A Ministerial Direction went into effect in December with faster processing times for the Temporary Skills Shortage visa (Subclass 482), Employer Nomination scheme (Subclass 186) and Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) (Subclass 494) visa.

Applications for skilled visas in the healthcare and education sectors will continue to be the Department of Home Affairs’ first concern and the change to processing priorities will have an effect on the time it takes for these applications to be processed.

Businesses which sponsor skilled visas can apply for accreditation and the direction outlines the priority given to these businesses will continue. To become an accredited sponsor, businesses must first be a Standard Business Sponsor (SBS).

This costs A$420 to apply for and once granted, gives skilled visa applications sponsored by the business priority processing, accredited status further raises this priority but businesses must fulfil criteria such as a minimum turnover of $A2 million per year over the last two years and a 75-85% Australian workforce.

The direction has also removed the priority processing for applications of offshore applications. They will now be treated the same as onshore ones and prioritised as per the day of lodgement. Priorities for Hong Kong nationals and British Overseas passport holders have been removed.

The new processing priorities reflect the government’s shift away from temporary visas with no clear pathway to permanent residency. Late in 2023, a new visa aimed at attracting skilled migrants to industries in Australia still experiencing crippling skills shortages was announced.

Despite record migration, the country is still struggling to find enough workers to fill roles involving specialist skills and has defied expectations by retaining a very low unemployment rate.

Australia’s inflation rate continued to fall in the second half of 2023 and the country managed to avoid an economic recession as it continues to recover from 2 years of border restrictions and a falling population. Call Easy Migrate to find out more about employer sponsored skilled visas and how your business can take advantage of the new processing changes.

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On November 25 2023 the employer-sponsored visa will become a pathway to permanent residency if visa holders work a minimum of 2 years for their sponsor.

Once this threshold has been met, employers will be able to sponsor migrants for permanent residency in Australia through the subclass 186 Employer Nomination Scheme visa.

Subclass 482 visa holders must find an alternate sponsor if they wish to leave the workplace where they are sponsored and must earn above the Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold (TSMIT) of $AUD70,000.

Visa holders must tell the Department of Home Affairs if they take on new duties at work, change location or get a promotion if that promotion involves new duties not specified in the original application.

The visa was designed to relieve acute skills shortages and allows for a stay of up to 4 years if the visa applicant is from a country with which Australia has an International Trade Obligation (ITO). Hong Kong passport holders can stay up to 5 years.

Applicants for the subclass 482 visa (Short-Term Stream) must practise an occupation on the Short-Term Skilled Occupation List. It costs $AUD1,455 and 90% of applications are processed within 64 days. 

The other 482 visa stream is the Medium-Term Stream which covers occupations which requires applicants work in an occupation on the Medium and Long-Term Strategic Skills List. This Stream allows a four year stay and costs $AUD3,035.

The subclass 186 visa allows holders to stay permanently, costs $AUD4,640 and most applicants should receive a reply from the Department of Home Affairs within a year.

Call Easy Migrate now for your best chance at securing a visa to live and work in Australia.

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This visa requires applicants to be nominated for a skilled position by an approved sponsor, as well as possess a minimum of two years’ work experience in the nominated occupation or a related field.

Temporary Skills Shortage visa subclass 482 (Short Term stream) holders will also be able to renew their visas indefinitely and can reapply for another visa and carry on living in the country for as long as they want, until they decide to apply for permanent residency.

Applicants must complete a relevant skills assessment if necessary and work exclusively for their sponsor, unless exemptions apply. In most cases they also must satisfy English language requirements.

This change will allow all subclass 482 visa holders to apply for the Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186) Temporary Residence Transition stream, which is a common pathway to permanent residency.

Previously, only subclass 482 visa holders in the medium term stream and labour agreement stream were allowed to apply for the subclass 186 Temporary residence Transition stream.

The subclass 482 visa allows for a stay of 2 years, with nationals of countries under the International Trade Obligation such as China, Japan, Thailand, Chile, Korea, or New Zealand allowed to stay for up to 4 years. Hong Kong passport holders are allowed to stay for up to 5 years.

A Short Term stream subclass 482 visa costs AUD$1,455 and 90% of visas are processed within 90 days.

Medium Term stream and Labour Agreement streams allow a stay of up to four years for all nationalities and cost AUD$3,035. Family members of subclass 482 visa holders are eligible for a subsequent entrant visa, valid for as long as the original visa is active, at a cost of $AUD1,455.

Applicants for the Short Term stream must also be qualified in an occupation on the short term skilled occupation list.

To find out how to take advantage of these changes, contact Easy Migrate today and talk to an experienced, knowledgeable team member who can help you to make your Australian dream come true.

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72% of the allocated visa places in Australia for 2023-24 are for permanent migrants who wish to work full-time and apply their skills, with many visas aimed at alleviating labour shortages in industries struggling to fill gaps in their workforce.

The other 28% of permanent visas allow migrants to bring their families to the country..

The subclass 491 skilled work (provisional) visa is a very popular option for migrants who wish to start a new life in Australia because it allows visa holders to apply for permanent residency after 3 years in the country.

Costing A$4,640 to apply for, holders of this visa live and work in designated regional areas of the country for up to 5 years. Unlike other popular visa options, holders can work as many hours as they wish and may leave and return to Australia as much as they want whilst in possession of the visa.

Immediate family members of the subclass 491 visa holder can also apply to stay in the country for 5 years, with the same ability to apply for permanent residency after 3 years.

Another option for migrants wishing to live and work in Australia is the subclass 482 temporary skills shortage visa. The short-term stream for this visa costs A$1,455 and lasts for 2 years, while the medium-term stream visas costs $3,035 and lasts 4 years.

Processing is quick compared to the subclass 491 visa and the Department of Home Affairs advises that 90% of short-term applications are processed within two months, medium-term subclass 491 visas are usually processed within a few weeks.

Applicants for the subclass 491 visa must be skilled in an occupation on the short term skilled occupation list for the short term stream. Applicants for the medium-term stream need to practice an occupation on the medium and long term strategic skills list or the regional occupation list.

There are many occupations on this list and a migration agent will be able to tell you whether you have the option of applying for a subclass 482 visa and give you options to find the best visa for your situation. As with subclass 491 visa, the families of visa holders can also apply for a visa to live and work in Australia.

Another popular skilled visa that allows migrants to work full-time and live in Australia is the subclass 186 employer nomination scheme visa. This visa costs $4,640 and allows successful applicants to stay in Australia permanently. As the name suggests, migrants will need to find an employer in Australia that wishes to sponsor them, must possess 3 years of relevant work experience. They must also complete a skills assessment.

This visa is very popular for applicants from within Australia who would like to continue to live and work in the country permanently. If you are overseas, you can apply for this visa, but your occupation must be on the relevant list of skilled occupations and you must have a competent level of English.

The Designated Area Migration Agreement (DAMA) visa is another permanent option where employers in designated regions sponsor migrants to work and live in those areas.

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At a maximum of A$7,000 for a A$70,000 annual salary, concessions that already exist through a labour agreement will remain the same percentage.

The TMSIT is the minimum annual salary that an Australian employer must pay a worker for them to be eligible for a Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (SESR) (Provisional) visa (subclass 494) or a Temporary Skill Shortage visa.

These highly sought after visas enable migrants to be able to live and work in Australia and can provide a pathway to permanent residency..

The announcement made at the Migration Industry Alliance Regional Migration Conference late last month also confirmed that changes to the TMSIT would apply to applications lodged on or after July 1, 2023.

Visa programs aimed at relieving skills shortages in regional and remote areas such as the Designated Area Migration Agreements (DAMA) were not discussed.

The previously announced Aged Care Labour Agreement gives workers access to a two-year pathway to permanent residency and it is negotiated directly between unions and employers. 

The average salary of an aged care worker in Australia is A$33 per hour, but some estimates place the average annual salary at more than A$65,000.

There are almost 9,000 unfilled vacancies for registered nurses and over 6,000 vacancies for software programmers down under, according to a Labour Market Update report from Jobs and Skills Australia.

The current TMSIT is set at A$53,500 annual salary and the increase in that threshold will squeeze businesses that sponsor employees, as the increase in concession rate will not cover the required increase in salaries.

Regional areas are still experiencing the highest job vacancy rate, but employers in capital cities are finding it easier to fill positions than in other areas, as people return to major cities after lockdowns and border restrictions.

In capital cities, recruitment difficulty peaked at 75 percent in August 2022 but has since declined to 63 percent in December 2022. 

Regional areas faced similar challenges filling vacancies in 2022.

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After this date, all new applicants for Temporary Skilled Migration Visas must meet the $70,000 TSMIT or the annual market salary rate, whichever is higher.

The majority of full time jobs in the country pay more than the current TSMIT and the government says the new threshold value is an overdue correction. 

In a move welcomed by migrants looking to stay in Australia long-term, the government also announced that by the end of 2023, Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) Short-term stream visa holders will be able to access a pathway to permanent residency within the existing capped permanent program.

These adjustments are amongst the first actions taken by the government after an independent Review of the Migration System led by Dr Martin Parkinson found that, “key areas of the system are broken.”

Employer-sponsored visa holders will be eligible for Employer Nominated Scheme Temporary Residence Transition after two years of sponsorship on a TSS by their employer. 

All Temporary Skill Shortage subclass 482 visa holders will be eligible for ENS visas sponsored by their employers and usually, have worked for their employers for at least 3 years full-time while holding a subclass 457 or Temporary Skill Shortage visa. 

It is hoped the changes to temporary skills visas will provide skilled migrants with more certainty and Australian employers with a larger talent pool after it was drained by border restrictions.

The Albanese government has previously underlined its intentions to increase skilled migration as part of a response to the skills shortages faced by Australia in the wake of Covid-19 border restrictions.

Many industries are still crying out for workers, despite migration increases and this measure will allow more skilled migrants to live and work permanently in Australia.

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482 visa holders who work in a job that is on the Regional Occupations List (ROL) can now apply for a Subclass 186 visa in the Temporary Residence Transition stream, thus securing themselves an opportunity to progress to permanent residency and onto citizenship.

Applicants must have had been in the country for at least one year between 1 February 2020 and 14 December 2021 and must be lawfully employed at the time of their application.

The Subclass 186 visa allows for a permanent stay in Australia and costs AUD$4,240. Usually applicants must have worked for their employer for at least three years previous to applying for it.

It is one of the most popular permanent residency pathways for migrants who work and live in Australia.

Doctors and medical practitioners often stay in Australia on Subclass 186 visas, and in another change, they may now be provisional or limited members of the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA).

Medical Practitioners who apply for the Subclass 186 visa used to have to have been a member of the organisation, but now a lesser commitment is required.

Visa-nominating organisations may also have to provide a letter stating that they are aware of the “type” of application and agree that the registration held is sufficient.

Finally, Applicants for General Skilled Migration (GSM) visas now have 60 days to obtain a relevant skills assessment.

Meaning that if you were in possession of a valid assessment result when you applied, but did not hold it when you were invited to submit the relevant skills assessment results, you now have an extended period to do so.

Visas which require a relevant skills assessment are the Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189), Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190), Skilled Regional (provisional) visa (subclass 489), Skilled Work Regional (provisional) visa (subclass 491).

Now is an excellent time to move to Australia, the unemplyment rate is incredibly low and those with sought after skills are being head hunted by firms across many sectors and industries. 

Visa processing times have been slashed by a recently elected government that is putting the rights and wellbeing of migrants first. 

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They have been able to finalise a total of almost 3 million visas since then.

Now, a new ministerial direction has made it easier for migrants who work in the health and education sectors to secure visas. This move builds on the government’s promise to clear a visa backlog inherited from the previous Liberal Government.

The new visa priorities in Australia put healthcare and teaching occupations at the top of the list with some offshore permanent and provisional applications also receiving special treatment.

Small businesses in Australia struggling for staff are set to benefit, processing of the Temporary Skill Shortage visa, designed for labour market shortages, is a top priority according to Ministerial Direction 100.

It will restore priority in all sectors for those who are trusted employers and key businesses that drive economic productivity, the Department of Home Affairs said that the more efficient nature of processing these visas will have a direct effect on the number of visas they are able to finalise.

The Priority Migration Skilled Occupation List (PMSOL) is no longer being used by the department when deciding who will receive priority processing of their visas. The time has never been better to get a skilled visa for Australia.

Come and discover why working in Australia is such a good idea for your future. With world-class educational facilities, infrastructure and an economy that is the envy of the world, Australia is an attractive place to move to and those living here don’t want the secret getting out about just how peaceful, safe and pleasant it is in the land down under.

As with any travel, migrating to Australia has the potential to open your mind to the possibility of staying for an extended period of time, and as with any other country, your visa to stay is a legal requirement of being in Australia.

In order to live the life you want to in Australia, planning is essential and as part of that planning, you must take into account your visa situation.

Easy Migrate is uniquely placed as one of the most successful agencies in Australia they specialise in any kind of visa, skilled, student, family and graduate, helping each and every client on their visa journey for over 20 years.

They have the knowledge and experience to make sure your visa is up to date or to help you with an initial application. They will offer you the best advice and help you with migrating to Australia, every step of the way.

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The Pilbara Designated Area Migration Agreement (DAMA) will help to fill critical labour shortages in the region and give employers struggling with skills shortages the opportunity to employ overseas workers more easily.

“The new Pilbara DAMA will help fill gaps in the labour market and bring huge benefits for both the local community and migrants,” said Town of Port Hedland Mayor Peter Carter.

The Pilbara is located in the north of Western Australia with most of the population spread along the Indian Ocean coast at its western border, it is responsible for a major portion of the production, value, exports and investments of extraction industries commodities, particularly iron ore and liquefied natural gas (LNG).

The Pilbara DAMA outlines occupations that are facing a skills shortage and provides visa pathways for a Temporary Skilled Shortage visa, (Subclass 482) available to those who are qualified in those occupations.

There is a broad range of occupations on the Pilbara DAMA across many industries including bar supervisors, clinical psychologists and a range of trade workers.

Regional Development Australia Pilbara Chief Executive Officer Tony Simpson believes skilled migrants will enjoy living in the Pilbara. “More than 50% of the occupations listed on the DAMA are roles which service our community. The DAMA is more than just mining and industry, and aims to build a stronger community,” he said.

The Pilbara is home to many amazing places, supportive communities and thousands of kilometres of pristine beaches, its spectacular natural beauty is legendary within Australia.

The relatively small towns of Port Headland and Karratha have a combined gross decimal product of A$16.636 billion and are considered the powerhouses of the Australian economy.

The record-low unemployment rate of 3.3% at the moment and the fact that the economy has thrived through the pandemic means there is no better time to start a brighter future here and experience a comfortable, safe, peaceful way of life that is the envy of the world.

Easy Migrate is here to help you along your migration journey with expert advice and personal support. Call or schedule an appointment with us, we promise you will not regret it.

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The inquiry was conducted by the Joint Standing on Migration and made recommendations such as consolidating the Short-Term Skilled Occupation Lists and Medium to Long-Term Strategic Skills Lists into one Skilled Occupation List, as well as determining improved methods for identifying acute skills shortages in the country.

It suggested making drastic concessions for the work experience requirements for international students who have undertaken their courses in Australia at reputable institutions, longer graduate temporary visas of three years to provide more flexibility for international graduates to find jobs and work experience in Australia.

The inquiry recommended improvements must be made to the processing and customer service operations for skilled migrants by improving communication between applicants and the Department of Immigration.

It also suggested removing the need for LMT (Labour Market Testing) for subsequent visas when the 457/482 visa holder has held the position for 12 months or more with the sponsor.

It mentions the Skilling Australia Funds Levy which can be up to $4,800 per employee for small to medium sized businesses in Australia and says this levy should be refunded where the application is unsuccessful and there is no evidence of fraud.

Employers should also be excluded from paying this levy twice for the same employee, according to the inquiry.

The inquiry said there should be concessions or reductions to the  temporary skilled migration income threshold for regional areas, meaning more regional opportunities for migrants in Australia.

This Inquiry into Australia’s Skilled Migration Program indicates there will be easier access to skilled visas for those wishing to migrate to Australia over the next few years and improved pathways for those wishing to migrate to this great country permanently.

It also means better outcomes for businesses wishing to grow with the help of migrant workers.

Australia is getting ready for you to migrate here in the next few years as the economy continues in it’s recovery from the global pandemic, this is definitely the right time to start considering your future down under.

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