Effective 1 July 2023, New Zealand citizens who have been living in Australia for four years or more will be eligible to apply directly for Australian citizenship. Great news for all New Zealand citizens who hold a permanent visa or a Special Category (subclass 444) visa (SCV).

To confirm your eligibility, you may contact us here: Contact Us

Increase of VACs for the majority of visas and new citizenship application fees will apply starting 01 July 2023.

The amendments implement the Government’s decision to index the VACs in accordance with the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and to implement the Migration – Uplift of Visa Application Charges Budget measure. The increased revenue generated will fund costs associated with improvements aiming to streamline processes and improve service delivery efficiency, resulting in faster visa outcomes for applicants.

Sources: 

• https://migrationalliance.com.au/images/easyblog_images/5725/Migration-Amendment-Visa-Application-Charges-Regulations-2023-Explanatory-Statement.pdf

• https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/news-media/archive/article?itemId=1074

The Department of Home Affairs has released the Legislative Instrument Migration Amendment (Extension of Subclass 485 (Temporary Graduate) Visa and Increase in Subclass 500 (Student) Visa Work Hours) Regulations 2023 – F2023L00821 wherein effective  1 July 2023, international higher education graduates with eligible qualifications will have additional two years of post-study work rights.

The new work rights extensions below for eligible graduates will apply from 1 July 2023.

• Four years for Bachelor degree graduates, up from two years previously.
• Five years for Master degree graduates, up from three years previously.
• Six years for doctoral graduates, up from four years previously.

Hong Kong and British National Overseas passport holders are eligible for a 5-year Post-Study Work Subclass 485 visa.

For more information on 485 visa extensions, you may contact us here: Contact Us

Source:

https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/F2023L00821/Download

Occupation nomination and skills assessment required for applications starting 1 July 2023.

Effective 01 July 2023, international students who are looking to apply for a Temporary Graduate Visa (Subclass 485), you will need to:

• have a qualification relevant to an occupation on the skilled occupation list, and
• have applied for a skills assessment in your nominated occupation on the skilled occupation list

This is not required for applications lodged between 1 July 2022 and 30 June 2023. This requirement will return for applications lodged on or after 1 July 2023.

To find out more and confirm your eligibility, contact us at: Contact Us

Source/s:

• https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-listing/temporary-graduate-485/graduate-work#Eligibility
• https://www.linkedin.com/posts/australian-department-of-home-affairs_are-you-an-international-student-who-has-activity-7075336195307700224-k-Od

Source/s: https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/F2023L00195

This instrument amends the Migration (Arrangements for Resident Return visa applications) Instrument (LIN 22/019) 2022 to reflect changes to the approved form, place, and manner for making an application for a Special Eligibility (Class CB) visa application.

Explanatory Statement: https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/F2023L00195/Explanatory%20Statement/Text

Source: NSW Government

Before you apply for NSW nomination, you must ensure you meet the eligibility requirements for your nomination stream.

For the 'Regional NSW-based direct pathway', this means you are:

• currently living and working in your nominated (or closely related) occupation in a designated regional area of NSW, and have continuously done so for the past 12 months with the same employer for a minimum of 20 hours per week, AND
• are paid at least the TSMIT level of $53,900 per annum (prorated) excluding superannuation from this employment over the past 12 months.

For 'Pathway 1', this means you:

• meet the minimum point score and years of skilled work experience for your occupation as outlined on our skills list, AND
• are currently either residing in NSW, or offshore, and have continuously done so for a minimum period of 3 months.

If you apply when you do not meet these requirements, your application will be declined. Application fees are non-refundable.

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: Charis Chang of SBS News - https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/federal-budget-2022-this-is-what-labor-has-said-about-immigration-and-visas/2355lngzu

An additional $576 million (over 4 years) will be given to the Department of Home Affairs in the 2022 federal budget and more skilled visas will be made available.

• The number of skilled visas allocated will grow significantly from 79,600 to 142,400
• The number of parent visas allocated will grow as well, with the government increasing the allocation from 4,500 to 8,500 this year.

An extra $576 million over four years will be provided to the Department of Home Affairs towards visa processing, to cover a shortfall in funding for the maintenance of offshore processing centres and to support refugees.

But this is still around $300 million less than the $875 million that was taken out in March.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the government was providing a "substantial" increase in funding to the department.

"This is a substantial improvement in funding for Home Affairs, we are getting the processing of visas going again," Mr Albanese told SBS News.

SBS News

Number of Skilled Visas available for 2022/2023

• Employer Sponsored - 35,000
• Skilled Independent - 32,100
• Regional - 34,000
• State and Territory Nominated - 31,000
• Business innovation and investment - 5,000
• Global talent - 5,000
• Distinguished talent - 300

When it comes to family visas, more parent visas will be available, with the government increasing the allocation from 4,500 in 2021-22, to 8,500 this year. Partner and child visas will remain demand-driven with no limit placed on these. There will also be around 500 other family visas, and 100 special eligibility visas available.

The humanitarian visa program will stay the same with 13,750 places available in 2022-23, and an extra 16,500 for Afghan refugees over four years.

Priority for skilled visas will be given to people living overseas, and to New Zealanders who have lived in Australia for many years.

SNS News

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: Migration Alliance

The Australian Government is streamlining requirements for temporary visa applicants in Australia.

Temporary visa applicants in Australia will not be required to undertake medical examinations and chest x‐rays, based on their nationality, previous residence and proposed length of stay, in order to meet the health requirement.

Temporary visa applicants in Australia will still be required to undertake relevant medical examinations and/or chest x‐rays if they:

• have applied for a medical treatment, temporary protection or a provisional visa
• expect to incur medical costs or require medical treatment
• intend to work as (or study to be) a doctor, dentist, nurse or paramedic
• will enter a hospital, aged or disability care facility (if higher tuberculosis risk)
• are pregnant and intending to have the baby in Australia
• will work or train at an Australian childcare centre
• are aged over 75 years (if applying for a visitor visa)
• have had previous household contact with tuberculosis or
• are requested to do so by the Department.

Applicants must complete questions on their form truthfully. If the Department is made aware of false declarations, the applicant's visa may be subject to cancellation.

This is temporary measure and applies to all eligible temporary visa applications currently with the Department and new applications made in Australia. The Government will review these arrangements in early 2023.

What visa subclasses do these arrangements apply to?

• 401 Temporary Work (Long Stay Activity)
• 403 Temporary Work (International Relations)
• 405 Investor Retirement
• 407 Training
• 408 Temporary Activity
• 410 Retirement
• 417 and 462 Working Holiday
• 461 New Zealand Citizen Family Relationship (Temporary)
• 476 Skilled ‐ Recognised Graduate
• 482 Temporary Skill Shortage
• 485 Temporary Graduate
• 500 Students
• 590 Student Guardian
• 600 Visitor
• 870 Sponsored Parent (Temporary)
• 995 Diplomatic (Temporary)

What does this mean for existing medical appointments?

The Department’s contracted service provider will be in touch with you soon to cancel appointments
where they are no longer required and provide refunds.

Are refunds available for recently completed medical examinations?

No – medicals already completed will be considered by the Department in the normal way.

Source: Abul Rizvi of Independent Australia - https://independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/government-issues-biggest-round-of-skilled-independent-visas-in-years,16829

The Government has now locked that in by issuing 12,200 invitations for Skilled Independent Visas and another 466 for the Regional Family Sponsored Skilled visa on 22 August 2022. These invitations relate to Expressions of Interest (EOIs) lodged on or before 8 August 2022.

This invitation round for Skilled Independent visas was by far the biggest in years and reflects a change in program management strategy whereby the Government is seeking to grant visas as soon as possible in 2022 rather than spread these through the 2022-23 program year.

These invitations are to primary visa applicants. Adding secondary applicants (dependent family members) will see the total number of Skilled Independent visas for this category at over 16,000.

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.

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:

• appears within an ANZSCO unit group identified on the skills list for the visa you are considering, AND
• is eligible for that visa

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