As of 1 July, several significant changes to Australia’s visa policies have come into effect, impacting various visa categories and application processes. These updates are crucial for individuals planning to work, study, or migrate to Australia, and it’s essential to understand how these changes may affect you. Here’s a comprehensive overview:
Visa Ballot Process
One of the notable changes is the introduction of a pre-application ballot process for certain visas, aimed at enhancing fairness and efficiency. Nationals from China, Vietnam, and India seeking to apply for a Work and Holiday visa (subclass 462) will now need to participate in a ballot process before applying. This replaces the previous ‘first-come-first-served’ system. The respective caps for these countries are as follows:
- 5,000 places for China
- 1,500 for Vietnam,
- and an anticipated 1,000 for India (pending commencement)
Additionally, a new pre-application visa ballot has been introduced for young Indian professionals under the Mobility Arrangement for Talented Early-professionals Scheme (MATES). This pilot program offers up to 3,000 places for primary applicants with qualifications in technology fields such as renewable energy, mining, engineering, ICT, AI, fintech, and agtech. Immediate family members included on this visa will not count towards the 3,000 cap.
Student Visa Updates
New Student Visa Fee Increase
Effective immediately, the fee for Student visas (subclass 500) has increased to $1,600. This fee adjustment applies to applications made on or after 1 July 2024.
Onshore Student Visa Applications
From 1 July, holders of certain visas, including Temporary Graduate (subclass 485), Visitor (subclass 600), Electronic Travel Authority (subclass 601), Medical Treatment (subclass 602), eVisitor (subclass 651), and Maritime Crew (subclass 988), will no longer be eligible to apply for Student visas from within Australia. This change aims to streamline application processes and eligibility criteria for onshore student visas.
Temporary Graduate Visas
Changes to the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) include streamlining the visa streams from four to three:
- Post-Vocational Education Work stream
- Post-Higher Education stream
- Second Post-Higher Education Work stream (formerly Replacement Stream, now removed)
The age limit for Temporary Graduate visa applicants has been reduced to 35 years, except for research students undertaking masters or doctorate degrees (PhD), who remain eligible until age 50. Hong Kong and British National Overseas passport holders are also eligible until age 50.
Temporary Skills Visas
Visa holders under Temporary Work (Skilled) (subclass 457), Temporary Skill Shortage (subclass 482), and Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (provisional) (subclass 494) visas now have extended timeframes to find new sponsors or make alternative visa arrangements. They can now take up to 180 days at a time or a maximum of 365 days across the visa grant period to transition.
HOW POINT MIGRATION AGENCY CAN HELP
These updates reflect Australia’s ongoing adjustments to its immigration policies, aiming to meet current economic needs while ensuring fairness and efficiency in visa processing. At Point Migration Agency, we are here to guide you through these changes and help navigate the complexities of Australian visa applications. Contact us today to learn more.
