Migration Choice Pty Ltd in Adelaide, South Australia | Consultation agency

Migration Choice Pty Ltd

Locality: Adelaide, South Australia

Phone: +61 422 044 630

Address: Suite 508/147 Pirie Street 5000 Adelaide, SA, Australia

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28.01.2022 # ! The Prime Minister announced on 13 January 2022 that the government had decided to lift the 40 hour per fortnight work limitation placed on student visa holders. Further details on how and when this arrangement will be implemented are currently not available. Obviously legislative changes will be required to implement these changes and this may take some time to be released.

25.01.2022 - The following message has appeared on Immigration SA website: With the introduction of the new skilled regional visas on the 16 November 2019, Immigration SA will be temporarily closing the state nomination 190 application system from and will re-open early December (the date and time will be confirmed closer to the date).... If you have commenced a state nomination application for the 190 visa, you will need to submit & pay for the application prior to the system being closed. From 11am on 15 November 2019, incomplete applications will be deleted, this includes applications that have been saved but not submitted and applications that have been submitted but are still awaiting payment.

25.01.2022 - () , TRA is streamlining the way applications and documents are submitted to Trades Recognition Service (TRA) for all steps of the JRP. Click here for further details: https://www.tradesrecognitionaustralia.gov.au//important-c

23.01.2022 & Best wishes for a happy holiday season and a peaceful, healthy and prosperous new year, from Migration Choice Team to you and your family. We look forward to achieving more wins and successes in 2022! Thank you all for your support!! ... P.S. It's business as usual here at Migration Choice. Please feel free to contact us if you need any assistance.

23.01.2022 ( ) We were so relieved and excited too when we received the decision from AAT. We were quietly confident that we would receive a positive decision after attending the hearing. But frankly you just never know. Visa cancellation cases are always difficult. Client and family have been living in Australia for many years. He was granted a 457 visa being sponsored by a restaurant. Unfortunately the restaurant ...closed and he had to find a new employer to sponsor him. A few months later he was found working at another restaurant without permission, which led to the immigration department cancelling his visa on the ground that he breached his visa condition 8107. : 1). After his 457 visa was cancelled, we successfully assisted client and his partner with getting work permission on their bridging visa E while their appeal application was being processed. 2). The AAT originally scheduled a video hearing, but we were able to convince the AAT to change it to an in-person hearing as we strongly believed in-person hearing was far more beneficial to client than telephone or video hearing. 3). There will be serious legal consequences if the visa cancellation decision is affirmed by the AAT. One is that client will be subject to the Section 48 bar which will prevent him from applying for most of the visas while in Australia. The other is that the PIC 4013 will prevent him from being granted many visas within three years. By having the visa cancellation decision set aside means his future applications will not be affected.

23.01.2022 - & The following has been published on Immigration SA website: The Commonwealth Department of Home Affairs has provided a limited number of skilled and business visa nomination places to the Government of South Australia up until the Federal Budget is delivered on 6 October 2020.... - The states allocation of interim 491 and 190 visa nominations are intended to support and prioritise South Australias economic recovery and public health response. Prospective applicants will be able to lodge an Expression of Interest (EOI) through the Department of Home Affairs SkillSelect system. An invitation to submit an online application for state-nomination will be sent to prospective applicants with EOIs that meet Commonwealth and South Australian priorities. The Government of South Australia will publish state nomination requirements on . From , South Australia will commence reviewing EOIs and sending invitations to submit an online application. - The states allocation of interim 188 and 132 visa nominations are intended to support the outcomes of its Business Innovation & Investment Program: High quality business owners and entrepreneurs have created genuine and sustainable business opportunities in South Australia that benefits the States economy, local businesses and the workforce. The Government of South Australia will publish state nomination requirements on 27 August 2020. From 7 September, South Australia will commence reviewing Intention to Apply submissions and sending invitations to submit an online application. Source: Immigration SA

22.01.2022 ! ?! We received this decision from the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) last week. This is such exciting and inspiring news in today's environment which is full of negative news about the virus, lockdown and economic downturn... We were speechless when we saw the email. Its simply unbelievable! We knew we put in a lot of time and effort in presenting a great submission with strong arguments and lot...s of supporting documents, and we knew we were going to win. But winning the case without the need to attend a Hearing is simply another level! It is very very rare that the AAT would approve an application without holding a Hearing. Its a fantastic outcome for our client who has been waiting for almost two and a half years at the AAT. Well deserved! Such a great company and such a great employee! Congratulations to all! Stay safe my friends. We will get through this difficult and unprecedented time.

22.01.2022 BUPA has the following message on its online booking site: In light of the current COVID-19 situation and to ensure we can meet Australian Government guidelines, we are currently not taking new bookings and are rescheduling some existing bookings. New bookings will become available in the coming days once existing bookings have been rescheduled.... For customers with existing bookings, you will be notified shortly if your appointment needs to be rescheduled. No action is required from you. Bupa will contact you as soon as possible to reschedule your appointment. We appreciate your understanding and patience as we work to ensure the safety of our customers and staff. If you have symptoms of fever and/or respiratory infection (cough, difficult breathing), we ask that you do not attend for a visa medical examination until you have sought medical care, and your symptoms have fully resolved. If you have recently arrived anywhere from overseas you must not attend for a visa medical examination until at least 14 days after your arrival in Australia. If you have recently travelled overseas and have symptoms of fever and/or respiratory infection (cough, difficult breathing), you must not attend for visa medical examination until you have sought medical care, and your symptoms have fully resolved. If you have been in recent contact with a known case of COVID-19, you must not attend for visa medical examination until at least 14 days after last contact.

22.01.2022 - 1. The Immigration Department has started processing recently. We have had two 482 visa grants. These applications were put on hold by the Department for a few months due to the coronavirus pandemic. But be prepared that the Department will request additional information from the employer to show the nominated position is still genuinely required. 2. ... - We have seen Hong Kong applicants are being granted 5-year 485 Graduate visas now. These applicants will be able to apply for permanent residency in 3 years or 5 years depending on where they live. Details about these new arrangements still remain unknown and we have to wait to see the actual legislation (which should be released in the coming weeks). View full media release here: https://minister.homeaffairs.gov.au//hong-kong-visa-arrang 3. skills assessment approved by VETASSESS in two days!! Great outcome, considering VETASSESS are currently refusing many skills assessment applications by marketing specialists. 4. - If you are considering leaving Australia, coming to Australia or staying in Australia, this website has all the information you will need: https://covid19.homeaffairs.gov.au/ Thanks everyone and have a nice weekend!!

21.01.2022 () !! Starting from tomorrow, employers will be required to place at least job advertisements in order to demonstrate they can't find a suitable Australian employee. And one of the advertisements must be placed on the Government’s Jobactive website. Evidence of job advertisements must be provided at the time the nomination is lodged. Or the application will be refused!

21.01.2022 The new legal instrument has increased the financial requirements as follows: 1. for a primary applicant: an increase from AUD20,290 to AUD21,041;... 2. for a spouse or de facto partner of the primary applicant: an increase from AUD7,100 to AUD7,362; 3. for a dependent child: an increase from AUD3,040 to AUD3,152; 4. annual school costs: an increase from AUD8,000 to AUD8,296; The new instrument can be viewed here: https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/F2019L01366

20.01.2022 - Immigration SA has made the following announcement on their website: South Australian state nomination applications for the 2019/2020 program year will .... Skilled migrants seeking state nomination will need to submit and pay for their application to Immigration SA by this time to be considered against the current state nomination requirements. Any incomplete application remaining in the system past 9pm ACST on the Sunday 28 June 2020 will be deleted. This includes applications that have been saved but not submitted and applications that have been submitted but are still awaiting payment. Applications for 190/491 skilled migration for the 2020/2021 program year will be open at a date to be advised.

19.01.2022 - A new pathway for 491 state nomination has been introduced in Queensland. The new Small Business Owner (SBO) option can be used to reward small business owners in regional Queensland for investing in the local business community and providing employment opportunities for local residents. Further details about this pathway can be found here: https://migration.qld.gov.au//im-operating-a-small-busine/... The Tasmanian state government offers a similar pathway for small business owners too.

18.01.2022 ! As published previously, on 16 November 2019 the new 491 visa will replace the current 489 visa and the new 494 visa will replace the current 187 visa. Both 491 visa and 494 visa are 5-year provisional visas. These visa holders will be required to live and work in a regional area for at least 3 years before they can apply for the new permanent 191 visa. They are also required to earn a minimum taxable income in ...the three financial years prior to the lodgement of their 191 visa application. Now the minimum taxable income for the 191 visa has been set at the Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold (TSMIT). $,.

17.01.2022 - The Red Cross has announced on its website that it will be receiving funding from the Australian Government for the next six months to deliver emergency relief and casework support to temporary visa holders who have no way to support themselves and who have urgent needs. Click here to apply: https://www.redcross.org.au//help-for-migrants-in-transiti

17.01.2022 # - Significant changes have been introduced to South Australia’s two Designated Area Migration Agreements (DAMAs). One of the biggest changes is that South Australia is able to secure additional English language and age concessions, which will now carry over to the permanent visa. The changes to work experience requirements for a number of occupations will make it easier for qualified international graduates to be eligible to apply. ... All DAMA occupations listed will now offer a permanent residency pathway either through the Temporary Skill Shortage visa or the Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional visa. Take Aged Carer as an example: they only need to show one year of work experience (instead of two years); the English requirement (even for permanent visas) is IELTS score 5.0 overall and minimum of IELTS score 4.0 for individual bands (instead of 6 each); the age requirement remains under 50 years old. Click here to see the current DAMA Occupation List: https://www.migration.sa.gov.au/occupa/dama-occupation-list

17.01.2022 - ' The Government of South Australia has been advised of a limited number of interim allocation places for the States General Skilled and Business Migration program for 2020/21, which will be prioritised to support South Australias economic and public health recovery. ... The full nomination allocations for 2020/21 will be determined later in the year as part of the 2020/21 Budget process. Given the limited number of available nominations, South Australias program requirements and application processes for the General Skilled and Business programs are currently being finalised, with a view to applications being open in late August 2020. Based on direction from the Department of Home Affairs, applications will be prioritised according to: 1. High quality applications within the Business Innovation and Investment Program, with those who have already lodged an Intention to Apply given priority consideration. 2. Applicants critical to supporting South Australias response to the COVID19 pandemic, including individuals providing critical or specialist medical services, critical skills required to maintain the supply of essential goods and services; or delivering services in sectors critical to Australias economic recovery. 3. Early consideration to onshore applicants that satisfy the above criteria. Source - Immigration SA

16.01.2022 From 2 September, the number of places available to Vietnam will increase from 200 to 1,500, meaning more people who can holiday, study and work here, particularly in regional areas. Vietnamese Work and Holiday visa holders can undertake work in approved industries in certain occupations in regional Australia to become eligible for a second and third Work and Holiday visa.... The Work and Holiday visa requires first-time Vietnamese applicants to hold or be studying towards tertiary qualifications and to speak a functional level of English (IELTS 4.5 or PTE 32). https://minister.homeaffairs.gov.au//work-holiday-maker-pr Source: Department of Home Affairs

16.01.2022 Media release: https://minister.homeaffairs.gov.au//more-help-aussie-shel... https://minister.homeaffairs.gov.au//international-student

16.01.2022 - ( & ) Immigration SA is introducing some changes to its General Skilled Migration (GSM) state nomination policies. The changes include:... 1. Changes to the points requirement for specific occupations and categories; 2. Changes to requirements to access state nomination for a permanent 190 visa; 3. An application fee change for all state nomination applications Full details of the changes are available here: https://migration.sa.gov.au//general-skilled-migration-gsm State nomination applications are expected to open tomorrow.

15.01.2022 Processing Timeline - 1). 13/07/2020 - lodged application and requested priority processing... 2). 15/07/2020 - email from VETASSESS saying application has been approved for priority processing 3). 18/07/2020 - application was approved, 5 days! ( ) (self employed) Processing Timeline - 1). 19/10/2020 - lodged application and requested priority processing 2). 21/10/2020 - email from VETASSESS saying application has been approved for priority processing 3). 23/10/2020 - application was approved, 4 days! No request for additional documents! No telephone interviews! Fast & Easy!! .. A lot of time and effort behind the scenes of course! You need to be extremely careful as you may only have one shot!!

15.01.2022 # - ( & )! The Department of Health has declared that holders of the new regional visas will be treated as being "eligible persons" for the purpose of the Health Insurance Act 1973 (Cth). This means that migrants on the new Subclass 491 and 494 visas will be able to apply for Medicare to cover their stay period.... This is a huge improvement from the previous 489 visa. Under the 489 visa, applicants had no access to Medicare which means they had to pay for their medical treatment. With the new announcement, 491 & 494 visa holders will be able to visit the doctor or go to hospital and have some or all of the expenses covered by Medicare. See the instrument: https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/F2019N00081

15.01.2022 - ? To put it simply, if the Immigration Department is made aware of this, they will cancel your visa. Yes, 100% sure! Recently, I've heard another person's 489 visa has been cancelled by the Department because the relationship between him and his partner (who was the primary ... 489 visa applicant) has ceased and his partner notified the Department. This reminds me a couple of months ago someone (489 Dependent) called me and asked me whether his visa would be cancelled if his ex-partner (the primary holder) notified the Department. I said yes because I dealt with this kind of cases before. He was very doubtful on the phone. He said he consulted with one of the largest migration agencies in Adelaide and they advised him that a 489 dependent visa could not be cancelled even if the relationship had ceased. Absolutely appalling advice! Are they not aware of the visa cancellation power under Section 116 of the Migration Act 1958? Well, I hope he is still in Australia now... This brings us to the next question, does the primary 489 visa holder have to notify the Department of the relationship breakdown? The short answer is no.There is no legal obligation or any visa conditions that require the primary visa holder to do so after the 489 visa was granted. And you may be aware that a 489 dependent visa holder will be eligible to apply for PR on their own if they could meet the residence and work requirements after two years.

15.01.2022 # - ! The Prime Minister Scott Morrison, the Hon Alan Tudge MP and the Hon Dan Tehan MP have confirmed in a joint press release that the Gold Coast will be included in the list of locations designated as regional on 16 November 2019. An extra 2,000 skilled regional visa places have also been announced, increasing the regional cap from 23,000 to 25,000.... While there has been no confirmation as yet of how these places will be accounted for, it is highly likely that they will be taken out of the skilled independent subclass 189 program. Media Release: https://minister.homeaffairs.gov.au//morrison-government-i

14.01.2022 # - The Prime Minister has just announced that a travel ban will be imposed on all non resident and non Australian citizens coming into Australia from 9pm tomorrow. Effective from 9pm Friday 20 March, Australia will refuse entry to all temporary residents other than those who meet the exemptions as below.... Those exempt include: 1. New Zealand citizens usually resident in Australia - proof of residential address must be provided at entry; 2. The immediate family members of Australian citizens and permanent residents: Spouse Dependent Legal guardian Temporary Partner visa holders - not including Prospective Marriage visa holders Temporary Child visa holders (Subclass 445) All those who are still eligible to Australia will be required to self-isolate for 14 days. Temporary visa holders who do not meet one of the exemptions above will have their visa cancelled. Arrangements will be made to reinstate visas as appropriate following the lifting of these enhanced border control measures. Further information on the Australian travel restrictions and the Coronavirus can be found here: https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au//current-/novel-coronavirus

12.01.2022 - // Australian citizenship testing and interviews, which were suspended due to COVID-19 restrictions, have now resumed in Perth, Sydney, Brisbane and Adelaide.... Acting Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs, Alan Tudge, said appointments will be held in line with state and territory restrictions and with the safety of both staff and applicants as the top priority. "More migrants can now continue to progress towards becoming Australian citizens, joining the record number of people who pledged their allegiance to Australia last year," Minister Tudge said. "This Government has placed an increased emphasis on Australian citizenship, recognising it is one the foundations of our democratic, socially cohesive nation. "We acted quickly to ensure citizenship ceremonies continued online when COVID-19 hit and we restarted in-person ceremonies in June. "The interview and test are important steps in the process of applying for Australian citizenship, ensuring the integrity of our citizenship decisions." The citizenship test assesses an applicant's knowledge of Australia and the responsibilities and privileges of being an Australian citizen. More than 1150 people have attended a citizenship appointment since they resumed in Perth on 6 July 2020. Appointments will resume in Canberra, Hobart and Darwin throughout August. A record 204,000 people were conferred citizenship in 2019-20. During COVID-19 more than 73,000 people have attended online ceremonies and a further 5,000 have attended in-person ceremonies since they resumed on 3 June. Source: Department of Home Affairs

12.01.2022 This webpage provides useful information to temporary visa holders in Australia affected by Coronavirus (including 457/482 visa, student visa, visitor visa, working holiday visa, etc): https://covid19.homeaffairs.gov.au/staying-australia

10.01.2022 ? The Department of Home Affairs has clarified that: 1. SkillSelect will automatically update points for all Expressions of Interest (EOI) in status.... 2. EOIs in status will not be updated, as no points have been attributed at this stage in the system 3. There will be for any EOI when this change is applied. 4. Points will only be updated once an EOI is submitted Specific systems functionality is still being developed and any information required by agents will be provided once the process has been finalised, however, no applicant or intending migrant will be disadvantaged by the changes to 6D points for Points Tested visas. Source: Migration Institute of Australia (MIA)

10.01.2022 - The following information has appeared on Immigration website: The COVID-19 replacement stream is a replacement for the initial Temporary Graduate visa. It is only available for Temporary Graduate visa holders impacted by the Australian travel restrictions. This means, people who could not stay in Australia for the full period allowed by their previous Temporary Graduate visa.... To be eligible, applicants must: currently hold, or have held a Temporary Graduate visa that expired on or after 1 February 2020; and have been outside Australia at any time between 1 February 2020 and 1 December 2021. Applicants will receive the full validity of their initial Temporary Graduate visa. This is determined by the level of their qualification. The visa costs AUD1,680 for the primary visa applicant. There is also a charge for each family member who applies for the visa with them. As successful applicants will be granted the full validity, the full visa application charge will apply. -. Source: Department of Home Affairs

10.01.2022 () & Acting Minister for Immigration Alan Tudge has announced a new Priority Migration Skilled Occupation List (PMSOL) of 17 occupations that will be able to enter Australia to assist in the country's COVID recovery. "These occupations in the health care, constructionand IT sectors will supercharge both our health and economic response to COVID-19."... In the meantime, strengthened labour market testing requirements have been introduced. In addition to the current requirements of two national advertisements, employers must also advertise their vacancy on the Governments jobactive wesbite. Existing skilled migration occupation lists will remain active and visas will still be processed, but priority will be given to those in occupations on the PMSOL. The 17 occupations (ANZSCO code) are: Chief Executive or Managing Director (111111) Construction Project Manager (133111) Mechanical Engineer (233512) General Practitioner (253111) Resident Medical Officer (253112) Psychiatrist (253411) Medical Practitioner nec (253999) Midwife (254111) Registered Nurse (Aged Care) (254412) Registered Nurse (Critical Care and Emergency) (254415) Registered Nurse (Medical) (254418) Registered Nurse (Mental Health) (254422) Registered Nurse (Perioperative) (254423) Registered Nurses nec (254499) Developer Programmer (261312) Software Engineer (261313) Maintenance Planner (312911) Here is the full media release: https://minister.homeaffairs.gov.au//supporting-australian

10.01.2022 On 4 November 2019, the Hon David Coleman MP officially launched the Global Talent Independent program, which offers a streamlined, priority visa pathway for highly skilled individuals to work and live permanently in Australia. The program is designed to strengthen Australias ability to compete for the worlds best and brightest skilled migrants and grow Australian businesses of the future. The eligibility requirements for the program inclu...de that the candidate: - is highly skilled and internationally recognised in one of seven target sectors (listed below); and - has the ability to earn the Fair Work High Income Threshold (currently $148,700). The following target sectors have been selected to foster growth in future-focused industries: - AgTech - FinTech - MedTech - Cyber Security - Space and Advanced Manufacturing - Energy and Mining Technology - Quantum Information, Advanced Digital, Data Science and ICT Individuals who meet the requirements will be provided with a unique Global Talent identifier, which provides priority processing for a Distinguished Talent visa application. Candidates accepted into the program will receive streamlined, priority processing with complete visa applications currently taking less than a month to finalise. All visa applicants need to meet the Distinguished Talent visa regulatory criteria, including health and character requirements, before a visa can be granted. Source: Department of Home Affairs

09.01.2022 - Summary of working holiday maker (WHM) changes - 1. The time a WHM can work with the same employer has been extended from for those assisting with bushfire recovery efforts through a change in policy. This is consistent with arrangements put in place for recovery efforts following Cyclone Debbie in 2017.... 2. The definition of specified work will be revised for the Work and Holiday Maker (subclass 462) visa, to ensure is captured. This is consistent with existing arrangements for Working Holiday (subclass 417) visa holders. 3. Paid and impacted in the recent bushfires will count towards the specified work needed to apply for a second or third year 417 or 462 visa. Media Release: https://minister.homeaffairs.gov.au//backpackers-help-bush

08.01.2022 Acting Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs Alan Tudge has announced that from , there will an updated Australian Citizenship Test with a clear focus on Australian values. The Acting Minister stated The updated Citizenship Test will have new and more meaningful questions that require potential citizens to understand and commit to our values like freedom of speech, mutual r...espect, equality of opportunity, the importance of democracy and the rule of law." The updated Citizenship Test will comprise of 20 multiple-choice questions, including five questions on Australian values. A person will be required to correctly answer all five of the questions on Australian values, with a mark of at least 75 per cent overall, to pass the test. There will be no changes to the English language or residency requirements for citizenship. Full media release: https://minister.homeaffairs.gov.au//focus-on-values-in-up

08.01.2022 - - The 2020-21 Federal Budget contains the following announcements and information related to the Department of Home Affairs and the migration program. ... The current Migration Program Planning level will remain at 160,000 for the 2020-21 program year, however, the distribution of places will change with an increase from 47,732 to 77,300 for Family stream places for this program year only. Employer Sponsored, Global Talent, Business Innovation and Investment Program visas will be prioritised within the Skilled Stream. Onshore visa applicants and Partner visa applicants where the relevant sponsor resides in a designated regional area, will be prioritised for the 2020-21 Migration Program. Partner visas - the mandatory family sponsorship provisions for Partner visas will be implemented, requiring character checks and sharing of personal information with the applicant, and enforceable sponsorship obligations. 72,300 of the 77,300 places in the family stream will be allocated to partner applicants. , to enhance social cohesion and economic participation outcomes. , The Government will introduce changes to improve the quality of investments and applicants. The program will focus on higher value investors, business owners and entrepreneurs and improve the economic outcomes of the BIIP. Visa application charges for BIIP visas will also be increased by an additional 11.3% (above regular CPI indexation) on 1 July 2021. Places in this program will be increased to 13,500. The income eligibility requirement for the New Zealand stream of the Skilled Independent (subclass 189) visa. Eligibility for the Pathway will be extended to Special Category (subclass 444) visa holders who have a taxable income at or above the Temporary Skilled Migrant Income Threshold for at least three of the last five income years, including the most recent year. Further reforms as per the Acting Minister’s announcement of 28 August that the 510 hour cap on class hours and time limits on the free English language tuition available under the Adult Migration English Program has been removed. Source: Migration Institute of Australia (MIA)

07.01.2022 Migration Choice would like to wish you and your family a wonderful festive season and a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year. With your continued support, we look forward to a successful 2020.... Please note that our office will be closed on public holidays only and will operate as usual on all other days throughout the holiday period. Thank you!

07.01.2022 - The Hon Ministers Alan Tudge and Dan Tehan have released a joint media statement outlining the arrangements to be put in place for student visa applicants and student visa holders who have been impacted by the COVID-19 travel restrictions. :... 1. Grants of student visas in all locations lodged outside Australia will recommence, so visa holders will be ready to travel when borders reopen; 2. Free VACs for international students who lodge further student visa applications, if they were unable to complete their studies within their original visa validity due to COVID-19; 3. Current student visa holders studying online outside Australia due to COVID-19 will be have that study counted towards the Australian study requirement for a post-study work visa; 4. Graduates who held a student visa will be eligible 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 for applicants to provide English language results where COVID-19 has disrupted access to these services Source: MIA

07.01.2022 !!! A couple of weeks ago a family from Nepal finally fulfilled their dream of becoming Australian permanent residents after living in Australia for over 10 years. We have had quite some visa grants in the past couple of weeks but this particular case is worth mentioning. We started the visa process in early October last year, just about one month before the 187 visa program was closed in November last year. He was having difficultie...s with his first 187 visa application as the relevant employer's Nomination was already refused. We had to withdraw his visa application quickly because if his visa application was refused he would be unable to lodge another visa application onshore due to the Section 48 bar. His new employer was a small start up business that was operating for only 3 months and employed one or two staff. They hadn't even lodged their first BAS yet. You could imagine that lots of discussions were happening between all parties involved (us, applicants, employer and employer's accountant) before we finally started the process... It was very stressful couple of weeks for everyone. Obviously applicants wanted visa grant after living in Australia for many years and especially after their first application was unsuccessful. But we had to stay calm and gave honest advice by saying that we were confident but we couldn't guarantee visa grant, however we would try our best. In the worst case scenario, we might have to fight at the Tribunal. We spent hours and hours collecting as many documents as we could before we lodged the file and then we had to make sure we provided the remaining documents as quickly as we could after the application was lodged. And of course we also had to upload detailed submissions explaining the business background, why the business will be successful and why there was a genuine need to employ the applicant. From the applicants' visa application side, it was also not straightforward. At the time the relevant policies surrounding whether casual or part time work experience could be counted towards the 187 visa work experience requirement were ambiguous.And payslips were missing (it's difficult to prove working hours without payslips). We had to prepare a submission to address all these issues. So yes, everything indicated that this would be a complicated case and its outcome was unpredictable. Anything that went wrong during the process could lead to a negative outcome. I'm glad we finally had the visa grant and we are very happy for Mr Rijal and his family. Congratulations again!!! A hard working family, exactly what Australia needs!

06.01.2022 The Department of Home Affairs has released further details about the English requirement for Partner visas: "As part of this week’s Budget, the Government has announced new requirements for partner visa applicants and permanent resident sponsors to make reasonable efforts to learn English. Partner visas constitute 90 percent of the family stream of the permanent migration intake. The skill stream already has English requirements. ... , . People will be able to demonstrate this through, for example, the completion of 500 hours of free English language classes through the AMEP. Most partner visas are a provisional visa of two years before becoming eligible for a permanent visa. The requirement will have to be met at the time of the granting of the permanent visa. While the ability to speak multiple languages is a great asset for an individual and for Australia, a person will struggle to fully participate in our society and democracy without basic English. These new measures will provide further opportunity for migrants and new citizens to maximise their opportunities in Australia."

03.01.2022 , & ( ) ! See the instrument: https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/F2019L01400

03.01.2022 : The Department has just released the details of SkillSelects 11 December 2019 invitation round. The number of invitations for 189 visa is 250; invitation threshold has been raised to for visa subclass 189. ... The minimum points score for the occupations listed on SkillSelects website changed as follows: : Auditors, Company Secretaries and Corporate Treasurers: 95 Electronics Engineer: 95 Industrial, Mechanical and Production Engineers: 95 Other Engineering Professionals: 95 ICT Business and System Analyst: 95 Software and Applications Programmers: 95 Computer Network Professionals: 95

03.01.2022 # - - ! ? It has been formally announced that Perth's status as a regional city will be reinstated from 16 November 2019, when the new skilled regional visas start.... The media is also reporting that Gold Coast will also be declared regional for this purpose. As yet there has been no official announcements. Will keep you posted on future developments.

03.01.2022 The immigration policy surrounding 187 visa cancellation has been updated. Please see below for the current policy: "If the employer provides information that the visa holder did not commence employment or has permanently ceased to work for the employer within two years, the officer will consider to commence employment or to complete the two-year employment period....Continue reading

02.01.2022 " " " " Migration Alliance released news about the denial of entry of persons coming from China which stated the following: Australia will deny entry to anyone who has left or transited mainland China from 1 February, with the exception of Australian citizens, permanent residents, immediate family members of Australian citizens and perm...anent residents including spouses, minor dependants and legal guardians. Migration Alliance has sought further advice in relation to the wording in the above statement. That advice is as follows: People should take a common sense approach to the definition of "immediate family member". This would ordinarily include children, dependants, spouse/partner, immediate carer/guardians of Australian Citizens or Permanent Residents. It could also include parent members of the family unit, and vital caregivers. It would NOT ordinarily include cousins, aunt/uncle and other non-immediate relatives of Australian Citizens or Permanent Residents. Each person's situation will be assessed on its own merits, and on a case-by-case basis. The Department of Home Affairs will be as fair as possible, but top priority is public safety. Source: Migration Alliance

02.01.2022 - - !!! To start with, it was a complicated case. Lots of documents were requested by the state government, while at the same time client's graduate visa was expiring soon. Finally on the day his visa expired, we were planning to lodge a new student visa application if we couldn't get a decision on that day. All the student visa documents were organised beforehand like COE, evidence of funds, OSHC, etc. ... We waited until 5.30 pm, it seemed nothing would happen, so we had to start the online student visa application. At 6.04 pm, when I was about to click the submit button and pay for the student visa application charge, an invitation email popped up and clearly the state nomination had been approved! Then we immediately proceeded to lodge his visa application with the immigration department. When it was all finished it was around 8pm, just a couple of hours before his visa expired... Absolutely thrilling! And what a great outcome! Client did not need to apply for a new student visa and could continue working full time. Now let's hope his visa will be granted soon!

02.01.2022 # - - ! ? It has been formally announced that Perths status as a regional city will be reinstated from 16 November 2019, when the new skilled regional visas start.... The media is also reporting that Gold Coast will also be declared regional for this purpose. As yet there has been no official announcements. Will keep you posted on future developments.

01.01.2022 - The following information has appeared on Immigration SA website: , . All applications that have been saved but not submitted (including applications which have been submitted but not paid) will be deleted at 11am on this date.... Immigration SA is endeavouring to finalise the state nomination applications for the subclass 489 visa prior to the Commonwealth deadline of 10 September 2019. Please ensure applications are decision ready with all required documents attached. If a decision has not been made on your subclass 489 state nomination application by 10 September, Immigration SA will contact you after this date. . If you are an onshore state nomination applicant for the subclass 190 visa with an impending visa or document expiry, please lodge an online enquiry to advise Immigration SA of the expiry date. Source: Immigration SA

01.01.2022 - The Government of South Australia has been advised of a limited number of interim allocation places for the States General Skilled and Business Migration program for 2020/21, which will be prioritised to support South Australias economic and public health recovery. ... The full nomination allocations for 2020/21 will be determined later in the year as part of the 2020/21 Budget process. Given the limited number of available nominations, South Australias program requirements and application processes for the General Skilled and Business programs are currently being finalised, with a view to applications being open in late August 2020. Based on direction from the Department of Home Affairs, applications will be prioritised according to: 1. High quality applications within the Business Innovation and Investment Program, with those who have already lodged an Intention to Apply given priority consideration. 2. Applicants critical to supporting South Australias response to the COVID19 pandemic, including individuals providing critical or specialist medical services, critical skills required to maintain the supply of essential goods and services; or delivering services in sectors critical to Australias economic recovery. 3. Early consideration to onshore applicants that satisfy the above criteria. Source - Immigration SA

01.01.2022 & If you are from China and are currently in Australia holding a Visitor visa that is subject to a visa condition 8503, and you do not want to go back to China due to the Coronavirus outbreak, please do not hesitate to contact Immigration to request a no further stay waiver so that you could apply for another visa onshore. One of our clients has been granted an 8503 waiver on this ground. It is generally quite difficult to get a wa...iver, however due to the current special circumstances in China, your request is more likely to be approved. Remember, you must be granted a waiver first before you could lodge a visa application onshore. Good luck!

01.01.2022 - A total of 1300 invitations have been issued for this round, with 1000 allocated to Subclass 189 Skilled Independent visa applicants, and the remaining 300 to Subclass 491 Skilled Work Regional (Family Sponsored) visa. The minimum points score required is 90 points, with the most recent Subclass 189 EOI to receive an invitation being lodged at the beginning of October 2019.... The top 5 occupation groups for this invitation round: Software and Applications Programmers - 298 invitations Database and Systems Administrators and ICT Security Specialists - 121 invitations Accountants - 98 invitations ICT Business and Systems Analysts - 93 invitations Civil Engineering Professionals - 76 invitations

01.01.2022 ( & ) At this stage only a limited number of visa nomination places are available. More places will become available when the Federal Budget is delivered on 6 October 2020. Only applicants who are currently working in South Australia for at least the last 3 months in their nominated or closely related occupation, for at least 20 hours per week or 40 hours per fortnight, will be invited to apply. ... In addition, the following applicants will have a better chance of being invited: - Applicants with Proficient English overall or higher - Applicants with at least 90 Points in your Expression of Interest (including state-nomination points) - Applicants who are currently working in South Australia for at least the last 12 months in their nominated or closely related occupation and claiming Points for Australian work experience - Applicants who are currently living and working in outer regional South Australia. - Applicants who meet the critical skills listed here: https://covid19.homeaffairs.gov.au/critical-skills-and-sect Most of the applicants will have to wait until October to apply.

28.12.2021 # From , fully vaccinated can now travel to Australia without needing to apply for a travel exemption. Eligible visas include student visa, 485 visa, working holiday visa, 457/482 visa and 489/491 visas. Note: visitor visa is not included in the list. ... Click here for further details: https://covid19.homeaffairs.gov.au/vaccinated-travellers

16.12.2021 # The following news has appeared on Immigration website: Two new pathways to permanent residence for eligible Hong Kong and BNO passport holders will open for applications on , through two new visa streams:... () for primary visa holders who were usually resident in Australia for a continuous period of at least three years immediately before applying and who lived, worked and studied exclusively in a designated regional area for that period, while holding the qualifying visa. for primary visa holders who were usually resident in Australia for a continuous period of at least four years immediately before applying, and who held the qualifying visa during that period. The commencement of these permanent visa streams will follow through on a commitment made by the Australian Government in July 2020 to provide further opportunities for Hong Kong passport holders to remain in Australia, with pathways to permanent residency. In August 2021, these arrangements were extended to British National (Overseas) (BNO) passport holders. Eligible Hong Kong and BNO passport holders will be able to apply for one of these permanent visas, depending on where they have lived and worked in Australia. Applicants will need to have substantially complied with the conditions of their qualifying visa. For people whose qualifying visa was extended by five years from 9 July 2020, time already spent in Australia on that visa prior to 9 July 2020 will count towards the period required for permanent residency. Source: Department of Home Affairs

05.12.2021 # Great news for applicants who are onshore but unable to lodge skilled visa applications due to Section 48 of the Migration Act 1958, which prevented applicants who have been refused or cancelled visas from lodging a valid application while they are onshore. , , !... Note: Other skilled visas are still not allowed, such as 189, 186, or 482 visa.

19.11.2021 # - The following article has appeared on the SA state government website: To manage South Australia’s COVID recovery response, an additional 24 Engineering occupations will be open to applicants currently residing offshore from . ... The minimum requirements for state nomination for these occupations include: You must have at least in the nominated or closely related occupation You must demonstrate a level, unless you hold an eligible passport from a country where the primary language is English (the United Kingdom, the United States of America, New Zealand, Ireland and Canada) You must score at least for the Skilled Work Regional visa (subclass 491) in the Department of Home Affairs' points test. Full requirements for each occupation will be shown on South Australia’s Skilled Occupation List from 10am, ACST, Tuesday 2 November 2021. For South Australian state nomination, prospective applicants must meet the Department of Home Affairs requirements, state-specific occupation requirements and have skills in an occupation that is available on our Skilled Occupation List. Offshore applicants meeting the minimum published requirements can lodge a () from 10am, ACST, Tuesday 2 November 2021. https://www.migration.sa.gov.au//Engineering-Occupations-L

14.11.2021 # From , parents will be considered an immediate family member of an Australian citizen or permanent resident usually resident in Australia and will to the current travel restrictions. Further information can be found here: https://covid19.homeaffairs.gov.au/immediate-family-austral

11.11.2021 # - The following message has appeared on the the Skilled & Business Migration website: To manage South Australia’s COVID recovery response, an will be open to applicants currently residing offshore from Tuesday .... The minimum requirements for state nomination include in the occupation or closely related occupation and a level. Full requirements for each occupation will be shown on South Australia’s Skilled Occupation List from 10am, ACST, Tuesday . For South Australian state nomination, prospective applicants must meet the Department of Home Affairs requirements, state-specific occupation requirements and have skills in an occupation that is available on our Skilled Occupation List. Offshore applicants meeting the minimum published requirements can lodge a () from 10am, ACST, Tuesday 28 September 2021. Please note that state nomination is a competitive process. There is no guarantee of receiving an invitation to apply for state nomination after lodging an RoI, even if the minimum requirements are satisfied. South Australia cannot indicate the likelihood of invitation or answer enquiries on this matter. Click to view the additional occupations list: https://migration.us8.list-manage.com/track/click

03.11.2021 On 1 September 2021, application fees for skills assessments provided by Trade Recognition Australia for the Job Ready Program (JRP) will change as follows: Step 1 - Provisional Skills Assessment (PSA) - $200... Step 2 - Job Ready Employment (JRE) - $450 Step 3 - Job Ready Workplace Assessment (JRWA) - $2540 Step 4 - Job Ready Final Assessment - $65 The new fees will apply to all new applicants and current JRP participants from 1 September 2021. , . Source: Trade Recognition Australia

17.10.2021 The Australian Agriculture visa responds to workforce shortages in the agriculture and primary industry sectors including agriculture (including meat processing), fisheries and forestry sectors. Regulations to enable the creation of the Australian Agriculture visa will be in place by the end of September 2021.... The Australian Agriculture visa will be open to applicants from a range of countries negotiated through bilateral agreements. It will be on a demand driven basis and permanent residency pathways may be included. For full details on the announcement, see: https://minister.homeaffairs.gov.au//australian-agricultur Source: Department of Home Affairs

02.10.2021 Subclass 300 Prospective Marriage visa holders are now able to apply for a travel exemption to enter Australia. The following requirements must be met: The subclass 300 visa must have been granted; and... The subclass 300 visa application was lodged at least 12 months before submitting a travel exemption request. This means if you applied for a subclass 300 visa on or before 18 August 2020, and you have now been granted your subclass 300 visa; you are eligible for an inwards travel exemption on 18 August 2021. Travel exemption requests are generally processed within 7 days. Source: Department of Home Affairs

26.09.2021 - The Immigration Department still allows 485 visa applicants to lodge their applications before taking an English test and to undergo health checks beyond the 28-day timeframe, due to the impact of COVID-19. Please see below for the current arrangement: , ... We allow extra time for you to provide English language test results if you were unable to take a test because of COVID-19. Extra time will also be given for biometrics collection and health checks where COVID-19 disrupted access to services. Where you have made an appointment for one or more of these services more than 28 days into the future, you may attach your booking confirmation in ImmiAccount. Source: Department of Home Affairs

11.09.2021 - During the COVID-19 pandemic, you can work for more than 40 hours a fortnight if you are 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... * by a registered National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) provider before 23 April 2020 * enrolled in a health care related course and you are supporting the health effort against COVID-19, as directed by health officials * in the agriculture sector * in the tourism and hospitality sector * in a supermarket, or associated distribution facility, located in an area impacted by COVID-19 lockdown restrictions for the duration of the lockdown. Source: Department of Home Affairs