NEW "SKILLS IN DEMAND" VISA- Coming soon!
Big changes are underway in Australia's immigration landscape as the announcement for a new "SKILLS IN DEMAND” VISA has been unveiled. The Australian immigration system is gearing up for a significant revamp, aiming to attract individuals with the skills the country needs.
In this blog post, we'll explore the key details about this new visa and what it means for prospective immigrants.
What We Know So Far:
The New Visa Streams: According to the Migration Strategy plan released last December 2023, the upcoming visa will be available in three streams, each designed to identify and accommodate the specific skills Australia is in need of:
Specialist Skills Pathway, to drive innovation and job creation:
This pathway will be for highly skilled workers and welcomes applications from nearly all occupations (except trades workers, machinery operators and drivers, and labourers).
The primary requirement will be an annual salary of at least $135,000.
An annual cap of available spots will most likely be enforced.
Core Skills Pathway, to bring in the skilled employees Australia needs now and in the future:
Individuals seeking sponsorship through this stream will have an occupation listed in the relevant Core Skills Occupation list, with salaries ranging from $70,000 to $135,000 per year.
This pathway is expected to be central, covering a majority of the visa applications. Unlike the Specialist Skills Pathway, trades workers, machinery operators and drivers, and labourers will be eligible to apply.
The Core Skills occupation list will be regularly updated to reflect Australia's evolving needs for skilled workers.
Essential Skills Pathway:
This stream will be for workers with skills essential to Australia, but their salaries are below $70,000.
Initially, the department is expected to open this stream to applicants employed in aged care and disability assistance sectors. However, this pathway is still considered an area for future reform, with consultations scheduled to begin in early to mid-2024.
Additional Highlights:
Sponsor Transfers: Sponsors can be transferred within 180 days instead of the current 60 days.
Expanded Work Opportunities: Unlike the current restriction where individuals can only work for the nominating employer, Skills in Demand visa holders will be able to work for multiple employers. Employment with any approved employer will count towards permanent residence requirements.
It's important to note that these changes are not yet officially legislated, and the exact timeline for implementation remains uncertain (we expect them to become active from late 2024). As of now, the existing work visas like TSS 482, ENS 186, and Regional 494 remain in effect.
For more information on these visas and recent reforms already in place, click here.
Stay tuned for the latest updates on immigration and visas in Australia!
Australia- UK Free Trade Agreement (AUKFTA)
The Australia-United Kingdom Free Trade Agreement officially came into effect on May 31, 2023, marking a significant milestone in the economic ties between these two nations.
Boosting Trade Relations
The United Kingdom stands as one of Australia's key trading partners, and the numbers speak for themselves. In 2022, the two countries engaged in a robust $10 billion worth of two-way goods trade. Thanks to this landmark agreement, over 99% of Australian products can now enter the UK market without incurring any duties or tariffs. Moreover, UK tariffs on Australian industrial goods have been completely eliminated. The agricultural sector also sees a positive shift, with products like beef, sheep meat, sugar, and dairy now enjoying duty-free transitional quotas, eventually leading to the elimination of all tariffs.
Strengthening Ties
Beyond the economic aspect, this agreement enhances the people-to-people connections between the two nations. Australian professionals now have access to the UK job market on par with their counterparts from the European Union, with the exception of the Republic of Ireland.
Facilitating Mobility
The agreement doesn't stop at trade—it also focuses on fostering mobility for skilled workers and young people in both directions. Starting from July 1, 2023, UK passport holders can apply for a Working Holiday visa between the ages of 18 and 35 years inclusive (up from the previous limit of 30). Additionally, beginning July 1, 2024, UK passport holders can obtain up to three separate Working Holiday visas without needing to meet specific work requirements.
Exemption from Labour Market Testing
A notable highlight of this agreement is the exemption of UK citizens (including UK Permanent Residents) from Labour Market Testing (LMT). LMT is a requirement for employers to demonstrate that they couldn't find a suitable Australian worker before sponsoring an overseas employee.
This free trade agreement is set to bring significant opportunities and benefits to both Australia and the United Kingdom, fostering economic growth and closer ties between the two nations.
Skilled Nominated visa (190) - NSW: updates 27 September 2023
Invitation rounds for the SKILLED NOMINATED visa (190) in NSW will commence next week.
What’s changing:
Due to high demand and limited places, to better address the skills shortages across the State, NSW will focus on priority sectors that need skilled workers, including:
Health
Education
Information and Communication Technology (ICT)
Infrastructure
Agriculture
Although the focus will be in key-industries, high-ranking Expressions of Interest (EOIs) in non-priority sectors may also be considered.
Temporary relaxation of working hours for student visa holders
The Department of Home Affairs and Australian Border Force has approved a temporary relaxation of working hours for student visa holders, when employed in specific sectors.
You can work for more than 40 hours a fortnight if you are:
employed in the tourism and hospitality sector
employed in the agriculture sector
enrolled in a health care related course and you are supporting the health effort against COVID-19 as directed by health officials
employed by an aged care Approved Provider or Commonwealth-funded aged care service provider with a RACS ID or a NAPS ID, before 8 September 2020
employed by a registered National Disability Insurance Scheme provider
The government will review these temporary measures regularly and will announce when these measures no longer apply.
Student visa holders do not have to apply to get these temporary measures but will need to contact their employers.
FEDERAL BUDGET PLAN 2020-2021- MIGRATION PROGRAM UPDATES
Important changes have been announced within the Migration Program of the Federal Budget plan for 2020-2021, specifically for partner visa applicants and for temporary visa holders unable to travel to Australia due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Partner visa
A family sponsorship framework will be introduced; those who wish to sponsor their partner must submit their own application first and be deemed suitable to sponsor before a visa application can be lodged.
English language requirements will be introduced for BOTH applicants and their permanent resident sponsors. The aim is to enhance their social integration and a better economic participation.
Priority will be given to applications made onshore and to applicants whose sponsor resides in regional area.
REFUND for temporary visa holders
VAC refunds, waivers or visa extensions will be offered to current visa holders who have been unable to travel to Australia due to the pandemic and the borders closure, including:
temporary skilled workers and visitor visa holders, who will be eligible to have a VAC for a subsequent visa application waived,
working holiday visa makers will be eligible to have a VAC for a subsequent visa application waived or otherwise to access the VAC refund.
prospective marriage visa holders will have access to VAC (Visa Application Charges) refund.
To make these changes effective, regulation amendments are required.
Further updates will be available soon
CRITICAL COVID-19 WORK IN THE HEALTHCARE AND MEDICAL SECTORS TO COUNT AS SPECIFIED WORK
The Department of Home Affairs has announced changes to the Working Holiday Visa program.
Working holiday makers, who have worked in critical healthcare and medical sectors in response to the COVID-19 emergency, will now be able to count work undertaken after January 31, 2020 as specified work to apply for a second and third working holiday visa.
Changes will also be made to allow those who had a working holiday visa and then switched to a COVID-19 pandemic event visa subclass 408, to continue doing critical COVID-19 works in the health and medical sectors, which will count as specific work for the purpose of a 2nd or 3rd WHM visa.
To make these changes effective, regulation amendments are required. Further updates will be available soon.
VISA FEE WAIVER FOR STUDENTS AFFECTED BY COVID-19
To support the recovery of the international education sector in Australia, a new student visa visa fee waiver has been introduced.
A NIL (= $0) visa fee will be available for international students who need to lodge an additional student visa application, to complete their studies.
International students who held a student visa on or after the 1st of February 2020 and who were unable to complete their studies within their original visa, due to covid-19, will be eligible for the new visa fee waiver.
Students must:
apply for a new student visa after midnight on 5 August 2020
attach a 1545 COVID-19 IMPACTED STUDENT form, provided by their educational institution.
Students can be onshore or offshore. The visa fee waiver applies to new student visa applications only.
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.
CHANGES TO THE OCCUPATIONS LISTS - MARCH 2020
The planned changes to the occupations lists of March 2020 will occur after the Department of Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business will have taken into consideration public submissions among the other factors.
A list of flagged occupations (proposed for a change and/or recommended a salary caveat) has just been published. Occupations that are not included in the list are unlikely to see any changes.
The following occupations, currently in the STSOL are proposed for removal from the list:
Careers Counsellor, Vehicle Trimmer, Business Machine Mechanic, Animal Attendants and Trainers nec, Gardener (General), Hairdresser, Wood Machinist, Massage Therapist, Community Worker, Diving Instructor (Open Water), Gymnastics Coach or Instructor.
The occupations below are proposed for a change of list from MLTSSL to STSOL:
Automotive Electrician, Motorcycle Mechanic, Locksmith, Painting Trades Worker, Glazier, Wall and Floor Tiler, Cabinetmaker
On the contrary, the following occupations might be transferred from STSOL to MLTSSL:
Sales and Marketing Manager (with a salary caveat of $120,000), ICT Project Manager (includes Blockchain Planner/Manager), Information and Organisation Professionals nec (includes Data Scientist), Insurance Loss Adjuster
From ROL to STSOL:
Post Office Manager, Mechanical Engineering Draftsperson, Real Estate Representative
From TSOL to ROL:
Geologist
From ROL to MLTSSL:
Procurement Manager, Ship's Master
Added to STSOL:
Corporate Treasurer, Aged or Disabled Carer , Nursing Support Worker, Personal Care Assistant
Last but not least, the occupations below are proposed a salary caveat of $65,000:
Baker, Pastrycook, Horse Trainer , Fitter and Turner, Sportspersons nec, Poultry Farmer.
Do not hesitate to contact us for further information