Migration Program ceiling for 2019-20

 

The Migration Program planning ceiling for 2019-20 is 160,000, with a continued focus on skills. More than two thirds of the Program is allocated to the Skilled stream, with a focus on categories that allow employers or states or territories to nominate skilled migrants. Further information is available here.

 

 

New skilled regional provisional visas

 

There will be two new skilled regional provisional visas introduced in November 2019:

 

• Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) visa: for people sponsored by an employer in regional Australia.

 

• Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa: for people who are nominated by a State or Territory government or sponsored by an eligible family member to live and work in regional Australia.

 

Under these new visas, migrants will be required to live and work in a regional area of Australia for at least three years before they are eligible to apply for permanent residence.

 

These new regional visas will provide greater incentives for regional employers to nominate skilled workers, including priority processing of applications and access to additional skilled occupations. Based on current eligible skilled occupation lists:

 

• the Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) visa will have almost 700 eligible occupations; and

 

• the Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa will have over 500 eligible occupations.

 

Holders of the new skilled regional provisional visas will need to live and work in regional Australia. Visas will be granted with a validity period of up to five years.

 

 

Definition of Regional Australia

 

In November 2019, the definition of Regional Australia for all skilled visas will be simplified and expanded to include all of Australia except for the following metropolitan areas:

 

• Sydney  • Melbourne  • Brisbane  • Gold Coast  • Perth