What the official data actually says

Real figures from Australian Government sources, with the thing most sites leave out: what each number is not. Migration statistics get misread constantly, usually by turning a description into a promise.

45.8%

Fewer than half of skilled places go to the primary applicant

Of the 132,148 Skill stream places delivered in 2024-25, 45.8% went to primary applicants. The remainder went to their partners and children as secondary applicants.

What this is notThis describes how places were distributed. It is NOT a success rate, and it does not mean applicants with families are more likely to be invited.

So what: It tells you the skilled program is a family program in practice. If you have a partner and children, they occupy places too - which is worth understanding when you read the headline program numbers.

2024-25 · Migration Program Report and Australia's Migration Trends

10 points

A skilled partner is worth the same as being single

Being single scores 10 points. A partner who is under 45, has Competent English and a positive skills assessment also scores 10. A partner with Competent English alone scores 5. A partner who has neither scores nothing.

This one is arithmetic, not a statisticThis is not a statistic and does not need to be. It is the points test as written - deterministic arithmetic you can verify against the official points table.

So what: Getting your partner assessed is a 10-point swing relative to doing nothing. For most couples that is the second-cheapest points available after your own English score.

Current points test · SkillSelect invitation rounds

+32%

Employer-sponsored permanent places grew the most

Employer-sponsored permanent places rose from 44,000 to 58,040 for 2026-27 - the largest single increase in the program. Over the same period the regional 491 was cut from 33,000 to 14,110.

What this is notPlanning levels guide processing priorities and invitation volumes. They are not a guarantee of grants and say nothing about any individual application.

So what: The direction of travel favours finding an employer over accumulating points. If you have been treating sponsorship as a fallback, the numbers suggest reversing that.

2026-27 · Migration Program Report and Australia's Migration Trends

Varies by occupation

The invited score is not one number

SkillSelect rounds publish minimum invited points per occupation, and they differ sharply. Some trades have been invited at the 65-point pass mark in the same round where nurses, social workers and teachers required substantially more.

What this is notWe deliberately do not republish specific cut-offs here. They change every round, and a stale figure would send someone planning a year around a number that has already moved.

So what: Look up the current round for YOUR occupation rather than planning against the pass mark or against someone else's experience. The link below goes to the live results.

Each round · SkillSelect invitation rounds

~$79,500

The employer-sponsored salary floor moves every July

The Core Skills Income Threshold for the subclass 482 rose to approximately $79,500 from 1 July 2026, up from $76,515. It is indexed annually.

What this is notThis is a published threshold, not a statistic or an average salary. Your offer must also meet the annual market salary rate for the role, which may be higher.

So what: A salary that qualified for a nomination last year may not qualify for a new one now. Check the current threshold before relying on an offer.

From 1 July 2026 · Migration Program Report and Australia's Migration Trends

Where to get this data yourself

All of these are free and public. You do not need us in the middle.

Migration Program Report and Australia's Migration Trends
Published annually by the Department of Home Affairs. Free.
Australian Migration Statistics on data.gov.au
Open dataset accompanying the annual publication. Free.
SkillSelect invitation rounds
Round results including minimum points by occupation. Updated each round.
Why we do not publish invitation cut-off tablesThey change every round. A table that looks current but is three months old is worse than no table, because someone will plan a year around it. We link to the live source instead and tell you how to read it.

Figures reviewed 22 July 2026.

Check my own numbers →Latest updates
General information, not migration advice. myPRJourney summarises publicly available information about Australian visas so you can understand your options. It does not assess your case, and it is not a substitute for advice from a registered migration agent (MARN) or Australian legal practitioner. Migration rules, occupation lists, income thresholds and state nomination criteria change frequently and sometimes without notice. This page was last reviewed on 21 July 2026. Always confirm current requirements directly with the Department of Home Affairs at immi.homeaffairs.gov.au.