Migration Program planning levels

2022-23 Migration Program

On 2 September 2022, the Australian Government announced that the planning level for the 2022-23 permanent Migration Program will increase to 195,000 places. The Government announced a detailed composition of the Migration Program as part of the Budget delivered on 25 October 2022.​

The 2022-23 Migration Program will help ease critical workforce shortages where the skilling of Australians can not yet keep pace with industry demand. The Migration Program will have a planning level of 195,000 visa places. The Program has the following composition:

• • Skill (142,400 places) – this stream is designed to improve the productive capacity of the economy and fill skill shortages in the labour market, including those in regional Australia.
  • Family (52,500 places) ​– this stream is predominantly made up of Partner visas, enabling Australians to reunite with family members from overseas and provide them with pathways to citizenship.
    • From 2022-23, Partner visas will be granted on a demand driven basis to facilitate family reunification. This will help reduce the Partner visa pipeline and processing times for many applicants.
    • 40,500 Partner visas are estimated for 2022-23 for planning purposes, noting this estimate is not subject to a ceiling.
    • 3,000 Child visas are estimated for 2022-23 for planning purposes, noting this category is demand driven and not subject to a ceiling.
  • Special Eligibility (100 places) – this stream covers visas for those in special circumstances, including permanent residents returning to Australia after a period overseas.​​

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1 For 2022-23, delivery of the Partner and Child visa categories are demand driven, with indicative planning levels only.

​Program size an​d composition

The size and composition of the Migration Program is set each year alongside the Australian Government’s Budget process.

To inform the planning levels and policy settings of the 2022-23 Migration Program, consultation occurred widely with state and territory governments, representatives of academia, industry, unions and community organisations.

When planning the Migration Program, the Australian Government considers​ the following:

• • • Public submissions
    • Economic and labour force forecasts
    • International research
    • Net overseas migration, and
    • Economic and fiscal modelling.

For further information on the 2022-23 Migration Program, please see our Frequently Asked Questions​ (214KB PDF).​

The Department also invites public submissions as part of the planning process for future Migration Programs. Submissions to inform the 2023-24 Migration Program have now closed. For more information, see Australia’s 2023-24​ Migration Program

State and territory nominated visa categories – ​2022-23 nomination allocations

​​Under the 2022-23 ​Migration Program settings, nomination allocations are made available to States and Territories in the following visa categories:

• • • ​​​Skilled – Nominated (sub​class 190)
    • Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) (subclass 491)
    • Business Innovation and Investment Program (BIIP)

States and Territories each assess eligible applicants against criteria unique to their jurisdiction.

Further information on State and Territory nomination requirements can be found at:

• • ACT – Skilled Visa – ACT nomination and Business Migration Guidelines
  • NSW – Visas and Immigration
  • VIC – Live in Melbourne
  • QLD – Business & Skilled Migration Queensland
  • NT – Northern Territory Visa nomination eligibility
  • WA – Business Migration Western Australia (BIIP) or Skilled Migration Western Australia (190 and 491 visas)
  • SA – Move to South Australia
  • TAS – Migration Tasmania​