The new visa application charges for Partner visa from 1 January 2015 will be as follows:
From 23 November 2014, the department will accept English language test scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language internet-based test (TOEFL iBT) and the Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE Academic) across the Temporary Graduate, Skilled, Former Resident, and Work and Holiday visa programmes.
Scores from the Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE) test will also be accepted from a test taken on or after 1 January 2015.
These tests are alternatives to the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) and the Occupational English Test (OET), and have been accepted in the Student visa programme since 2011.
Student visa applicants can continue to provide scores from the IELTS, OET, TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic or Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE) tests.
More information here.
From 23 November 2014, passport holders from the following countries are eligible to make Subclass 600 Visitor visa applications online in the Tourist, Sponsored Family and Business Visitor streams.
The following countries are also added to the existing list:
The Western Australian Government has announced that public school fees will be waived for families on 457 visa to take into account lower incomes and other hardships. These include:
More information here.
As of 23 November 2014, the list of eligible countries for Work and Holiday visa include Spain and Portugal. The full list includes Argentina, Bangladesh, Chile, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Thailand, Turkey, United States of America and Uruguay.
From 23 November 2014, the entry period (the period between the grant of the visa and entry into Australia) and maximum period of stay (the period between entry into Australia and exit out of Australia) for a Subclass 400 (Temporary Work (Short Stay Activity)) visa will be extended from three months to six months to provide greater flexibility within the temporary work visa programme.
More information here.
The Government has signed a new Work and Holiday arrangement with Israel today.
Minister Cash said the agreement will enable up to 500 young adults from Israel and 500 young adults from Australia to enjoy a holiday in each other’s country, during which they may engage in short-term work and study.
A start date is yet to be announced.
The Government has announced the endorsement of the key findings in the Significant Investor Visa review, which include:
In addition to the findings of the review, there will also be an increase in the residency requirement for secondary applicants of the SIV to 180 days.
The changes are expected to come into effect from 1 July 2015.
Senator Hanson-Young has successfully disallowed the motion against the Migration Amendment (Repeal of Certain Visa Classes) Regulation 2014, as contained in Select Legislative Instrument 2014 No. 65 [F2014L00622], made under the Migration Act 1958.
This means that non-contributory parent and other family visas, including Carer, Remaining Relative and Aged Dependent Relative can now be lodged again.
From 25 September 2014, the following visa subclasses are open to new applications:
The DIBP website is reporting extensive queues for these visas:
Senator Michaela Cash announced the signing of a reciprocal work and holiday visa arrangement between Australia and Portugal today.
The arrangement will give 200 young people from each country a unique experience to share knowledge, culture and experiences.
The work and holiday visa requires applicants to have the support of their government, hold or be studying towards tertiary qualifications, and to speak functional English.
The commencement date of the visa has yet to be determined.
More information here.
The report of the 4-month independent review into integrity in the 457 programme was published today.
There are 22 recommendations aimed at strengthening integrity of the programme and ensuring that business sponsors for 457 visa holders do not discriminate against Australian workers.
The
The four-person panel conducted extensive consultations across Australia, read 189 submissions and met over 150 stakeholders around the country.
The government has not yet provided a detailed response.
A copy of the report, Robust New Foundations: A Streamlined, Transparent and Responsive System for the 457 Programme is available on the Department of Immigration and Border Protection’s website at the link below.
The Minister for Immigration and Border Protection, the Hon Scott Morrison, and the Assistant Minister for Immigration and Border Protection, Senator the Hon Michaelia Cash, announced the signing of a reciprocal work and holiday visa arrangement between Australia and Spain.
The arrangement will give young people from both countries to experience each other’s culture. There will be 500 places for each country each migration program year.
A commencement date has not yet been set.
More information here.
The NSW Government announced today a change to its Significant Investor Visa (SIV) requirements to make it easier for applicants to seek NSW nomination and invest in a broader range of investments.
From 1 September 2014 visa holders are no longer required to hold $1.5 million of their $5 million investment in NSW Waratah Bonds. Applicants will still be required to invest the full $5 million in approved complying investments.
More information here.
As of 1 August 2014, Poland will be added to the list of countries eligible for the Work and Holiday visa. The list includes Argentina, Bangladesh, Chile, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Poland, Thailand, Turkey, United States of America and Uruguay.
Polish applicants must hold tertiary qualifications or have successfully completed at least 2 years of undergraduate university study.
From 1 August 2014, passport holders of the countries listed below will be eligible to make online applications for Subclass 600 (Visitor) visas in the Tourist, Sponsored Family or Business visitor stream.
The additional countries able to make online applications are Angola, Anguilla, Armenia, Benin, Bermuda, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, the Cayman Islands, the Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Republic of the Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, the Falkland Islands, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Gibraltar, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Montserrat, Mozambique, Namibia, New Zealand, Niger, Nigeria, the Philippines, the Pitcairn Islands, Rwanda, Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, the Seychelles, Sierra Leone, South Africa, the Republic of South Sudan, Swaziland, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Togo, Turkmenistan, the Turks and Caicos Islands, Uganda, Uzbekistan, the Virgin Islands, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
For the 2014/15 financial year:
A maximum number of 1550 visas will be granted for:
Parent (Migrant) (Class AX) visas; and
Aged Parent (Residence) (Class BP) visas.
These figures include grants to New Zealand citizens that are not included in the Migration Program.
The maximum number of 510 visa will be granted for:
Other Family (Migrant) (Class BO) visas; and
Other Family (Residence) (Class BU) visas.
These figures include grants to New Zealand citizens that are not included in the Migration Program.
There will be changes to the interpretation of the ENS/RSMS nomination legislation from 1 July 2014.
The new policy will allow certain applications for Temporary Residence Transition (TRT) stream where the nominator has not been the sole standard business sponsor for the nominee during the required period of 2 years. The Department will no longer utilise s50AAA of the Corporations Act to determine whether TRT applicants had worked for the same employer for two years, specifically where businesses have undergone change in the form of restructures,takeovers and sales.
From 1 July 2014, the following changes are applicable:
The following occupations will be added to the SOL:
Chef (Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO) 351311)
Bricklayer (ANZSCO 331111)
Wall and Floor Tiler (ANZSCO 333411)
The following occupations will be added to the CSOL:
Hydrogeologist (ANZSCO 234413)
Exercise Physiologist (ANZSCO 234915)
The following titles will be changed:
Ship’s Surveyor will be titled Marine Surveyor (ANZSCO 231215)
General Medical Practitioner will be titled General Practitioner (ANZSCO 253111)
For new applications for the above visas made on or after 1 July 2014, new assessing authorities will be specified for the following occupations:
Nurse Manager (ANZSCO 254311): Australian Nursing and Midwifery Accreditation Council (ANMAC)
Nurse Educator (ANZSCO 254211): ANMAC
Nurse Researcher (ANZSCO 254212): ANMAC.
Marine Transport Professional not elsewhere classified (ANZSCO 231299): Vocational Education and Training Assessment Services (VETASSESS)
From 1 July 2014, skills assessments issued by assessing authorities for the purpose of visa applications are only valid for a period of three years, or if a shorter validity period is specified in the assessment, for that shorter period. Skills assessment do not currently expire for the purposes of visa applications.
From 1 July 2014, the Visa Evidence Charge (VEC) will increase from $70.00 to $150.00. The VEC is a charge payable if a person requests a visa label affixed to their passport as evidence of their visa grant. In accordance with the move toward digital services, all visa grants are recorded electronically and can be verified online. It is expected that the higher charge will encourage visa holders to use online verification.
Senators Michaelia Cash and Andrew Robb have announced that Chefs, tilers and bricklayers will be added the Skilled Occupation List (SOL) from 1 July 2014, as recommended by the Australian Workforce and Productivity Agency (AWPA).
The SOL currently lists 188 occupations that are in demand in Australia. No existing occupations will be removed from the SOL.
More information here.
Following the announcement of the closure of Parent, Remaining Relative, Aged Dependent Relative and Carer visas, the DIBP gave notice today that no further applications will be accepted from 2 June 2014.
Australian and Greece have signed a reciprocal work and holiday visa arrangement today. ‘This arrangement, when brought into effect, will enable up to 500 young adults from Greece and 500 young adults from Australia to enjoy a holiday in each other’s country, during which they may engage in short-term work and study,’
The Work and Holiday visa requires applicants to have the support of their government, hold or be studying towards tertiary qualifications and to speak functional English.
The 2014 -15 Migration Programme size will remain the same at 190,000 places, including 128,550 Skilled Stream places, 60,885 Family Stream places and 565 Special Eligibility Stream places.
From 1 July 2015, the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service and the Department of Immigration and Border Protection will become a single agency called Australian Border Force.
There are 18 new occupations including Cooks and Hairdresser introduced to the new South Australian State Nominated Occupation lists – State Occupation List and South Australian Graduates List.
Australia and Poland signed a reciprocal work and holiday visa arrangement during a ceremony in Warsaw over the weekend. The arrangement will enable 200 young people from Poland and 200 young adults from Australia to holiday and engage in short-term work and study in each other’s country.
‘Poland joins a number of other countries in signing a reciprocal work and holiday arrangement with Australia, including Argentina, Bangladesh, Chile, Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Thailand, Turkey, the United States of America and Uruguay.’ The work and holiday visa differs from a working holiday visa as it requires applicants to have the support of their government, hold or be studying towards tertiary qualifications and to speak functional English.
The implementation date of the visa arrangement will be announced in the coming months.
The proposed introduction credit card charges has been delayed until 19 April 2014.
As of 22 March 2014, DIBP will impose a surcharge on credit card payments of visa application charge.
The following changes to SkillSelect will be effective from 1 March 2014:
An occupation ceiling is a limit on the number of invitations that can be issued through SkillSelect each year.
Each state and territory is allocated nominations for each programme year.
Due to high levels of interest from prospective skilled migrants in the following occupations, pro rata arrangements for this occupational group will apply. These arrangements are subject to change throughout the programme years: