Federal Budget Migration Update

The government released its annual budget on May 9th, detailing significant updates and changes for the Department of Home Affairs and its migration program. Migration Planning Levels The 2023-2024 migration planning level is set at 190,000 places, maintaining the increased level of the 2022-2023 year. Of these, 137,100 places are allocated to the skilled migration stream. This plan solely involves permanent residency visas, with a breakdown between visa classes to follow. The government can adjust planning levels between the streams throughout the program year. Once the allocation is exhausted, no additional visas will be granted within the migration program year, which runs from 1st July to 30th June. Increase in Department of Home Affairs Fees and Charges Starting from 1st July 2023, the government plans to raise Visa Application Charges. The budget paper suggests an increase between 6%-40%, depending on the visa subclasses. Further details on subclass fees will be announced when known. Applications lodged before 1st July 2023 will retain current fees, while those lodged after this date will be subjected to the new fees.

Increase in TSMIT The Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold (TSMIT) will increase from $53,900 to $70,000 from 1st July 2023. Visa processing and compliance monitoring To enhance efficiency, the government has allocated funding to augment the number of visa processing officers and upgrade the existing ICT systems. Additional funding has been allocated to support enforcement and compliance activities, upholding the integrity of the migration system.

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Disclaimer: The information provided herein is of a general nature only and does not constitute immigration advice. For more detailed and case-specific information or advice, please contact SCA Connect.