Australia's 2026–27 Migration Changes Explained

Australia's migration settings shifted on 1 July 2026. The headline number — 185,000 permanent places — did not move. Almost everything underneath it did. This guide sets out what actually changed, with the figures, and who each change affects.

The 2026–27 permanent Migration Program

The Australian Government set the permanent Migration Program for 2026–27 at 185,000 places — unchanged from the previous year. The split between streams was also held roughly steady:

Skill stream — 132,240 places (about 71% of the program)
Family stream — 52,460 places (about 28%)
Special Eligibility — 300 places

A flat headline masks a real change in direction. The program now allocates 129,590 places to onshore applicants leaving about 55,110 for offshore applicants (the total minus onshore and the 300 Special Eligibility places). In plain terms: if you are already in Australia on a temporary visa, the settings moved in your favour. If you are applying from overseas, competition tightened.

Where the places moved

Within the Skill stream, the redistribution between categories is the part worth reading closely.

Employer-Sponsored (mainly subclass 186): up from 44,000 to 58,040 places — the largest single increase.
Skilled Independent (subclass 189): up from 16,900 to 21,090 places.
State and Territory Nominated (subclass 190): up from 33,000 to 35,500 places.
Regional (mainly subclass 491): cut sharply, from 33,000 down to 14,110 places.

The regional cut is the one that changes real plans. Applicants who moved to a regional area specifically to improve their odds are now competing for well under half the places that existed a year ago. If regional nomination was your primary strategy, it is worth reconsidering whether an employer-sponsored or state-nominated route now offers a better path.

Skilled visa income thresholds rose

From 1 July 2026, the income thresholds that employers must meet to sponsor a skilled worker increased:

Core Skills Income Threshold: AU$76,515 → AU$79,423
Specialist Skills Income Threshold: AU$141,210 → AU$146,576

Both rose by approximately 3.8%. The Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold used for the subclass 494 visa also rose to AU$79,423. This is not a policy decision made each year — it is automatic indexation under regulation 5.42A of the Migration Regulations 1994, which applies a statutory formula based on Average Weekly Ordinary Time Earnings (AWOTE) data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics. The thresholds apply to the Skills in Demand (subclass 482) and Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186) visas.

Important detail

The new thresholds apply only to nominations lodged on or after 1 July 2026. If your nomination was lodged before that date, the old threshold applies. Existing visa holders are not affected and do not need their salary adjusted to the new figure.

The practical effect sits at the Specialist Skills end. That stream exists to fast-track high-earning applicants, and raising the bar to AU$146,576 narrows the pool of roles that qualify. Some positions that cleared the threshold in June 2026 no longer do.

Visa application charges rose about 25%

On 1 July 2026 most visa application charges rose by roughly 25% in a single step, under the Home Affairs Legislation Amendment (2026 Measures No. 1) Regulations 2026. For context, the usual annual increase is a few per cent in line with inflation. Examples (the earlier figures are approximate 2025–26 charges; the new ones are confirmed by Home Affairs):

Student (subclass 500): about AU$2,000 → AU$2,500
Skills in Demand (subclass 482), Core Skills stream: about AU$3,210 → AU$4,015
Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186): about AU$4,910 → AU$6,140
Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (subclass 494): about AU$4,910 → AU$6,140
Visitor (subclass 600), tourist stream: about AU$200 → AU$250 offshore

For a family applying together, these charges compound. A couple with two children applying for permanent residence will feel a difference measured in thousands, not hundreds.

Who this actually affects

Already in Australia on a temporary visa: the onshore allocation of 129,590 places works in your favour. This is the clearest positive change in the 2026–27 settings.
Counting on a regional pathway: places fell from 33,000 to 14,110. Reassess.
Employer-sponsored applicants: more places (58,040), but your employer must meet a higher salary floor and pay a higher charge.
Applying from offshore: 55,110 places against 129,590 onshore. Expect a more competitive process.
Existing visa holders: none of the threshold changes apply retrospectively to you.

What to do next

Check which figures apply to your lodgement date. Thresholds and charges are fixed by when the application or nomination is lodged, not when it is decided.
Recalculate your points. With 189 places up to 21,090 but offshore allocation tight, your score matters more than last year.
Budget for the new charges before you commit to a pathway, including for every family member.
Verify every figure on the official source. The numbers in this article were checked on the date shown above; they change.

Sources

Disclaimer

This article is for general information purposes only. Australian visa fees, conditions, policies and legislation change frequently. The figures in this guide were checked against Home Affairs and the Federal Register of Legislation on 30 September 2026, but may not reflect the current law by the time you read it. Nothing here is legal advice or migration advice. Always confirm current charges and requirements on the Department of Home Affairs website at immi.homeaffairs.gov.au before you lodge anything. For advice about your own circumstances, speak to a Registered Migration Agent (MARA) or a qualified migration lawyer.