The Department of Home Affairs has backed down on $180,000 English, skills exemptions.
On 1 July, the Department of Home Affairs shocked senior executives and other highly-skilled specialists by removing exemptions to English language and Skill Assessment requirements for applicants earning over $180,000. Not only did the changes affect applications lodged on or after 1 July, but applications lodged prior to 1 July and undecided (often through no fault of the applicant), were affected. Coupled with the reduction in the age limit from 50 to 45 and changes to the 457 and permanent residency rules announced in April, many mid-career executives and specialists were effectively locked out of permanent residency.
Fortunately, the Department has seen sense and backed down on the retrospective nature of the changes allowing applications lodged before 1 July to be processed under the rules that applied at that time. However, what remains a concern is the Minister for Immigration’s proclivity for a ‘shoot first, ask questions later’ approach to policy-making in this area.
