Hi all, Can someone make a FOI to ask for nb of PR grant...
@oggio (4D ago| Updated 4D ago)Hi all,
Can someone make a FOI to ask for nb of PR grant onshore vs offshore since beginning of FY? I do not understand how there has not been even one offshore grant popping up while, the budget clearly allocates 55k spot to the offshore, going primarly to highly skilled applicants according to them.
@gregormendel, what is your opinion on the situation ?
Thank you
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Official on-hand data indicates that the ratio of pending offshore to onshore applications currently sits at around 3:7, which is closely aligned with the grant allocation proportion planned for FY 2026β27, meaning applicants who have already lodged their files have no reason to be concerned about structural disadvantage.
The current low volume of offshore grants is primarily driven by the priority given to processing unfinalized applications lodged toward the end of the last financial year. Because these priority streams are heavily concentrated in sectors like Healthcare and Early Childhood Education (ECT)βwhere applicants predominantly possess onshore qualifications and experienceβgrants are naturally skewed onshore for now, but processing for non-priority occupations across both streams should return to normal once these priority cases are cleared.
Furthermore, the core objective of the federal quota is to impose macro-level constraints on future state nomination invitations with a preference for onshore candidates, rather than an intentional policy mechanism designed to extend the processing wait times for applicants who have already lodged.
is this official response from the department?
No official department will response for that specifically, this is my own opinion.
I agree with you, ratio of onshore/offshore from Nov 25 189 invitation round is 80/20 as per FOI, last FY 190 massively focused on onshore as well as the 491 to a lesser extent. Yet I don't understand why they are withholding skilled offshore grants, while the on hand applications comply with their 70/30 targets...
Thanks @ruthlessethan for this insightful analysis. What does this mean about priority occupations from offshore from the last FY, should these not be looking to get cleared as well?
will the gov publish a new Ministerial Direction to further specify skilled visa processing priority?
i think they have a plan to scrap off 491. keep in point the last year 491 allocation to states , and number of 491 planning levels this year. but i dont agree with you @ruthlessethan .. if you check the latest grants , 99% are of onshore and are logged between jan-may 2026.
basically they are trying to reduce migration. offshore are looping and hanging out with uncertainty . if they dont want offshore people, they should close portal for offshore. instead of letting them apply for visa application.
The delay in offshore grants is primarily an issue of processing sequencing rather than policy withholding. The current processing phase is heavily concentrated on clearing onshore priority applications. Once this onshore priority clearance phase wraps up, grant issuance is expected to progressively return to normal processing parameters across both onshore and offshore streams.@oggio
Offshore priority occupations remain a priority and will be processed ahead of non-priority cases. However, the vast majority of recently observed grant cases are onshore applicants. It is reasonable to infer that once the onshore priority pool is largely cleared, processing speeds will normalize across both onshore and offshore applications. Nevertheless, offshore priority occupations will still maintain absolute priority over non-priority occupations regardless of location.@cloudqueen
A new Ministerial Direction is generally issued only when there is a fundamental shift in macroeconomic priorities or core sector demands. Currently, Ministerial Direction No. 105 (and its targeted framework) already provides the operational matrix for visa processing hierarchy. Unless the Department announces major structural reforms to skill shortages, processing will continue under the existing priority framework, with adjustments executed via internal operational directives rather than a brand-new public Direction.@lenayc
I completely agree with your perspective. The Australian government likely never anticipated immigration demand reaching today's unprecedented levels. Years ago, immigration requirements were far less stringent, and offshore applicants made up the primary backbone of the intake. Today's surge in applicantsβfueled in part by global economic shifts that we won't dwell on hereβhas given the government ample leeway to be cherry-picky.
What we are witnessing is a structural transition from an offshore-driven system to an onshore-focused one, which naturally reduces opportunities for offshore applicants. The government will inevitably optimize for its own self-interest, favoring candidates who bring immediate economic benefits: local onshore applicants, the financially sound, the young, and those with strong language proficiency.
That said, the offshore channel will not be shut down completely, though its criteria will become increasingly demanding. Keeping the offshore portal open ensures a buffer mechanism: if domestic demand ever cools down, the government can smoothly transition its reliance back from onshore to offshore applicants.@hcj21212