2025-2026 Migration Program: Focus on Skills and Regions
The Annual Migration Program is essentially a quota system announced in the federal budget that determines how many new permanent residents are allowed into Australia.
The Australian Government has maintained the Migration Program planning level at 185,000 for 2025-26, with a strong focus on skills.
Skilled Stream: 132,200 (71% of the program), includes:
- Employer-sponsored visas: 44,000 places
- Skilled Independent (subclass 189) visas: 16,900 places
- Regional visas: 33,000 places
- State/Territory Nominated (subclass 190 and 491) visas: 66,000 combined
- Business, talent & Innovation visas: 5,300
Regional and state-nominated pathways now account for half of the skill stream, reinforcing Australia’s commitment to addressing critical gaps outside major cities.
Ministerial Direction No. 105: Official Processing Priority Order
Applications are assessed broadly in this order:
1. Regional Employer-Sponsored Positions – Highest Priority
Employer-sponsored visas (subclasses 186, 482, 494) where the nominated job is in a designated regional area of Australia.
2. Healthcare & Teaching Occupations
Any skilled visa (employer-sponsored or points-tested/Independent) in specified health and education occupations is fast-tracked. This includes, but is not limited to; nurses, doctors, allied health professionals, school teachers, early childhood educators, aged care workers, counsellors, psychologists, social workers, and certain technical health roles.
3. Employer-sponsored visas nominated by an Approved sponsor with Accredited Status
4. Permanent and Provisional visas that count toward the migration program
5. All other applications are processed in order of lodgement date.
Lower-priority applications may experience longer processing times, so aligning with top tiers dramatically improves your timeline.
Priority Sectors Driving Fast Track Processing
Healthcare and aged care
- Registered Nurses, GPs and other medical practitioners
- Aged care and disability support workers
- Mental health, counselling and social services professionals
Education
- School teachers (primary and secondary)
- Early childhood educators and child care centre managers
Construction & Infrastructure
- Qualified tradespeople
- Engineering and project delivery roles, particularly in regional Australia
Core Skills
The Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL) now underpins the Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482) Core Skills stream and pathways to subclass 186 – Employer Nomination Scheme, after two years in eligible employment.
Skills in Demand Visa: Faster Processing Times
The Skills in Demand visa offers faster processing for eligible applicants:
- Specialist Skills stream: decisions in approximately 7 business days for complete applications
- Core Skills stream: decisions in approximately 21 business days for complete applications.
Skill Select Invitations & State Nominations
For points-tested visas, such as Skilled Independent (subclass 189) visas and Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visas, invitations are issued to the highest-ranked (most points) Expression of Interests (EOIs) within occupation ceilings to maintain program balance.
State and territory-nominated visas (subclass 190 and 491) operate separately, and each jurisdiction sets its own priorities.
They often:
- Prioritise applicants already living in the state or territory
- Prefer recent graduates from local institutions
- Focus on occupations listed on their own shortage or critical skills list (e.g., construction, health, hospitality in Western Australia, Victoria and South Australia)
How to Maximise Your Chances in 2026
To improve your chances of a faster skilled visa outcome:
- Lodge a complete application with skills assessment, English test results and health and character documents ready from day one
- Secure regional employer sponsorship or work with an accredited sponsor where possible
- Target occupations on the Core Skills Occupations List (CSOL) for the fastest employer-sponsored pathway
- Consider state or territory nomination if you meet their residence, study or occupation criteria
- Monitor invitation rounds, for example, November 2025 delivered 10,000 subclass 189 invitations
Australia’s skilled visa system is now more targeted than ever, rewarding applicants who directly address national and regional skill shortages.
Processing times for priority categories continue to improve, but competition remains high.
How True Blue Migration Can Help
At True Blue Migration, our Registered Migration Agents stay across every legislative update, Ministerial Direction, and state nomination program change.
Whether you need help with a subclass 189 Expression of Interest (EOI), regional subclass 491 nomination, Skills in Demand sponsorship, or a full subclass 186 Employer Nomination Scheme pathway, we provide personalised strategies that align with 2026 processing priorities.
Contact True Blue Migration today for a free eligibility assessment and let us help fast-track your Australian migration pathway.
Connect with one of our agents today for expert guidance and up-to-the-minute advice.
Email info@trubluemigration.com.
Phone 03 9038 9070