Australia Concludes SkillSelect Program Year with Focus on Skilled Independent Visas

Australia has closed the curtains on the 2023-2024 SkillSelect program year, with a final invitation round held on June 13, 2024. This round focused solely on the Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189), inviting 5,292 candidates to apply for permanent residency. The decision to forgo invitations for the Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491) in this round reflects a potential shift in Australia's immigration priorities.

SkillSelect Invitation round 13 June 2024

Find below the details of ITAs issued in the latest SkillSelect invitation round:

SkillSelect is an expression of interest system that allows Australia to select skilled migrants based on their qualifications, work experience, and English language proficiency. Traditionally, the program year runs from July to June, and this final round aligns with that schedule. Notably, this year saw only two SkillSelect rounds, a significant decrease compared to previous years. This could be attributed to various factors, such as managing the backlog of applications accumulated during the pandemic or a strategic shift in immigration intake planning.

Two SkillSelet round held in 2023-2024

Despite the limited number of rounds, a total of 13,671 invitations were issued across both December 2023 and June 2024 for both subclass 189 and 491 visas. This indicates Australia's continued commitment to attracting skilled migrants to fill critical workforce shortages.

However, the focus on subclass 189 visas in the final round suggests a potential prioritization of skilled independent migrants for the upcoming program year. Skilled independent visa holders are not tied to a specific employer nomination, offering them greater flexibility in their career choices within Australia. This could be a strategic move to attract a wider pool of talent and encourage these individuals to settle in regional areas where there might be a greater need for their skills.

Australia immigration in 2024-2025

Looking ahead, the new SkillSelect program year kicks off on July 1, 2024. Australia has set a target of inviting 185,000 new immigrants in the upcoming program year (2024-2025). This ambitious goal suggests a significant increase in immigration intake compared to the previous year. We can expect a busier year for SkillSelect invitations, potentially with more frequent rounds to meet this target.

This focus on skilled migration aligns with Australia's long-term economic strategy. By attracting skilled workers, the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) aims to address critical skill shortages across various industries, boost innovation, and support economic growth. The upcoming program year will be one to watch, with a focus on attracting a wider range of skilled migrants through a potentially more frequent SkillSelect invitation process.

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To apply for skilled PR visa in Australia in 2024, get in touch with our Australia migration expert on Toll-Free No. 78-18-000-777 or you can drop us an e-mail at info@visasavenue.com.

- Rajneesh Kumar