What does the 2025–26 financial year really mean?Within Australia’s migration system, there is a critical but often misunderstood concept known as Migration Program Planning Levels. In simple terms, this refers to the annual cap and structural allocation of permanent visas set by the Federal Government.This figure directly affects:Whether you receive an invitation，Processing times，Competition intensity，Priority across visa categories

I. 2025–26 Planning Levels Remain Unchanged

For the 2025–26 financial year, the Australian Government has officially announced that the Permanent Migration Program will remain at:185,000 permanent visa places (unchanged from the previous financial year)

This indicates that:

• Overall migration policy has not tightened
• Skilled migration remains the core focus
• Stable quotas provide greater predictability 
• This is positive news for skilled migrants, employer-sponsored applicants, and state nomination candidates

II. How Is the Quota Structured?While the official department has not yet released the final detailed breakdown, based on authoritative policy interpretation and historical allocation patterns, the structure is generally understood as follows:

1. Skill Stream

• Includes partner, spouse, child, and other family visasAccounts for approximately 28% of the total quota 71%
• Focused on addressing labour shortages and skills gaps
• Regional migration pathways，Skilled migration remains the main pillar and the most stable component of the program.

2. Family Stream

• Includes partner, spouse, child, and other family visas
• Includes partner, spouse, child, and other family visasAccounts for approximately 28% of the total quota 28%
• Primarily supports family reunion and long-term settlement needs
  Family visas continue to form a significant and stable portion of the migration program.

3. Special Eligibility Stream，A small number of places，Reserved for highly exceptional or policy-driven cases

III. Why Are Planning Levels So Important?

Migration Program Planning Levels function as the Government’s official capacity planning tool, directly influencing:

 The number of invitations issued in each round
 The volume of skilled, state-nominated, and employer-sponsored visas
 Queue length and processing speed
 Visa priority order
 Even the direction of invitation score thresholds

In other words:

Planning Levels are not just numbers — they reflect the Federal Government’s policy judgement on population growth and labour market needs.

If quotas increase → migration becomes more accessible
If quotas decrease → competition intensifies

For 2025–26, the message is clear: Stable quotas, skill priority, and balanced family reunion — a relatively positive signal for skilled migration applicants.

IV. What Does This Mean in Practice?

1.1. Skilled Migration Remains the Core Pathway

Skilled migration continues to dominate the program and will:

Prioritise occupations in shortage
Provide long-term workforce support
Closely align with state nomination programs

2. 2. Family Migration Remains Stable

The allocation for partner and family visas demonstrates that the Government is also balancing:

Population stability
Workforce participation，Social cohesion

For student visa holders planning PR together with their partner, this is a positive signal.

3. 3. Employers Can Plan Ahead with Greater Certainty

Whether you are an individual applicant or a business HR manager, stable planning levels allow for:

 Earlier preparation
 More predictable recruitment strategies
 Advance planning for employer sponsorship and skills assessments

This is why many policy analysts emphasise:
“稳定 > 突然变革” — 对整个移民生态来说是好事。

 V. What Should You Do Now?

If you are currently in any of the following stages:

Preparing a skilled migration pathway (EOI / state nomination / independent)
 Holding a post-study work visa

 An employer planning to hire overseas talent
Preparing for a partner or family visa

Then:

👉 This is a cycle of stable planning levels worth leveraging.Which means:Quotas are unlikely to tighten suddenly，Getting into the queue earlier matters，Long-term planning becomes more predictable

Reference Source，Migration Program Planning Levels — Official Explanation and Policy Background Australian Department of Home Affairs – Immigration and Citizenship Website