Source: Department of Home Affairs
The Department of Home Affairs has released the latest figures on visa processing and migration trends. The data highlights significant developments across key visa categories, including Partner, Student, Work and Holiday, and the Aged Care Labour Agreement program.
Here’s a summary of the most notable changes.
🧳 Partner Visas
Processing times for Partner and Skilled Permanent visas have shown notable improvement this year.
- Second Stage Skilled (Permanent) visa processing has reduced from 304 days to 206 days.
- Partner (Permanent) visa processing has decreased slightly from 279 days to 271 days.
However, despite faster processing times, the number of applications on hand continues to rise, reflecting ongoing demand for Partner visas.
As of 30 June 2025, there were 96,839 temporary and provisional Partner visa applications awaiting a decision — up from 75,060 at the same time last year.
🎓 Student Visas
The student visa sector has seen a notable decline in new applications, with a 26.4% drop compared to the previous year.
- 2023–24: 580,193 applications
- 2024–25: 427,131 applications
Despite this decline, Australia remains a major education destination, with 592,330 Student visa holders currently in the country as of June 2025.
This reduction may reflect policy changes, shifting global demand, and the evolving international education landscape.
🌏 Work and Holiday (subclass 462) Visas
The Work and Holiday program continues to expand, with new opportunities introduced for India, China, and Vietnam.
Registrations received for the 2024–25 program are as follows:
- 🇮🇳 India: 98,019 registrations (1,000 places available)
- 🇨🇳 China: 34,161 registrations (5,000 places available)
- 🇻🇳 Vietnam: 7,453 registrations (1,500 places available)
In total, 139,633 registrations were received for 7,500 available visa places — showing strong global interest in Australia’s Working Holiday Maker program.
👩⚕️ Aged Care Labour Agreement
The Aged Care Labour Agreement continues to play a critical role in addressing Australia’s workforce shortages.
As of 30 June 2025:
- 132 Aged Care Industry Labour Agreements were in effect.
- 2,305 visas were granted under this program.
- The agreements collectively support over 30,000 potential direct care roles, depending on industry demand.
This initiative has become a key pathway for employers to sponsor skilled aged care workers, particularly in regional areas.
Australia’s migration landscape continues to evolve — with processing improvements, changing application volumes, and new opportunities across key visa programs.
For individuals and employers navigating these changes, expert advice can make the process smoother and more strategic.
📞 Contact IME Advisors today for up-to-date migration insights and professional guidance tailored to your situation.
