Each year, the Australian government announces a new immigration quota for a budget year. The state has been decreasing it now with time though from 190,000 to 160,000. The same is true for the year between 2021-2022 where an allocation of 160,000 has been set. The government has allocated now for the “Skills Stream” 79,600 and the “Family Stream” a total of 77,300.
Australia’s Immigration Quota Distribution 2021-2022
| Stream and Category | Places in 2021-22 |
| Skill stream | |
| Employer-Sponsored | 22,000 |
| Skilled Independent | 6,500 |
| Regional | 11,200 |
| State/Territory Nominated | 11,200 |
| Business Innovation & Investment Program | 13,500 |
| Global Talent | 15,000 |
| Distinguished Talent | 200 |
| Skill Total | 79,600 |
| Family Stream | |
| Partner | 72,300 |
| Parent | 4,500 |
| Other Family | 500 |
| Family Total | 77,300 |
| Special Eligibility | 100 |
| Child (estimate; not subject to a ceiling) | 3,000 |
| Total | 160,000 |
Highlights of the 2021-2022 immigration program
Skilled Immigration Quota
This is designed to improve the productive capacity of the economy and fill skill shortages in the labor market, including those in regional Australia. The majority of the places in the program are in the Skill stream (79,600 places in 2020-21, 50.7 percent of the program).
Family immigration Stream
This stream is predominately made up of Partner visas, enabling Australians to reunite with family members from overseas, and provide them with pathways to citizenship (77,300 places in 2020-21, 49.2 percent of the program).
Special Eligibility Stream
This covers visas for those in special circumstances. This can include permanent residents returning to Australia after a period away and is the smallest stream. Whereas at least 3,000 Child places will be available in 2021-2022.
State and Territory nominated visa categories – 2021-22 nomination allocations
According to 2021-2022, the Migration allocation quota for States and Territories for the categories Skilled – Nominated (subclass 190), Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) (subclass 491), Business Innovation and Investment Program (BIIP) has been set aside. This will be as follows:
| State | Skilled Nominated (Subclass 190) Visa | Skilled Work Regional (Subclass 491) visa | Business Innovation and Investment Program (BIIP) |
| ACT | 600 | 1,400 | 30 |
| NSW | 4,000 | 3,640 | 2,200 |
| VIC | 3,500 | 500 | 1,750 |
| QLD | 1,000 | 1,250 | 1,400 |
| NT | 500 | 500 | 75 |
| WA | 1,100 | 340 | 360 |
| SA | 2,600 | 2,600 | 1,000 |
| TAS | 1,100 | 2,200 | 45 |
| Total | 14,400 | 12,430 | 6,860 |