Australia Concludes SkillSelect Program Year With Focus on Skilled Independent Visa

Australia has concluded the 2023-2024 SkillSelect program year, ending with a final round of invitations on June 13, 2024. This round was dedicated exclusively to the Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189), inviting 5,292 applicants to seek permanent residency. In this round, the absence of invitations for the Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491) suggests a possible change in Australia’s immigration focus.

SkillSelect Invitation Round – June 13, 2024

Here are the details of the Invitations to Apply (ITAs) distributed during the most recent SkillSelect invitation round:

SkillSelect is a system where individuals express their interest in migrating to Australia, allowing the country to pick skilled migrants based on their qualifications, work history, and English proficiency. Usually, the program year extends from July to June, and this last round adheres to that schedule. This year, there were just two SkillSelect rounds, a significant drop from previous years. This reduction might be due to various reasons, such as dealing with the backlog of applications that piled up during the pandemic or a deliberate shift in the immigration intake strategy.

Two SkillSelect Rounds Held in 2023-2024

Despite having only two rounds, a total of 13,671 invitations were issued in December 2023 and June 2024 for both subclass 189 and subclass 491 visas. This demonstrates Australia’s ongoing commitment to attracting skilled migrants to address critical workforce shortages.

However, the emphasis on subclass 189 visas in the final round indicates a possible prioritization of skilled independent migrants for the next program year. Holders of the Skilled Independent visa are not dependent on an employer nomination, giving them more freedom in their career choices within Australia. This strategy could attract a broader range of talent and encourage these individuals to settle in regional areas where their skills are in higher demand.

Australia Immigration in 2024-2025

The new SkillSelect program year begins on July 1, 2024. Australia aims to invite 185,000 new immigrants in the 2024-2025 program year. This ambitious goal indicates a substantial increase in immigration intake compared to the previous year. We can anticipate a busier year for SkillSelect invitations, possibly with more frequent rounds to achieve this target. This emphasis on skilled migration is in line with Australia’s long-term economic strategy. By attracting skilled workers, the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) seeks to address critical skill shortages in various industries, promote innovation, and support economic growth. The upcoming program year will be notable for its focus on attracting a broader range of skilled migrants, potentially through a more frequent SkillSelect invitation process.