Migration to Australia Just Became Easier for Healthcare Professionals

Written by

Salma Firdaus

Reviewed by

Dr. Akram Ahmad
Migration to Australia Just Became Easier
Created On : Sep 05, 2025 Updated On : Sep 05, 2025 6 min read

Key Takeaways

  • Get to know Australia’s Migration Program Planning Level.
  • Learn about the number of PR for 2025-26 and how it has changed.
  • Understand what it means for skilled healthcare workers and families.
  • Find out the wider impact.

Are you a healthcare professional planning to move to Australia? Then you would love this news. This year alone, more than 4000 healthcare professionals, including pharmacists, chemists, cardiologists, nurse practitioners, and physiotherapists have received an invite for EOI from the Australian government. 

Australia is the one country that has welcomed people from around the world for decades. And with the ease of getting a visa and PR, the country is a dream destination. Now, there is even better news for healthcare professionals wanting to migrate to Australia. The government has updated its Migration Program Planning Levels. What is it and how does it affect you? We will unravel this in this blog. 

Welcome to Australia’s Migration Playbook: Smarter, Simpler, Tailored for You

Australia’s Migration Program Planning Levels might sound like a mouthful, but at its heart, it's all about balance. The program has one objective - to make sure the dream of permanent residency works for both migrants and the nation. Think of it as a helpful framework that aligns Australia's workforce needs, social goals, and planning capacity. Let’s break it down.

What Are Migration Program Planning Levels?

Every year, the Australian government sets a limit on the total number of permanent migration places available across several visa streams. These planning levels guide how many permanent visas are granted. This decides the migration trends and manages expectations. 

There are 4 main categories or levels:

  • Skilled workers
  • Family members
  • Humanitarian reasons
  • Special eligibility

The combined total can’t exceed the limit set.

Australia’s 2025–26 Migration Snapshot: A Steady Course

For the 2025–26 program year, Australia has kept its migration limit at 185,000 places. This remains unchanged from the previous year. This signals consistency in planning and visa availability. It is a green light for skilled professionals, families, and employers alike.

Here’s why it matters:

  • Skilled migrants still dominate the quota. The focus remains on filling workforce gaps.
  • Visa processing systems face no sudden disruptions.
  • Applicants and sponsors benefit from predictability and stability.

Planning Horizon: Going from One Year to Four

Starting this year, Australia is starting a multi-year planning model. It is extending the planning window from one year to four years. This shift is aimed at increasing the coordination in 

  • housing
  • infrastructure, and 
  • services

This change means migration becomes part of a long-term game plan.

How Is That Immigration Pie Sliced?

The permanent Migration Program comprises three key streams:

a) Skilled Migration

This is often the biggest slice. In 2023–24, about 72% of the permanent program went to skilled visas. This translates to roughly 137,100 places. The rest was distributed via family quotas. The program prioritizes:

  • Skilled Independent
  • Employer-Sponsored
  • State/Territory Nominated
  • Global Talent
  • Business Innovation & Investment

b) Family Migration

This includes partner, child, and parent categories. Some, like Partner and Child visas, are demand-driven, where there’s no fixed cap. Others (e.g., Parent visas) do come with an allocation. For 2022–23, the program estimated about 52,500 family places. 

c) Humanitarian & Special Eligibility

Typically smaller in size, this stream covers those in urgent need, such as refugees, and categories like returning permanent residents. 

Why It All Matters – The Bigger Picture

Behind the numbers, this program addresses a number of requirements of the country:

  • Targeted visas help with labour shortages and increase productivity.
  • Bringing families together helps build stronger communities and makes it easier to settle in.
  • The humanitarian commitment reflects Australia's values and international responsibilities.
  • With longer-term forecasts, the government can plan better for migration with housing and services. 

The shift to multi-year planning is especially important. It will improve the coordination between migration and infrastructure development.

A Look Back: How the Numbers Have Evolved

Here's a quick historical snapshot to contextualize the current planning level:

Program YearMigration CapNotes
2022–23195,000Up from 160,000 to meet post-COVID demand
2023–24190,000Slight reduction
Still highly skilled-focused
2024–25185,000Data shows skilled share stable 132K or 71% share.
2025–26185,000Same as before. Focus on regional requirements.
Skilled: 132,000 (71%)
Family: 52,500 (28%)
Special Eligibility: 300

Here is a glimpse of the number of invitations for interviews sent out to healthcare professionals this year, under different visa streams.

Healthcare Occupation189- Skilled Independent visa491- Skilled Work Regional visa
Audiologist8065
Cardiologist8080
Chemist90N/A*
Clinical Psychologist75N/A*
Dermatologist100N/A*
Diagnostic and Interventional Radiologist85N/A*
Educational Psychologist85N/A*
Emergency Medicine Specialist80N/A*
Gastroenterologist80N/A
General Practitioner80N/A*
Intensive Care Specialist80N/A*
Medical Diagnostic Radiographer8090
Medical Practitioners nec80N/A*
Medical Radiation Therapist80N/A*
Midwife8075
Neurologist80N/A*
Nuclear Medicine Technologist80N/A*
Nurse Practitioner80N/A*
Obstetrician and Gynaecologist80N/A*
Occupational Therapist80N/A*
Ophthamologist80N/A*
Optometrist80N/A*
Orthopaedic Surgeon85N/A*
Osteopath100N/A*
Paediatric Surgeon85N/A*
Paediatrician85N/A*
Physiotherapist8080
Psychiatrist80N/A*
Psychologists nec85N/A*
Registered Nurse (Aged Care)8080
Registered Nurse (Child and Family Health)80N/A*
Registered Nurse (Community Health)80N/A*
Registered Nurse (Critical Care and Emergency)8065
Registered Nurse (Developmental Disability)80N/A*
Registered Nurse (Disability and Rehabilitation)80N/A*
Registered Nurse (Medical Practice)80N/A*
Registered Nurse (Medical)8065
Registered Nurse (Mental Health)8090
Registered Nurse (Paediatrics)8085
Registered Nurse (Perioperative)8085
Registered Nurse (Surgical)8080
Registered Nurses nec805
Sonographer80N/A*
Specialist Physician (General Medicine)80N/A*
Specialist Physicians nec80N/A*
Speech Pathologist8065
Thoracic Medicine Specialist80N/A
Urologist80N/A*

What Does This Mean for You?

If you're a skilled professional:
Good news for you. Australia continues to welcome talent. With a stable cap and growing communication between state and national planning, your pathway remains bright.

If you're looking to reunite with family:
Family visas remain flexible and accessible. Especially those that are demand-driven like Partner and Child visas.

These planning levels reflect a thoughtful approach. It balances 

  • Global competitiveness 
  • Community harmony, and 
  • Long-term infrastructure

Healthcare Professionals: Why This Matters Even More

Australian Healthcare Staffing Market
Image Source: Straits Research

Healthcare is one of the biggest winners under this updated Migration Program. Australia faces an ongoing shortage of doctors, nurses, and allied health workers. The planning levels play a direct role in shaping opportunities for healthcare professionals.

  • Priority in Skilled Stream: The Skilled Occupation Lists consistently feature:
    • Nurses
    • General practitioners
    • Specialists consistently 

This means they are highly favoured for visas under the skilled migration quota.

  • Employer Sponsorship Opportunities: Many overseas healthcare professionals are directly hired through Employer-Sponsored visas. They are recruited for
    • Hospitals
    • Aged-care facilities
    • Clinics

They actively sponsor overseas healthcare staff. The planning levels ensure that places remain open for this.

  • Regional Push: Rural and regional areas face the highest shortages. Programs like State and Territory Nominated visas often prioritize healthcare roles. It gives them faster and easier pathways to PR.
  • Stable Cap means Stable Demand: The limit remains unchanged at 185,000-cap. This means there are no cuts in healthcare visa allocations. Healthcare professionals looking to migrate can plan with confidence.

Impact in Numbers

In recent years, healthcare professionals have been among the largest groups of permanent migrants under the skilled stream. With Australia’s aging population and growing demand for care, this trend is only expected to strengthen.

In short, if you’re a doctor, nurse, or allied health worker, the Migration Program isn’t just policy. It’s your pathway to a secure career and permanent settlement in Australia.

The Human Impact

Australia’s Migration Program Planning Levels ensure that people’s lives unfold in a way that’s fair, responsible, and forward-looking.

As the nation shifts to four-year planning, we can expect 

  • Smarter, community-aligned migration
  • Focus on long-term goals
  • Better infrastructure planning
  • Social harmony 

It is not just about getting more people in. It's about getting the right people in the right way.

So, if you’re  a healthcare professional thinking of migrating to Australia, things just got easier. Start your journey to a fulfilling career now. And with Academically, you can get through the entire process with ease. Get support across the board, from registration exam prep to visa application.

FAQs

Q. What are the Migration Program planning levels in Australia?

Ans. They are the yearly limits set by the government on how many permanent visas can be granted across different categories.

Q. How many permanent visas are available in 2025–26?

Ans. Australia has set 185,000 permanent visas for the 2025–26 program year.

Q. Which visas get the most places under the program?

Ans. Most visas go to the Skilled Migration stream. This includes visas like:

  • Employer-Sponsored
  • Skilled Independent
  • State Nominated

Q. Are family visas included in the program?

Ans. Yes. Partner, Child, and Parent visas are part of the family stream. Some, like Partner visas, are demand-driven. Others have set numbers.

Q. How does this affect healthcare professionals?

Ans. Healthcare workers are in high demand. They are prioritized in skilled and regional visas. The stable cap means strong opportunities remain for healthcare professionals.

Q. Why is Australia moving to multi-year planning?

Ans. This is done to

  • Connect migration with housing, jobs, and infrastructure
  • Making the system more predictable and sustainable

Q. Can the migration cap change during the year?

Ans. The planning level is fixed for the year. The government can make adjustments if national priorities change.

Salma Firdaus
Salma Firdaus
about the author

Salma Firdaus is a pharmacy graduate from Jamia Hamdard with three years of research experience and a knack for academic writing. At Academically, she turns complex scientific concepts into clear, engaging content. Driven by a passion to connect education with real-world careers, she aims to make learning easier, more meaningful, and genuinely enjoyable for the readers.

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