2026–27 Migration Program: 185,000 places, 70% skilled, onshore-priority entrenched
The Federal Budget for 2026–27 confirms the permanent Migration Program will hold at 185,000 places, with 132,240 (≈ 71%) allocated to the Skilled stream and 129,590 reserved for migrants already onshore.
The 2026–27 Federal Budget, handed down 13 May, confirmed the permanent Migration Program planning level at 185,000 places — unchanged from 2025–26 in headline terms. Skilled allocation rose marginally to 132,240 places, around 71% of the total, continuing the multi-year pivot away from family-stream growth.
The more consequential figure sits inside that skilled count. 129,590 of the 132,240 skilled places are reserved for applicants already onshore — typically 482, 485, 491, or partner-visa holders converting to PR. Only 55,110 places across the entire program are expected to be allocated to offshore applicants, with most of those going to Subclass 189 high-points candidates and family-stream cases.
What this means in practice
For offshore 189 candidates: the offshore allocation has been narrowing every year since 2022. Cut-offs for high-volume occupations (accountants, software engineers, civil engineers) are likely to remain in the 90+ range through most invitation rounds, with relief only in cold-list occupations.
For onshore 482 / 485 / 491 holders: this is structurally the most favourable Budget in several cycles. The pathway pressure from competing offshore candidates is genuinely lower than it has been since the post-Covid backlog wound down.
For 190 nominees: state nomination programs draw from the onshore-priority pool first. Expect states to weight onshore applicants more heavily in nomination decisions throughout FY26–27.
The detailed program report typically lands in late June / early July, with subclass-level breakdowns. We will update this entry when those figures are released.