General · Published 2026-05-19 · Updated 2026-10-05
Complete guide to Australian immigration in 2026
Reviewed by a registered migration agent ·
MARN 1795282
Updated
Australia’s 2026–27 permanent Migration Program is set at 185,000 places — 132,240 skilled, 52,460 family and 300 special eligibility — and 129,590 of those places are reserved for people already living in Australia. The big shifts for 2026–27 are more employer-sponsored permanent places (58,040, up from 44,000) and Skilled Independent (189) places (21,090, up from 16,900), and far fewer regional 491 places (14,110, down from 33,000). For most people the realistic routes are still employer sponsorship (the Skills in Demand 482 leading to the 186), the points-tested skilled visas, the 485 graduate visa as a bridge, and partner visas for couples.
This guide gives you the answer-first overview, with links to the detailed page for each visa. Figures are verified against the Department of Home Affairs and dated at the bottom of the page.
How many permanent visas will Australia grant in 2026–27?
The Government announced the 2026–27 planning levels on 12 May 2026. The overall size and the roughly 70:30 skilled-to-family split are unchanged from 2025–26, but the mix inside the skilled program has moved sharply towards employer sponsorship and onshore applicants.
| Category | 2025–26 | 2026–27 |
|---|---|---|
| Employer Sponsored (e.g. 186) | 44,000 | 58,040 |
| State/Territory Nominated (190) | 33,000 | 35,500 |
| Skilled Independent (189) | 16,900 | 21,090 |
| Regional (e.g. 491) | 33,000 | 14,110 |
| Talent and Innovation (e.g. 858) | 5,300 | 3,500 |
| Total Skilled | 132,200 | 132,240 |
| Partner | 40,500 | 41,500 |
| Child | 3,000 | 3,500 |
| Parent | 8,500 | 7,060 |
| Other Family | 500 | 400 |
| Total Family | 52,500 | 52,460 |
| Special Eligibility | 300 | 300 |
| Total program | 185,000 | 185,000 |
What this means in practice: if you are already in Australia on a temporary visa — a 482, a 485, a student visa — you are the applicant the program is now built around. Home Affairs reports that in 2024–25, 61% of permanent skilled visas went to people already onshore. Partner and Child places are demand driven, so those numbers are indicative rather than hard caps.
What are the main visa pathways in 2026?
| Pathway | Main visas | Temporary or permanent | The key requirement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Employer sponsored | 482 Skills in Demand, 186 ENS, 494 regional | 482 temporary (up to 4 years); 186 permanent; 494 provisional | An approved employer sponsor and a nominated job at or above the income threshold |
| Points-tested skilled | 189, 190, 491 | 189 and 190 permanent; 491 provisional (5 years) | Skills assessment, competent English, under 45, at least 65 points and an invitation |
| Graduate | 485 Temporary Graduate | Temporary (18 months to 3 years for most) | A recent eligible Australian qualification; 35 or under for most |
| Family | Partner, Parent, Child | Partner is temporary then permanent | A genuine relationship with an Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen |
| Talent | 858 National Innovation | Permanent | An internationally recognised record of exceptional achievement; invitation only |
| Study and visiting | 500 Student, 600 Visitor, 417/462 Working Holiday | Temporary | Course enrolment, genuine temporary stay or the age and passport rules |
How does employer sponsorship work in 2026?
The Skills in Demand (subclass 482) visa replaced the Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) visa on 7 December 2024. It has three streams:
- Core Skills — the occupation must be on the Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL) and the salary must meet the Core Skills Income Threshold: A$79,423 for nominations lodged from 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027.
- Specialist Skills — no occupation list, but the salary must meet the Specialist Skills Income Threshold: A$146,576 (2026–27), and technicians and trades workers, machinery operators and drivers, and labourers (ANZSCO Major Groups 3, 7 and 8) are excluded.
- Labour Agreement — for employers with a negotiated agreement with the Government.
The worker needs at least 1 year of relevant work experience in the last 5 years, and the visa runs for up to 4 years. After 2 years of eligible sponsored employment (in the 3 years before applying), the employer can usually nominate them for permanent residence through the 186 Temporary Residence Transition stream. The employer also pays the Skilling Australians Fund levy — A$1,200 or A$1,800 per year of the visa depending on turnover — and usually has to advertise the job in Australia first.
For the full employer process, read how to sponsor an overseas worker on a 482, see what changed from the TSS, or estimate the employer’s costs with our sponsorship cost calculator.
How does the points test work?
The 189, 190 and 491 visas are points-tested. You need a positive skills assessment in an eligible occupation, at least competent English, to be under 45 when invited, and at least 65 points to lodge an Expression of Interest in SkillSelect. Points come from age (the maximum, 30, is for ages 25 to 32), English (up to 20 for superior English), skilled work experience, qualifications, Australian study and partner skills.
State or territory nomination adds 5 points for the 190 and 15 points for the 491. Treat 65 as a floor, not a target: invitations go to the highest-ranked candidates, and many occupations need scores well above the pass mark. The 191 is the permanent visa for 491 and 494 holders after they meet the regional residence and income rules. Use our points calculator to estimate your score.
What are the options for international graduates?
The 485 Temporary Graduate visa gives recent graduates of Australian institutions full work rights. Since 1 July 2024 most applicants must be 35 or under. Stays are 2 years for a Bachelor or coursework Masters, 3 years for a research Masters or PhD, and 18 months in the vocational stream. You need an overall IELTS 6.5 (or an equivalent score in another accepted test) taken in the 12 months before applying. The 485 cannot be extended, so it works best as a runway towards an employer-sponsored or points-tested visa. See our guide to the 485 in 2026.
How do family visas work?
Partner visas are the core of the Family program, with 41,500 places planned for 2026–27. Onshore couples apply for the 820/801 and offshore couples for the 309/100, each a two-stage process from temporary to permanent. The Prospective Marriage (300) visa covers fiancés. Parent visas come in two forms: contributory, which costs much more but is processed far faster, and non-contributory, which has very long queues. Child visas (101 and 802) cover dependent children. See partner visas, parent visas and our guide to the partner visa second stage.
What about study, visiting and working holidays?
- Student (500) — study full time in a CRICOS-registered course, with work limited to 48 hours per fortnight while your course is in session.
- Visitor (600) — tourism, family visits or business visitor activities, generally for 3, 6 or 12 months, with no work allowed.
- Working Holiday (417) and Work and Holiday (462) — 12-month visas for young people (generally 18 to 30, or up to 35 for some passports), with second and third visas possible after eligible specified work.
None of these is a permanent pathway on its own, but study in Australia can lead to the 485 and to points for Australian study.
What happened to business and investor visas?
The Business Innovation and Investment Program (188) closed to new applications on 31 July 2024; applications lodged before then are still being processed. The National Innovation visa (858) is now the main permanent route for people with exceptional talent. It is invitation only, and the whole Talent and Innovation category has just 3,500 places in 2026–27. See the 188 page and the 858 page.
How long does it take and what does it cost?
Processing times vary a lot by visa and stream. As at 29 September 2026, Home Affairs reported that 75% of 482 Specialist Skills applications were decided within 51 days, against 8 months for Core Skills, and 75% of 186 Temporary Residence Transition applications within 24 months. Visa application charges rose with the 1 July 2026 indexation. Check the current figures, dated and linked to the official source, on our processing times and visa fees pages.
How do you get from a temporary visa to citizenship?
For most people the journey has three steps: a temporary visa (482, 485, 491, 820 or similar), then permanent residence (186, 189, 190, 191 or 801), then citizenship. For citizenship by conferral you generally need 4 years of lawful residence in Australia, including the last 12 months as a permanent resident, and most applicants aged 18 to 59 must pass the citizenship test. See our citizenship guide.
What should you do first?
- Work out your strongest pathway — sponsor, points, graduate or family — using the tables above.
- Check the moving parts — your occupation’s list, the income thresholds, your age against the cut-offs, and whether your English test will still be valid when you lodge.
- Plan the sequence — many people need a temporary visa now and a permanent visa later, so the first visa should set up the second.
- Get advice before you lodge — some mistakes, such as choosing the wrong stream, cannot be fixed after you apply.
Is this general advice?
This is general information, not personal migration advice. Planning levels, thresholds, fees and processing times change, often on 1 July, and the right pathway depends on your circumstances. Before you lodge anything, speak with a registered migration agent (MARN 1795282).
Sources & last checked: verified 5 October 2026 against the Department of Home Affairs — Permanent Migration Program planning levels (immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/what-we-do/migration-program-planning-levels), Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482) stream pages and salary requirements, Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186) Temporary Residence Transition stream, Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) stream pages and global visa processing times (as at 29 September 2026). Points values follow Schedule 6D of the Migration Regulations 1994 (legislation.gov.au).
Frequently asked questions
How many permanent visas will Australia grant in 2026–27?
The Government announced on 12 May 2026 that the 2026–27 permanent Migration Program is set at 185,000 places — the same overall size as 2025–26. That is 132,240 Skilled places, 52,460 Family places and 300 Special Eligibility places, with 129,590 places allocated to migrants already living in Australia. Partner and Child numbers are demand driven, so their planning levels are indicative.
What is the easiest way to migrate to Australia in 2026?
There is no single easiest route — the right one depends on your occupation, age, English, qualifications, family ties and whether an employer will sponsor you. In 2026 the largest growth is in employer-sponsored permanent places (58,040, up from 44,000), so an Australian employer willing to sponsor you on a Skills in Demand (482) visa and later the 186 is a strong pathway for many skilled workers. A registered migration agent can compare your options against the current rules.
What is the minimum salary to be sponsored in 2026?
For Skills in Demand (subclass 482) nominations lodged from 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027, the Core Skills Income Threshold is A$79,423 and the Specialist Skills Income Threshold is A$146,576. The employer must also pay at least the annual market salary rate for the role, so if the market rate is higher, that applies. Thresholds are indexed every 1 July.
How many points do I need for a skilled visa?
The pass mark for the points-tested 189, 190 and 491 visas is 65, and you must be under 45 when invited. 65 is only the floor to lodge an Expression of Interest — invitations go to the highest-ranked candidates in each occupation, so competitive scores are often well above it. Use our points calculator for an estimate.
How long after permanent residence can I apply for citizenship?
For citizenship by conferral you generally need at least 4 years of lawful residence in Australia, including the last 12 months as a permanent resident, with limits on time spent overseas. Most applicants aged 18 to 59 must also pass the citizenship test.
Do I need a migration agent to apply for an Australian visa?
No — you can apply yourself. But refusals are costly, review deadlines are short, and some mistakes (the wrong stream, an expired English test, a defective job advertisement) cannot be fixed after lodgement. Only registered migration agents and Australian legal practitioners may lawfully give immigration assistance for a fee.
More guides
- Construction Trades PR Pathway: Carpenters, Electricians & Plumbers
- How to Sponsor an Overseas Worker in Australia (482 Skills in Demand)
- Partner visa second stage (801/100): when it happens and what to send
- Skills in Demand visa: what changed when it replaced the TSS 482
- How to Sponsor a Carpenter on a 482 Visa (Employer Guide)