An Australia pursues to ramp up migration as part of its financial recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, here is a round-up of some of the main immigration changes that have been proclaimed.
Migration to Australia has fallen starkly since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic due to extensive travel bans and border closures, but it is expected to bounce back in 2022. For more details contact the best immigration consultants in Sydney IME Advisors.
Which visa holders can currently enter Australia?
Australia's boundaries reopened to qualified international students and certain skilled visa holders on 15 December 2021 – almost 6 months earlier than forecast in the federal budget.
Permanent residents and Australian citizens can also enter Australia, and their immediate family members can apply for an exemption to enter. Contact the best immigration consultants in Sydney IME Advisors for more details.
More opportunities for temporary visa holders
Migration agent of IME Advisors, said while numerous temporary visa holders left Australia during the pandemic due to an absence of work and welfare support, he now expects the focus will be on offering permanent residency pathways to those who endured, with some of those pathways already announced.
Permanent residency for qualified migrants in health and hospitality
In November, the government announced significant visa modifications to retain highly skilled migrants in critical sectors as part of its economic recovery. Under the alterations, certain migrants who have chosen to work and stay in Australia during the pandemic will be eligible for permanent residency.
The alterations may advantage existing Temporary Skill Shortage (subclass 482) visa holders in the short-term stream, who were earlier restricted to a two-year stay without such a pathway. Contact us the best immigration consultants in Sydney IME Advisors.
Permanent residency for skilful migrants in the regions
Skilled Migration agent of IME Advisors, who is managing director of the Australian Immigration Agency, said temporary migrants who were stranded offshore due to the pandemic have been the hardest hit. However visa holders in Australia are in a good position.
Among the new permanent residency pathways, consultants highlighted was the skilled regional subclass 191 visa for people who have lived, worked, and studied in a designated regional area on a previous, eligible visa.
The visa does not start up until 16 November 2022, according to the department.
Permanent residency for Hong Kong nationals
Here is also decent news for some Hong Kong nationals who are based in Australia, as they will be provided access to new specialized pathways to permanent residency from March 2022.
The government announced in November the overview of two new visa streams – subclass 189 (Hong Kong Skilled Independent Stream) and subclass 191 (Hong Kong Regional Stream) – was introduced as part of Australia's commitment to supporting ties with Hong Kong.
Changes to 189 New Zealand Stream Visa
In 21 the Australian Government also modified the New Zealand pathway to help eligible temporary visa holders who are New Zealand citizens to gain permanent residency in Australia.
Since 1 July 21, variations came into effect for the New Zealand stream of the Skilled Independent (Subclass 189) visa that reduced the number of years in which an eligible applicant must meet the stated income threshold. For more details contact the best immigration consultants in Sydney IME Advisors.
The government has also applied measures to help temporary visa holders who were on a pathway to permanent residency prior to COVID-19 to maintain their eligibility.
Section 48 bar raised for skilled migration visas
Skilful migrants in Australia are also momentarily being given the opportunity to apply onshore for three skilled migration visa subclasses following a change to section 48 of the Migration Act.
On 13 November, consultants agreed to temporarily include the following visa subclasses in the list of exempted visas: 491, 494, and 190.
New visa changes for temporary graduate visa holders
The government announced in November the concession would allow current or prior temporary graduate (subclass 485) visa holders whose visas expired on or after 1 February 2020 to re-apply for a new visa of the similar duration from 1 July 2022.
There will be additional changes to temporary graduate visa settings, including an increase to the stay period on the 485 visas for Masters by Coursework graduates from two to three years, from 18 to 24 months for the Graduate Work stream. Contact us for more details on the best immigration consultants in Sydney IME Advisors.
The government announced these changes would be implemented progressively from 1 December 21 to 1 July 22. Applications for the replacement visa might be made from 1 July 2022. For more information contact the best immigration consultants in Sydney IME Advisors.
