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Global Talent Program – Fast Track Visa for Skilled and Talented Individuals

If you are highly skilled and internationally recognised in:

  • Ag Tech
  • Fin Tech
  • Med Tech
  • Cyber Security
  • Quantum Information, Advanced Digital, Data Science and ICT
  • Space and Advanced Manufacturing
  • Energy and Mining Technology

and are able to demonstrate either:

  • you have an ability to earn at least $153,600 (gross) per year in Australia

or

  • you are a high performing recent PhD or Masters or Honours graduate in one of the target sectors

then the new cheaper and faster Global Talent Program may be a better option for you than the standard visa pathways (eg, via the Skilled Independent visa program).

Horticulture Industry Labour Agreement

If you have experience or qualification as an irrigation designer, agronomist, entomologist, horticulture grower, protected cropping grower, mechanic/truck driver, fork lift driver or machinery supervisor, you may be eligible for some important concessions on your future visa applications including a pathway to permanent residency, reduction to the minimum Temporary Skilled Migration income threshold, exemption to the English language requirement and ability to apply for occupations that are not on the existing Skilled Occupation Lists. [...]  READ MORE →

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Visa & Permanent Residency Options for Hong Kong Residents

New! Visa & Permanent Residency Options for Hong Kong Residents

From 9 July 2020, certain Hong Kong residents currently in Australia can seek an extension of their visas for 5 years and may even be eligible for permanent residency at the end of that time!

Residency Possibility – Student Visa & Temporary Graduate Visa Holders

  • current and prospective Hong Kong students who are eligible for the temporary graduate visa will be able to apply for a 5 year visa with a pathway to permanent residency thereafter
  • current temporary graduate visa holders from Hong Kong can extend their visa for 5 years with a pathway to permanent residency thereafter
  • regional students from Hong Kong will have a pathway to permanent residency after 3 years

Residency Possibility – Temporary Skilled Visa (subclass 482) Holders

  • current visa can be extended for another 5 years with a pathway to permanent residency thereafter
  • Hong Kong residents may be eligible for a 5 year visa irrespective of their occupation skills list (subject to meeting other eligibility criteria) and also have a pathway to permanent residency thereafter

Fast Track – Global Talent Employer Sponsored and Business Innovation and Investment Programs (subclass 188 and 132) [...]  READ MORE →

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COVID-19 – Is your visa about to expire? Are you unable to leave Australia?

From 3 April 2020, temporary visa holders will have an additional pathway to remain in Australia under the Temporary Activity visa subclass 408 – specifically, you will be able to apply and be granted the 408 visa “if”:

  • you are in Australia; and
  • you are unable to depart Australia due to the current pandemic; and
  • you hold a visa that would expire within the next 28 days or your visa has already expired in the last 28 days; and
  • you are unable to make a valid visa application for any other temporary visa.

Usually for the subclass 408 visa you need an endorsement letter from an eligible sponsor, however, if you apply in respect of the COVID-19 event you do not need to be endorsed in writing.

Once granted, this visa will allow you to stay in Australia for the duration of the pandemic. [...]  READ MORE →

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COVID-19 and its impact on your entry to Australia (as at April 1st 2020)

COVID-19 and its impact on your entry to Australia

As of 1 April 2020

Summary of the current travel restrictions

Inbound

  • Unless exempted, if you are not Australian citizens, residents, immediate family member and/or a New Zealand citizen usually resident in the country, you cannot travel to Australia.
  • Immediate family members are:
    • spouses;
    • dependent children; and
    • legal guardians.
    Immediate family members who are not on a Partner or Child visa should not travel to Australia until approval from the Department has been obtained. Prospective Marriage Visa holders cannot come to Australia. As of 23:50AEDT on 28 March 2020, all incoming travellers are subject to a mandatory quarantine period of 14 days at a designated facility. Travellers transiting New South Wales on their way to another State or Territory or another country are currently not required to be quarantined. Other exemptions to the travel restrictions may apply. For example: people with critical skills – medical specialists, engineers or pilot may travel to Australia after approvals have been given. Application for exemption must be made prior to arrival in Australia.

    Outbound

    • Australian citizens and Australian permanent residents cannot go overseas unless they are:
      • ordinary residents of another country;
      • Airline and maritime crew;
      • New Zealand citizens holding a visa subclass 444;
      • People who work in freight related jobs;
      • People who need to travel for essential work in an offshore facilities; and
      • People travelling on official government business;
      Applications must be made and granted prior to departures from Australia.

      What are the consequences of travelling to Australia without satisfying one of the above exceptions?

      Do not travel to Australia unless you are certain that the at least one of the above exceptions applies to you. Your visa will be cancelled if you arrive in Australia.

      What to do if your visa has been cancelled?

      Please contact us immediately if your visa has been cancelled due to breach of the current travel restrictions. [...]  READ MORE →

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New Skilled Regional Visas

From 16 November 2019, current international students, workers and other temporary visa holders can apply for two new skilled regional visas which may allow them to:

  • live and work in regional Australia for up to 5 years
  • apply for a permanent visa without a second nomination stage through the proposed subclass 191 visa which will commence from 16 November 2022

Eligibility Criteria

Although the eligibility criteria for the new regional visas and the proposed permanent visa are not currently available, we expect that:

the new Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) Visa (subclass 491) will replace the existing subclass 489 provisional visa and have similar requirements
the new Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) Visa (subclass 494) will replace the existing subclass 187 visa in the direct entry stream and have similar requirements
the proposed permanent visa subclass 191 will (presumably) be the second stage of the new employer-sponsored visa subclass 494 which means that visa applicants will need to demonstrate they have lived and worked in regional Australia while holding the new regional visas

Subclasses 494 and 191 will require applicants to have the minimum taxable income of at least the Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold which is currently $53,900 (unless concessions are agreed). [...]  READ MORE →

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Permanent Visa – Sponsor Your Parents!

If you are a permanent resident or citizen in Australia, you may be able to sponsor your parents to stay and live in Australia.

Process

The process involves time and expense but naturally can be very rewarding! It includes:

  • paying application fees
  • completing necessary paperwork
  • selecting the right pathway
  • being patient

Categories

The two categories of permanent visas are “normal” and “contributory”. Their common features are:

  • for applications that have to be made offshore, your parents do not need to meet the age requirement at the time of their application and they are not required to go through the health and character checks prior to queuing
  • for applications which can be made onshore, they need to meet the age requirement, however, there is an exception which allows a non-aged applicant in Australia to make a valid application for an offshore subclass visa whilst in Australia
  • certain applicants are eligible for bridging visa A without conditions (only in limited circumstances)

Key features of a “normal” visa include:

  • the application fee is significantly lower than visas in the contributory category
  • it has a longer queuing time (exceeding 15 years in some cases)
  • your parents may be entitled to a bridging visa which allows them to remain in Australia during the processing time

Key features of a “contributory” visa include:

  • it has a higher second visa application cost
  • a higher assurance of support bond is required from you and for a longer period of time
  • it has a faster queuing time (around 2 years)
  • the application fee starts at around $48,000 per parent
  • it has two stages – you apply for the temporary visa (valid for 2 years but which cannot be extended or renewed) and then you apply for the permanent visa after payment of visa application cost

Sub-Classes

Within the two categories of parent visas, there are six visa subclasses (excluding the new temporary visa subclass) which need careful consideration and selection. [...]  READ MORE →

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Prospective Marriage Visa

Prospective Marriage Visa Subclass 300

What is a Prospective Marriage Visa?
The Prospective Marriage Visa (Subclass 300), also known as the TO-300 visa, is intended for people seeking to enter Australia for the purpose of marrying their prospective spouse (an Australian Citizen, permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen) after they arrive, and remain in Australia permanently after the marriage.

This visa enables the holder to enter and remain in the country for nine months. After marrying their prospective spouse, the TO-300 visa holder can apply for a UK-820/BS-801 Partner visa which, if granted, will allow them to stay in Australia permanently. [...]  READ MORE →

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Migration Business Sponsorship Update

With the introduction of the temporary skill shortage visa, it has become more difficult to sponsor foreign workers to Australia.

New Requirements

A business looking to nominate foreign workers (a nominee) should be mindful of the new requirements as non-compliance would risk refusal of your application, delay in the sponsoring process and negatively affect your business plan.

Pre-Conditions

The majority of businesses cannot immediately lodge a nomination application without having first completed two important processes: [...]  READ MORE →

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3 things to know when applying for a Partner visa

The Partner Visa program allows Australian citizens, permanent residents and eligible New Zealand citizens to sponsor their partners for a visa to permanently stay and work in Australia.

Similar to other pathways to migrate to the country, the requirements for eligibility for a Partner Visa are not straightforward – you or your partner will need more than just a genuine relationship to be successful in obtaining this visa.

With that in mind, we have set out below the 3 requirements that could make or break your visa application: [...]  READ MORE →