Shifts in Australian Immigration Policy and Indian Immigrant Views

(AUSTRALIA) The sharp phrase “Australians say Indians out!” has echoed across social media, but it tells only part of the story. On the ground, many Indian migrants still call Australia welcoming, and the policy settings for 2024–25 and 2025–26 back that up. The federal government kept the Permanent Migration Program at 185,000 places, with a strong tilt toward skilled workers. That figure drives everything from employer hiring plans to student choices and family reunions.

The contrast between loud online slogans and the steady policy framework captures the current moment: a heated public debate paired with a firm, skills-first intake that includes large numbers of applicants from India.

Program composition and key numbers

• Permanent Migration Program: 185,000 places (2024–25 and 2025–26).
• Skill stream: 132,200 places (71%).
  • Employer-sponsored visas: 44,000 (up).
  • Skilled Independent visas: 16,900 (down).
• Family stream: 52,500 places (28%), mainly Partner visas.

The system clearly favors applicants who can prove immediate value to the labour market, especially in healthcare, tech, and core trades. Officials say this mix supports a cooling economy without shutting doors on talent. Migrant families can still plan long-term lives, though they face tighter checks from 2025.

Education and student visa changes

Policy toward international students—India is one of the largest cohorts—follows the same skills-first logic with higher standards and costs.

• Student visa charge: increased from AUD 710 to AUD 1,600, with a further rise to AUD 2,000 flagged for July 2025.
• Two-tier processing model: roughly 80% of student places prioritised for top-rated institutions.
• Tougher English and financial thresholds to discourage low-quality enrolments and curb churn into undocumented labour.

None of these changes say “out” to Indian students; they say “show you’re ready”—come prepared with higher standards and clear proof of funds.

Policy changes overview

Several structural reforms define the two-year horizon:

National Innovation Visa

• Replaces the former Global Talent visa.
• Targets top performers in technology, research, and investment.
• Features a seven-stage nomination and approval process with deeper checks into achievements and proposed economic impact.
• Suits seasoned professionals with strong referees and a clear plan; harder for thin portfolios or vague business ideas.

Skills in Demand (SID) visa

• Replaces the TSS.
• Two main streams target specialist and core skills.
• Emphasises speed where employers can prove real shortages and meet salary floors.
• Aligns with an updated points test (2025) that gives more weight to Australian work experience and Australian qualifications, especially where candidates have five or more years of relevant experience.

Occupation Shortage List (OSL)

• Merger of previous lists into a unified Occupation Shortage List covering 450+ occupations.
• Focus remains on sectors with clear shortages: healthcare, cyber, software, engineering, construction, and key trades.
• State priorities, employer demand, and individual profile strength still determine final outcomes.

Regional priorities

• Faster lanes and extra places for those committing to live outside major cities.
• Incentives for settlement and quicker paths to permanency for regional commitments.
• Example: a software engineer or aged-care nurse willing to base in a regional hub may progress faster than peers in major cities.
• States and territories actively manage nominations; some paused (e.g., South Australia mid-2025) to reset quotas.

Family stream adjustments

• Partner visas continue to dominate the Family stream.
• From 2025, sponsors face tighter character and police checks, meaning more documentation and potentially longer waits for binational families.

Student policy—visible costs and strategic implications

• Fee hikes change the financial planning many families made years in advance.
• Two-tier processing channels most seats to higher-performing providers, promising cleaner outcomes but forcing applicants to be strategic.
• Popular programs with strong graduate outcomes may move faster and deliver clearer post-study work routes.
• Weaker programs face longer queues and tougher scrutiny.

Social debate versus lived reality

The slogan “Australians say Indians out!” reflects anxieties about crowded rentals, rising prices, and jobs. But:

• There is no law or policy singling out Indian migrants for exclusion.
• The Permanent Migration Program settings aim to balance economic needs with infrastructure pressure while maintaining longstanding ties with countries like India.
• Many Indian workers and students still feel welcome—in campuses, hospitals, software teams, and regional towns—especially where employers and community groups help with training, housing advice, and local connections.

Incidents of discrimination occur—job ads seeking “local experience only,” unexplained rental rejections, rude comments—but they sit alongside thriving Indian community life: festivals, temples and gurdwaras, and growing representation in medicine, academia, and small business. Community advocates point to strong school outcomes for children of Indian origin and high workforce participation among parents.

Analysis by VisaVerge.com suggests the pivot toward employer sponsorship and regional routes mirrors long-term trends in advanced economies: courting skilled migrants while limiting short-term shocks to housing and services. That explains the steady 185,000 cap with a shift toward roles with proven shortages—and the raised bars for students so they don’t get stuck in low-wage jobs that do not match their education.

Political context and state roles

• After the May 2025 election, the Australian Labor Party stayed in government and signalled maintenance of current levels.
• The opposition has discussed cuts, but as of September 2025, no reversal occurred.
• This stability reassures employers and universities, which plan years ahead.
• States and territories adjust nomination programs to meet local shortages—with pauses (e.g., South Australia mid-2025) highlighting how quickly local demand can shift.

Regional shortages make the case for migrants clear: when local hospitals lack nurses or builders can’t find tradespeople, Indian migrants often fill essential roles. Regional visas’ faster tracks and local council partnerships help newcomers settle successfully.

What applicants can do now

Practical steps for Indian professionals, students, and families under current rules:

1. Build a strong employer case
   • Employer-sponsored spots rose to 44,000, and the SID visa moves faster where needs are clear.
   • Provide detailed job descriptions, market-aligned salaries, and proof of shortage.
   • Keep records of duties and achievements—2025 points changes reward verifiable local experience.
2. Aim where demand is highest
   • The OSL spans 450+ roles; focus on healthcare, cyber, software, engineering, and core trades.
   • Reframe profiles to highlight overlap with shortage areas; short courses or micro-credentials can fill gaps.
3. Consider regional commitments
   • Regional nomination can mean faster outcomes and quicker routes to permanent residency.
   • Research regional hospitals, councils, and industry clusters; lower rents and tighter community networks are often benefits.
4. For students: choose quality providers
   • The two-tier student system favours strong institutions.
   • Assess graduate outcomes, placements, and employer links—not just fees or city lifestyle.
   • Budget for the visa fee: AUD 1,600 now, rising to AUD 2,000 in July 2025, and expect more checks on English and proof of funds.
5. For partners and families: plan for sponsor vetting
   • From 2025, sponsor character and police checks are stricter.
   • Start early on documents from all relevant countries; keep contact records and shared financial evidence tidy.
6. Map a permanent pathway from day one
   • Sketch steps toward permanency: years of experience, regional time, salary targets, and employer sponsorship options.
   • Small choices—regional roles, accredited internships—can shave months off the journey.

Expert advice helps when rules tighten. Registered migration agents and lawyers can help shape cases around the Skill stream or Family stream. Applicants should also consult primary sources: official guidance, visa descriptions, and program caps are listed by the Department of Home Affairs. Applicants can find current policy settings on the department’s website at the Department of Home Affairs. Checking the official page before submitting materials helps avoid errors around English testing, funds, and new nomination steps.

Advice for Australian employers

• The SID visa is built for speed but sponsors must meet salary floors and any training or advertising tests.
• HR teams should prepare internal compliance early: job ads, labour market evidence, and contracts reflecting market norms.
• Early preparation reduces back-and-forth with the department and removes uncertainty for candidates.

State and local considerations

• Watch for nomination pauses (e.g., South Australia mid-2025).
• When quotas reopen, strong files move fast: clear regional ties, recent work in a listed job, and, for students, a plan leading to skilled roles in the local economy.
• Applicants who show they will stay and contribute beyond the first job tend to fare better.

Balancing objectives and the broader debate

The broader debate covers intake levels, speed from temporary status to permanency, housing pressure, university planning, employer needs, and voters’ fairness concerns. The current package—OSL, SID visa, National Innovation Visa, tougher student settings, and stricter sponsor checks—tries to balance these goals: increasing local training while recruiting experienced staff now, promoting world-class research without tolerating weak courses, and keeping families together while protecting applicants from harm.

The package does not slam the door on Indian migrants; it requires stronger evidence and clearer pathways tied to real work.

The phrase “Australians say Indians out!” misses the mark. The intake remains large by global standards, the Skill stream dominates, regional offers are expanding, and employers keep seeking Indian doctors, developers, and engineers. The lived reality is a mix of opportunity and higher standards, not rejection.

Real-life stakes and examples

• A nurse in Kochi weighing a move to a regional hospital in Victoria must consider children’s schooling, shift work, and potential need for a second income.
• A machine-learning engineer in Bengaluru may weigh the National Innovation Visa against employer sponsorship and plan referees for the seven-step process.
• A postgraduate student in Hyderabad must balance the higher Student visa fee, tougher English checks, and realistic odds of landing a skilled job after graduation.

These choices shape family budgets and the next decade of life.

Everyday settlement and community life

Daily life for many migrants includes welcoming acts that do not trend on social media: colleagues offering lifts, managers setting up training, neighbours explaining school sport, and local GPs saying “Welcome, we’re glad you’re here.” Those small acts do not erase discrimination, but they ground settlement in practical support.

What the numbers will show in 2025–26

• If employer-sponsored visas hit 44,000, teams will be better staffed and projects delivered faster.
• If student intakes hold up at higher quality, graduates should match open roles more closely.
• If the Family stream keeps pace, partners and children will build stability faster.

None of these outcomes turns on a hashtag; they depend on the design of the Permanent Migration Program—set at 185,000 places—and the choices of thousands of applicants and employers.

Final takeaways

• The government kept the intake at 185,000 places with a skills-first focus.
• Reforms include the National Innovation Visa, SID visa, the consolidated OSL, tougher student settings, regional incentives, and stricter sponsor checks.
• These changes raise standards and costs but preserve pathways for skilled Indian migrants and students who plan carefully.
• Applicants who align with the OSL, show employer demand, pick strong study courses, and prepare sponsor documents can still move forward.
• Communities and employers investing in settlement support will continue to find that newcomers build strong schools, safe hospitals, and thriving main streets.

The national conversation will swing, but the everyday work of building shared lives continues—one job offer, lease, and school day at a time.