Australian skilled migration updates
A single chronological feed of changes to Australian skilled migration: visa rule and fee adjustments, state and territory nomination open/close cycles, occupation list edits, ANZSCO-to-OSCA classification transitions, and ministerial directions affecting skilled-stream applicants. Reviewed regularly by the editorial team and cross-referenced to official sources on home affairs, abs.gov.au, and individual state government program pages.
- watchfee
2026-27 visa application charges now in effect
Visa Application Charges (VAC) for Australian skilled visas were indexed as of 1 July 2026 as part of the annual Federal Budget fee adjustment. Charges for Subclass 189, 190, 491, 482 (Skills in Demand), 186, 494, and 858 have been updated. Always verify the current fee schedule on immi.homeaffairs.gov.au before applying — secondary applicant charges also increase proportionally. The 'Base fee' figures shown on individual visa pages on this site reflect the last editorial review date shown.
- infovisaskillselect
SkillSelect invitation round — June 2026
The Department of Home Affairs issued the June 2026 SkillSelect invitation round. Invitations were extended to candidates in the Subclass 189 (Skilled Independent), 190 (State Nominated), and 491 (Skilled Work Regional) streams. Minimum points cutoffs apply — check the SkillSelect rounds page on this site for the latest per-subclass scores. Invitation numbers reflect the current program year's remaining allocation and may differ significantly from prior months if a stream is near exhaustion.
- watchstate
State nomination programs approaching 2026-27 reset
All Australian state and territory skilled-migration programs are now approaching the end of the 2025-26 financial year (30 June 2026). Programs may pause, exhaust their allocation, or temporarily close in the lead-up to the reset. The 2026-27 program parameters — new occupation lists, updated points cutoffs, and stream allocations — are typically published by each state government between July and September. Always verify the current open/closed status on the official state program website before submitting an Expression of Interest or invitation request.
- infogeneral
anzsco.com.au launched
Site launched as a plain-language reference for Australian skilled migration: ANZSCO occupations, visa subclasses (189, 190, 491, 482, 186, 494, 858), and state nomination programs. All content cross-referenced to immi.gov.au and ABS classifications.
Source →View affected
VisasAll / generalStatesAll / generalOccupationsAll / general - watchgeneral
Skilled migration program planning levels for 2025-26 announced
Australian Government announces annual permanent Migration Program planning levels covering Skill stream allocations across employer-sponsored, points-tested independent (189), state/territory nominated (190), and regional (491) categories. Exact allocation splits and any caps on offshore/onshore are reviewed each Federal Budget cycle — verify the current year's figures on home affairs immi.gov.au before relying on availability.
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VisasAll / generalStatesAll / generalOccupationsAll / general - infoclassification
Ministerial Direction 115 — offshore student visa processing priorities
A ministerial direction issued for the prioritisation of offshore student (subclass 500) visa applications. Note: anzsco.com.au focuses on skilled migration pathways and does not cover student visas, but the direction is included here because student-to-skilled pathway transitions may be affected. Verify the latest direction text on legislation.gov.au.
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Visas500StatesAll / generalOccupationsAll / general - criticalvisa
Subclass 482 renamed to 'Skills in Demand' visa
The Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) subclass 482 visa was renamed to the Skills in Demand (SID) visa, with structural reforms including three streams (Specialist Skills Pathway, Core Skills Pathway, Essential Skills Pathway), new salary thresholds (Specialist and Core income thresholds), reduced minimum work-experience requirement (1 year), and improved pathways to permanent residence (mobility between sponsors and Subclass 186 ENS). Verify current salary thresholds on home affairs immi.gov.au — they are indexed annually.
- infoclassification
OSCA launched as ABS classification standard
The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) released the Occupation Standard Classification for Australia (OSCA), progressively replacing the long-standing ANZSCO (Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations). OSCA preserves a similar 6-digit structure but introduces revised major groups, updated occupation definitions, and new entries for emerging roles. The Department of Home Affairs is adopting OSCA progressively across 2025-2026 — most skilled-visa occupation lists still reference ANZSCO codes during the transition. Always cross-check the live occupation list on home affairs at application time.
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VisasAll / generalStatesAll / generalOccupationsAll / general - infovisaclassification
Direction 110 replaces Direction 99 for s501 character decisions
Ministerial Direction 110 issued under section 499 of the Migration Act 1958, providing the framework decision-makers must apply when refusing or cancelling visas on character grounds under section 501. Direction 110 replaces Direction 99 and re-emphasises Australia's expectations of non-citizens. Affects character considerations across all visa subclasses, including skilled visas at the application and post-grant stage.
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VisasAll / generalStatesAll / generalOccupationsAll / general - watchstate
State and territory nomination programs run on annual cycles
All Australian state and territory skilled-migration nomination programs (NSW, VIC, QLD, WA, SA, TAS, ACT, NT) operate on the financial-year cycle (1 July - 30 June). Programs typically pause and reset between cycles while new occupation lists, points cutoffs, and stream allocations are published. Each state's program may also pause mid-year if its allocation is exhausted. Always verify the program is currently OPEN on the official state government program page before lodging an Expression of Interest or invitation request. State pages on this site link to the official program pages.
- watchfee
Visa application charges are reviewed annually
Visa Application Charges (VAC) for all Australian visa subclasses are reviewed and typically adjusted in line with the Federal Budget each financial year (taking effect 1 July). Fees displayed across this site reflect a recent editorial review (see each page's 'Last reviewed' stamp) but should always be cross-checked against the official fee schedule on home affairs at application time. Additional charges may apply for secondary applicants, dependent children, English-language tests, skills assessments, and biometrics — these are NOT included in the base application charge.
Known gaps in this feed
We are transparent about what we have not yet captured. The following items are on the editorial backlog and will be added as sources are verified.
- Need to backfill historical entries pre-2024 (especially 2023 priority migration skilled occupation list (PMSOL) discontinuation, 2022 reforms).
- Awaiting OSCA cross-walk publication for full ANZSCO-to-OSCA code-by-code change set; once published, surface per-occupation classification updates with `scope=["classification","occupation"]` and populate `scopeDetail.occupationCodes`.
- Skills in Demand (482) salary-threshold history: backfill specific Core Skills Threshold (CST) and Specialist Skills Threshold (SST) figures for each indexation year so users can see the trajectory.
- State nomination cycle entries are currently a single general entry. Backfill per-state open/close events and stream-specific pauses (NSW Stream 1/Stream 2, VIC ROI cycles, QLD BAS rounds, etc.) as they happen.
- Ministerial Directions: capture the publication dates and effective dates of Direction 99, 105, 110, and any subsequent directions affecting skilled-visa decision-making.
- TSMIT/CSI annual indexation: capture each year's effective date and dollar figure once verified against home affairs publications.