Australia Confirms Major Migration Changes: What Burke’s National Press Club Address Means for You
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke addressed the National Press Club on 17 September 2026, outlining a range of changes to Australia’s migration program aimed at reducing Net Overseas Migration (NOM), addressing visa-hopping and responding to pressures on housing and essential services. Mr Burke confirmed that these changes were formalised by the Government by February 2026, […]
South Australia DAMAs: Overview & Updates
What is a Designated Area Migration Agreement (DAMA) A DAMA is a formal agreement between the Australian Government, represented by the Department of Home Affairs and a state Government, in this case, the South Australian Government. The DAMA enables employers that meet certain requirements to sponsor overseas skilled workers for positions that are listed on […]
Increased Scrutiny Of Temporary Visas: Subclass 407
Increased Scrutiny of Temporary Visas The Department of Home Affairs has significantly increased scrutiny of visa applications and the integrity of the immigration system. This focus is partly due to concerns about potential misuse of the visa system, including issues like exploitation of migrant workers, and misuse of the employer-sponsored visa schemes. The Department is […]
Increased Skills Visa Income Threshold from 1 July 2025 & Processing Times
Starting 1 July 2025, the income thresholds for skilled visa nominations in Australia will increase by 4.6%. This adjustment aligns with changes to the annual Average Weekly Ordinary Time Earnings (AWOTE) and will impact various skilled visa categories, including: Skills in Demand (subclass 482) Visa Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186) Visa Skills Employer Sponsored Regional […]
What are Permitted Activities on a Business Visitor Visa?
There are several visa options for people who are seeking to undertake visits to Australia for business purposes, such as Electronic Travel Authority (subclass 601), eVisitor (subclass 651), or Visitor Visa (subclass 600) under the Business visitor streams. However, the activities permitted under these visas are limited. Performing work on these visas constitutes a breach […]
Changing Sponsors on a 482 Visa
Primary 482 visa holders are allowed to change sponsors (employers) after the grant of their 482 visa. To do so, they have to ensure that they comply with the requirements outlined in this article so they are not in breach of the work restrictions (condition 8607) imposed on their visa. Process to change sponsors on […]
What are the 482 visa work experience requirements?
The Temporary Skill Shortage (subclass 482) visa is a temporary visa that allows employers (who currently hold the appropriate sponsorship) to fill positions with overseas skilled workers when they cannot find suitable Australian workers within the local market. 482 visa applicants are required to have worked in the nominated occupation, or a closely related occupation, […]
Updated Pathways to Permanent Residency for 482 and 457 Visa Holders
Subclass 482 Short-Term Skilled Occupation List (STSOL) visa holders As one of the measures to facilitate a pathway to permanent residence for short-term skilled visa holders, the Government has announced changes that allow Sc 482 holders to apply for a third Sc 482 visa onshore from 1 July 2022. To be eligible for a third Sc482, you […]
Australian Government to Further Relax International Border Restrictions
It’s been a long journey since Australia shut its international borders in May 2020 and allowed only restricted numbers of citizens, permanent residents, and other exempt categories to enter the country in a bid to curtail the spread of COVID-19. The Australian Government recently relaxed the quarantine requirements for Australian citizens, permanent residents, their immediate […]