Canberra: The Australian government has outlined its priorities for the 2026-27 migration programme, with a renewed focus on addressing workforce shortages in key sectors through skilled migration.
According to the government’s migration plan, the Permanent Migration Programme for the new financial year has been capped at 185,000 places. Of these, more than 132,200 places have been allocated to skilled migrants, while the remaining visas will be issued under family and other migration categories.
The government said qualified applicants in healthcare, aged care, construction, education, engineering, information technology and regional occupations will receive priority during visa processing.
Australian Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said the country’s migration system is designed not merely to increase migrant numbers but to meet the needs of the economy and labour market. He said prioritising skilled workers in sectors facing labour shortages would benefit hospitals, the construction industry and regional communities.
Meanwhile, a report by the Australian National University has highlighted that only 12 per cent of permanent migration places in recent years were granted to skilled applicants applying directly from overseas. The majority of places were used to provide permanent residency to temporary visa holders already living in Australia.
Experts believe the revised policy will help address Australia’s shortage of skilled workers. However, they also cautioned that competition for applicants applying directly from overseas is likely to become significantly tougher under the new migration framework.
