The 2026-27 migration program kept its headline number and quietly rewrote almost everything underneath it. Australia is still planning for 185,000 permanent places this financial year, the same figure as the two years before it. However, roughly 19,000 places moved out of regional migration. Most of that went to employer sponsorship. So if your plan was built on last year’s settings, it may now be pointing at the wrong door. This guide walks through what actually changed, which pathways gained ground, which lost it, and how to read the numbers without panicking or over-reading them.
Key takeaways from the 2026-27 migration program
- The 2026-27 migration program is set at 185,000 permanent places — unchanged for a third consecutive year.
- Inside that total: 132,240 Skill stream places, 52,460 Family stream places and 300 Special Eligibility places.
- Employer-sponsored places jumped from 44,000 to 58,040, the single biggest increase in the program.
- Regional places fell hard, from 33,000 down to 14,110 — a cut of nearly 19,000 places.
- Skilled Independent rose to 21,090 and State/Territory Nominated rose to 35,500.
- Across the Skill and Family streams, 129,590 places are directed at people already onshore in Australia and 55,110 at offshore applicants. The 300 Special Eligibility places sit outside that split.
- A planning level is a target, not a queue ticket. It shapes competition, so it does not decide your case.
The numbers below shifted the odds for several pathways at once. Rather than guess which one now fits you best, spend a few minutes on our free assessment and get a shortlist based on your actual profile.
Take the Free Visa Assessment →What’s in this guide
- What a migration program planning level actually is
- The 2026-27 migration program at a glance
- What changed inside the 2026-27 migration program
- Where the 2026-27 migration program put its money
- The regional cut and what it means for 491 and 191
- Onshore priority in the 2026-27 migration program
- Family stream: partner, child and parent places
- What else changed on 1 July 2026
- Building a strategy around the 2026-27 migration program
- Frequently asked questions
What a migration program planning level actually is
A migration program planning level is the number of permanent visa places the Australian Government plans to grant in a financial year, split between skilled migrants, family members and a small special eligibility group. It is a target, not a guarantee to any individual. The Government announced the 2026-27 figures in the Federal Budget on 12 May 2026. Afterwards, the Department of Home Affairs published the detailed category breakdown. Notably, it updated the planning levels page on 15 May 2026.
However, a planning level is not a quota that must be filled exactly. Think of it as the Government telling you where it intends to put its processing effort. A category with more places usually sees more invitations and more grants across the year. A category with fewer places usually gets tighter. So the planning level shapes your competition rather than deciding your case.
This distinction matters more than people expect. Every July we hear from applicants who read a headline about a category increase and assume their invitation is now a formality. Because the criteria themselves did not change, your points score, your occupation, your skills assessment and your English result still do all the heavy lifting. In practice, the program simply sets how many people can get through the door behind you.
The 2026-27 migration program at a glance
The 2026-27 migration program is planned at 185,000 places across three streams. Here is the top-level structure:
| Stream | 2026-27 places | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Skill stream | 132,240 | ~71% |
| Family stream | 52,460 | ~28% |
| Special Eligibility | 300 | <1% |
| Total | 185,000 | 100% |
So the familiar 70:30 skilled-to-family split survives another year. Australia has now run three consecutive programs at 185,000 places. Therefore, the headline figure looks like a settled policy setting rather than an annual argument. Meanwhile, the interesting movement has all happened one level down, inside the categories.
What changed inside the 2026-27 migration program
This is where the 2026-27 migration program earns its attention. Indeed, five skilled categories moved, and two of them moved dramatically:
| Category | 2025-26 | 2026-27 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Employer-Sponsored | 44,000 | 58,040 | +14,040 |
| Skilled Independent (189) | 16,900 | 21,090 | +4,190 |
| State/Territory Nominated (190) | 33,000 | 35,500 | +2,500 |
| Talent and Innovation | 5,300 | 3,500 | −1,800 |
| Regional | 33,000 | 14,110 | −18,890 |
| Total Skill stream | 132,200 | 132,240 | +40 |
Figures correct as at 27 July 2026. The Talent and Innovation category covers the National Innovation visa (subclass 858), plus the closed Global Talent, Distinguished Talent and Business Innovation and Investment programs. The Department restated the 2025-26 figure on that basis. Always check the Department of Home Affairs for the current planning levels before you act.
Look at the bottom row. The Skill stream barely moved in total, gaining forty places. Therefore every increase above was funded by a cut somewhere else, and the cut came almost entirely out of regional migration. That is the real story of the 2026-27 migration program: not more migration, but migration redirected.
Where the 2026-27 migration program put its money
Employer-sponsored migration is now the largest skilled category in the program at 58,040 places. That is a 32% increase in a single year. As a result, the Employer Nomination Scheme visa (subclass 186) is arguably the most supported permanent residence pathway on offer. Meanwhile, the Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional visa (subclass 494) sits in an unusual position. Because it is both employer sponsored and regional, it draws on one growing category while carrying the constraints of a shrinking one.
The Government has been explicit about why. Specifically, it wants temporary workers who already fill genuine shortages to convert into permanent residents, rather than importing new arrivals to do the same jobs. For example, health and aged care, construction, engineering, early childhood education and skilled trades all sit squarely in that logic.
In practice, this changes who should be looking at sponsorship. If you hold a Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482) and you have been treating employer sponsorship as a fallback while you chase points, it may be worth reversing that order. Equally, if you have never sponsored anyone before, the standard business sponsorship process is more accessible than most employers assume. Millennium Migration works on both sides of the sponsorship relationship. In fact, the most common mistake we see is an employer discovering the nomination requirements only after promising someone a job.
Skilled category allocations compared
Places allocated by category, 2025-26 (light) vs 2026-27 (solid).
Employer-Sponsored
State/Territory Nominated (190)
Skilled Independent (189)
Regional
Talent and Innovation
The regional cut and what it means for 491 and 191
Regional places dropped from 33,000 to 14,110, a fall of about 57%. That is the largest single movement anywhere in the program. Moreover, it landed on the pathway promoted for the last five years as the accessible route to permanent residence.
Regional migration has not been abolished, though. For example, designated regional areas, state nomination for the Skilled Work Regional visa (subclass 491) and the Designated Area Migration Agreements all still operate. In addition, the Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) visa (subclass 191) still exists. Holders convert to it after three years of regional living and income. Importantly, anyone already holding a 491 is working through a pathway they have entered. So the pressure falls mainly on new 491 nominations rather than on existing holders.
Still, if a regional visa was your primary plan, treat this as a genuine signal. Fewer places means states will nominate more selectively. Typically, that shows up as higher points cut-offs and tighter occupation lists rather than a formal rule change. Consequently, preparing earlier, finishing your skills assessment sooner and lifting your English band all matter more this year than last. Millennium Migration generally suggests regional applicants also model a second skilled pathway in parallel, because relying on a single shrinking category is an uncomfortable place to spend two years.
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Onshore priority in the 2026-27 migration program: 129,590 places
Across the Skill and Family streams, 129,590 places are directed at people already living in Australia and 55,110 at offshore applicants. Roughly seven in ten places therefore go to onshore applicants. The 300 Special Eligibility places sit outside that split. Offshore places are aimed at highly skilled arrivals who the Government expects to lift productivity and fill long-term shortages.
Overall, for temporary residents this is good news. Holders of the Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482), the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) and working holiday visas are the intended beneficiaries of that 129,590 figure. Although the criteria do not change based on where you are, processing priority and category capacity often do, and the Government has now said plainly where it is looking.
Still, offshore applicants should read this carefully rather than despairingly. Fewer offshore places does not mean the door closed. Instead, it means the bar for a strong offshore application sits higher. Similarly, employer sponsorship from overseas remains viable, and so does a high-points Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189) application. Furthermore, there is a legitimate strategic question worth asking early — whether a temporary visa that gets you onshore first is a faster route to permanent residence than waiting offshore for a direct grant. That question has no universal answer, so it deserves proper advice rather than a forum thread.
Family stream in the 2026-27 migration program: partner, child and parent places
Overall, the Family stream holds 52,460 places. Within it, Partner places rose from 40,500 to 41,500 and Child places rose from 3,000 to 3,500. Parent places fell from 8,500 to 7,060, and Other Family fell from 500 to 400.
Partner and Child categories are demand driven, which means their planning levels are indicative rather than a hard ceiling. In practice, a valid partner application that meets the criteria is assessed on its merits rather than rationed against a cap. Consequently, evidence quality — genuine and continuing relationship, shared finances, household arrangements, social recognition and mutual commitment — remains the thing that decides these cases.
By contrast, parent visas are a harder conversation. Parent applications are subject to capping and queueing, so a reduction to 7,060 places pushes waiting times out rather than turning applicants away. The Department currently estimates queues around 15 years for contributory parent visas, and considerably longer for non-contributory ones. Therefore, realistic expectations matter enormously. Millennium Migration would rather tell a family the honest timeline at the start than have them discover it four years in.
What else changed on 1 July 2026
The new program year arrived alongside several unrelated changes that simply share a commencement date. Most of them were made by the Home Affairs Legislation Amendment (2026 Measures No. 1) Regulations 2026. Budgeting for a visa this year means accounting for all of them:
Visa application charges
- Visa application charges rose across many subclasses, with several student and skilled charges increasing by roughly 25%. The Student visa (subclass 500) charge went from AUD $2,000 to AUD $2,500, with a separate AUD $2,050 tier introduced for ELICOS and non-award courses. The Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) rose from AUD $4,600 to AUD $5,750.
Income thresholds for employer-sponsored nominations
- Core Skills Income Threshold (CSIT) increased from AUD $76,515 to AUD $79,423. It applies to Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482) Core Skills nominations, and to Employer Nomination Scheme visa (subclass 186) nominations lodged from 1 July 2026.
- Specialist Skills Income Threshold (SSIT) increased from AUD $141,210 to AUD $146,576.
- Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold (TSMIT) increased from AUD $76,515 to AUD $79,423, relevant to Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional visa (subclass 494) and Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (subclass 187) nominations.
- Fair Work High Income Threshold rose from AUD $183,100 to AUD $190,100, which matters for the age exemption under the Employer Nomination Scheme visa (subclass 186).
Working holiday changes
- Working Holiday visa (subclass 417) age limits extended to 35 for passport holders from Cyprus, Finland, Germany and the Republic of Korea. Age is now assessed at the date you lodge rather than the date of decision. The Work and Holiday visa (subclass 462) age cap remains 18 to 30.
All charges and thresholds above are correct as at 27 July 2026 — check the Department of Home Affairs for the current amounts before you lodge. Meanwhile, nominations lodged before 1 July 2026 are generally unaffected by the new income thresholds. However, if a worker changes employer or needs a fresh nomination, the new figures apply. Sponsors also carry an ongoing obligation to pay the annual market salary rate, which can sit well above the threshold and is assessed separately.
Building a strategy around the 2026-27 migration program
Reading the 2026-27 migration program well means resisting two opposite errors. The first is treating a category increase as a personal invitation. The second is treating a category cut as a closed door. Neither is true, because planning levels move the competitive backdrop rather than the legal criteria.
A sensible sequence for this program year
First, identify every pathway you plausibly qualify for rather than the one you had already decided on. Subclasses 189, 190, 491, 186 and 494 should all be on the table before you eliminate any. Then check your occupation against the current list and confirm which authority assesses it, since that alone can add months. After that, get the skills assessment moving early, because it is the step most likely to delay everything behind it.
Next, look honestly at your points. Partner points, professional year, NAATI credentialled community language and a higher English band are all still available levers, and in a tighter nomination market they decide more outcomes than they did two years ago. Finally, if you have any realistic route to employer sponsorship, price that route properly rather than dismissing it — it is where the places went.
Where Millennium Migration fits in
Millennium Migration is a registered Australian migration practice with offices in Melbourne and Adelaide, led by Sam Lotfollahi, MARN 0901704. We work across skilled, employer-sponsored, family, student and humanitarian matters, and we have been reading program changes like this one for seventeen years.
In practice, we assess where you sit against the current settings. We tell you which pathways are realistically open, flag the risks in your profile, and prepare a lodgement that does not invite avoidable questions. What no registered agent can do — and you should be wary of anyone who suggests otherwise — is guarantee an invitation or a grant. Millennium Migration will give you a straight answer about your prospects, including when that answer is not the one you were hoping for.
Frequently asked questions
2026-27 migration program basics
What is the 2026-27 migration program?
It is the Australian Government’s plan for how many permanent visas will be granted during the 2026-27 financial year and how those places are divided between the Skill, Family and Special Eligibility streams. The Government announced it on 12 May 2026 as part of the Federal Budget.
How many places are in the 2026-27 migration program?
There are 185,000 places in total: 132,240 in the Skill stream, 52,460 in the Family stream and 300 in Special Eligibility.
Did the total program size go up or down this year?
Neither. The total stayed at 185,000 places, the same figure as 2024-25 and 2025-26. What changed was the allocation between categories inside that total.
What changed in the 2026-27 migration program
Which visa categories increased in 2026-27?
Employer-Sponsored rose from 44,000 to 58,040 places, Skilled Independent rose from 16,900 to 21,090, and State/Territory Nominated rose from 33,000 to 35,500. Partner places also rose slightly, from 40,500 to 41,500.
Why did regional places drop so sharply?
Regional allocations fell from 33,000 to 14,110 as the Government shifted emphasis toward employer-sponsored and state-nominated pathways. Regional migration itself continues, including subclass 491 nomination and DAMA arrangements, but competition for those places is tighter.
Did partner visa places change?
Partner places increased from 40,500 to 41,500. Partner and Child categories are demand driven, so these figures are indicative planning levels rather than hard caps, and applications are assessed on eligibility and evidence.
What else changed on 1 July 2026?
Visa application charges rose across many subclasses. The Core Skills and Temporary Skilled Migration Income Thresholds both moved to AUD $79,423. Meanwhile, the Specialist Skills Income Threshold moved to AUD $146,576, and the Fair Work High Income Threshold rose to AUD $190,100. Working Holiday visa age limits also extended to 35 for four countries.
What the 2026-27 migration program means for you
Does a bigger allocation mean I will get an invitation?
No. Planning levels set how many places are available, not who receives them. Your points score, occupation, skills assessment, English result and nomination or sponsorship still determine your outcome.
What does onshore prioritisation mean for me?
Across the Skill and Family streams, 129,590 places are directed at people already living in Australia and 55,110 at offshore applicants. If you hold a subclass 482, 485 or working holiday visa, the program is deliberately structured to help you transition to permanent residence.
Should I change my visa strategy because of these numbers?
Possibly, particularly if you were relying on a regional pathway or have an employer who could sponsor you. Millennium Migration reviews cases against the current settings and can tell you whether your existing plan still holds.
Find out where you stand this program year
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Related reading
- Skilled visas: 189, 190 and 491 compared
- Employer-sponsored visas: how sponsorship, nomination and the visa fit together
- All Australian visa pathways we handle
- Free visa assessment: find your pathway in minutes
Sam Lotfollahi
Principal, Millennium Migration · MARN 0901704
Sam has seventeen years of casework experience across skilled, employer-sponsored, family, student and humanitarian visas, and leads Millennium Migration from offices in Melbourne and Adelaide. He works directly on client files rather than passing them down a chain.
Sources
All figures in this article are correct as at 27 July 2026. Migration planning levels, visa application charges and income thresholds change frequently — always confirm the current amount with the Department of Home Affairs before you lodge.
- Department of Home Affairs — Permanent Migration Program planning levels (page updated 15 May 2026)
- Australian Government — Federal Budget 2026-27 migration announcements, 12 May 2026
- Home Affairs Legislation Amendment (2026 Measures No. 1) Regulations 2026 — visa application charges, citizenship fees and skilled migration income thresholds from 1 July 2026
- Migration Regulations 1994, regulation 5.42A — annual indexation of the Core Skills, Specialist Skills and Temporary Skilled Migration Income Thresholds
- Study Australia — Student Visa Application Charge increase, effective 1 July 2026
- Department of Home Affairs — Working Holiday Maker program latest news
- Fair Work Commission — High Income Threshold, effective 1 July 2026
- Office of the Migration Agents Registration Authority — Register of Migration Agents
This article is general information only and does not take your personal circumstances into account. It is not legal or migration advice. Migration policy, planning levels, fees and thresholds change frequently — always confirm current figures with the Department of Home Affairs before you act. Accurate as at July 2026. For advice about your own situation, start with our free visa assessment or speak with Sam Lotfollahi, MARN 0901704.