On 1 July 2025, Australia introduced sweeping changes to its immigration policies. Aimed at aligning migration pathways with labour market needs, housing, and infrastructure capacity, these reforms will impact skilled migrants, families, students, employers, and visa holders across the board.
New “Skills in Demand” Visa Structure
The existing Subclass 482 (Temporary Skill Shortage) visa was replaced on 1 July by the new Skills in Demand visa, featuring a three-tier system.
- Core Skills stream: Occupations on the new Core Skills Occupation List, minimum salary AUD 76,515.
- Specialist Skills stream: High-income roles requiring ≥ AUD 141,210.
- Essential Skills/Labor Agreement stream: Covers lower‑paid but critical roles, subject to caps.
Updated Points System & Occupation Lists
The general skilled migration points test received significant tweaks:
- Work experience: 20 points for ≥5 years (up from 15).
- Extra points for Australian qualifications.
- New skills-priority boosts for in-demand sectors like healthcare and tech.
- Shift from the traditional MLTSSL to a dynamic Occupation Shortage List (OSL).
