 2021-22 Migration Program planning levels is provided below
| Stream and Category | Places in 2021-22 |
|---|---|
| Skill stream | |
| Employer Sponsored | 22,000 |
| Skilled Independent | 6,500 |
| Regional | 11,200 |
| State/Territory Nominated | 11,200 |
| Business Innovation & Investment Program | 13,500 |
| Global Talent | 15,000 |
| Distinguished Talent | 200 |
| Skill Total | 79,600 |
| Family Stream | |
| Partner | 72,300 |
| Parent | 4,500 |
| Other Family | 500 |
| Family Total | 77,300 |
| Special Eligibility | 100 |
| Child (estimate; not subject to a ceiling) | 3,000 |
| Total | 160,000 |
Table: Nomination allocations for 2021-22 migration year
