Parent Visa Cap 2025–26: How Many Visas Can Australia Grant This Year?
- Jun 18
- 5 min read
Last Updated: 15 June 2026
What Is the Parent Visa Cap for 2025–26?
The Australian Government has set the maximum number of parent visas that can be granted in the 2025–26 financial year. The caps apply from 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2026.
The source is the Migration (Granting of Contributory Parent Visas, Parent Visas and Other Family Visas During Financial Year 2025–26) Instrument 2026, which commenced on 12 June 2026 and self-repeals on 1 July 2026.
Here are the exact limits:
Visa Category | Subclasses Included | Cap for 2025–26 |
Contributory Parent | 143, 864, 173, 884 | 6,800 visas |
Parent | 103, 804 | 1,700 visas |
Other Family | 114, 115, 116, 835, 836, 838 | 500 visas |
Total | 9,000 visas |
Why Does This Cap Matter?
The parent visa program is capped and queued. That means once the yearly limit is reached, no further visas in that category can be granted until the new financial year.
Applications that exceed the cap do not get refused. They carry over to the next program year — but this adds to an already long queue.
Contributory Parent applications lodged today face an estimated wait of around 15 years, and as at 31 July 2025, the Department had only released Contributory Parent applications with queue dates up to May 2018 for final processing.
For non-contributory Parent visas (subclass 103 and 804), the situation is worse. Parent visa applications with a queue date up to January 2013 were being released for final processing as at 31 July 2025 — meaning applicants lodging today could wait well over a decade.
Contributory Parent Visas: The 6,800 Cap Explained
The largest allocation — 6,800 visas — goes to the contributory stream. This covers four subclasses:
Subclass 143 – Contributory Parent (Migrant) — permanent visa for parents outside Australia
Subclass 864 – Contributory Aged Parent (Residence) — permanent visa for parents already in Australia aged 67 or older
Subclass 173 – Contributory Parent (Temporary) — temporary visa, two-year pathway to Subclass 143
Subclass 884 – Contributory Aged Parent (Temporary) — temporary visa, pathway to Subclass 864
All four subclasses share the same 6,800-place pool. They are processed in queue date order after an initial assessment.
The government fees for Subclass 143/864 are approximately $5,040 for the first instalment, then a second instalment of approximately $43,600 when the visa is about to be granted — totalling around $48,640 per person.
The higher cost is why these visas move faster than the non-contributory stream. But faster is relative — with demand significantly exceeding supply, choosing the correct visa subclass is the difference between a few years of waiting and several decades.
Parent Visas: The 1,700 Cap Explained
The non-contributory stream receives 1,700 places across two subclasses:
Subclass 103 – Parent (Migrant) — for parents applying from outside Australia
Subclass 804 – Aged Parent (Residence) — for parents already in Australia aged 67 or older
These visas are significantly cheaper — total government fees are approximately $7,345 per applicant — but the queue is catastrophic.
Non-contributory parent visas often have queue times stretching beyond 30 years. The 1,700-place cap on a program with decades of backlog means these subclasses are effectively unavailable to new applicants in any practical timeframe.
Other Family Visas: The 500 Cap Explained
The Other Family category receives the smallest allocation 500 visas across six subclasses:
Subclass 114 – Aged Dependent Relative
Subclass 115 – Remaining Relative
Subclass 116 – Carer
Subclass 835 – Remaining Relative (onshore)
Subclass 836 – Carer (onshore)
Subclass 838 – Aged Dependent Relative (onshore)
These visas target specific family situations — relatives who have no other family support, carers of Australian citizens or permanent residents, and aged dependent relatives. Demand is lower than the parent stream, but the 500-place cap still creates queuing for most subclasses.
What Happens When the Cap Is Reached?
When the cap for any category is exhausted, the Department of Home Affairs stops granting visas in that category for the rest of the financial year. Remaining applications stay in the queue and roll over to the 2026–27 financial year.
This does not affect your queue position. The Department processes applications in queue date order, not application date order. Lodging an application secures your queue date — but that date alone determines when you get processed, not when you lodged.
Once these numbers are reached, no further visas in these categories can be granted until the new financial year begins on 1 July 2026.
Does the Cap Change Every Year?
Yes. The government sets a new cap instrument each financial year. For reference, the total parent and family visa cap across the contributory, non-contributory, and other family streams is part of the broader Family Stream migration programme.
The Family Stream migration programme is capped at 52,000 places per year for 2025–26, of which only 8,500 are allocated to parent visas.
Wait times are long because demand consistently outstrips the available places. Back-of-the-envelope estimates based on FOI data show that it could take 15 or more years to clear the existing backlog of parent visa applications at current cap levels.
Which Subclass Should You Apply For?
This depends on your circumstances. Here is a direct comparison:
Factor | Contributory (143/864) | Non-Contributory (103/804) |
Government fees | ~$48,640 per person | ~$7,345 per person |
Estimated wait time | ~10–15 years | 30+ years |
Grants cap (2025–26) | 6,800 | 1,700 |
Path to PR | Direct (143/864) or staged (173→143, 884→864) | Direct |
If permanent residency and a realistic processing timeline are the priorities, the contributory stream is the only practical option. The cost is substantial, but the alternative is a multi-decade wait.
A registered migration agent can assess your individual eligibility, run a balance of family test, and advise on the right subclass for your situation. Learn more about parent visa options in Australia
FAQs
How many parent visas does Australia grant each year?
For 2025–26, Australia can grant up to 9,000 parent and other family visas in total: 6,800 contributory parent visas, 1,700 non-contributory parent visas, and 500 other family visas.
What is the source of the 2025–26 parent visa cap?
The cap is set by the Migration (Granting of Contributory Parent Visas, Parent Visas and Other Family Visas During Financial Year 2025–26) Instrument 2026, which commenced on 12 June 2026 under section 85 of the Migration Act 1958.
What happens if my application is not granted within the 2025–26 cap?
Your application carries over to the 2026–27 financial year. You do not need to reapply. The Department processes applications in queue date order.
Is a Subclass 173 or 884 temporary visa included in the contributory parent cap?
Yes. Subclasses 173 and 884 are both included in the 6,800-place contributory parent cap. They share the pool with Subclasses 143 and 864.
How do I find out my queue date?
Your queue date is assigned after the Department completes an initial assessment of your application and confirms you meet the core criteria. For Contributory Parent applications lodged before 1 June 2018, the queue date is the application lodgement date.
Get Advice From a Registered Migration Agent
RACC Migration & Education Services is a registered Australian migration agency based in Melbourne. Our team helps families understand the parent visa process, assess eligibility, and prepare strong applications.
Bringing your parents to Australia involves multiple visa options, capping rules, and long processing timelines. Getting the subclass choice right from the start matters — a wrong decision early costs years.
Also on RACC:
Partner Visa Australia — family stream options for spouses and de facto partners
Source: Migration (Granting of Contributory Parent Visas, Parent Visas and Other Family Visas During Financial Year 2025–26) Instrument 2026. Department of Home Affairs: immi.homeaffairs.gov.au. Verified 15 June 2026.
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