Record temporary visas strain migration system as shortages persist

Australia’s record increase in the qualified temporary visas, the country’s most emergency trade problems are clogging the system, Dr Abul Rizvi writes.

Talented temporary visas (old Lower Grade 457 And now Lower Grade 482Traditionally, it is divided into 60-70 percent open sea and a land of 30-40 percent. This was first reversed by a major increase in visas for chefs and cooks instead of construction transactions, due to temporary graduates who have assured an increase in older students and temporary visas in 2024-25. It cannot be allowed to continue.

In 2024-25, he had 130,571 talented temporary visa, which broke the previous record of 126,361 in 2012-13. The new land record visa grants were 70.218 in 2025-26 and broke the previous record of 53.829 determined in 2012-13.

(Data Source: Data.gov.au)

The increase in land talented temporary visas, a powerful labor market, a decrease in a talented work experience, a decrease from two years to one year, and the combination of the record number of temporary graduates and working holidaymakers in Australia.

Since these conditions will continue in 2025-26, probably talented temporary visas will be provided on land. The record of 219,710 people in Australia for talented temporary visas in June 2025 is pressure on visas with a permanent employer’s sponsorship. However, the government did not change the number of places for such visas in the 2025-26 Migration Program at 44,000.

This means that processing times will continue to explode for both temporary talented visas and permanent employer sponsored visas.

The explosion in talented temporary visas does not lead to the lack of basic skills to be addressed. A significant development between 2024-25 has been a rapid increase in land talented temporary visa grants for chefs and chefs (see graphics 2).

This tendency will continue as more temporary graduates pass on a talented temporary visa. On the other hand, this permanent employer presses the visa under the sponsorship of the employer. Nor Ministry of the Interior What Jobs and Skills Australia In Australia, they report a great chief and chef shortage. Tendency, many Veterinary Colleges Provide training in the cook, which can be completed in 6-12 months.

On the other hand, there is a big problem in construction trade.

However, especially from the open sea, the temporary visa grants talented to key construction trade professions are only rising very slowly (see Graph 3). The slow increase in visa grants on land, the slow increase in construction trade reflects very few veterinary college providing training in construction trade. Training in construction processes lasts much longer and includes a number of regulatory obstacles.

More reform is required for skill targeting. This can be achieved by better manage the skill path of students for temporary graduates.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2luhgwd0ni

DR ABUL Rizvi An independent Australian columnist And a former deputy secretary of the Ministry of Immigration. You can follow Abul on Twitter @Rizviabul.

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