I noted last week how Australia’s immigration system is overwhelmingly unskilled.
Every skilled permanent visa class allows the primary applicant to include a spouse/partner and dependent children as secondary applicants. Even though they are counted in the skilled stream, secondary applicants do not need a skills assessment, meet occupation list requirements, a points test, or meet minimum salary requirements.
Analysis of Department of Home Affairs permanent visa data reveals that over the 10 years to 2024-25, 53% of permanent skilled visas were secondary visas issued to family members of primary skilled migrants.
