Today (11 December 2023) the Australian government released its ​​​Migration Strategy for migration changes. This Strategy sets out significant reforms to Australia’s migration system to meet the future needs of the nation and deliver for Australia—its people, businesses, governments and migrants.

Migrants continue to be an essential part of Australia’s economic and social fabric. Today, more than half of all Australians were born overseas or have a parent born overseas.

The reforms focus on:

• Targeted skilled migration and new streamlined pathways for top global talent
• Higher standards for international students and education providers to drive quality in international education
• Visa settings to tackle worker exploitation and protect wages and conditions
• Support for regional Australia to get fast access to skilled workers
• A new approach to migration planning to help return migration back to pre-pandemic levels and to get the right skills in the right places

The strategy based on 8 key actions:

1. Targeting temporary skilled migration to address skills needs and promote worker mobility
2. Reshaping permanent skilled migration to drive long-term prosperity
3. Strengthening the integrity and quality of international education
4. Tackling worker exploitation and the misuse of the visa system
5. Planning migration to get the right skills in the right places
6. Tailoring regional visas and the Working Holiday Maker program to support regional Australia and its workers
7. Deepening our people-to-people ties in the Indo-Pacific
8. Simplifying the migration system to improve the experience for migrants and employers

A full version of the Migration Strategy can be accessed and viewed here. A simplified version Migration Strategy – At a Glance can be seen here.