How the size and structure of the permanent migration program is determined
With the government soon to announce the 2012–13 Migration Program, it is timely to explain how the government plans for and determines the program’s size and composition.
There are more people wanting to migrate to Australia permanently than the country can accommodate. To manage the number of people granted the privilege to call Australia home, the government sets annual migration program planning levels (See Factsheet 20 on the department’s website for more information). The planning levels set the size and composition of the intake of permanent migrants and are informed by a number of factors that include:
- immediate and forecast long-term social, demographic and economic trends and government policies with respect to migration and population
- expected demand for skilled labour in key occupations and industries over the medium-to-long-term
- estimated demand for places within the family stream, in particular the partner and child categories
- the net gain of population through immigration and emigration as measured by what is known as net overseas migration.
Each year the department conducts nation-wide consultations to seek the views of the Australian public, state and territory governments, unions, peak industry groups, community groups and other key stakeholders. The input gathered during these consultations, as well as considerations arising out of the factors listed above are used to inform the department’s submission to government on the size and composition of the Migration Program for the following year.
Keep an eye out for part two of this blog, which will elaborate on the important role permanent migration has played in the growth and evolution of Australian society, as well as provide an overview of the 2012–13 Migration Program.
Migration Program planning levels and priority processing arrangements
Every year the Australian Government sets the number of places, otherwise known as planning levels, in the permanent migration program. The number of places allocated takes into account the current economic climate and feedback from consultations with the Australian community.
Within the skill stream of the permanent migration program, there are a number of different visa categories targeted to meet the diverse needs of Australia’s labour market. The government also allocates annually a set number of visa places to each of the following categories:
- skilled independent
- skilled Australian sponsored
- employer sponsored, and
- state and territory sponsored
The planning levels can be varied by the government in response to economic and other factors. Delivering the migration program requires careful management. This is where it’s important to understand the relationship between the planning levels and priority processing arrangements for skilled migration visa applications.
Priority processing is a tool, available to government, to assist managing the order in which applications are granted. We have blogged previously about the government’s priority processing direction, where visa applications are placed in one of five priority processing groups.
Applications in priority group 1 are allocated before applications in priority group 2, and so on, until the set planning level for each specific skilled visa category is met.
In the situation where set annual planning levels are met in a particular skilled migration category within a 12 month period, the department is obliged to temporarily suspend allocating applications in this category until the next program year, irrespective of where applicants are placed in the priority processing direction.
For example, in this (2011-2012) program year there has been a lower number of applications lodged under a state migration plan (priority group 3) than anticipated when government originally set the planning levels. To meet the set levels for this part of the program we have allocated some of the priority group 5 applications in greater numbers.
These are the priority group 5 applications that were lodged by onshore and offshore applicants who were nominated by a state or territory government before state migration plans were introduced. These applications are placed in priority group 5 as they do not have a nominated occupation on the skilled occupation list.
It may also be necessary to limit the allocation of visa applications in the skilled Australian sponsored categories this program year, because there are only a few places remaining in this visa category. We will continue to update the allocation dates for skilled visa applications on the department’s website and encourage applicants to regularly check the page, which is updated fortnightly. We have also updated information on our website about the processing of priority group 5 applications.
If you have any questions or comments please post below.
Did you hold a Student visa on 8 February 2010?
New web page for Student visa holders who were affected by the skilled migration reforms announced on 8 February 2010.
There is a new web page for current and former Student visa holders who held a Student visa on
8 February 2010, when the Australian Government announced the skilled migration reforms.
The new web page can be found here.
Increasingly in the years leading up to the reforms, the composition of the skilled migration program was being determined by those who wished to apply, rather than by labour market demand. A series of reforms were necessary to reposition the program as demand driven and able to respond better to Australia’s skilled labour needs.
One of the key changes was the withdrawal of the Migration Occupations in Demand List (MODL) and the introduction of a new Skilled Occupation List (SOL). The SOL is a list of occupations that are eligible for independent, or unsponsored, skilled migration. The new SOL consists of 192 occupations, down from more than 400 on the old list, and delivers a skilled migration program that is tightly focused on high value skills that will assist in addressing Australia’s medium to long term skill needs.
When these reforms were announced, the Australian Government also announced generous transitional arrangements for those who held Student visas when the changes were announced. The new web page includes information about these transitional arrangements, as well as other information about extending a Student visa, and also information about the skilled migration program. We plan to expand the page with further information in the coming months.
It is important for students to be aware that the Student visa program and the skilled migration program serve different purposes. A Student visa allows a person to come to Australia and study for a specified period. On the other hand, the skilled migration program has an economic focus. It is designed to meet the needs of the Australian labour market and strengthen the whole economy. Because of this, the requirements for skilled migration may change depending on the economic circumstances of the time, and that is why students should study a course based on their academic interests, rather than to achieve a particular migration outcome.
Student visas are temporary visas, so students should be mindful of their visa expiry date so they can consider their options early. It takes time to apply for another visa, and if a person is unable to obtain another visa they must depart Australia before their Student visa expires. There can be serious consequences for overstaying a Student visa and becoming unlawful, including being unable to return to Australia for up to three years.
Some students might be thinking about lodging an Expression of Interest (EOI) in SkillSelect when their student visa expires. An EOI is not the same as a visa application. It is an indication that a person would like to apply for a skilled migration visa, rather than an application itself. A Bridging visa will not be granted after submitting an EOI. If a person is not invited to apply for a skilled migration visa before their existing visa expires, they will need to obtain another visa or depart Australia.
Removal of Assurance of Support (AoS) requirement from Partner visas
Changes to partner visas
From 1 January 2012, the discretionary Assurance of Support (AoS) requirement was removed from partner visas. This change complemented other 1 January amendments to social security legislation that affect eligibility for welfare payments.
The change means that an AoS will not be required for partner visa applications made on or after 1 January. The change also applies to any partner visa applications still before the department or the Migration Review Tribunal on or after 1 January.
The amendments affect the following visa subclasses:
Partner temporary visa (subclass 309)
Partner permanent visa (subclass 100)
Partner temporary visa (subclass 820)
Partner permanent visa (subclass 801)
Prospective Marriage visa (subclass 300).
Information for those who have already had an AoS accepted by the Department of Human Services (DHS)
The Department of Human Services (DHS) is responsible for administering the AoS program. If you would like more information about the status of an AoS that was accepted by DHS prior to 1 January, please contact DHS through their AoS enquiry line on 132 850.
DHS advises the AoS will be enforced by DHS in situations where the AoS affected partner visa was granted prior to 1 January. DHS has advised that in all other partner visa cases, the AoS will be cancelled.
Further information about the AoS amendments are available on our website at: www.immi.gov.au/legislation/amendments/2012/120101/lc01012012-01.htm
Additional information about the AoS is available on DHS’ website at: www.humanservices.gov.au/customer/services/Centrelink/assurance-of-support
A New Year and a New Migration Blog
Sydney Fireworks (Photo: Copuetboy, Flickr)
Hello, happy New Year and thanks for your interest in migration. For those of you who have engaged with us previously, welcome to a slightly changed Migration Blog. As some may remember, the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) first entered the blogosphere in June 2011, with the Skilled Migration Blog.
After great success over the past seven months, we’ve decided to expand the blog to include a much broader range of topics relating to migration. Family, Students, Working Holiday Makers as well as a host of other visa categories are very important parts of the overall Migration Program and will be explored on these pages in the future. We will also take the opportunity at various times to publish some of our research. Including the small name change, we’ve also changed our domain to: http://migrationblog.immi.gov.au
I encourage you to engage with blog posts. Ask questions and share content if you find the information interesting and informative. Hopefully our blog continues to grow and provide another avenue for anyone interested in migration to participate.
Cheers Peter Speldewinde, Acting First Assistant Secretary, Migration and Visa Policy Division
Processing Priority Group 5 applications
In August we published information on this blog about the processing of general skilled migration applications, and new information available on the department’s website to assist applicants.
The new webpage has been very popular, and it’s great to see it being used by people to check the progress of their visa applications.
That earlier post also explained why skilled migration applications are processed in a particular order (in technical terms, the order set by a Ministerial Direction on processing priority) and that we expected to see progress for applicants who had been waiting the longest for their visas to be processed.
Today’s update is to let you know that shortly we will begin to allocate applications in the Priority Group 5 category to case officers. The oldest applications made in Australia will be processed before those made outside of Australia. We have published detailed information about how the processing of these applications will happen on our website.
While we can’t tell every applicant exactly when their case will be allocated, this progress is positive news for all applicants. When your application is allocated to a case officer, the department will contact you. If you haven’t heard from us, you should keep checking the department’s website for updates to the allocation dates for general skilled migration visas.
The number of Priority Group 5 applications processed will depend on how many applications are lodged in higher priority groups and other factors including any change in the size of the Migration Program, so we can’t give you an exact timeframe when all applications will be processed.
Please continue to check the department’s website for information about the date of lodgement that applications are currently being allocated to case officers.
Skilled visa options for Australia
Australia’s skilled migration program aims to meet the needs of the Australian labour market and strengthen our economy. Skilled workers in occupations in demand can help fill job vacancies which cannot be filled by an Australian resident worker. This video provides a brief overview of Australia’s skilled migration program.
For more information, visit the department’s website.
Review of the permanent Employer Sponsored visa categories
Today, the department released a discussion paper which provides the starting point for public consultation on the review of the permanent Employer Sponsored visa categories.
The permanent employer sponsored visas, which include the Employer Nomination Scheme, Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme and Labour Agreements, have become increasingly popular with visa applicants and Australian employers.
This trend is reflected in the changing composition of the skilled migration program. Specifically, how the proportion of employer sponsored places now exceeds the proportion of general skilled migration (GSM) places. In 2010-11 38 per cent of the skilled migration program was employer sponsored and 31 per cent GSM. Contrast this with 2007-08 where only 19 per cent of the skilled migration program was employer sponsored and more than half was GSM.
The growth of the permanent employer sponsored categories can be attributed to the shift toward an actively managed demand driven migration program, the popularity of the subclass 457 temporary visa program and the department’s promotion of these programs through the outreach network and Skills Expos. It is also expected that this trend will continue in to the future.
A demand driven skilled migration program recognises that employers are best positioned to identify the skills that they need to maintain, grow and expand their businesses, and should support them in their efforts. That is, it should offer them the ability to source foreign skilled workers to address their skills needs where they have been unable locate suitable workers from the Australian labour market.
In this context it is vitally important that these visa programs remain responsive to the needs of employers. This will ensure that the best outcomes are delivered for the Australian economy. That’s why this review is so timely, especially given that the last comprehensive review was back in 2004!
In Budget 2011-12 the government announced that the permanent employer sponsored programs would be reformed to fast-track the transition to permanent residence for subclass 457 visa holders who have worked inAustralia for several years.
Providing a fast-tracked pathway for these temporary skilled visa holders makes good sense. In 2010-11 83 per cent of ENS and 59 per cent of RSMS visa approvals were to people who held a subclass 457 when they lodged their application for permanent residence.
The fact that their nominating employer wants to continue to employ them, and will sponsor them for permanent residence, shows that there is a good fit between the visa applicant and the business. It also demonstrates that there continues to be a need for their skills and that they possess the appropriate skills to perform the work.
The discussion paper canvasses this topic, as well as a number of other key issues which will be considered as part of the review. Interested members of the public are encouraged to put forward any views and ideas that will help to improve the permanent employer sponsored programs by Friday 16 September 2011.
The discussion paper can be accessed from the departments website here: http://www.immi.gov.au/media/publications/discussion-papers/skilled-visas
Agriculture and migration
Overseas workers are used by nearly every single industry in Australia. From manufacturing to mining, Australian businesses employ migrants to supplement their labour force where necessary.
One of Australia’s largest and most historic industries is agriculture. According to the National Farmers Federation, there are over 135,000 farms in Australia today. These farms and associated sectors contribute to 12% of Australia’s GDP.
Overseas workers play a small but important part in the agricultural industry. By way of example, over 450 skilled overseas workers in the agricultural, forestry and fishing industry, such as farm managers, entered Australia in 2010-11 through the temporary 457 visa program. In the last three years, 300 skilled farmers or managers have arrived as permanent residents through the Regional Skilled Migration Scheme (RSMS). These skilled workers come from very different locations, from South Africa, to the Philippines and India.
But skilled workers are just one aspect of the role migration plays in the agricultural industry. Thousands of backpackers who arrive as working holiday makers travel around Australia, following the harvest trail or other seasonal work. The working holiday maker program assists industries like agriculture by allowing a second visa to be granted if the person worked in specific work in regional Australia.
An initiative introduced in 2008, the Pacific Seasonal Worker Pilot Scheme, provides overseas workers from the Pacific to work in the horticultural industry. These workers undertake a range of work such as harvesting fruit, vegetables and nuts, pruning trees and vines, thinning, planting, and working in on-farm packing sheds.
While migration programs are designed to be secondary sources of labour, with employers looking to Australian workers first, gaps can be filled by overseas workers.
If you would like to participate in a discussion about skilled migration and agriculture, AgChatOz will be hosting a conversation on Twitter, this Tuesday the 2nd of August, between 8pm and 10pm (Australian Eastern Standard Time). Check the AgChatOz site later on for a list of questions that will be discussed.
Below you can see the list of questions that will be discussed, just follow the hash tag #agchatoz between the hours above and contribute along if you feel like it!
