Q 2 Why is the minister capping and ceasing General
Skilled Migration visa applications made before
1 September 2007 visas?
The number of places in the Skilled Migration Program
available to applicants who are not sponsored by an
employer continues to decline, as the government’s
priority is to support demand driven migration. At the
same time, the number of pending GSM applications
continues to grow as the demand for GSM places
exceeds the available supply.
The Australian Government has decided to end the
ongoing uncertainty for offshore GSM visa applicants
who applied prior to 1 September 2007, by capping and
ceasing these visa classes.