Date posted: 23/01/2023

Joint submission on Australia's 2023–24 Permanent Migration Program

A submission to the Department of Home Affairs as part of the annual consultation process to inform planning on Australia’s migration program.

Australia's Permanent Migration Program aims to balance a range of economic, social and demographic objectives and priorities, while focusing on our longer-term national interests. 

As part of the annual consultation process, CA ANZ and CPA Australia made a joint submission which addresses the following questions:

  • What is the ideal size and composition of the 2023–24 permanent Migration Program? And why?
  • How can we improve our migration planning process so Australia remains attractive to prospective migrants against the backdrop of widespread workforce shortages and aging populations across migrant-receiving countries?

Our submission calls on the Australian Government to embrace an approach to permanent skilled migration that is based on the quality and not the quantity of migrants, which prioritises merit-based pathways, and preferences the migration of accounting and finance professionals.

CA ANZ and CPA Australia’s key recommendations, which are discussed further in the submission, are outlined below.

Immediate actions

  • Determine the composition of the Skill stream based on the objectives of both addressing labour market shortages and developing the nation’s human capital.
  • Do not introduce a wage threshold.
  • Continue to preference skilled migrants in the Permanent Migration Program using merit-based, points-tested pathways.
  • Continue to invite prospective skilled migrants based both onshore and offshore. 
  • Feature accounting, audit and finance professionals prominently in Australia’s skilled migrant intake.
  • Maintain the increased level of resourcing required to address the visa processing backlog. 

Medium to longer-term reforms

  • Remove and replace annual caps on the quantity of migrants in the Skills stream with an approach based on migrant quality.
  • Plan for longer-term growth in permanent skilled migration. This includes coordination between all levels of government to provide the infrastructure and services required to support a growing population.
  • Make all migration pathways merit-based, including employer sponsored pathways.
  • Reduce skilled visa categories and simplify visa conditions by removing those conditions that ‘push’ migrants to the regions.
  • Support regional growth and development by doing more to 'pull' or attract migrants to settle in the regions.

Australia's 2023–24 Permanent Migration Program

Read more about the consultation.

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