Great Journey Migration

01/11/2024

Important Update on New Skills in Demand (SID) Visa – Implemented by the end of 2024 🚨

The Department of Home Affairs recently announced upcoming changes to skilled visas during the 2024 MIA National Conference.

These changes may impact future applications, so please take note!
Here are the key highlights:

Skills in Demand (SID) Visa – Subclass 482
➡️ Temporary skilled worker visa with up to 4 years validity
➡️ Clear pathway to permanent residency
➡️ Three streams: Specialist Skills, Core Skills, and Labour Agreements

Stream Details:
🔹 Specialist Skills: For highly skilled migrants earning at least $135,000 in any occupation (excludes trades, machinery operators, drivers and labourers)
🔹 Core Skills: For skilled employees, with a new Core Skills occupation List and Core Skills Income Threshold
🔹 Labour Agreements: The existing TSS Labour Agreement will be renamed to Skills in Demand Labour Agreement

Other Notable Changes:
✨ Work experience requirement reduced to one year
✨ TSS visa to be replaced by SID visa, with the TSS short-term and medium-term streams closing to new applications.

The Department aims to roll this out in late 2024.

If you’re interested in learning more about how these changes might affect your visa pathway, please reach out to us!

06/10/2024

New Administrative Review Tribunal (ART)

Commencing on Monday, 14 October 2024, the Administrative Review Tribunal (ART) will replace the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT).

- If you have a matter with the AAT, it will automatically transfer to the new ART, and you don't need to do anything. The ART will handle your case with an improved process.

- You can still apply to the AAT until 14 October; your application will transfer to the ART when it starts. After that date, all new applications should be directed to the ART.

- The new ART will offer more resources for faster handling, better accessibility and user-focused approaches, and new guidance and appeals panels for broader review capabilities.

19/09/2024

𝐕𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐒𝐮𝐛𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬 𝟒𝟗𝟏 𝐒𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐑𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐕𝐢𝐬𝐚 𝐍𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐔𝐩𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞

Some important update on Victoria State’s Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) Subclass 491 nomination criteria for FY 24-25 for onshore recent Victorian graduates in Melbourne.

𝐎𝐧𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐕𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐮𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐌𝐞𝐥𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐞:
• Recent graduates holding a Student (subclass 500) or Temporary Graduate (subclass 485) visa are eligible for Victorian nomination subclass 491.
• You can be living in Melbourne and still be eligible! However, you will need to relocate to regional Victoria once granted the visa.
• No regional employment requirement for recent graduates. If you're not working, in non-skilled employment, or working for an employer not in regional Victoria.

This visa is a fantastic opportunity to live, work, and study in regional Victoria. For more details and how to apply, get in touch with us today!

22/07/2024

𝐅𝐘 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒-𝟐𝟓 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐓𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐍𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐀𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬

17/07/2024

𝐔𝐩𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐕𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐚’𝐬 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒-𝟐𝟓 𝐒𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐁𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐌𝐢𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐦

The Australian Government has allocated 5,000 skilled visa nomination places to Victoria for the 2024-25 program.

Victoria’s allocation consists of:
- Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190) – 3,000 places
- Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491) – 2,000 places

13/06/2024

Effective 1 July 2024, Visitor 600 and Temporary Graduate 485 visa holders will not be allowed to lodge Student visas onshore.

30/05/2024

𝐈𝐧𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐓𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐒𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐈𝐧𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐝 (𝐓𝐒𝐌𝐈𝐓) 𝐭𝐨 $𝟕𝟑,𝟏𝟓𝟎

𝐑𝐚𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐓𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐒𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐌𝐢𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐈𝐧𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐝
From 1 July 2024, the TSMIT will increase from $70,000 to $73,150. New nomination applications from this date will need to meet the new TSMIT of $73,150 or the annual market salary rate, whichever is higher.
This change will not affect existing visa holders and nominations lodged before 1 July 2024.
These changes are in line with the Government’s commitment at the Jobs and Skills Summit in September 2022.

𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧
More information will be made available on future income thresholds and indexation methodology, including for the new Skills in Demand Visa, once finally determined later in 2024.
Updates regarding these changes will be published on the Department of Home Affairs website. Check the website regularly for more information.

For more information on your visa eligibility please contact us.

Find out about Australian visas, immigration and citizenship.

26/04/2024

Changes to the Temporary Graduate (Sc 485) visa proposed 1 July 2024

The Australian Government announced changes to the Temporary Graduate Subclass 485 visa program in its recent Migration Strategy. The changes to the Temporary Graduate Subclass 485 should take effect from 1 July 2024.The changes are the following:

Graduate Work Stream

1. Renamed to the Post-Vocational Education Work Stream
2. The maximum eligible age will be reduced to 35 years of age or under. Hong Kong and British National Overseas passport holders will continue to be eligible provided they are under 50 years of age.
3. Applicants must hold an associate degree, diploma or trade qualification, closely related to their nominated occupation on the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL).
4. Applicants with a degree level qualification or higher will no longer be eligible for this stream.
5. The stay period will remain up to 18 months, with Hong Kong or British National Overseas passport holders eligible to stay for up to 5 years.

Post- Study Work Stream
1. Renamed to the Post-Higher Education stream.
2. The maximum eligible age for Post-Higher Education Work stream applicants will reduce to 35 years of age or under. Hong Kong and British National Overseas passport holders will continue to be eligible provided they are under 50 years of age
3. The ‘select degree’ 2 year extension will cease.
4. Stay periods will change to the following:
o Bachelor degree (including honours) – up to 2 years
o Masters (coursework and extended) – up to 2 years
o Masters (research) and doctoral degree (PhD) – up to 3 years.
o Hong Kong and British National Overseas passport holders may be able to stay for up to 5 years.
5. Stay periods for Indian nationals, as agreed in the Australian Indian – Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (AI-ECTA), remain as:
o Bachelor degree (including honours) – up to 2 years
o Bachelor degree (with first class honours in STEM, including ICT) – up to 3 years
o Masters (coursework, extended and research) – up to 3 years
o Doctoral degrees (PhD) – up to 4 years.

Second Post- Study Work stream
1. Renamed to Second Post-Higher Education Work Stream
2. There are no other changes to this stream.

Replacement stream
1. This stream will cease and no longer be available.

Source: DHA

For more information on your visa eligibility please contact us.

Find out about Australian visas, immigration and citizenship.

22/03/2024

Changes to English Language Requirements for Student and Temporary Graduate Visas – effective 23 Mar 2024

Student Visa
• The minimum score required for a Student visa from an IELTS test score increases from 5.5 to 6 (or its equivalent).
• The minimum score required to undertake a packaged ELICOS from IELTS increases from 4.5 to 5.0.
• For students studying English only through ELICOS, there will be no change.
• The test score required for students undertaking university foundation or pathway programs that deliver reputable English language training will be IELTS 5.5 (or equivalent).

Temporary Graduate Visa (TGV)
• The minimum score required for a TGV from IELTS test score increases from 6.0 to 6.5 (or equivalent), with a minimum score of 5.5 for each component of the test (reading, writing, speaking and listening).
• The test validity window for a TGV decreases from 3 years to 1 year. TGV applicants now need to provide evidence that they have completed an English Language test within 1 year immediately before the date of the visa application.

15/03/2024

The Australian Government will replace the Genuine Temporary Entrant (GTE) requirement for Student visa applications with a Genuine Student (GS) requirement from 23 March 2024.

21/12/2023

ANNOUNCEMENT UPDATE

Working Holiday Makers - Condition 8547 - Extension of work rights past 6 months with one employer

The Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs has made the decision to continue the previous exemption process relating to visa condition 8547, from 1 January 2024, while consultation on the Working Holiday program settings and reform process is underway in line with the recently released Migration Strategy.

The upcoming discussion paper will look at all settings in relation to the Working Holiday program, including eligibility, visa conditions and specified work requirements. More information on the reform process will be available in early 2024.

I can advise that the following arrangements will apply from 1 January 2024 until further government decisions are made as part of the WHM reform work:

Working Holiday Makers can work for the same employer in Australia for more than 6 months without asking permission if the work is:

• in different locations and work in any one location does not exceed 6 months
• in plant and animal cultivation anywhere in Australia
• in certain industries, including aged care and disability services, fishing and pearling, tree farming and felling, construction and mining, in northern Australia only (see website for a definition of Northern Australia)
• from 17 February 2020, natural disaster recovery work
• from 4 April 2020, in critical sectors, including agriculture, food processing, health, aged and disability care and childcare, anywhere in Australia
• from 8 May 2021, in the critical sector of tourism and hospitality anywhere in Australia

For any other situations not covered above, Working Holiday Makers must ask for DHA permission to work longer than 6 months with one employer.

How to apply for Condition 8547 extensions
The new webform to apply for these extensions is expected to be operational tomorrow 22 December 2023.

Requests for permission should:
• be made at least two weeks before the expiry of the six month work period; and
• be in writing, preferably using Form 1445 Request permission to work with an employer beyond six months on a Working Holiday or Work and Holiday visa
or
• or by emailing the Department and
• specify when they commenced working with their employer and when the six month period will end; and
• give full details of the ‘limited circumstances’ in which they are seeking permission to work longer than six months; and
• specify how long they wish to continue working for their employer; and
• provide supporting documentation from the employer, for example, a one-page letter on company letterhead outlining the exceptional circumstances.
For those who have already submitted a request for approval to work for longer than 6 months for the same employer, they can continue working for the same employer until they receive a written outcome of their request.

Link:

Find out about Australian visas, immigration and citizenship.

18/12/2023

Today, Victoria's Skilled and Business Migration Program is holding an invitation round. Please note, if you don't receive any further communication regarding a client's Registration of Interest (ROI) today, it indicates they haven't been selected in this round, but they're still eligible.

Their ROI will continue to be eligible for upcoming selection rounds. No further action is needed as long as the information in their EOI and ROI remains correct.

For any help with your invitation or visa application, or to discuss your Australian migration matter, feel free to book a consultation with our consultant.

15/12/2023

Migration Strategy – Action Plan

Implementation timeline for existing and new commitments
and consultation timeline for areas for future reform

14/12/2023

𝗠𝗶𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝘆 𝗔𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗮

The long awaited ‘Migration Strategy’ has been released on 11 December 2023 by the Australian Government. The new strategy, which is designed to make our skilled migration system more focused on skills required to build productivity and use permanent migration to build and innovative and effective workforce for Australia's future.

The strategy based on 8 key actions:

1. Targeting temporary skilled migration to address skills needs and promote worker mobility
2. Reshaping permanent skilled migration to drive long-term prosperity
3. Strengthening the integrity and quality of international education
4. Tackling worker exploitation and the misuse of the visa system
5. Planning migration to get the right skills in the right places
6. Tailoring regional visas and the Working Holiday Maker program to support regional Australia and its workers
7. Deepening our people-to-people ties in the Indo-Pacific
8. Simplifying the migration system to improve the experience for migrants and employers

Certain parts of the strategy are still to be finalised after further consultation as recommended by the Parkinson review. The key announcements include:

𝗠𝗶𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴

The government will extend migration planning beyond the current 12 month planning cycle to fill critical skills shortages and ensure better collaboration with the states and territories.

Net overseas migration numbers are expected to fall from 510,000 in the 2022-23 financial year to 375,000 next financial year and 250,000 in 2024-25. The numbers are predicted to stabilise at this lower level from that time on.

International student numbers grew to 270,000 in 2022-23 up from 170,000 in 2028-19 prior to COVID, which also saw a return to Australia of students who had been forced to study online and offshore during the pandemic.

Temporary visa holders, i.e. Temporary Skilled, Working Holidays Maker and COVID pandemic event visas, accounted for 180,000 places in 2022-23, up from 100,000 in 2018-19.

𝗦𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗱 T𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗿𝘆 V𝗶𝘀𝗮𝘀

A new three tiered system of visa pathways to replace the TSS SC 482. The '𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀' visa for those earning under $70,000, the '𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀' visa for the $70-135,000 cohort and the '𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁 𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀' visa for those earning over $135,000 per year.

• The specialist skills visa pathway will not have an occupational list and a processing turnaround of 7 days. Trades occupations, machinery operators, drivers and labourers will be excluded from this visa class. There will be 3,000 places allocated per year.

• The core skills visas pathway are expected to provide the majority of visa for the program. trades workers will be required to apply under this visa based on a revised 'skills in demand list' developed by Jobs and Skills Australia.

• The details of the essential skills visa pathway are yet to be finally determined. This visa will involve union oversight, be capped and be restricted to specific sectors. To date the aged care and disability sectors have been mentioned.

Some key aspects of the visa:

• The visas will be granted for up to 4-years stay for all streams;

• Visa holders will have the ability to move between sponsors with an 180 day time period to find a new sponsor (increase from the current 60 day period);

• Pathway to permanent residency will be available to all Skills in Demand visa holders

𝗦𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗔𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝗙𝘂𝗻𝗱

Consideration will be given to collecting the SAF in smaller increments over time in recognition of the greater freedom of visa holders to change employers. A monthly or quarterly payment model will be explored.

𝗟𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁 𝗧𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴

LMT is to be streamlined, although the only announcement so far is that the requirement to advertise on the Workforce Australia site will be abolished. The validity of advertising period will increase from 4 to 6 months.

LMT will be gradually phased out as Jobs and Skills Australia data on skills shortages improves and a Core Skilled Occupation List created as an alternative to LMT.

𝗣𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗧𝗲𝘀𝘁𝘀 – 𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝗠𝗶𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻

The points test will be reviewed. Further consultation will occur on a new points test, with the development of a new analysis-based points test to identify more effectively the independent migrants who will make the greatest contribution to the country. This pathway will have a faster pathway to permanent residence for graduates working in skilled jobs.

𝗧𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗚𝗿𝗮𝗱𝘂𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗩𝗶𝘀𝗮𝘀

There will be considerable change to these visas as they become more targeted towards international graduates with skills required by Australian employers, including:

• reducing the length of stay for these international graduates (Bachelor degree or Master by coursework – 2 years; Masters by research or PhD – 3 years)
• preventing holders of the new graduate visas from moving back onto student visas
• preventing the stay of International graduates without skills in demand from remaining in Australia.
• reducing the age eligibility from 50 to 35 years of age
• English language test score will increase from 6 to 6.5
• Students studying in regional areas will have eligibility for a second visa of between 1 to 2 years in length depending on their location

𝗦𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗮𝘀

There will be significant changes to the student visa program, although the number of places will not be capped. Instead, other migration levers will be used to control numbers, including;

• higher English language levels for student visa applicants
• reducing the types of courses eligible for student visas with the focus on retaining tertiary university courses
• preventing course swapping
• replace the ‘Genuine Temporary Entrant’ requirement with the new ‘Genuine Student Test’ which will be designed to reduce the misuse of the international student visa program and strengthen compliance requirements.

From early 2024, the English requirements for Student visas will increase to:

• IELTS 5.0 or equivalent for ELICOS student visa applicants
• IELTS 5.5 or equivalent for student visa applicants undertaking foundation or pathway programs with reputable English language training
• IELTS 6.0 or equivalent for other student visa applicants

𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗺𝗶𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻

The government has acknowledged the lack of success of current regional migration strategies in attracting migrants to those locations. The government will work closely with the state and territories to provided better targeting of regional population needs. Regional visa applications will also be fast tracked.

Regional migration settings and the Working Holiday Maker program will be reviewed to ensure migration supports development objectives in regional Australia and does not contribute to the exploitation of migrant workers.

𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗛𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗠𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗿𝘀

No changes at this stage to the WHM program although the length of stay and the 88 day rules are under consideration.

𝗚𝗹𝗼𝗯𝗮𝗹 𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗕𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗦𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀

The Global Talent program will be more sharply focused on a relatively small number of migrants who can make outsized contributions to Australia. There will be consideration of a new 'Talent and Innovation' visa.

The Business Innovation and Investment Program has seen over 80% of company directors invest in small retail or hospitality businesses, rather than in sectors that will drive Australia’s future innovation and productivity. The Significant Investor Stream (SIV) Visa program looks set to continue with some further adjustment.

06/11/2023

Expanding Employer Sponsored Pathways to Permanent Residency (PR)

The government is dedicated to implementing changes to Australia’s migration system to ensure temporary skilled workers have a pathway to PR.

To support this, the Department of Home Affairs is currently working on changes to the:
• Temporary Skill Shortage (subclass 482) (TSS) visa
• Temporary Residence Transition stream (TRT) of the Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186) (ENS) and Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (subclass 187) (RSMS) visa subclasses.

These changes are expected to commence from 25 November 2023* (subject to the approval of regulation changes).

Why are the changes being made?

Current pathways to PR for temporary skilled visa holders are often limited, which has led to a growing number of ‘permanently temporary’ visa holders in Australia.

To attract the skilled workers Australia needs, the government plans to create clear pathways to PR for all TSS visa streams. This will provide more certainty to employers and TSS visa holders as well as simplifying the nomination process.

These changes are a first step to providing more equitable access to PR for all TSS visa holders while the government continues work on reforms to the skilled visa programs following the development of the Outline of the Migration Strategy and in response to the Review of the Migration System 2023.

Who will these changes apply to?

Changes to the TSS visa will apply to new applications lodged on or after 25 November 2023*.

Changes to the Temporary Residence Transition (TRT) stream nomination requirements will apply to new ENS/RSMS nomination applications and applications that are yet to be finally determined as at 25 November 2023*.

Source: Department of Home Affairs Factsheet

31/08/2023

CLOSURE OF SUBCLASS 408 AGEE COVID-19 VISA

The Australian Government has announced it is closing the Temporary Activity Subclass 408 Australian Government Endorsed Events AGEE - COVID-19 Pandemic event visa – referred to as the Pandemic Event visa.

From 2 September 2023, the Pandemic Event visa will only be open to applications from existing Pandemic Event visa holders.

Pandemic Event visa holders will be able to apply for a subsequent visa after 2 September 2023 until the visa is fully closed by February 2024.

All other visa holders will be ineligible for the Pandemic Event visa from 2 September 2023.

Minister for Home Affairs, Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs, Minister for Emergency Management.​​​

24/08/2023

2023-24 State Nomination Program Allocations

DHA has released the allocation for the State and Territory nominated visa categories for the 2023-24 program year. This includes:
• Skilled Nominated Subclass 190
• Skilled Work Regional Subclass 491
• Business Innovation and Investment Program (BIIP)

*No new nomination allocations have been provided for the Business Innovation and Investment Program (BIIP) in the 2023-24 program year for any jurisdiction.

This allocation is significantly lower than anticipated. The Department of Home Affairs has advised that reductions have been enacted across the entire State and Territory Nominated Program due to the large number of visa applications on-hand following the high quotas and subsequent number of nominations issued in 2022-23.

10/05/2023

Migration Program Planning Levels 2023/24 FY

The Program has the following composition:

1. Skill stream (137,100 places) – this stream is designed to improve the productive capacity of the economy and fill skill shortages in the labour market, including those in regional Australia.

2. Family stream (52,500 places) – this stream is predominantly made up of Partner visas, enabling Australians to reunite with family members from overseas and provide them with pathways to citizenship. Of this stream:
- 40,500 Partner visas are estimated for 2023-24 for planning purposes, noting this category is demand driven and not subject to a ceiling.
- 3,000 Child visas are estimated for 2023-24 for planning purposes, noting this category is demand driven and not subject to a ceiling.

3. Special Eligibility stream (400 places) – this stream covers visas for those in special circumstances, including permanent residents returning to Australia after a period overseas.