​​The Migration Program is designed to achieve a range of economic and social outcomes. In 2021-22, the Migration Program will have an overall planning level of 160,000 places, consisting of the following streams:

• Skill (79,600 places) – this stream is designed to improve the productive capacity of the economy and fill skill shortages in the labour market, including those in regional Australia.
• Family (77,300 places) – this stream is predominantly made up of Partner visas, enabling Australians to reunite with family members from overseas and provide them with pathways to citizenship.
• Special Eligibility (100 places) – this stream covers visas for those in special circumstances, including permanent residents returning to Australia after a period overseas.
• Child (3,000 places) – this stream is managed outside the Migration Program as it is demand driven and not subject to a ceiling.

Program size and composition

The size and composition of the Migration Program is set each year alongside the Australian Government’s Budget process. To inform the development of the 2021-22 Migration Program settings, the Department of Home Affairs consulted widely with State and Territory governments, academia, industry and community organisations between November 2020 and February 2021. 

Public submissions, economic and labour force forecasts, international research, net overseas migration and economic and fiscal modelling are all taken into account when planning the program.

For further information on the 2021-22 Migration Program, please see our Frequently A​sked Questions​.

State and Territory nominated visa categories –
2021-22 nomination allocations

Under the 2021-22 Migration Program settings, nomination allocations are made available to States and Territories in the following visa categories:

• Skilled – Nominated (subclass 190)
• Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) (subclass 491)
• Business Innovation and Investment Program (BIIP)

States and Territories each assess eligible applicants against criteria unique to their jurisdiction.

Further information on State and Territory nomination requirements can be found at:

• ACT – Skilled Visa – ACT nomination and Business Migration Guidelines
• NSW – Visas and Immigration
• VIC – Live in Melbourne
• QLD – Business & Skilled Migration Queensland
• NT – Northern Territory Visa nomination eligibility
• WA – Business Migration Western Australia (BIIP) or Skilled Migration Western Australia (190 and 491 visas)
• SA – Move to South Australia
• TAS – Migration Tasmania

Following consultation with States and Territories, the following nomination levels have been allocated for 2021-22: