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30/03/2022

A new pathway for Short term TSS visa holders to permanent residency A new migration instrument dated 17 March 2022 has changed the definition of who is eligible to apply for an employer nominated Visa subclass 186 (transition pathway). This instrument will allow eligible persons to apply for a permanent employer nominated Visa from July 1, 2022. If you currently hold ( and continue to hold at time of application) a subclass 482 Visa or eligible subclass 457 visa and have been working in Australia for at least 12 months between 1 February 2020 and 14 December 2021 and at the time of applying for the permanent employer nominated visa are employed by an actively and lawfully operating a business in Australia you may be eligible to apply for the permanent visa even if you have an occupation on the short term list. Most applicants will need to have worked for at least three years in Australia on a 482 visa, There is a concession on this requirement to two years for those who held (or had applied for) a 457 visa on 18 April 2017. Please contact us for further eligibility information…

28/03/2022

Vietnam, the first country to join the Australian Agriculture Visa Program Australia has today signed with Vietnam the first bilateral Memorandum of Understanding under the Australian Agriculture Visa Program. Under the Australian Agriculture Visa program, employees will be recruited to work across a range of agriculture sectors, including horticulture, dairy, wool, grains, fisheries and forestry, including support services and primary processing.

21/03/2022

I can confirm that applicants cannot combine time spent on multiple visas to lodge a valid application for a subclass 189 (Hong Kong stream) visa. As noted, Schedule 1 states: Subitem 1137(4L)(e): (e) A primary HK applicant: (i) must hold a Hong Kong passport or a British National (Overseas) passport; and (ii) must hold a visa to which subitem (4M) applies; and (iii) must have held that visa for at least 4 years. It is acknowledged that clients may hold a subclass 482 visa which is an extension of their previous subclass 457 visa; however, as you are aware, these are two separate visas with two separate visa grant numbers. To be eligible to lodge a valid application for a subclass 189 (Hong Kong stream) visa, clients must have held their current visa for at least 4 years.

17/03/2022

Skilled Migration Program 2021-22 update: GSM state nomination allocations South Australia is close to meeting its quota of 491 visas under its GSM state nomination Skilled Migration Program for 2021-22. While Skilled & Business Migration is continuing to assess applications, the demand for state nomination will exceed our annual allocation of nomination places. To ensure the nomination of highly skilled applicants who can best contribute to South Australia’s economic prosperity and skills needs, Skilled & Business Migration is taking the following measures: Prioritising the assessment of Subclass 190 applications Prioritising the assessment of applications for candidates with a subclass 485 visa expiry date within this 2021-22 program year Prioritising highly skilled onshore applicants with demonstrable work experience who are working full-time hours in their nominated occupation for a South Australian employer Encouraging candidates seeking a subclass 491 nomination to submit Registration of Interest (ROI) applications through our Talent & Innovators Program, for consideration The South Australian Government has requested from the Commonwealth Department of Home Affairs additional places under the state nomination program. If these additional places become available, further information regarding nomination eligibility will be provided. Visit South Australia’s Skilled Occupation List to view the updated requirements for your occupation.

16/03/2022

All passengers arriving by air into Australia should ​​complete the Digital Passenger Declaration (DPD). ​ ​​​​​​​​​You can start your DPD seven days before your flight and submit it withi​n 72 hours before your departure for Australia. This is because you must provide your health information and declaration (vaccination status and COVID-19 test result) within 72 hours before your flight.​ Complete your DPD via the link below ​​ https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/covid19/digital-passenger-declaration ​

23/06/2014

Changes to Consolidated Sponsored Occupation List (CSOL) and Skilled Occupation List (SOL) The following changes will apply to applications made for the above visas on or after 1 July 2014. Occupations added to the SOL 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) Occupations added to the CSOL The following occupations will be added to the CSOL: Hydrogeologist (ANZSCO 234413) Exercise Physiologist (ANZSCO 234915) Changes to occupation titles 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) Changes to assessing authorities 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)

19/06/2014

Changes to ENS/RSMS from 1 July 2014 A major change to the provided policy advice will be the alterations made to the requirements under the Temporary Residence Transition stream when demonstrating two years’ work with the same employer. Keep an eye on our facebook page or contact Australian Immigration Associates to find out more.

19/06/2014

Introduction of Validity Period for Skills Assessments Following amendments to the Migration Regulations 1994, from 1 July 2014, if a skills assessment is mandatory as part of a visa application, it will only be valid for a period of 3 years from the date of issue, unless a shorter validity period is specified on the assessment. A skills assessment must be valid at the time of lodgement for the following visas: Direct Entry stream of the Employer Nominated Scheme (subclass 186) visa; Direct Entry stream of the Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (subclass 187) visa; and Graduate Work stream of the Temporary Graduate (subclass 485) visa. A skills assessment must be valid at the time of invitation to apply through SkillSelect for the following visas: Skilled—Independent (subclass 189) visa; Skilled—Nominated (subclass 190) visa; and Skilled Regional (Provisional) (subclass 489) visa.

12/06/2014

The Department of Immigration and Border Protection will open two brand new Australian Visa Application Centres (AVACs) in Jalandhar and Pune, India on June 166

12/06/2014

The Migration Programme for 2014-15 will be set at 190 000 places. This covers the skill, family and special eligibility streams at 128 550, 60 885 and 565 places respectively. Australia's permanent immigration programme has two components: • The migration component consists of skill stream migrants, family stream migrants and special eligibility migrants. • The humanitarian component is for refugees and others in humanitarian need. The planning level for the 2014-15 Migration Programme is set at 190 000 places. The Humanitarian Programme is set at 13 750 places. If you would like to migrate, complete our online enquiry form.

12/06/2014

The new Skilled Occupations List (SOL) for 1 July 2014. It appears the occupations of chef, tiler and bricklayer are to be added to the Skilled Occupations List (SOL) on 1 July 2014. If you have an occupation on the SOL you can apply for a Subclass 189 visa independently rather than applying under the Employer Nomination Scheme. Chefs, Tilers and Bricklayers can contact Australian Immigration Associates to find out more.

29/10/2013

Updates to Victoria’s State Nomination Occupation List and State Nomination Occupation List for Graduates. Home Working & Employment Visas & Immigrating Living in Victoria Running a Business Employing Overseas Talent About Us Skilled and Business Migration Program...

21/10/2013

ACS considering 1 year post-qualification (Aus.) work experience The Australian Computer Society's Professional Assessment Manager, Berny Martinez, confirmed that a 1 year work experience employment option after an Australian Bachelor IT degree is being considered as a requirement for international students to obtain the skill assessment for permanent residency. It is also confirmed that the ACS is now moving to use a 2 stage assessment process, one being for the Temporary Graduate - 485 skills assessment and the next being a Graduate Assessment - for permanent residency.

21/10/2013

Changes to Acceptable Skills Assessments for Employer Nomination Scheme and Regional Skilled Migration Scheme visas – 28 October 2013 From 28 October 2013 skills assessments obtained for a Temporary Graduate (subclass 485) visa will no longer be accepted when you apply for a Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186) visa or a Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (subclass 187) visa. If you applied for an Employer Nomination Scheme or a Regional Skilled Migration Scheme visa before 28 October 2013, and your application is yet to be decided by the department, this change will not apply to you.

29/09/2013

Indian penal clearance update PCC applications will be only accepted, if applicant had been lived, worked in India or travelled to India within last 5 years from the date of application. Anyone who has lived, worked in India or travelled to India before 5 years will not be able to apply for PCC.

29/09/2013

A new name for the Department of Immigration. DIAC is now to be known as the Department of Immigration and Border Protection.

17/09/2013

ACT Occupation list update Due to high demand, all occupations within ANZSCO 2613 ‘Software and Applications Programmers’ are now closed. This closure will not affect applications recently submitted or verified.

17/09/2013

The new Minister for Immigration... Mr Scott Morrison MP will be Minister for Immigration and Border Protection and Senator Michaelia Cash would be Assistant Minister for Immigration and Border Protection. Let's see what happens over the coming months.