Australia immigration policy has undergone some changes in the past few months. These changes and reforms are set to have a major impact on immigration policy in 2020. Whether business owners, international students, skilled workers, or applicants seeking permanent residence, potential applicants need to aware of these policies. What are these changes? Read on as Royal Migration, a Dubai-based visa consultancy company walks you through the most significant changes in the visa categories and point system.
Changes in the point system
- For being single: 10 points
- having a skilled spouse or de facto partner: 10 points (it was initially 5)
- If the spouse or de facto partner is proficient in English: 5 points
- having a certain STEM qualification: 10 points
- Nominated by a State or Territory Government or sponsored by a family member residing in regional Australia: 15 points
Introduction of new regional visa
Two new regional visas have been introduced by the government to attract skilled workers to certain regions. This can be a great pathway to be a permanent resident as skilled workers can apply for PR after 3 years of residing and working in designated regions. The two new skilled regional visas include subclass 491, the Skilled Work Regional visa, and subclass 494, a skilled Employer-Sponsored Regional visa which has taken effect since November 16, 2019.
More Agricultural visa
Australia has given permission for their horticulture farmworkers to sponsor oversea farmworkers to work for them. The permission was granted early this year which also provides requirements for English language concession and the minimum salary the sponsoring employee must pay. This new change is favorable to both employees and employers. Besides, the salary adjustment is favorable to the employers and more doors are open to farmworkers who are immigrants because of the modification in English language requirements
This can also be an avenue for permanent residence therefore, it gives the farmworkers strong motivation to stay on in their jobs.
Changes in Permanent Visa
For many years, regional skilled workers have been denied a PR however, the Australia Immigration Authorities is now providing permanent residence for regional migration to take effect from November 2022. The immigration minister confirmed that the Australia government introduced a permanent visa(subclass191) for residence holding a regional skilled visa.
Applicants must show they have obeyed all the conditions of the residence skilled workers visa and they also need to attain a taxable income of $53900 every year for three years. The visa will be available from the 16th of November 2022. Besides, they must also have a valid regional provisional visa before they can apply for a permanent visa.
Changes in Parent Visa
A temporary parent visa was introduced last year by the Australia immigration department. The number of places under this visa as now been limited to 15,000 per year. This visa is now available and parents can get it either for three years which will cost AUD 5,000 or five years which will cost AUD 10,000.
Subclass 870 is available for parents who come to Australia under this visa. They are eligible to re-apply and if it is approved, they are able to stay in Australia for a total period of 10 years. However, working under this visa type is not allowed. Besides, the Australia government gives their citizens and Australian permanent residence the option to bring their parent on a temporary basis using the C temporary parent visa
Opportunities for semi-skilled applicants
A great agreement as now been signed between the federal government of Australia, the Northern Territory and, the great southern coast of Victoria to facilitate the immigration of the semi-skilled workers with limited English proficiency in Australia. The agreement is called the Designated Area Migration Agreement. Moreso, the semi-skilled workers having lower skills, language proficiency, and low income may be able to receive Australia permanent residence.
The aim of the agreement is to deal with the shortage of labor in those areas now and in the future. Hence, the federal government of Australia decided to sign such an agreement with other regions.
To know more about the Australia visa policy, visit the Royal Immigration website, and also check the Royal Migration Review to see what others have got to say.
