Australian Immigration Daily News

New Migration Instrument Released: Family Visa Caps Confirmed for 2025–26

The Australian Government has released the Migration (Granting of Contributory Parent Visas, Parent Visas and Other Family Visas During Financial Year 2025–26) Instrument 2026 (LIN 26/042).

The instrument sets annual caps on grants for selected Family stream visas for the 2025–26 financial year (1 July 2025 – 30 June 2026).

Key allocations:
• Contributory Parent visas – 6,800 places
• Parent visas – 1,700 places
• Other Family visas – 500 places

Importantly, these levels remain unchanged from the previous financial year.

The Government notes that annual capping of these visa categories has operated for more than 20 years and is intended to support orderly and equitable processing where demand significantly exceeds available places.

Affected categories include:

• Parent and Aged Parent visas (Subclass 103 / 804)
• Contributory Parent pathways (Subclass 143 / 864 / 173 / 884)
• Other Family categories including Remaining Relative, Carer and Aged Dependent Relative visas.

The instrument commenced following registration and will self-repeal on 1 July 2026 at the conclusion of the financial year.

For migration professionals and applicants, the practical takeaway is that planning assumptions for Family migration remain stable for another year, with no increase in available places despite continuing demand.

Source: Migration-Granting-of-Contributory-Parent-parent-and-other-family-visas-during-financial-year-2025-2026-Instrument-2026.pdf and

Migration-Granting-of-Contributory-Parent-parent-and-other-family-visas-during-financial-year-2025-5-2026 Instrument-2026-explanatory.pdf