Perth to increase in attractiveness for international students with the Federal Government reinstating Perth’s status as a regional city. Press release here;
Migration Program 2018-19 – Visas Granted
Some Interesting statistics here;
https://www.anzscosearch.com/migration-program-2018-19-visas-granted/
Sch 4 - 4005/4007 'Significant costs changes'
Changes have occurred to the Schedule 4 Conditions 4005 and 4007 calculation of significant cost to the Australian community for the provision of health care or community services.
The policy threshold for significant cost has been increased from $40,000 to $49,000.
The time period over which these significant costs will be calculated is now 10 years.
Applicants with permanent conditions are likely to receive most benefit from these changes, with the Medical Officer of the Commonwealth now assessing the costs of services to these applicants over 10 years, rather than for life expectancy. (source MIA)
Grandfathered Subclass 457/TSS - TRT application last day of visa validity
There have been a significant number of enquires to the MIA, the Department and considerable discussion on various forums as to whether TRT applications can be lodged on the last day of validity of grandfathered two year Subclass 457/TSS visas.
The Procedural Instructions have been updated at Regulation 5.19 with the following instruction to address transitional arrangements for these visa holders:
4.3.20 Transitional arrangements - in place from 18 March 2018 to march 2022
Decision-makers are reminded that the Government has provided transitional arrangements for certain cohorts of clients who held or had applied for a subclass 457 visa on 18 April 2017 which was subsequently granted. These arrangements are relevant to the TRT stream only.
Where a nomination is lodged on or after 18 March 2018, and at any time until 18 March 2022, in relation to a client in this cohort, standard nomination requirements in place as of 18 March 2018 must be met with the exception that:
occupation list requirements will not apply; and
the minimum period an applicant is required to have been employed in their nominated occupation/position as the holder of a subclass 457 or TSS visa will remain at two years. However, decision makers can accept 23 months as having satisfied this requirement. This is to prevent inefficiencies resulting from the 457 visa expiring a few days short of applicants meeting the two-year work requirement, necessitating obtaining a further TSS visa to complete the two years of time worked.
While this update to the PI will be loaded to Legend on 18 August 2019, the visa processing network have been advised that this can be applied with immediate effect. Associated legislative change to Regulation 5.19 will be updated in due course. (Source MIA)
Family sponsors need to be approved BEFORE a visa application can be lodged
Commencing 17 April 2019 - The new section 140AA(3)(a) requires the approval of persons as family sponsors before any relevant visa applications are made.
Visa Fees Increase 1st July 2019
Base Visa Application Charges for visa subclasses, except the Visitor Subclass 600, will increase by 5.4% from 1 July 2019
Greece - Australia - Work and Holiday visa to commence
Minister Coleman has announced that the reciprocal Work and Holiday arrangements between Greece and Australia will commence on 1 July 2019.
Under the arrangement, 500 places will be made available in each country annually for Greek and Australian citizens between 18 and 30 to live and work abroad for 12 months.
The Minister's media release is available here
New skilled regional provisional visas - Nov 2019
There will be two new skilled regional provisional visas introduced in November 2019:
• Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) visa:
for people sponsored by an employer in regional Australia.
• Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa:
for people who are nominated by a State or Territory government or sponsored by an eligible family member to live and work in regional Australia.
Under these new visas, migrants will be required to live and work in a regional area of Australia for at
least three years before they are eligible to apply for permanent residence. These new regional visas will provide greater incentives for regional employers to nominate skilled workers, including priority processing of applications and access to additional skilled occupations. Based on current eligible skilled occupation lists:
• the Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) visa will have almost 700 eligible occupations; and
• the Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa will have over 500 eligible occupations.
Holders of the new skilled regional provisional visas will need to live and work in regional Australia. Visas
will be granted with a validity period of up to five years. The introduction of the two new regional visas will
not impact people who already hold existing permanent skilled visas. Applications lodged prior to
November 2019 will continue to be processed as normal. Further information is available here;
https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/what-we-do/regional-migration
New DAMAs for South Australia and Kalgoorlie-Boulder
Designated Area Migration Agreements (DAMAs) have been signed for South Australia and Kalgoorlie-Boulder.
The Adelaide City Technology and Innovation Advancement Agreement has been signed for 5 years covering 60 occupations. The Regional South Australia DAMA, also for a 5- year period, covers 114 occupations. These DAMAs target agriculture, forestry, hospitality, tourism, health and construction amongst others to fill critical employment gaps. Click here for Minister’s media release.
The new Kalgoorlie-Boulder DAMA covers 73 occupations and targets mining, engineering, constructions, childcare and health businesses to fill critical employments gaps. Click here for Minister’s media release.
Aged Care Worker Labour Agreement Announced
Aged care labour agreements to support migrant communities
Aged care providers are now able to hire overseas workers with specialised skills that will support older Australians from multicultural backgrounds.
Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs David Coleman said these special visa arrangements will allow aged care facilities to access a personalised visa arrangement to hire employees with the skills to cater for the needs of their communities' elderly.
"Australia has a long and proud history of migration. Aged care providers have identified a need for bilingual carers, as elderly people or those with dementia may revert to their native language or lose the ability to speak a second language," Mr Coleman said.
"This visa arrangement demonstrates the Government's commitment to migrant communities and those organisations who care for Australia's elderly. It will greatly assist them in finding the right staff to deliver vital aged care services."
"Company specific labour agreements will enable aged care providers to deliver specialised services that better understand a residents' cultural needs."
In delivering vital aged care services to the Australian community, aged care providers can request a company specific labour agreement to sponsor skilled overseas workers for a Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) visa, or an Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS) visa.
Labour agreements will only be considered where it is demonstrated that Australians cannot fill skill shortages and standard work visa programs cannot be utilised.
The company specific labour agreement enables aged care providers to access overseas workers where they previously have been unable to, as the required occupation is not on the list of eligible skilled occupations.