Migration Program 2023-24: 190,000 Places, Your Strategy

Look, the government just released the migration planning levels for 2023-24. The headline number is 190,000 permanent visa places. But headlines do not tell you what actually matters: how this affects your visa.

I have been watching these announcements for over a decade. Let me show you what is really going on.

How the 190,000 Places Break Down

Skilled Stream: 137,100 Places

This is the big one. The skilled migration stream jumped by more than 27,000 places compared to last year. That is not a small adjustment. That is a statement.

Why? Because Australia cannot find enough workers. Healthcare systems are stretched. Tech companies cannot hire fast enough. Tradies are booked out for months. The skills shortage went from problem to crisis, and the government is responding.

Those 137,100 places cover employer-sponsored visas like the Subclass 482 and 186, plus points-tested pathways like the Subclass 189 and 190. If you are a skilled worker with an occupation on the lists, you are looking at more opportunity than we have seen in years.

Family Stream: 52,500 Places

Here is something that changed and most people missed it. Partner visas are now demand-driven. No hard cap.

That 52,500 figure? It is a planning estimate, not a ceiling. If you meet the requirements and your application is solid, you get processed. For couples who have spent years apart, waiting for a number to come up, this matters.

Special Eligibility: 400 Places

A small allocation. Mostly permanent residents returning to Australia after extended time overseas. Not relevant for most people reading this.

What Most People Get Wrong About Planning Levels

I hear this constantly: "More places means easier approval." No. It does not.

More places attracts more applications. The pool gets bigger on both sides. And here is the thing: the requirements do not change just because the government increased the numbers. You still need to meet every criterion. Your application still needs to be properly prepared.

What changes is opportunity. There is more room in the program. But room means nothing if your application is weak.

The Government Can Shift Places Mid-Year

Something else most applicants do not realise: these allocations are not locked in. The government can move places between categories during the program year.

If skilled visa demand outstrips the allocation, they can pull from other categories. If employer-sponsored applications spike, processing times change. The numbers announced in May might look completely different by February.

That is why timing matters. Early in the program year, places are available. Later, it depends on how the year has gone.

What This Means for Your Application

If you have been thinking about a skilled visa, partner visa, or employer sponsorship, you are looking at a program year with genuine capacity. The 137,100 skilled places are the highest allocation in recent memory.

But opportunity without action is just a number on a government press release.

Want to know exactly where you stand? Book a consultation and let us map out your pathway while the 2023-24 program has room.