Over the past six months, a series of major developments has completely reshaped Australia migration for the 2025–26 financial year. As we move closer to the end of the financial year amid many uncertainties and unpredictable changes, seizing the right opportunities has become a decisive factor in the success of each application.
Therefore, how should candidates take action during this critical final phase? Join Skill Direct as we analyze the overall migration picture and identify the most effective strategies in the article below.
1. Australia Migration Landscape In The First Half Of The Financial Year
Although only half of the 2025–26 financial year has passed, the Australian migration market has already experienced significant changes that every applicant should pay close attention to. Gone are the days of widely open doors seen in previous financial years. Instead, this year’s migration trend is shaped by two key words: delay and caution.
One of the most notable differences is the delay in the official allocation announcements. It was not until around October-November 2025 that the official number of places for each state was clearly confirmed.
This delay has resulted in a much tighter migration market. Thousands of EOI (Expression of Interest) applications have remained in a waiting state, while states have been unable to issue invitations aggressively due to uncertainty over their actual visa quotas.
The interim period reflects a cautious strategy adopted by the states while waiting for official allocations (from July to October). During this time, most states and territories did not completely freeze their programs but instead operated under Interim Allocations (temporary quotas).
- Objective: Invitations issued during this period were limited, released in small and infrequent rounds.
- Priority group: Preference was mainly given to backlog applications carried over from the previous financial year.
States demonstrated a high level of caution in making nomination decisions. Rather than focusing on quantity, they used this interim phase to carefully screen applications, ensuring candidates were well aligned with local economic needs before entering the peak migration season.
This overall context has made the first half of the financial year particularly challenging, requiring migration applicants to remain patient and keep their profiles fully prepared at all times.
2. Key Milestones Shaping Migration Policy In The First Half Of Financial Year 2025–26
Below is a detailed, chronological summary of the key events that have taken place, helping applicants gain a comprehensive view of how Australia’s migration landscape has evolved over the past six months.
August 2025
– 21 Aug: The first 189 rounds for the FY2025-26 was conducted, providing new opportunities for skilled migrants.
September 2025
– 02 Sep: The FY2025-26 Planning Levels were announced, maintaining a migration cap of 185,000 people.
– 03 Sep: South Australia received a small interim allocation for the 2025-26 program year, focusing on strong applicants already in the system.
– 04 Sep: Tasmania announced a small interim allocation for Subclass 190 and 491 to process existing pre-invites.
– 08 Sep: WA received a small interim allocation for Subclass 190 and 491 aimed at processing pre-invites.
– 09 Sep: The Migration Institute of Australia (MIA) announced expectations for regular 189 rounds each quarter, with the next expected before the end of the calendar year.
– 11 Sep: NT updates indicated a small interim allocation while awaiting full allocations and limited subclass 491 nominations.
– 15 Sep: ACT conducted its first round for FY2025-26, while QLD announced ROIs would open on the 19th.
October 2025
– 02 Oct: Victoria (VIC) opened its FY2025-26 State Nomination Program.
– 06 Oct: Tasmania’s FY2025-26 State Nomination Program opened.
– 07 Oct: NSW Skills Lists were updated to reflect current labor market needs.
– 09 Oct: VIC conducted its first invitation round, expanding opportunities for skilled migrants.
– 10 Oct: The ACT Nominated Migration Program Occupation List was released.
– 10 Oct: The TAS Application Gateway opened for ROIs.
– 17 Oct: NSW announced an interim allocation along with a forthcoming first round.
– 21 Oct: NSW held its first 190 rounds for FY2025-26.
– 23 Oct: WA introduced a $200 application fee, updated its occupation list, and enforced new residency requirements.
– 29 Oct: WA’s first invitation round marked a significant moment for potential skilled migrants.
November 2025
– 03 Nov: SA announced a small interim allocation for processing existing applications.
– 04 Nov: TAS announced further interim allocations for Subclass 190 and 491.
– 05 Nov: WA announced additional interim allocations.
– 07 Nov: Full allocations for ACT, NSW, and TAS were announced.
– 13 Nov: NT full allocation announced and DHA held the second 189 round for FY2025-26.
– 18 Nov: The FY2025-26 State Allocation was released.
– 20 Nov: The NT Offshore List received another update.
– 24 Nov: NT ROIs opened with updates to the Offshore list. SA also opened ROIs on this date.
– 26 Nov: More changes to the NT Offshore list were revealed.
– 28 Nov: Updates were shared from the Migration Symposium held from November 25 to 28.
December 2025
– 01 Dec: The SA Invitation Round took place, marking the first for the financial year.
– 02 Dec: NSW made important announcements that could significantly influence future migration policies.
The early months (August–September) were the most sensitive and cautious period. However, the migration landscape received a positive signal as early as August with the first Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189) invitation round. This served as an important psychological boost before the market moved into a more active phase.
October marked the true turning point, as states began to open their programs simultaneously. The key highlights were the entry of Victoria (02 October) and New South Wales (07 October), both releasing occupation lists closely aligned with real labor market needs.
Just a few days later, Victoria swiftly conducted its first invitation round on 09 October, demonstrating a strong and decisive processing pace. Notably, Western Australia (WA) created a major shift on 23 October by introducing a USD 200 registration fee and tightening residency requirements. While these measures were stricter, they sent a positive signal by filtering out non-genuine applications and prioritizing candidates who are serious and committed to long-term settlement.
From November onwards, the market entered an acceleration phase. Once full allocations were officially confirmed, quota constraints were lifted, paving the way for a series of invitation rounds across states. This also led to a strong rise in opportunities within regional areas (such as the Northern Territory and South Australia) toward the end of the year.
3. Migration Experts’ Insights And In-depth Analysis For The Second Half Of The Financial Year
With only six months remaining before the official close of the 2025–26 financial year, this period marks not only the final invitation rounds for states to fill their quotas but also a golden opportunity for applicants to make a breakthrough. Therefore, a well-defined preparation strategy combined with strong determination will be your ultimate advantage in navigating the latest developments within Australia’s ever-changing migration landscape.
3.1 Forecast of peak invitation rounds
Looking back at the first half of the financial year, it is clear that the Department of Home Affairs has taken a strategically cautious approach in every decision. This early caution strongly indicates that Australia’s migration policies are being tightened more than ever before. Rather than pursuing large volumes as in previous years, the Australian Government is now focusing on rigorous selection to attract high-quality skilled workers who can genuinely address critical labour shortages.
In this context, Skill Direct expert team puts forward several key forecasts:
- Peak invitation period: High-volume invitation rounds are expected to take place from January to May 2026. During this time, states will need to accelerate processing in order to meet their quotas before the end of the financial year.
- Priority trend: Migration policies are likely to favor onshore applicants. This creates a significant competitive advantage for those currently studying and working in Australia, while offshore pathways may become narrower and require higher points to remain competitive.
3.2 Action strategies for candidates
As we stand on the doorstep of 2026 with six months remaining in the financial year, Skill Direct recommends the following action roadmap:
1/ Review your profile thoroughly
Do not let valuable opportunities slip away due to avoidable mistakes in your application. You should carefully check the validity of all personal documents, English test results (PTE/IELTS) and especially your Skills Assessment. Make sure your profile is always in a ready to lodge state so you can respond immediately when states issue invitations.
2/ Avoid going all-in on a single visa pathway
Putting all your hopes into just one visa type such as the Skilled Independent Visa (subclass 189) is relatively risky in the current context. You need solid back-up plans. Be more open to state-nominated visas (subclass 190) or regional visas (subclass 491). In some cases, accepting a detour (starting with a 491 and progressing to permanent residency later) can actually be the safest and fastest pathway to settling in Australia.
3/ Continuously monitor state-based migration updates
As shown in the earlier timeline, the migration market can change day by day, or even hour by hour. States such as the Northern Territory (NT) and Tasmania (TAS) often open ROI registrations for very short periods or unexpectedly release supplementary lists. Missing updates for even one day could mean losing a valuable migration opportunity.
The past six months of the 2025–26 financial year have painted a dynamic picture of Australia’s migration landscape full of opportunities, challenges and strict selection. To sum up, opportunities are reserved for those who prepare carefully and act decisively.
The second half of the financial year is expected to bring several important invitation rounds as states move to finalize their quotas. Do not let hesitation become a barrier on your journey toward becoming a global citizen.
Skill Direct is always by your side in the pursuit of your Australian dream. We not only provide timely updates but also deliver strategic, tailored solutions for every individual migration profile.