The Department of Home Affairs has announced significant changes to the employer-sponsored permanent residency program, scheduled to be implemented on November 25, 2023. These changes primarily affect Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) 482 visa holders, providing them with a pathway to permanent residency under the Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS) Subclass 186 Temporary Residence Transition (TRT) stream.
Key highlights of the reforms include:
- All TSS 482 visa holders will be eligible for ENS visas sponsored by their employers, allowing skilled workers to transition to permanent residency.
- The period of employment with the sponsoring employer required for ENS 186 TRT eligibility is reduced to two years, down from the previous three years.
- Eligible occupations for the ENS 186 TRT visa pathway will not be limited to those on the Medium Long-Term Strategic Skills List (MTSSL), expanding opportunities for workers in occupations on the Short-Term Skilled Occupation List (STSOL).
- Applicants must continue working in their nominated occupations and meet all other nomination and visa requirements for the ENS 186 TRT stream.
These changes aim to strengthen Australia’s skills profile, address skills shortages across industries, streamline the skilled migration program, and maintain competitiveness on the international stage.
Other updates effective from the new financial year of 2023-24 include:
- Increase in the Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold (TSMIT) from $53,900 to $70,000, effective from July 1, 2023.
- Inclusion of Papua New Guinea (PNG) in the Work and Holiday (subclass 462) visa program, allowing up to 100 PNG nationals to travel to Australia.
- Extension of the upper age limit for all Working Holiday (subclass 417) visa applicants to 35 years, effective from July 1, 2023.
These changes reflect the government’s commitment to enhancing Australia’s workforce, attracting skilled migrants, and boosting economic recovery efforts post-pandemic.
The Australian government has announced several changes to immigration policies and visa pathways, effective from July 1, 2023:
- Direct Australian citizenship for New Zealand citizens: From July 1, 2023, New Zealand citizens holding a non-protected Special Category Visa can apply for citizenship by conferral, subject to meeting other eligibility requirements.
- Work restrictions for student visa holders: Starting from July 1, 2023, student visa holders will be restricted to working no more than 48 hours a fortnight while studying. However, there are no work restrictions when the course of study or training is not in session.
- Extended stay for Subclass 485 Visa Holders: Eligible Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) holders will have their visas automatically extended by two years, based on the completion of certain approved courses.
- Occupation List & Skills Assessment for Graduate Work Stream: Graduate Work stream visa applicants will need a qualification relevant to an occupation on the skilled occupation list and a skills assessment in the nominated occupation.
- High Income Threshold increase: The High Income Threshold under the Fair Work Act has increased to $167,500 from July 1, 2023. This threshold affects certain visa applicants, including those seeking age exemption for the 186 ENS visa.
Additionally, the Australian government has announced plans to replace the Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) 482 visa with a new three-tiered system of visa pathways in 2024:
- Specialist skills visa pathway: This pathway will cater to individuals with specialist skills earning over $135,000 per year. It will not have an occupational list and will offer a processing turnaround of 7 days.
- Core skills visas pathway: This pathway is expected to provide the majority of visas and will cater to a wide range of skilled workers, including those on a revised ‘skills in demand list’ developed by Jobs and Skills Australia.
- Essential skills visa pathway: Details of this pathway are yet to be finalized but will involve union oversight, be capped, and restricted to specific sectors such as aged care and disability. It will be for individuals earning under $70,000.
These changes aim to streamline visa processes, address skills shortages, and provide clear pathways to permanent residency for skilled migrants.