Giuseppe Romano Giuseppe Romano

Expanding Employer Sponsored Pathways to Permanent Residence (PR)!

Important updates for subclass 482 (or 457) visa holders!

To ensure that temporary skilled workers have a pathway to PR, the Department of Home Affairs is 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) visa

  • Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (subclass 187) (RSMS) visa

Key Points of the reform:

  • PR pathways for 482 visa holders regardless of their occupation

  • Access to the 186 TRT/ 187 TRT visa after 2 years with the same employer (currently 3).

Applies to 186 TRT/ 187 TRT visa applications lodged on/after 25 November 2023* (and applications already lodged that are yet to be finalised as at 25/11/2023)

We are ready to assist you with these upcoming changes. Contact us for guidance on how this could benefit your future in Australia!

*Pending regulation approval.

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Giuseppe Romano Giuseppe Romano

DEPARTMENT TO RESUME OFFSHORE STUDENT VISA PROCESSING

The Morrison government has announced changes to the student visa arrangements in order to support international students who are struggling due to the current COVID-19 situation. The education sector represents the Australian third largest export, contributing $40 billion dollars annually.

Five main changes have been announced:

1) The government will resume granting student visas to offshore applicants. This means that when the borders re-open, students will already have visas and will be able to make arrangements to travel.

2) International students will be able to submit an additional student visa application for free, if they are unable to complete their studies within the validity of the original visa due to COVID-19.

3) Current student visa holders, studying online outside of Australia due to COVID-19, will be able to use that study to count for a post-study work visa subclass 485.

4) Graduates holding a student visa will be able to apply for a post-study work visa outside Australia if they are unable to return due to COVID-19.

5) Additional time will be given to applicants to provide English language results, if COVID-19 has stopped the access to these services.

Please note that some of the above points will require amendments to the current legislation to become effective.

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Giuseppe Romano Giuseppe Romano

Student visas - Increase to financial capacity

With the just released legislative instrument 19/198 the Department of Home Affairs has reviewed,

as of tomorrow 24th October,

the requested evidence of financial capacity for student visa applicants.

Not all student visa applications require the applicants to show evidence of funds, however, the Department of Home Affairs has the right to request such evidence.

The previous figures are updated as follows.

Student visa applicant must have access to:

$21,041 for a primary applicant (currently $20,290)

$7,362 for a spouse or de facto partner (currently $7,100)

$3,152 for a dependent child (currently $3,040)

Annual school costs (unchanged)

The Department will be satisfied that the requirement is met where the applicant can demonstrate an annual income of $62,222 (currently $60,000) where there is one only applicant;

$72,592 (currently $70,000) where there is a secondary applicant.

Make sure you meet the above requirement among the others before lodging your student visa application or ask for professional advice.

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