Category Archives: News

The final settings of the Global Talent Independent Program has been launched. As part of the commitment to ensuring that businesses in Australia has access to the best and brightest talent to help grow a stronger economy, the Government allocated 5,000 permanent places for global talent in the 2019-20 Migration Program Year. Through the Global…

NSW has announced the criteria for the Permanent Significant Investor Visa and the extension Significant Investor Visa. NSW nomination criteria for the entrepreneur visa are very competitive and support the aim of the NSW migration program to create jobs, boost productivity and generate genuine economic activity. 188C Significant Investor Visa (SIV) Program requirements: The applicant…

The department of Home Affairs has made changes to the risk levels (assessment levels) for some countries. These changes are based on a balance of offshore refusals (both fraud-related and non-fraud related) and onshore immigration ‘trailing risks’: rate of visa cancellations, over stayers and subsequent protection visa applications. India, Nepal, and Pakistan are among the higher…

The Department of Health has declared that holders of the new regional visas will be 'treated as being an eligible person' for the purposes of the Health Insurance Act. This means that migrants on the new Subclass 491 and 494 visas will now be able to apply for Medicare to cover their stay. Comparison to…

As of 24 October 2019, the annual living costs, annual school costs, and minimum personal annual income for Subclass 500 or Subclass 590 will increase. The changes include: Living costs For a 12 month period, applicants must show: $21,041: main applicant $7,362: partner or spouse $3,152: for each dependent child $8,296: schooling costs for dependent…

In late October the Premier of Western Australia announced that the requirements for international student graduates to be nominated for a subclass 190 or a subclass 491 would be reduced along with adding trade occupation to their Graduate Occupation List so local graduates of VET courses can also apply. Further changes to the graduate stream…

Changes in subclass 491 and 494 regional visas has now been released, including details on age and skill exemptions, occupation lists, English language requirements, and the pas mark on the points test. This will take effect on 16 November 2019. New Scheme Will introduce two new temporary visas on 16 November, which both have a…

Before applying for Australian Capital Territory (ACT) nomination of a Skilled Nominated (subclass 190) visa, you must complete the Department of Home Affairs (Home Affairs) SKILLSELECT and meet the Home Affairs points test for a subclass 190 visa. You may express your interest in applying for ACT 190 nomination by completing the Canberra Matrix. If your Matrix…

Just over 160,300 individuals were given a permanent visa in 2018-19, slightly down on last year when 162,417 were granted permanent residency. The annual migration cap is 190,000 but this year the Australian government processed around 162,417 applications, almost 30,000 fewer. Migration agents are of the view that the main reason for the decline is…

Asylum seeker support services are hoping that other state governments will follow Victoria’s lead and allocate extra funding for people on temporary visas who have been affected by federal cuts. An amount of $3 million funding commitment has been made by the Victorian government for people on bridging visas. Thousands of asylum seekers who arrived…