The Department of Home Affairs has published a series of updates to the Working Holiday Maker (WHM) program, effective across 2026, covering visa arrangements, age eligibility, program caps and processing timeframes. As agreed by the Australian and Indonesian Governments, the Indonesia Working Holiday Maker program will transition to a ballot system, with the ballot expected to open later this year. Anyone meeting WHM eligibility requirements will be able to express interest, with further details to be published once arrangements are finalised. Processing timeframes The Department is currently receiving a high volume of Working Holiday (subclass 417) and Work and Holiday (subclass 462) visa applications, and processing times are consequently longer than usual. Applicants are advised not to book travel to Australia until they have received written confirmation that their visa has been granted and can monitor their application status via ImmiAccount. Increased age eligibility for Cyprus, Finland, Germany and Republic of Korea Passport holders from Cyprus, Finland, Germany and the Republic of Korea became eligible to apply for a Working Holiday (subclass 417) visa up to the age of 35 (inclusive), from 1st July 2026. Cap increase for Uruguay From 1 July 2026, up to 1,500 first Work and Holiday (subclass 462) visas are available each program year to eligible Uruguayan passport holders, finalising a previously agreed amendment to the bilateral arrangement between Australia and Uruguay. Luxembourg applicants no longer require a Letter of Support From 3 June 2026, Luxembourg passport holders are no longer required to provide a Letter of Support with their Work and Holiday (subclass 462) visa application. 2026–27 ballot registrations closed for China, India and Vietnam Registrations for the Work and Holiday (subclass 462) visa ballot for China, India and Vietnam applicants closed on 25th June 2026. Czech Republic Work and Holiday Program extended The Pilot Work and Holiday Visa Arrangement between Australia and the Czech Republic has been extended, with Czech applicants able to apply for a Work and Holiday visa online through ImmiAccount. Philippines Work and Holiday arrangement progressing Following the Memorandum of Understanding signed by Australia and the Philippines on 8 September 2023, both governments are finalising the administrative arrangements required to launch a new Work and Holiday (subclass 462) visa program. Once operational, the arrangement will allow up to 200 young Filipino and Australian passport holders to undertake a 12-month working holiday in each other’s country annually, including short-term work and study. A start date and further details including guidance on obtaining a Letter of Concurrence for Filipino applicants will be published once arrangements are finalised. Australia and UK Free Trade Agreement Following the entry into force of the Australia–UK Free Trade Agreement on 31st May 2023, updated arrangements are in place under the Working Holiday Maker program and Youth Mobility Scheme for UK passport holders. Visa condition 8547 – six-month work limitation Working Holiday Makers are reminded that mandatory visa condition 8547 limits work with any single employer to a maximum of six months, unless a blanket exemption applies or written permission has been obtained to work longer. Click here: Working Holiday Maker (WHM) program

VETASSESS has released its updated fee schedule for Professional Skills Recognition Skills Assessments taking effect from 9th September 2026. The increase applies in line with the Consumer Price Index and has been reviewed in accordance with Australian Government guidance. The fee changes cover a broad range of services, including the standard Full Skills Assessment (which also applies to DAMA and Industry Labour Agreement applications), Priority Processing, Skills Assessment Support (SAS), Chinese Qualifications Verification (CQV), non-migration assessments, and administration fees. The increase does not apply to trade occupation assessments. Key fee changes (GST excluded): Service Current fee New fee Full Skills Assessment (incl. DAMA/ILA) $1,096 $1,146 Priority Processing (supplementary) $825 $863 Points Test Advice (non-VETASSESS occupations) $311 $325 Post-485 Assessment (same occupation) $852 $891 Post-Vocational Education Work Visa (Subclass 485) $416 $436 Review – Subclass 485 $265 $277 Reassessment – Subclass 485 $379 $396 Reassessment (within 12 months) $745 $779 Appeal (within 90 days) $1,082 $1,132 Renewal of Skills Assessment (within 3 years) $473 $495 Review of assessment outcome (within 90 days) (including DAMA and ILA): Review type Current fee New fee Qualification only $340 $356 Employment only $609 $637 Qualification and Employment $913 $955 To view the full fee schedule, click here

The Passenger Movement Charge Amendment Bill 2026 has been introduced into the House of Representatives by the Department of Home Affairs, proposing a further amendment to the Passenger Movement Charge Act 1978. Under the Bill, the Passenger Movement Charge payable by most passengers departing Australia will increase from $70 to $80. The amendment is set to take effect the day after the Bill receives Royal Assent. The increased charge will apply to departures from Australia on or after 1st January 2027. An exception applies where a passenger departs using a ticket or equivalent travel authority that was sold or issued before the Act’s commencement, and the departure occurs between 1st January 2027 and 30th June 2028 in which case the previous $70 charge will continue to apply. Click here: Passenger Movement Charge Amendment Bill 2026

The Administrative and Judicial Review Legislation Amendment Bill 2026 has been introduced into the House of Representatives by the Attorney-General, proposing amendments to the Administrative Review Tribunal Act 2024, the Migration Act 1958, and related legislation. Key proposed changes include: It takes effect the day after Royal Assent; identity verification and approved forms provisions commence via Proclamation, with a six-month backstop. Click here: Administrative and Judicial Review Legislation Amendment Bill 2026

The Department of Home Affairs has issued new policy advice regarding endorsements under the Far North Queensland Designated Area Migration Agreement (FNQ DAMA), effective 30 July 2026. Under the updated guidance, Designated Area Representatives (DARs) are now encouraged to consider a business’s full current and future workforce requirements when endorsing applications, rather than limiting endorsement to a single year. DARs should endorse eligible visa streams across all five years of the agreement where appropriate, including consideration of Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS) pathways for Skilled International (SID) visa holders. This change is intended to reduce the need for multiple variation requests and avoid subsequent processing delays for employers and applicants. Importantly, Home Affairs has confirmed that any previous advice recommending endorsement of only the first year of an initial application is no longer valid. Click here: Regional Migration

A new report from the Migrant Justice Institute (MJI), called Off the Books, has found that many migrant workers in Australia are being paid far less than they are legally owed. The findings come from a large survey of nearly 10,000 people who worked in Australia on temporary visas, including international students, backpackers and skilled workers. The report found that two out of every three migrant workers were paid less than what they were entitled to under Australian law, and more than a third were paid below the legal minimum wage. International students alone are thought to be short-changed by around $61 million every week, adding up to more than $3 billion a year. A big part of the problem is job insecurity. Nearly three-quarters of migrants surveyed were working as casual employees or as independent contractors (on an ABN), rather than in stable, permanent jobs. Many of these workers were likely misclassified, meaning they were actually employees but were being treated as contractors so they could be paid less and denied basic rights like minimum wage and leave. The report also found that underpayment rarely happens on its own. Workers who were underpaid were also far more likely to be paid in cash, given no payslip or a misleading one, denied superannuation, or have money wrongly taken out of their pay. This suggests many employers are deliberately using a combination of tactics to hide how little they’re actually paying their workers. International students face an extra challenge: because their visa only allows them to work 48 hours per fortnight, many said this pushed them into taking cash-in-hand jobs just to cover rent and living costs, leaving them more vulnerable to exploitation. On a more positive note, workers who were union members were much less likely to be underpaid or stuck in insecure jobs though only a small number of migrants surveyed (7%) were actually union members. To fix these problems, the report makes 16 recommendations to the government, including: The report’s authors say that while the government has made some positive changes in recent years, much more needs to be done to stop dishonest employers from taking advantage of migrant workers. Click here: Migrant Justice Institute

A NSW South Coast aged care provider has been sanctioned by the Australian Border Force (ABF) and ordered to repay nearly $120,000 to sponsored employees, after an investigation found it had unlawfully recovered sponsorship-related costs from migrant workers. Acting on a Border Watch report, ABF’s Sponsor Monitoring Unit found the company had sponsored 19 workers under the Skills in Demand (Subclass 482) visa, with 13 affected by breaches totalling $118,197 including two workers who personally paid $17,449 and $19,847 toward nomination and visa costs, in breach of Australia’s migration laws. The company acknowledged the breaches in April and repaid all affected workers in full. It is now subject to a six-month bar from making new sponsor nomination applications. ABF Acting Commander Tim Thorley said the case demonstrates the ABF’s commitment to enforcing sponsor obligations, warning that employers avoiding their responsibilities “should expect to be detected, investigated, and held accountable.” Click here: Australian Border Force

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) is reminding all Australians that they may complete their Census as soon as they receive their instructions, without needing to wait until Census night itself. Census night takes place on Tuesday, 11 August 2026. Over one million Census forms have already been submitted. Most households have now received a letter outlining how to complete the Census online or request a paper form. Individuals who have not yet received instructions, or who wish to complete the Census separately from their household, are encouraged to visit the Census website to obtain a Census number or request a paper form. Those who will not be at their usual residence on Census night should also use the Census website to indicate whether their home will be vacant and where residents will be staying instead. For more information, click here

The Albanese and Cook Labor Governments have announced $32 million in joint funding for a Clean Energy Skills Hub at North Metropolitan TAFE’s Midland campus, with $20 million allocated to establish it. The Hub will operate on a hub-and-spoke model, networking with up to four regional locations across WA, and will deliver training in solar, wind, battery storage and related clean energy technologies. It forms part of the $70.5 million Clean Energy Skills National Centre of Excellence (CESNCE), a joint initiative supporting regional TAFE colleges and improving access to training for regional and Aboriginal communities. Refurbishments at the Midland campus are set to begin later in 2026, with expanded electrical and instrumentation training from 2027. Ministers noted WA is projected to need 22,000 clean energy workers by 2035, with the investment building on Midland TAFE’s existing training strengths. Click here: Western Australia Government Website

Migration Tasmania is hosting an online webinar outlining the key changes to the Tasmanian Skilled Migration Program for the 2026-27 year. The webinar is being held ahead of the program’s official reopening to new Registrations of Interest (ROIs) on 17 August 2026, giving prospective applicants and stakeholders an opportunity to understand this year’s revised selection criteria before the program launches. Topics to be covered: The session will take place on 13 August 2026, from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM AEST. No pre-registration is required. To join, click here