Official Department of Home Affairs data shows that primary applicants accounted for only 45.8% of Australia’s permanent Skill stream outcome in the 2024–25 Migration Program.

The remaining places were granted to secondary applicants, including spouses, de facto partners and dependent children included in the same visa application.

This does not mean Australia granted more skilled visas to unskilled applicants. It reflects how Migration Program places are counted and provides important context when applicants interpret annual migration figures.

What Is a Primary Applicant?

The primary applicant is the person who satisfies the main visa requirements. Depending on the visa pathway, this may include requirements relating to:

• occupation
• skills assessment
• points
• English ability
• employer sponsorship
• state or territory nomination

A secondary applicant is an eligible family member included in the application, such as a partner or dependent child.

Although family members may be included in one application, each person granted a permanent visa is generally counted separately in the Migration Program outcome.

For example, one primary applicant applying with a partner and one child may account for three Migration Program places.

Why This Data Matters

The headline number of Skill stream places should not be interpreted as the number of primary skilled applicants receiving permanent residence.

If a visa category records 30,000 places, this does not necessarily mean that 30,000 skilled workers received visas or that 30,000 invitations were issued. The figure may include partners and dependent children accompanying primary applicants.

This distinction is particularly important when applicants assess the size of a migration program or compare annual planning levels with the number of people competing through SkillSelect.

However, the primary and secondary applicant split does not directly change an individual applicant’s points score or likelihood of receiving an invitation.

Your prospects still depend on factors such as:

• your nominated occupation
• your points score
• invitation priorities
• state or territory nomination requirements
• employer sponsorship opportunities
• your age, English level and work experience

Skill Stream Is Broader Than GSM

The 45.8% figure relates to Australia’s overall permanent Skill stream. It should not be treated as data specifically covering only General Skilled Migration visas.

The Skill stream includes several categories, such as:

• Employer Sponsored visas
• Skilled Independent visas
• State or Territory Nominated visas
• Regional visas
• Talent and innovation pathways
• certain business and investment pathways

General Skilled Migration commonly refers to points-tested pathways such as:

VisaPathwayNomination or sponsorshipSubclass 189Skilled IndependentNot requiredSubclass 190Skilled NominatedState or territory nominationSubclass 491Skilled Work RegionalState or territory nomination, or eligible family sponsorship

Unless subclass-specific data is available, the overall Skill stream percentage should not be applied directly to Subclass 189, 190 or 491 visa outcomes.

How Invitation Processes Differ

Subclass 189 and family-sponsored Subclass 491 invitations are issued through invitation rounds administered by the Department of Home Affairs.

Subclass 190 and state-nominated Subclass 491 pathways operate differently. Each state and territory applies its own nomination criteria, occupation priorities and selection process.

A high points score alone does not guarantee an invitation or nomination. Applicants must also consider whether their occupation is being prioritised and whether they meet the requirements of the relevant jurisdiction.

Practical Planning Steps

Calculate your points carefully

Review all eligible points categories, including age, English ability, skilled employment, qualifications, partner factors and nomination points.

Even a five-point difference may affect whether a pathway is realistic.

Compare more than one pathway

Subclass 189 may not be the most achievable option for every applicant.

Depending on your occupation and circumstances, Subclass 190, Subclass 491, employer sponsorship or another long-term pathway may offer a more practical strategy.

Review your partner’s profile

A partner’s English ability or eligible skills assessment may affect your points claim.

In some families, the stronger applicant may be better positioned to become the primary applicant.

Check your skills assessment

Make sure your skills assessment remains acceptable under both the relevant visa requirements and the assessing authority’s validity rules.

Do not assume that an assessment can still be used simply because the document has not visibly expired.

Monitor the correct invitation process

Departmental invitation rounds and state nomination programs do not operate on the same timetable.

Applicants should monitor the process that applies to their intended visa pathway rather than relying only on general SkillSelect updates.

Key Takeaways

Primary applicants represented 45.8% of Australia’s overall permanent Skill stream outcome in 2024–25.

The remaining places went to secondary applicants, including partners and dependent children.

This figure relates to the entire Skill stream, not only the Subclass 189, 190 and 491 GSM pathways.

Migration Program places are generally counted by each person granted a visa, rather than by the number of family applications.

Annual planning levels therefore do not show how many primary skilled applicants will receive invitations or permanent residence.

For individual applicants, occupation demand, points, nomination options, sponsorship opportunities and timing remain far more important than the primary to secondary applicant ratio.

The content of this article is intended for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Immigration law is complex and subject to change. The information provided may not reflect the most current legal developments. For advice specific to your circumstances, please consult a registered Australian migration lawyer. For full terms governing use of this website and its content, please refer to our Website Terms and Conditions.

Speak with a Riverwood Migration Lawyer

For skilled migration and skills assessment matters, we recommend speaking with Scott Gan, our lawyer specialising in points-tested visas and occupation skills assessments. Book a consultation to discuss your circumstances.

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