Southern Stone

A new Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL) has been announced by the Australian Government and fulfils the Government’s commitment to replace complex, out of date and inflexible occupation lists in the current temporary skilled visa program. The new CSOL will be a single consolidated list which will apply to the new Skills in Demand visa… Continue reading New Core Skills Occupation List Released – new 482 Skills In Demand (SID) visa to commence 07 December 2024

A myriad of changes will apply to the Australian visa program from 01 July 2024. They are summarized below: Increase in Visa Application and Other Fees Most visa categories will increase by 2.75% based on the 2024-25 Consumer Price Index. Student visas have seen a significant increase of 125%, rising to $1600 with additional applicants… Continue reading Summary of Australian Visa and Related Changes from 01 July 2024

The Australian Government has implemented revisions to the English Language Requirements for Student and Temporary Graduate visas, aligning with its overarching Migration Strategy. Effective March 23, 2024, these changes involve an increase in minimum IELTS scores for both visa categories. Temporary Graduate visas Temporary Graduate Visas now require a minimum score of 6.5 (or equivalent)… Continue reading New English Language Requirements

Dear valued clients and partners, As we wrap up another incredible year, we want to take a moment to express our deepest gratitude for your trust and collaboration. It has been a pleasure assisting you on your migration journeys, and we look forward to many more successful adventures in the coming year. 🎄 Merry Christmas and… Continue reading Merry Christmas

Following a comprehensive review of Australia’s migration system, the Government’s Migration Strategy was released on 11 December 2023 and outlined a new vision for Australia’s migration program, with a policy roadmap containing 8 key actions and over 25 new policy commitments and areas for future reform. This strategy was delivered after extensive consultation with businesses,… Continue reading Australia’s New Migration Strategy

Further to previously announced proposed changes for the subclass 482 (TSS)programme and easier transition to PR for 482 visa holders, the Government has now officially announced the following changes to commence from 25 November 2023 (subject to regulatory approval): Skilled Occupation Lists REMOVED; which means ALL occupations, as long as it is identified under ANZSCO… Continue reading Major Changes from 25 Nov 2023 for 482/186

Australia is a land of diverse cultures and warm family bonds. For those with loved ones living in the Land Down Under, there’s a range of family and partner visas designed to bring families together and keep those bonds strong. In this guide, we’ll explore the various family and partner visas available, each catering to… Continue reading A Guide to Australian Family and Partner Visas

If you’ve been dreaming of living and working in Australia, there’s no better time than now to make your move. All the states and territories have announced the opening of their nomination places for the coveted 190 and 491 visas. This is a golden opportunity for skilled individuals and their families to embark on a… Continue reading State and Territory Nomination Places for 190/491 Visas Are Now Open!

On 05 May 2023, Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs Andrew Giles announced the implementation of a new Aged Care Industry Labour Agreement assist employers in the aged care industry to address skills shortages. This labor agreement is ready for employers to access immediately and will provide concessional pathways to permanent residency for overseas… Continue reading NEW Aged Care Industry Labor Agreement – Pathway to Permanent Residency for Direct Care Occupations

In an announcement made today, the Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold (TSMIT) will be increased from $53,9000 to $70,000 from 01 July 2023. This will be the first increase since the TSMIT level of $53900 was set in 2013. This announcement has also indicated that the Albanese Government will be announcing by the end of… Continue reading PR Pathways for Short-Term TSS Visa Holders & TSMIT Increase

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has announced on 07 February 2022 that Australian border re-opening will be extended to tourists and all visa holders who are fully vaccinated from 21 February 2022, two years since the border’s initial closure. This announcement comes after various temporary visa holders were allowed entry in November 2021. This will be… Continue reading Australia Re-Opening to the World – 21 February 2022

On 25 November 2021, Minister for Education & Youth and Minister for Immigration released a joint statement paving the way for more flexible arrangements for 485 visa holders. Summary for the arrangements are: 485 visa holders who have been unable to travel to Australia due to COVID-19 will be able to apply for a replacement… Continue reading 485 VISA HOLDERS REJOICE

Afghans can now apply for the Humanitarian visa program online. As the world watches with horror the chain of events unfolding in Afghanistan, we wish to extend our sincere sympathies to all the Afghans affected and all those in Australia with family and friends in Afghanistan who feel helpless to assist. Normally, aside from the… Continue reading Afghans can now apply for Australia’s Humanitarian Program ONLINE

A new free tree agreement has been agreed to in-principle between Australia and the United Kingdom which, aside from the opening of markets between the two countries and allowing consumers from both countries to benefit from cheaper products, will also bring significant advantages to UK nationals seeking visa opportunities in Australia. UK Working Holiday Visa… Continue reading UK/AUSTRALIA FREE TREE AGREEMENT

Australia’s workforce has been significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and over 500,000 temporary visa holders left Australia since the pandemic resulting in significant skills shortages. Australia’s economy recovery post COVID-19 will be severely hampered without the return of skilled migration. With the above realization, on 3 February 2021, the Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant… Continue reading INQUIRY INTO AUSTRALIA’S SKILLED MIGRATION PROGRAM – POSSIBLE CHANGES

Acting Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services, and Multicultural Affairs Alan Tudge has announced major changes to the Business Innovation and Investment Program (BIIP). From 01 July 2021, this program will be simplified from nine to four streams and eligibility changes will apply. The changes are made to drive investment in key sectors and create… Continue reading NEW CHANGES FOR BUSINESS & INVESTMENT VISAS FROM 01 JULY 2021

Dear Readers, The highly anticipated Australian Federal Budget for 2020-2021 has finally been released and within it, the following information and announcements relating to Australia’s migration program will be of interest to our readers. Migration Planning Levels Australia’s net overseas migration is set to fall into negative levels for the first time since World War… Continue reading Budget 2020/2021 – Migration News Update

Acting Ministor for Immigration Alan Tudge and Senator Michaelia Cash has made a joint media release announcing a new Priority Migration Skilled Occupation List (PMSOL) with occupations in health care, construction and IT sectors that are aimed at supporting Australian business to fill critical skill needs and “…supercharge both our health and economic response to… Continue reading NEW – Priority Migration Skilled Occupation List (PMSOL)

We have received further confirmation today that whilst evidence of English is a time of application requirement for sc485 visa application, that due to the disruptions caused by COVID-19, immigration will now take the following approach: DoHA is seeking a policy turnaround for English being required at the Time of Application and until the Regulations… Continue reading 485 Applications – UPDATE – No Further Processing Until English Evidence Provided

Legislative changes have been made to extend temporary skilled and temporary graduate visas for five years from 9 July 2020 to 8 July 2025 if the primary visa holder held a Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China passport when the visa was granted. The above extends to dependent family members… Continue reading Hong Kong Passport Holders Legislative Update

We blogged previously that State and Territory nominations have been temporarily suspended until the Federal Budged is handed down on 06 October 2020. States and Territories have now received a very small allocation of places for sc491/190 and business visa nominations, albeit under very strict conditions. The Government of South Australia is the first to… Continue reading State & Territory Nominations – Small Allocations Available Prior to Federal Budget

  Every month our newsletter subscribers get the latest graphic guide to a visa in our dedicated Visa in Focus section. These infographics are straightforward, simple, and digestible to get your head around each visa type. Make sure you subscribe to Southern Stone Monthly to be the first to view this and other exclusive immigration and… Continue reading The Parent Visa At A Glance – A Graphic Guide

A joint media statement released today from MP Alan Tudge (Acting Minister for Immigration) and MP Dan Tehan (Minister for Education) have announced five major changes to student visas. As per the media statement, they are: The Government will recommence granting student visas in all locations lodged outside Australia. This means when borders re-open, students… Continue reading Support for International Students: Government Announces Five Major Changes to Student Visa

There have been further updates from the Department in regards to the impact of the COVID-19 health crisis on the 2020-21 Migration Program. The latest from the Department as per below: The Department has indicated that migration policies will need to be carefully calibrated to ensure employment opportunities for Australians, support for critical industries and to position… Continue reading 2020/21 Financial Year Migration Program Planning & Delivery

Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced on 09 July new visa arrangements for citizens of Hong Kong to stay in Australia with pathways to permanent residency. This announcement came alongside Australia’s decision to suspend its extradition agreement with Hong Kong due to the new national security law imposed by China. A range of measures designed to… Continue reading Visa Extensions for Hong Kong Residents – What Does This Mean?

The health crisis has caused a number of unprecedented changes to the Australian Migration Program and this is set to persist as the Department of Home Affairs continues to closely monitor the health situation to decide how migration and visa settings are implemented moving forward. The latest major announcement is the temporary suspension of the… Continue reading Temporary Suspension of Skilled Migration as a Result of COVID-19

Every month our newsletter subscribers get the latest graphic guide to a visa in our dedicated Visa in Focus section. These infographics are straightforward, simple, and digestible to get your head around each visa type. Make sure you subscribe to Southern Stone Monthly to be the first to view this and other exclusive immigration and migration… Continue reading The Partner Visa At A Glance – A Graphic Guide

From June 15 applications for NSW nomination for the Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491) will be open. The NSW treasury has announced in a statement that candidates currently residing in designated regional areas in New South Wales can apply. Who can apply? To be eligible candidates must: Meet the Department of Home Affairs’… Continue reading Major Announcement from NSW: Skilled Work Regional visa (subclass 491)

Early this week, Acting Minister for Immigration Alan Tudge, released a statement announcing the return of in-person citizenship ceremonies as coronavirus cases continue to remain low across the country. Citizenship ceremonies were moved online to keep to health restrictions, with over 25,000 applicants becoming Australian citizens through this unique method. Now, councils have the choice… Continue reading Citizenship ceremonies return to face-to-face format

Experts have expressed growing concern over how the Australian economy will recover from the coronavirus pandemic, as immigration comes to a standstill due to travel restrictions and worldwide border closures. According to federal government statistics, almost 300,000 temporary visa holders have left Australia since the beginning of the year and there are estimates that the… Continue reading Migration Halted: COVID-19 & the Australian Economy

The Department of Home Affairs and the Department of Education, Skills and Employment are investigating a potential security breach involving the personal details of 774,000 migrants aspiring to immigrate to Australia.⠀ ⠀ The details from the government’s SkillSelect app include AdUserIDs, the app’s unique identifiers for those applying for skilled visas, of which could be… Continue reading Department of Home Affairs Australia Data Breach May Have Exposed 774,000 Records

The Andrews Government have just announced a $45 million fund for international students in Victoria facing financial hardship as a result of COVID-19. These payments are being delivered in partnership with Victoria’s tertiary sector, working on top of the existing range of relief programs offered by the State’s universities and education providers. What can I… Continue reading Coronavirus (COVID-19) relief fund for Victorian International Students

Acting Minister for Immigration, Alan Tudge, announced that the government will conduct Australian citizenship ceremonies online via a secure video link, enabling the continuation of citizenship processing during the current health crisis. The Department of Home Affairs have begun trialling one-on-one ceremonies for applicants already approved. Those without access to the internet will be supported… Continue reading Citizenship Ceremonies to be Held Online to Curb Spread of COVID-19

Dear Clients & Friends, As of noon 06 April 2020,  Australia has registered 5,687 COVID-19 cases, with 39 fallen victim to this virus which has so quickly changed the world we live in, perhaps, forever. Australia is fortunate so far to not be seeing the number of deaths that other countries such as Italy, Spain… Continue reading COVID-19 & Your Visa Options

Dear Valued Clients, The situation relating to COVID-19 in Australia is unfolding daily and as we wake up each day to more draconian measures aimed at curbing the spread of the COVID-19, our hearts go out to all our industry partners, colleagues, clients in the many industries absolutely devastated by the pandemic and our students… Continue reading COVID-19, Travel Ban & What This Means For Your Visa

Immigration Minister David Coleman announced on Monday 14 October 2019 that more than 6350 regional visas were granted in the first quarter of the program year 2019-2020 and it seems the government’s push for skilled workers to move to regional Australia is taking effect. This figure is a 124 per cent jump compared to the… Continue reading Want Australian PR? Regional Australia is Where You Need To Be!

A new DAMA (Designated Area Migration Agreement) has come into effect on 12 September 2019 in regional Queensland and is now open to skilled and semi-skilled overseas workers in 70 occupations ranging from Tour Guides, Accommodation and Hospitality Managers to Cooks, Child Care Workers and Youth Workers. Please find the full occupation list here. (Link:… Continue reading New Regional QLD DAMA Now Open with 70 Occupations!

Good news may be coming soon for backpackers from 13 countries as Immigration Minister David Coleman seeks to find workers wanted by regional businesses. Current discussions, if finalized, may see the work and holiday visa to be expanded to the following countries: India Brazil Mexico Philippines Switzerland Fiji Solomon Islands Croatia Latvia Lithuania Andorra Monaco… Continue reading Working Holiday Visa Expansion

From 1st July 2019, several changes have taken place giving more flexibility to Working Holiday visa applicants. The changes in summary are: Working Holiday Makers who have completed at least six months specified regional employment in their second year may be eligible for a third year visa. The 6 months of work must all be… Continue reading July 1 2019 Changes for Working Holiday Visas

Two new Designated Area Migration Agreements (DAMA) have been announced by the Department of Home Affairs. The new DAMAs will be signed by the government with the South Australian Government and Western Australia, the City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder. The South Australia DAMA will assist a range of industries including agriculture, forestry, hospitality, tourism, health and construction… Continue reading Two NEW DAMA Agreements Announced!

Minister for Immigration David Coleman has announced on 01 March 2019 that a new five year sponsored parent visa, the Subclass 870 Parent (Temporary) Visa, will be open for applications on 17 April 2019. This visa is designed to address current community concerns regarding the limited number of parent places in the migration program and… Continue reading NEW – Five year Subclass 870 Sponsored Parent (Temporary) Visa

As part of the announcement in November 2018 where major changes were being implemented under the Working Holiday Maker (WHM) visa program to support regional and rural communities, eligible working holiday visa holders can apply for a third year 417 or 462 visa. This legislation will commence on 01 July 2019 and previous, a working… Continue reading Option to Extend 3rd Year Working Holiday Visas 417 & 462 to Commence 1 July 2019

From your original application for your Australian Student Visa, it was made evident that it is vital to have all your ducks in a row and be completely prepared – the renewal process is no different. You must apply before your current student visa expiry. For those careless students who forget their visa expiry and… Continue reading Renewing your Student Visa: What you need to know

The Designated Area Migration Agreement (DAMAs) we posted in our last blog article has come into effect on 01 January 2019. For the Northern Territory, this is DAMA II and the NT government has now released 117 occupations eligible under this program and most occupations are eligible for English and income concession. Please refer to… Continue reading Northern Territory – 117 Additional Occupations for Easier Pr Pathway

Two special visa agreements have been announced with a pathway to PR option which may benefit many lower skilled migrants previously restricted. This visa is designed to distribute the migrant population to areas in regional Australia desperate skilled staff. The scheme is called Designation Area Migration Agreements (DAMAs) and currently two regions will be benefiting… Continue reading Pr Door Opens for Lower Skilled Migrants in Regional Australia

The Migration Amendment (Family Violence and Other Measures) Bill 2016 has just been passed in the Senate. Final version of the Bill and a start date is not yet finalized however, the bill’s passing means that major changes are impending for prospective spouse visa applications to include the following: A partner visa application will require… Continue reading Partner Visas – Major Changes Coming

If yes, then the Subclass 476 – Skilled – Recognized Graduation Visa may be the perfect pathway for you to live and work in Australia for 18 months to gain some valuable skilled work experience! You must satisfy the following main requirements to be eligible for this visa: Under 31 years of age In the… Continue reading Are you a Recent Engineering Graduate Wanting to Live and Work in Australia?

It’s official, the SAF Levy will start on 12 August 2018! What is the SAF Levy? The SAF Levy is a levy payable by employers nominating overseas workers for any of the following visas: Subclass 482 Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) Visa Subclass 186 Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS) Visa Subclass 187 Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (RSMS)… Continue reading ALERT – Skilling Australian Fund (SAF) Levy Commences 12 August 2018

Immigration SA has reopened its 188/132 State nomination application system from today. Clients are advised to put forth their EOI applications as soon as possible as places are limited. Note: Only applicants who have previous visited South Australia will be able to apply. Import post July 2018 changes Subclass 132 visa holders currently need to… Continue reading Immigration SA Announcement Regarding Business Visas

In our previous blog we advised that whilst the new subclass 482 has commenced, the training component, underpinned by the Skilling Australian Fund Acts were awaiting legislative passing and are yet to be enacted. Well, on 22 May 2018, the Migration Amendment (Skilling Australians Fund) Act 2018 and its associated Migration (Skilling Australians Fund) Charges… Continue reading Update on the Skilling Australian Fund Acts

The 2018-19 Federal Budget was handed down last tonight and included the following elements impacting the immigration program, migrants and work within the immigration sphere. The main components relate to the management of unlawful non-citizens, providing migration and citizenship services and refugee and humanitarian assistance. The cost of managing unlawful citizens is expected to drop… Continue reading Federal Budget 2018-2019 – Overview for the Migration Sector

On 18 March 2018, the 457 visa era finally came to an end, and the long-awaited Temporary Skills Shortage Subclass 482 visa was officially implemented. With this came the release of the relevant legislation involving all the changes, we will endeavour to provide a detailed analysis of the changes in the coming days. Please refer… Continue reading Hello 482, Goodbye 457!

Further information has been provided by the Department of Home Affairs to clarify issues and provisions related to the introduction of the TSS Visa. Here is what we know so far: Date: No set date, but will be first half of March but not 1st of March Genuine Temporary Entrant: Unless the applicant has had… Continue reading TSS UPDATE – STILL MARCH, BUT NOT MARCH 1ST

We have been fielding many enquiries regarding the closure of state nomination applications for 188/132 visas in South Australia. Many clients and prospective clients seem to think that SA will no longer accept state nomination applications. This is not true. This is a temporary closure due to applications exceeding the quota set by the Department… Continue reading South Australia – still open for business

On 20 April 2017, the government announced changes to the citizenship criteria to be made effect immediately despite not getting the bill passed through Senate. This caused great controversy among politicians and community members and embarrassingly, the bill was struck down by the Senate on 18 October 2017. But we have a persistent Immigration Minster… Continue reading Get Ready – new Citizenship laws coming in July

As most readers would be aware, the Turnbull government announced in April 2017 sweeping changes to the current 457 program, soon to be abolished and replaced by the TSS visa in March. The changes saw many occupations on the previous occupation list totally removed, leaving many applicants in limbo and many other occupations with additional… Continue reading EMPLOYER SPONSORED REFORMS – MARCH IS COMING

The Department of Immigration & Border Protection, now part of the government’s Home Affairs portfolio, has announced today changes to the skilled occupation lists as per the following department website link: https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/working-in-australia/skill-occupation-list

The Department of Immigration and Border Protection has already announced that they will commence the collection of Tax File Number for 457 visa holders (and other employer sponsored migrants) along with the 457-visa change announcement in April 2017. The ATO will also acquire information on visa holders for the 2017-2018, 2018-2019 and 2019-2020 financial years… Continue reading Notice of ATO Data Matching Program – Are you currently on a Visa in Australia??

The Department of Employment is responsible for undertaking a regular review of the Short-term Skilled Occupation List (STSOL) and Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL). They have recently published a draft bulletin for public comment on proposed changes to the skilled occupations lists from January 2018. A “Traffic Light” system is being used, which… Continue reading Flagged occupations on STSOL for January 2018

*Another back and forth confusing changes from DIBP* On 02 November 2017, legislation instrument amendment was made to the PIC 4020. The change read as follow: The previous PIC 4020 read: (1) There is no evidence before the Minister that the applicant has given, or caused to be given, to the Minister, an officer, the… Continue reading PIC 4020 – 12 months changed to 10 Years – NO LONGER IN FORCE

Australia missing an enormous opportunity to improve technology industry. Immigration Minister Peter Dutton is in the final stages of preparing the government’s response to a review of visas, which is expected to involve major changes to the Migration Act. In April 2017, the Hon Malcolm Turnbull MP and Peter Dutton jointly announced that Australian 457… Continue reading Technology Industry Crisis – 457 temporary work visa

Victoria state has developed a new property development criteria for Subclass 132 visas, which has been introduced and applies to all proposed business activities that relate to property development. The business Talent (Permanent) visa (Subclass 132) Significant Business History stream is a specialist visa designed for high net worth individuals with outstanding commercial background. Eligibility… Continue reading Update Subclass 132 – Property Development business activities

On 18 April 2017, the Government announced that the Temporary Work (Skilled) visa (subclass 457 visa) will be abolished and replaced with the completely new Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) visa in March 2018. A number of changes has been made since and these changes form part of a package of reforms to the subclass 457… Continue reading Immigration Change Summary

On 20 April 2017, the Australian Government’s proposed legislation to strengthen the requirements for citizenship – the proposal has now been killed off in the Senate on 18 October 2017. As a result, Citizenship applications submitted before, on or after 20 April 2017 are now being assessed against the current requirements for residence. However, changes… Continue reading Australian Citizenship Saga May Not Be Over

Skilled independent visa 189 Skilled independent visa is a permanent residency visa for points-tested skilled workers who don’t require employer or family sponsorship. Simply it’s for highly skilled overseas worker where their occupation is on the “wanted” list in Australia and most registered migration agents Melbourne consider 189 skilled visa the most hassle-free fast pathway… Continue reading Top 3 secrets for skilled independent visa 189 or skilled nominated subclass 190 visa

From 12 December 2016, a trial of the new 10-year ‘Frequent Traveller’ Visitor visa will commence for holders of passports from the People’s Republic of China who are applying from within mainland China. This stream has been eagerly awaited and allows non-Australians to visit Australia for tourism or business activities for up to a period… Continue reading Frequent Traveller Stream Subclass 600 (Visitor) Visa

The Australia Awards–Endeavour Scholarships and Fellowships program offers prospective international students the opportunity to study, compile research as well as gain professional experience in Australia via competitive, merit-based scholarships to high-achieving students. The program is designed for postgraduates, postdoctoral researchers, professionals and VET students. Successful applicants receive financial support with regards to travel and establishment… Continue reading Ever dreamed of studying in Australia?

The Australia government is investigating the creation of a new Temporary Parent Visa for parents wanting to visit family in Australia. The proposed Temporary Parent Visa would enable sponsored parents to visit their families in Australia for a continuous period of up to five years. The government believes that parents should have the opportunity to… Continue reading Temporary Parent Visa?

WARNING! Individuals applying for visas have recently been cautioned about what they post on social media sites, as the Department of Immigration undertakes a thorough social media check on all applicants. The Australian Federal Circuit Court has recently ruled that information on Facebook has an evidentiary value and therefore can stand in court. One must… Continue reading Social Media Warning

If you are a bright student wanting to remain in Australia, or a striving entrepreneur, take note – recent changes to Australia’s Skilled Migration Program could be life changing. The new policy includes a change to the Skilled Migration Program’s Points Test System (pertaining to students), and the introduction of the new Entrepreneur Visa. With… Continue reading Visa Break for Student and Entrepreneurs

Australia’s immigration law can be very complex and unforgiving. For this reason, the Department of Immigration in Australia encourages visa applicants to utilise the services of a registered migration agent to help them navigate this confusing landscape successfully. Additionally, it is against the law for an unregistered third-party to provide immigration advice or assistance. Therefore,… Continue reading Why you need a registered migration agent

Other than putting your life on hold to wait for a visa to gain entry into Australia, what happens when you are already in Australia, and you want to convert the visa that you have – and time is running out! The fact that you’re reading this indicates that you probably already know that we’re… Continue reading Need a 457 visa fast?