If you're an engineer, getting a nominator just got easier! In positive news for engineers with who fit the Global Talent visa criteria, Engineers Australia has been accepted as a certified nominating organisation for the Global Talent visa program. This means engineers who could not find a suitable nominator for the Global Talent visa can now apply to EA for a nominator.

If you are looking at the Global Talent visa (GTI visa) you must be nominated by a senior professional in your field. This person will vouch for you and can speak on your behalf about how your talent can bring benefit to Australia. This is a key part of the Global Talent visa process but one that is often overlooked. Here are our tips on how to find a Global Talent nominator.

Click here for Global Talent visa criteria

Senator James Paterson, Chair of the Joint Committee in Intelligence and Security has announced that skilled visa applicants coming to Australia from Hong Kong will receive priority processing, a sentiment which Minister for Immigration Alex Hawke confirmed on 30 July 2021 on ABC Radio.  While filling the void in Australia’s skilled labour force is certainly a driving factor in this decision, Paterson said it was also a moral obligation and " the right thing to do after the Chinese Communist Party broke its promise to protect the freedoms of the people of Hong Kong."  While Australia is already fast-tracking business, investment, and global talent visas for Hong Kong nationals, this is a new opportunity for those who could not previously obtain an Australian visa to escape the political turmoil of their homeland. 

If you're a Permanent Resident of Australia, congratulations!  You've already come so far and done so well.  But you're looking to take things one step further, you might consider becoming an Australian Citizen.  Citizens have the privilege of voting rights, financial assistance for education, government jobs, and protection from deportation.  It's definitely worth pursuing!  So how do you become a citizen of Australia?

July is the start of the new immigration program year and this is the latest news on the upcoming changes for Australian immigration.

On 15 April 2021, the Minister for Immigration gave a directive to expand the definition of “character reasons” as a reason for visa cancellation.  The new rule, Ministerial Direction 90, focuses on family violence and means some Australia visa holders who were previously ok to stay, could have their visas cancelled.

Australia’s Minister for Agriculture, Drought and Emergency Management David Littleproud, has announced an agriculture visa will become available in 2021.  The new visa is a result of Australia’s trade discussions with the UK in which it was agreed that British backpackers would no longer be required to work on Australian farms to retain their visas.  The arrangement will release British tourists from often undesired requirement, and provide an opportunity for other travellers to visit Australia.

In a media release yesterday, NSW Treasurer Dominic Perrottet announced a plan to return international students to Australia in 2021.  The plan will be funded entirely by local universities and will be in addition to the number of other passengers allowed to arrive per week (such as permanent residents and Australian citizens).  250 students from 14 NSW and ACT universities will be permitted to arrive in Sydney per fortnight.  Once on Aussie shores, the students will be directed to private quarantine facilities for an isolation period before they are able to move freely in the community.  The plan is expected to commence in the second half of the year. 

While Covid is keeping most Australian states and territories closed for offshore applicants, South Australia announced in May 2021 that it is now considering sponsoring offshore applicants for 491 and 190 visas.

They raised you, supported you, and loved you… and now in return, you want to bring them to Australia.  They’re your parents.  But what is the best way to get them here, and how much is it going to cost?