EFFECTIVE AND COMPREHENSIVE PLANNINGMigration Strategy of Australia

December 2024

As time and the world are constantly changing, so is immigration policy which is subject to a dynamic force shaped by political and economic needs. For the Australian Government, immigration has long served as a tool to address these evolving demands. While the current immigration policy is expected to undergo further refinement in the years ahead, one thing remains certain: Australia’s aging population leaves little room for rejecting immigration. This point is emphasised in the A migration system for Australia’s future Discussion Paper, November 2022, at page 4. The true question facing Australia is what type of immigrants we want and can attract.

The Australian Government, in its recent Migration Strategy, has made clear its commitments to shake up the education-related visa pathways, specifically targeting onshore visa hopping that in turn sustains the ‘permanent temporariness’ (Migration Strategy December 2023 at p. 66). The visa reform is being deployed against the backdrop of building a skilled workforce, which is the consistent tone throughout the Migration Strategy.

Key changes include the creation of a Skills in Demand visa with pathways to permanent residency, along with a Specialist Skills Pathway to foster innovation and job creation. A Core Skills Pathway will target specific workforce needs, while income thresholds will be indexed to maintain system integrity. A tripartite, evidence-based approach will be used to identify skill gaps and labour market testing will be streamlined for simplicity.

Additionally, a service level agreement for processing times and a modernised accreditation pathway will be established to improve talent competitiveness: Migration Strategy December 2023 at p. 42

Significant changes are being made to investment-related visas, particularly the Business Innovation and Investment Program (BIIP) is being phased out. In place of the BIIP, the government is planning to launch a National Innovation Visa pathway to permanent residency by late 2024, which will focus on attracting high-performing entrepreneurs, major investors, and global talent: What we do – Migration Program planning levels

It is improbable that any reasonable government would decline investment capital over time, but managing multiple competing priorities inevitably demands trade-offs. Noting an election year is nigh, the Government’s key priority in tackling inflation: Underlying inflation lowest in more than 30 months, The Hon Dr Jim Chalmers MP Treasurer, 25 September 2024; and the Government’s view that BIIP provided poor economic benefits: Migration Strategy December 2023 at p. 57-59; it is expected visa allocations under this new program will be reduced and have stricter criteria than its predecessors.