The NSW Skills List for the Skilled Nominated (Permanent) visa (subclass 190) and Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491) are now available on the NSW Government website.
NSW invites and nominates SkillSelect EOIs at the ANZSCO unit group level. To be eligible for NSW nomination you must be skilled in an occupation that BOTH:
It is important to note that not all occupations within ANZSCO unit groups identified on the NSW skills lists are eligible for the respective visa – eligibility is determined by Home Affairs. It is the responsibility of the prospective migrant to ensure their occupation is eligible for the visa they are considering before obtaining a skills assessment.
If you need help in ensuring your occupation is eligible, or in obtaining a skills assessment, don't hesitate to send us a message here.
Source: https://www.nsw.gov.au/visas-and-migration/skilled-visas/nsw-skills-lists
The Migration Queensland (MQ) Program will open on 16 August 2022 with Queensland’s new nomination criteria and factsheets published on the MQ website: https://migration.qld.gov.au/
Migration Queensland will only accept a brand new EOI submitted on Skillselect from 16 August 2022, updating existing EOIs submitted prior to 16 August 2022 will not be invited. Please ensure you have carefully read and understood the new criteria relevant to your stream or pathway, and that you meet the criteria before submitting an Expression of Interest (EOI).
This 2022-23 financial year Skilled Migration Program will be open to both onshore and offshore applicants, and provide pathways for skilled workers, graduates, and small business owners.
The business program will continue to be open to 188 – Business Innovation stream, the 188 – Investor stream and the 188 – Significant Investor stream. From tomorrow, 16 August 2022, the new 188 – Entrepreneur stream will also open.
Please note: Queensland State nomination is a highly competitive program; not everyone will be invited for nomination. Please ensure you consult with a Registered Migration Agent/Lawyer to explore all alternative migration options. Send us an email to know more.
Coming into the year 2022, Australia is looking to increase its migration to recover from the economic effects of COVID-19. Travel bans and locked borders have affected migration not just in Australia, but all over the world - and Australia is looking back to recover this year.
Below are some of the updates that SBS News has posted on Australian Visas that were implemented to help migrants. Click here to go to their article for more information.
As of 15 December 2021, Australian citizens, permanent residents, international students, and certain skilled visa holders can now enter Australia.
To help in recovery efforts, the government has announced that certain skilled migrants, especially in the health and hospitality sector, who have worked and stayed in Australia during the COVID-19 pandemic will be eligible for permanent residency.
Starting March 2022, there will be two new visa streams to a permanent residency for Hong Kong nationals who are based in Australia. Announced back in November 2021, these are subclass 189 (Hong Kong Skilled Independent Stream) and subclass 191 (Hong Kong Regional Stream). This is part of Australia's effort in strengthening ties with Hong Kong, and these two new visa streams will open on 5 March 2022.
For more news and updates on this, you can visit SBS News' article below.
Source: SBS News - Australian visa changes 2022: The opportunities for migrants this year
Information below are from the VETASSESS website and also received via email.
Far North Queensland is looking to attract more skilled migrants with an update of its Designated Area Migration Agreement (DAMA) Occupation List.
There are a range of new occupations on the DAMA list, with a focus on the agribusiness, food production, hospitality and tourism sectors.
There have also been changes to the skills, qualifications and experience requirements of some occupations. These changes applied from 18 June 2021.
For more information, you can access their latest brochure here: Queensland DAMA Occupation List and FAQs
Below is the Administrative Appeals Tribunal's (AAT) news update on the changes on their application fees starting July 1:
Link to the original news article: https://www.aat.gov.au/news/changes-to-our-application-fees-on-1-july-2021-1
Application fees in the Administrative Appeals Tribunal will increase on 1 July 2021.
General, Freedom of Information, security, taxation and commercial and small business taxation
From 1 July 2021, application fees for the review of a decision, where a fee is payable, will increase in accordance with reg 27(1) of the Administrative Appeals Tribunal Regulations 2015 (Cth):
These fee increases will apply where an application fee is paid on or after 1 July 2021, even if the application was lodged before that date.
Migration
From 1 July 2021, application fees for the review of most migration decisions will increase. Review of migration decisions under Part 5 of the Migration Act 1958 will increase to $3,000.
In cases where a 50% fee reduction is granted, the reduced fee payable will be $1,500.
The application fee payable is based on when the application was lodged.
The decision to increase this fee was announced by the Government in the Federal Budget for 2021–22.
Refugee
The fee for the review of a protection visa decision under Part 7 of the Migration Act 1958 will increase to $1,846.
This fee is payable if the review is not successful. The application fee payable is based on when the application was lodged.
This fee was increased in accordance with changes in the Consumer Price Index under Regulation 4.31BA of the Migration Regulations 1994.
The Department of Home Affairs have released an update to the Australian Citizenship Application Fees that will be implemented on 1 July 2021.
The following message is from the Department of Home Affairs:
On 24 June, the Government announced that, from 1 July 2021, the Department of Home Affairs will update citizenship application fees to more accurately reflect the cost of delivering the citizenship program.
This is the first fee increase in more than five years and has been determined by citizenship application processing costs. Current fees recover only about 50 per cent of the cost of processing applications. The new fees reflect inflation costs, staffing costs and the increased complexity of applications, which take longer to process. Even with the increase, Australia’s citizenship application fees remain comparable to application fees in other, similar countries. Concessional citizenship application fees will still be available at a much reduced rate for people who meet relevant criteria.
The changes to citizenship fees apply from 12.00am, 1 July 2021 (Australian Eastern Standard Time). The new fees apply for any application received by the Department on or after this time. For further information, please refer to the Department’s website - news article
In addition, from 1 July 2021, applicants approved for Australian citizenship by descent or Australian citizenship by adoption will receive an Australian citizenship certificate. This is instead of an Australian citizenship extract. An Australian citizenship extract is an informal document that can be used to access limited government services. An Australian citizenship certificate is an official document that provides formal evidence of Australian citizenship.
Further information is available on the Department’s website at the link provided above.
The year 2020 was a challenging year, to say the least. Ushering in new norms and being dubbed a Global Pandemic Year due to COVID-19. Health fears caused governments to react without sufficient information and economic environments also felt the impact of changes in consumer behaviour caused by numerous factors that sent the world into chaos.
One of the effects of the Pandemic is the disruption of Australia’s Partner Visa program. Couples that were lucky enough to be onshore were largely unaffected if they were able to lodge an onshore Partner Visa. However, for couples separated by international borders, they have been left confused and ignored by the system.
Global border restrictions have prevented couples from re-uniting and despite the Australian government’s Travel Exemption criteria, Immigration has turned down most overseas applicants who wish to reunite with their Australian partners in Australia.
Below is a case study of a common Offshore Partner Visa (Subclass 309) case, with possible solutions to consider.
Subclass: 309
Situation: Overseas applicant located outside of Australia, whilst their Australian partner is located in Australia.
Problem: Partners are separated and unable to reunite due to travel and border restrictions caused by the Global COVID-19 Pandemic.
Solutions:
1A. If you do not hold any Australian Visa: Lodge the partner visa from offshore (ie. Subclass 309) and adhere to the government published processing periods; whilst diligently maintaining evidence of the relationship despite the inability to reunite. Note: The criteria that you need to focus on is the criteria related to “not living separately and apart on a permanent basis”.
1B. After lodging the partner visa, consider applying for a visitor visa, with a travel exemption service to enter Australia. Please note however that the refusal rate for this is high, so there is a high level of supporting evidence required to establish compelling and compassionate circumstances to convince Immigration that you satisfy one or more of the Travel Exemption criteria in order to improve your chances of success.
2A. If you hold a current valid Australian Visa: Apply for a Travel Exemption to allow you to enter Australia. Please ensure that you carefully understand the Travel Exemption criteria in order to satisfy the evidentiary requirements in order to maximise your chances of success.
2B. If your travel exemption is approved, and you enter Australia, then you can you prepare and submit an onshore Partner Visa (Subclass 820) as long as you meet the requirements of the subclass regulations.
Understandings: It is important to note that these are unprecedented times. There can be unexpected processing delays, changes to government policies and regulatory (legislative) amendments without any advanced notice to the public. So please seek professional help to minimise your risk.
A new Legislative Instrument (LIN 20/156) was announced this week that amends LIN 18/036 to require all nominated positions to be advertised on the Government’s Jobactive website (www.jobsearch.gov.au).
The new amending provision in LIN 20/156 applies to nominations made after 28 days from the commencement of the instrument, which was 3 September 2020. Therefore, the new LMT requirement effectively applies to visa nominations made on or after 30 September 2020.
Australia will target the world's "super talent" to boost the post-COVID-19 economic recovery, with Population Minister Alan Tudge pledging to take an active role in attracting the best and brightest through skilled migration.
As the coronavirus pandemic drives the nation's migration rate to near zero for the first time since World War I, the Coalition has committed to expanding special access visas, including headhunting entrepreneurs and business leaders to settle in Australia.
Addressing the National Press Club in Canberra on Friday, Mr Tudge said he was "particularly keen" on the government's global talent visa program, which offers streamlined and priority visa pathways to high-skilled and talented individuals to work and live permanently in Australia.
"We want to make sure we're attractive for that super talent, and it's some of that super talent that are real job creators," he said.
"They create the businesses, they invest and they're the types of people particularly that I'd like to be seeing come into the country as a priority."
Mr Tudge, the acting Immigration Minister, said the government was going after Hong Kong's entrepreneurs and corporate leaders to bring their businesses and families to Australia.
Business has been pushing for a speedy restart to global talent visa programs, as the government prepares for a massive hit to GDP from stalled population growth.
Mr Tudge said the scheme deliberately marketed to the world's top talent "instead of passively waiting for good people to apply".
He said the government would revive a push for a stronger focus on Australian values in the citizenship test, pushing back on the pandemic's potential to "tear apart our social fabric".
Greens leader Adam Bandt hit out at that plan, warning arbitrary tests would not make a more cohesive society.
"Scott Morrison locks up asylum seekers, and Peter Dutton attacks African Australians," he said.
"Instead of attacking multiculturalism and democracy, Scott Morrison should value them.
"Before Scott Morrison tries to enforce this test, he should have to pass it himself. I reckon he'd come undone on questions about the right to protest or freedom from arbitrary detention."
Labor's multicultural affairs spokesman, Andrew Giles, said the opposition would work constructively with the government on a plan to improve access to free and unlimited English language classes for migrants.
An estimated 1 million citizens and residents do not have a basic English proficiency, which Mr Tudge said added to social dislocation and risk from foreign influence.
"The circumstances of the pandemic provide an opportunity to rebuild our settlement services so that they continue to be fit for purpose as a key foundation of Australia's multicultural society," Mr Giles said.
Migrant and refugee settlement agency AMES Australia said improved flexibility was needed to help people living and working in the community improve their language skills.
"We know that a lack of English can be a major barrier to people find employment and achieving social participation," chief executive Cath Scarth said.
"The extra hours of English will be really valuable, as will the removal of the five-year limit. This will really benefit professionally qualified refugees who need more than 510 hours to get to the stage where they can prepare to requalify in their professions.
"Some migrants, however, would benefit from better access and flexibility. Someone who is working nine to five may not be able to attend traditional English classes."
Author: Tom McIlroy
Once you have been granted a permanent visa it has an initial five (5) year validity period. This validity period is essentially a travel facility. If you remain in Australia beyond the five years your permanent residence does not expire, only your ability to depart and then re-enter Australia as a permanent resident is affected.
To obtain a new five (5) year travel facility (called a resident return visa, or RRV) the basic criteria is that you have spent at least two (2) years out of the last five (5) physically present in Australia as the holder of a permanent visa.
If you cannot meet the ‘2 in 5’ requirement you may be eligible for a resident return visa with one year travel validity. As noted above, if you remain in Australia beyond the one year validity period your permanent residence does not expire, only your ability to depart and then re-enter Australia as a permanent resident is affected.
To meet the requirements for the one year RRV you must demonstrate that you have substantial ties to Australia that are of benefit to Australia. Substantial ties can be under any of the following:
Permanent residents who have less than 2 years’ physical presence in Australia and who have not yet established substantial ties of benefit to Australia may be eligible for a three month RRV. For example, you may have settled in Australia when nearing the end of your migrant travel facility and need to travel overseas before you have established substantial ties.
As above, if you remain in Australia beyond the 3 month validity period your permanent residence does not expire, only your ability to depart and then re-enter Australia as a permanent resident is affected.
You can apply online right now, without providing any documents, if:
Or, read information about:
| STREAM | 75 PER CENT OF APPLICATIONS PROCESSED | 90 PER CENT OF APPLICATIONS PROCESSED |
| 155 | 4 Days | 21 Days |
| 157 | Unavailable due to low volume of applications. | Unavailable due to low volume of applications. |
Processing times vary.
You must be:
You must have a valid passport.
You must meet our character requirement.
You are not eligible for this visa if your last permanent visa was cancelled.
We will not accept an application if you have received a notice that your permanent business visa might be cancelled.
You should not apply for this visa if you hold:
Both the 155 and 157 visas are permanent visas. They let you undertake all of the activities that your original permanent visa let you undertake:
The difference between the visas is the length of the travel facility:
The visa you are granted depends on the information you provide in your application.
You might be granted a subclass 155 visa if you either:
You might be granted a subclass 157 visa if all of the following apply to you:
If you have been outside Australia for more than three continuous months immediately before you apply, you must have a compelling and compassionate reason for the absence.
AUD 405.
If you apply on paper, you need to pay an additional $80.
While they usually do not occur, if there are any additional costs associated with this visa, you are responsible for them.
The visa pricing estimator is an online tool that calculates the total cost of your visa.
If you are in Australia and the travel facility on your current visa has, or is, about to expire, you need to apply for, and be granted, an RRV before you leave Australia.
You can apply for the visa outside Australia, but it must be granted before you enter Australia.
How long the visas last
The subclass 155 and 157 visas are permanent visas, however, this does not mean that the visa always lasts indefinitely.
The length of the travel facility attached to your visa depends on information in your application and the visa subclass you are granted.
What to do when the travel facility ends.
There is important information for New Zealand passport holders.
You cannot include family members in your application. Each family member must complete their own application.
You and your family members must comply with Australian laws.