Migration Program 2026-27: more employer sponsored places, fewer regional

What changed

The Government announced the 2026–27 Migration Program on 12 May 2026. The overall program remains at 185,000 places, while the Skill stream is almost unchanged at 132,240.
Within the Skill stream, Employer Sponsored places rise by 14,040 to 58,040. State/Territory Nominated increases to 35,500 and Skilled Independent to 21,090. The Regional category falls to 14,110, while Talent and Innovation falls to 3,500.

The Government has allocated 129,590 places to migrants already living in Australia, with a further 300 places for Special Eligibility. This is separate from skilled visa processing priorities, which were updated on 19 September 2026 and give priority to specified sectors, followed by applicants who were in Australia when they applied.

Who it affects

• Employers sponsoring workers for permanent residency, including eligible 482 holders moving to the Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186).
• Skilled workers considering independent or state-nominated pathways, including subclasses 189, 190 and 491.
• Regional employers, who can still use employer-sponsored pathways such as the subclass 494. The reduction in the Regional planning category should not be read as a reduction in all regional employer-sponsored migration.

What to do

• Plan permanent nominations early in the program year (from 1 July) rather than leaving them until places are under pressure.
• Check whether the role falls in a priority sector under the current processing priorities, such as construction, healthcare, teaching, agriculture or resources.
• Check the relevant state or territory nomination page for current criteria and whether its program is open before promising a worker a nomination.