Every year, the new visa year in Australia starts on 1 July. This means, among other things, that from that moment a new quota applies for all visa categories. This quota determines how many places are available within a visa category, and therefore how many visas can be issued.
The immigration quota and allocation
Australia’s total immigration programme includes 160,000 places for the visa year running from 1 July 2022. This has remained the same as the previous visa year. However, the number of places for the Skilled Migrant category, for example, has increased. The table below shows the actual quotas for the different categories:
| Visa Stream | Visa category | 2021-22 | 2022-23 |
| Skilled | Employer Sponsored | 22,000 | 30,000 |
| Skilled Independent | 6,500 | 16,652 | |
| Regional | 11,200 | 25,000 | |
| State/Territory Nominated | 11,200 | 20,000 | |
| Business Innovation & Investment | 13,500 | 9,500 | |
| Global Talent (Independent) | 15,000 | 8,448 | |
| Distinguished Talent | 200 | 300 | |
| Total skilled | 79,600 | 109,900 | |
| Family | Partner* | 72,300 | 40,500 |
| Parent | 4,500 | 6,000 | |
| Child* | 3,000 | 3,000 | |
| Other Family | 500 | 500 | |
| Total family | 77,300* | 50,000 | |
| Special Eligibility** | 100 | 100 | |
| Total visaprogramme | 160,000 | 160,000 |
*The quota mentioned for these visa categories (partner visa and child visa) is only indicative. This is because the quota for these categories is demand driven and there is no ceiling.