Australia’s Skilled Migration Trends in 2024-25: What Prospective Migrants Must Know in 2026
Australia’s skilled migration landscape continues to evolve, with shifts in planning levels, visa category outcomes, and priority occupations shaping how people enter, stay, and settle in Australia. These are reflected in the latest Australian Working Visa lodgements and grants record published here.
The Department of Home Affairs’ Migration Trends 2024-25 report provides a data-driven view of what actually happened in the skilled migration program, and the insights matter a lot for anyone planning to apply for visas in 2026.
This article summarises the key trends, explains the numbers in plain language, and highlights what these trends mean for you if you’re planning to migrate, work and settle in Australia this year.
Overview: Skill Stream Visas in 2024-25 Program Year
In the 2024-25 program year, Australia delivered 132,148 Skill stream places, a slight 3.6% decrease from the 137,100 places in 2023-24.
The Skill stream continues to form the backbone of permanent migration, accounting for over 70% of the total permanent migration spots, which remain capped at 185,000.
Top 3 Categories Driving Skilled Migration
The majority of places in the Skill stream went to:
- Employer-Sponsored visas: 44,000 places (33.3%)
- State/Territory Nominated visas: 33,000 places (25%)
- Regional visas: 32,948 places (24.9%)
Together, these three made up 83.2% of all Skill stream places in 2024-25.
Source: Australia’s Migration Trends, 2024–25
1. Employer-Sponsored Visas: The Biggest Pathway
Employer-sponsored visas remain the most significant route for skilled migrants:
- 44,000 places delivered in 2024-25, a 19.5% increase from the prior year.
- This reflects ongoing employer demand for skilled workers to fill local labour shortages.
Top Occupations with Employer Sponsorship
Among primary applicants under employer sponsorship:
- Registered Nurses accounted for 2,394 places (13.5%)
- Chefs accounted for 1,894 places (10.7%)
- Software and Applications Programmers made up to 1,633 places (9.2%)
What this means: If you’re in healthcare, hospitality, or tech roles where employers are actively hiring, employer sponsorship remains one of the most practical short-to-medium term migration routes.
2. State/Territory Nominated Visas
State or territory nomination remains a major pathway to skilled migration, especially when skilled independent spots are limited.
- 33,000 places delivered in 2024-25, up to 8.6% from 2023-24
- Of these, 52.9% were primary applicants, showing strong demand from people directly aiming for PR through state support.
Most Nominated Occupations by States
Among primary applicants:
- Software and Applications Programmers: 1,561 places (8.9%)
- Accountants: 1,274 places (7.3%)
- ICT Business and System Analysts: 1,132 places (6.5%)
Implication for 2026: State nomination continues to be competitive, but it is essential for many who lack enough points for skilled independent visas.
3. Regional Migration
Regional skilled visas continue to be a core part of the migration strategy:
- 32,948 regional places delivered in 2024-25, a slight increase over 2023-24.
- 37.6% of these went to primary applicants.
Key Regional Occupations
Top roles among regional primary applicants included:
- Accountants: 997 places (8.0%)
- Software and Applications Programmers: 606 places (4.9%)
- Industrial, Mechanical and Production Engineers: 586 places (4.7%)
Regional advantage: Regional streams remain attractive for graduates and skilled workers seeking a practical pathway to PR, especially when metro competition is high.
4. Skilled Independent Visas: Significant Drop
One of the biggest changes in 2024-25 was the sharp reduction in skilled independent visas:
- 16,900 places delivered, down 44.4% from 30,375 in 2023-24.
- Skilled independent visas now account for a much smaller share of the skilled migration outcome.
Primary Applicant Focus
- 66.2% of these went to primary applicants.
- Top occupations among them were:
- Registered Nurses: 1,467 places (13.1%)
- Early Childhood Teachers: 951 places (8.5%)
- Civil Engineering Professionals: 676 places (6.0%)
What this means: Points-based, independent PR has become less accessible in recent years, and it’s important for skilled migrants to consider alternative pathways like state nomination, employer sponsorship, or regional streams.
5. Global Talent & National Innovation Visas
There were notable shifts in the high-end talent category:
Global Talent (Independent)
- 3,975 places delivered in 2024-25, down 20.5% from 5,000 in the prior year.
- Only 32.1% of these went to primary applicants.
National Innovation Visa
- Introduced on 7 December 2024, replacing the Global Talent Visa (subclass 858).
- 25 places were delivered in 2024-25, with nearly half being primary applicants.
Trend insight: Australia is shifting from traditional talent visas to the National Innovation visa, prioritising innovation-oriented migrants with cutting-edge skills or business potential.
6. Business Innovation & Investment
The Business Innovation and Investment visa category continued to decline:
- Only 1,000 BIIP places delivered in 2024-25, down 47.4% from the previous year, and the program closed to new applications on 31 July 2024.
This reflects a policy move away from investment-based migration toward skills and employer-led pathways.
7. Distinguished Talent Visas
The Distinguished Talent visa remained stable:
- 300 places delivered in both 2023-24 and 2024-25, with 42% going to primary applicants.
Temporary Resident (Skilled Employment) Visa Grants
- Migration trends also show strong activity in temporary skilled employment visas:
- 130,571 temporary skilled visas were granted in 2024-25, a 28.6% increase over the previous year.
The breakdown:
- 68,197 grants to primary applicants
- 62,374 grants to secondary applicants
Top Industry Sponsors
The industries with the most temporary skilled visa grants were:
- Health Care & Social Assistance: 10,864 places (15.9%)
- Accommodation & Food Services: 10,765 places (15.8%)
- Other Services: 8,936 places (13.1%)
Top Occupations in Temporary Skilled Grants
- Chefs: 6,362 grants (9.3%)
- Resident Medical Officers: 2,727 grants (4.0%)
- Motor Mechanic (General): 2,247 grants (3.3%)
This highlights that temporary skilled work remains a key entry point and can often lead toward permanent pathways like employer sponsorship, especially in high-demand sectors.
Key Takeaways for Prospective Migrants in 2026
1. Skilled Migration Isn’t Getting Smaller, It’s Changing
While the total number of skilled places slightly decreased, the mix of visa categories shifted significantly. Employer sponsorship and state/territory nomination are now the main routes, while skilled independent places are dramatically reduced.
2. Employer Sponsorship Is Strong
The growth in employer-sponsored places shows employers are increasingly trusted to select needed skills, and skilled workers with job offers have a strong advantage.
3. Skilled Independent Visas Are More Competitive
If your goal was a skilled independent visa, you now face fewer places and higher competition.
4. Regional and State Nomination Still Matter
Regional and state pathways collectively account for nearly half of all skilled places, meaning location and state priorities remain crucial to your strategy.
5. Temporary Work Can Lead to Permanent Outcomes
Temporary skilled employment visas continue to grow, and many migrants use these as stepping stones to permanent residence through sponsorship or nomination.
What Should You Do?
If you’re planning your migration strategy in 2026, this data shows a clear pattern that Australia is prioritising employer-led, state/territory-supported, and regional skilled migration pathways, with fewer general skilled independent spots available.
Understanding which visa categories are expanding or contracting is essential for:
- Choosing the right visa pathway
- Aligning your skills with demand
- Planning early for employer sponsorship or nomination
- Using temporary visas strategically
This trend data should shape your migration plan, not just your application.
We are a message away.
We are complex visa specialists. As registered Australian migration agents with the Migration Agents Registration Authority (MARA), we are regulated in our professional practice and bound by the profession’s Code of Conduct issued by the MARA. Read our 4.9* score customer reviews to see how we’ve helped others like you.
Take the first step and contact us via email at visa@onederland.com.au, by phone at 1300 827 159, or through WhatsApp at +61494372414. Alternatively, you can book your consultation online, and it is backed by our 100% Money-Back Guarantee Program.
