13/05/2026
🇦🇺 FEDERAL BUDGET 2026-27 — WHAT'S CHANGING FOR MIGRATION 🇦🇺
Key changes for visa applicants and employers:
📊 Permanent Migration Program remains at 185,000 places (Skill 132,240 / Family 52,760)
🏠 70% of visa places prioritised for onshore applicants
🎓 Temporary Graduate visa application fee doubled (effective 1 March 2026)
🎯 Points test to favour younger, higher-skilled, more educated applicants (skilled visa)
🛠️ Faster skills recognition for migrant trades workers (modernised TRA assessments)
🌏 Working Holiday Maker program — expanded use of ballots
🛡️ Strengthen migration system integrity
⚖️ New visa refusal and cancellation grounds (anti-hate legislation)
📚 Adult Migrant English Program — new model from 1 January 2029
🕊️ Refugee and Humanitarian Program maintained at 20,000 places
More details:
📊 PERMANENT MIGRATION PROGRAM
• Planning level held at 185,000 places
• 132,240 places allocated to the Skill stream (over 70%); 52,760 to Family
• 129,590 places (70%) prioritised for onshore applicants, plus 300 Special Eligibility
• 55,110 offshore places — predominantly for high-skilled migrants
🎯 POINTS TEST REFORM
The permanent migration points test (skilled visa) will be optimised to favour applicants who are younger, higher-skilled and have stronger educational backgrounds. Further detail to be released.
🌏 WORKING HOLIDAY MAKER PROGRAM (subclass 462, 417)
Expanded use of ballots to better manage numbers and allocation of WHM visas.
🎓 TEMPORARY GRADUATE VISA (subclass 485)
Visa Application Charge increased by 100% effective 1 March 2026 (Pacific Island and Timor-Leste applicants exempt).
🛠️ SKILLS RECOGNITION
• Modernised Trades Recognition Australia (TRA) skills assessment system, integrating occupational licensing
• Streamlined assessment-to-licensing pilots for electricians and plumbers
• Faster recognition of qualifications and trade experience held by onshore visa holders
• Strengthen regulatory oversight of Assessing Authorities, with annual Performance Reports from 2027
• Estimated to deliver up to an additional 4,000 skilled trades workers per year
🛡️ MIGRATION SYSTEM INTEGRITY
• Address protection visa system misuse; pre-filing duty lawyer pilot in Sydney and Melbourne FCFCOA registries
• Extension of the Protecting Migrant Workers Information & Education program
• Enhanced scrutiny of onshore and offshore student visa applications
⚖️ NEW VISA POWERS
Implement the migration elements of the Combatting Antisemitism, Hate and Extremism (Criminal and Migration Laws) Act 2026, including new visa refusal and cancellation grounds and updated character test provisions under the Migration Act 1958.
📚 ADULT MIGRANT ENGLISH PROGRAM
Eligibility tightened to target clients most in need of formal English tuition. A new program model with flexible tuition and student supports commences 1 January 2029.
🤝 ADDITIONAL MEASURES
• Refugee and Humanitarian Program maintained at 20,000 places
• Economic Pathways to Refugee Integration program extended
• Health in My Language program for refugee and migrant women continued
• Support for Trafficked People Program – Additional Referral Pathway extended to 30 June 2027
• Commonwealth Community Safety Order Scheme — state funding to support supervision or detention orders for certain non-citizens
🏢 Migration Consulting Group Pty. Ltd.
Trading as The Migration Group | Loc Migration | Loc Di Tru
🇦🇺 Registered Migration Agent | MARN: 2217882 | MIA: 26638
📍 Online immigration assistance
🧑🏻💻 Video / phone consultations
☎️ (02) 7255 5177
🌐 www.migrationgroup.au
‼️ Our social media post is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.
‼️ Only Australian Registered Migration Agents (with a MARN number) and Australian Migration Lawyers (with an LPN number) can lawfully give immigration assistance for a fee in Australia.
