From 1 July 2022 the age limit for Italian and Danish citizens wanting to work and travel in Australia will increase by five years – from 30 to 35 years of age. Australian citizens up to the age of 35 will also benefit from reciprocal arrangements with Italy and Denmark.
Ukraine visa support
The Home Affairs website has a specific page of information for those affected by the Ukrainian crisis
https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/help-and-support/ukraine-visa-support
The Department is supporting Australia’s response to the escalating crisis in Ukraine and is progressing outstanding visa applications from Ukrainian nationals as a priority, across all visa categories.
See the full announcement here;
https://www.pm.gov.au/media/australias-response-russias-aggression-against-ukraine
Some temporary visa's extended to support Australia’s economic recovery
408 COVID visa extended (in some circumstances)
Temporary visa holders with work rights will be able to access the COVID-19 Pandemic Event (Subclass 408) visa incurring no Visa Application Charge for a period of 6 or 12 months if they work in any sector of the Australian economy.
476 Visa
Eligible Skilled-Recognised Graduate (Subclass 476) visa holders who lost time in Australia as a result of COVID-19 international border restrictions will have their visas extended for 24 months. This visa allows recent engineering graduates to live, work or study in Australia. This will provide eligible visa holders with the usual length of the visa, plus an additional six months.
407 Visa
Due to current workforce shortages, the Government is temporarily extending this arrangement by removing the limit on secondary Training (subclass 407) visa holders’ working hours across all sectors of the economy.
See full announcement here;
https://minister.homeaffairs.gov.au/AlexHawke/Pages/enhancing-temporary-visa-settings-to-support-economic-recovery.aspx
Australia to open borders to vaccinated travelers on Feb. 21
Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced the following at a meeting of the National Security Council today.
“I know the tourism industry will be looking forward to that and over the next two weeks they’ll get the opportunity both for visitors to be coming and for them to be gearing up to welcome international visitors back to Australia,” he said, according to the Australian.
“The condition is you must be double vaccinated to come to Australia. That’s the rule. Everyone is expected to abide by it.
“I think events earlier in the year should have sent a very clear message to everyone around the world that (that) is the requirement to enter into Australia.”
Australia to open borders to all international visitors on Feb 21 - ABC News
WA State Sponsorship
The Department of Training and Workforce Development (DTWD) has advised that WA has met its quota of places for the State nomination program for the 2021-22 year.
DTWD's Migration Services team will continue to process applications for State nomination, but have advised that any applications which meet the requirements to be approved will be placed on hold.
New Designated Area Migration Agreement for South West WA
The South West will be the eighth region in Australia to enter a five-year agreement with the Commonwealth aimed at ensuring skilled migrants contribute through employment in key roles where Australian workers are not available, commencing 4th January 2022. Press release here;
https://minister.homeaffairs.gov.au/AlexHawke/Pages/new-designated-area-migration-agreement-for-sw-wa.aspx
Further support for international education sector and international students
The Morrison Government will introduce further targeted measures to support the international education sector to roar back, as international borders reopen.
In addition, changes to visa settings will also provide much needed flexibility for international students as they set to return to Australia.
Read the full Media Release here;
https://ministers.dese.gov.au/tudge/further-support-international-education-sector-and-international-students
FURTHER STEPS TO REOPEN AUSTRALIA
Australia continues to take further steps to safely reopen to the world, with additional changes to our international border arrangements coming into effect on 1 December.
Consistent with the National Plan to safely reopen Australia, these changes will ensure we continue to protect the health of Australians, while reuniting families and securing our economic recovery by opening our border to skilled and student visa holders.
From 1 December 2021, fully vaccinated eligible visa holders can come to Australia without needing to apply for a travel exemption. Eligible visa holders include skilled and student cohorts, as well as humanitarian, working holiday maker and provisional family visa holders.
Under these arrangements, travellers must:
Be fully vaccinated with a completed dosage of a vaccine approved or recognised by Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA)
Hold a valid visa for one of the eligible visa subclasses
Provide proof of their vaccination status
Present a negative COVID-19 Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test taken within three days of departure.
Travellers to Australia must comply with the quarantine requirements in the state or territory of their arrival, and any other state or territory to which they plan to travel.
The return of skilled workers and international students to Australia will further cement our economic recovery, providing the valuable workers our economy needs and supporting our important education sector.
Hong Kong Stream - Skilled Visa's
Extended PR options for some Hong Kong Citizens to commence 5 March 2022.
Migration Legislation Amendment (Hong Kong) Regulations 2021;
https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/F2021L01479
s48 bar lifted for 190, 491 and 494 visa applications
From 13th November people affected by a s48 refusals will now be able to lodge an ONSHORE application for 190 , 491 or 494 visa
https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/F2021L01483/Explanatory%20Statement/Text?fbclid=IwAR2HTi_HYERB7XsKVk2k4MonCJ2oRCQ-CowpVC3_LvK8fTyH3BgZ3DhZYf4