Key terms: Mid-year Economic and Fiscal Outlook report – MYEFO – Social Welfare Benefits – Australia Permanent Resident – Family Tax Benefit – Paid Parental Leave – Carers Allowance – Assurance of Support – Partner Visa – Parent Visa

Australia has released its Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook (MYEFO) report and there are implications for new and prospective migrants to Australia. There are two changes proposed to be implemented on 1 July 2018, namely:

Key terms: Public Interest Criterion – 4020 – False or misleading information – Bogus documents – Visa cancellation – Visa refusal

UPDATE:

The Legislative Instrument which introduced the change has been disallowed on 5 December 2017. This means that all future applications will be subject to 12 months' of consideration for PIC4020.

Applications which were lodged between 18 November 2017 to 4 December 2017 will be subject to the 10 years' consideration.

Conditions targeting fraudulent or misleading information in visa applications made much tougher – PIC 4020 soon to cover last 10 years

Section 4020 is currently targeting bogus documents or information that is false and misleading provided to the Australian Government in the last 12 months prior to an application.

The changes will extend the time to documents and information provided in the last 10 years.

Here is a description of the changes:

PIC 4020 (1)(b) which relates to bogus documents, has been amended to broaden the powers to refuse a visa on the basis of bogus or fraudulent documents submitted in relation to visa applications:

- In the previous 10 years, rather than the previous 12 months; and

- In relation to previous visa applications, as well as visas previously granted 

Key terms: Citizenship – Australia – Australian Citizenship Legislation Amendment (Strengthening the Requirements for Australian Citizenship and Other Measures) Bill 2017 (the Bill) – High Court citizenship ruling – Dual Citizenship – Australia Citizenship requirements – Australia MPs – Banarby Joyce – Fiona Nash – Malcolm Roberts – Larissa Waters – Scott Ludlam – Nick Xenophon – Matthew Canavan

On 20 April 2017 the Australian Department of Immigration and Border Protection (DIBP) announced that changes are being introduced to the Australian citizenship requirements. The changes include:

- Increased residency requirements (from one year to four)

- Meeting an English requirement

The changes are meant to be in effect once the Australian Citizenship Legislation Amendment (Strengthening the Requirements for Australian Citizenship and Other Measures) Bill 2017 (the Bill) gets passed in Parliament. Unfortunately applications yet to be decided were also put on hold until the Bill can be passed.

• 1000 Skilled Independent visa invitations were issued
  • applications with 70 points or more were invited
  • applications submitted 15 July 2017 have been invited
• 210 Skilled Regional Sponsored visa invitations were issued
  • applications with 60 points or more were invited
  • applications submitted 25 July 2017 were invited

Key terms: Medium and Long Term Skilled Shortage List – MLTSSL – Short Term Skilled Occupation List – STSOL – Skilled Occupation Lists – 1 July Changes

Welcome to world of confusing skilled occupation lists. As we all know the Skilled Occupation List (SOL) and Consolidated Skilled Occupation List (CSOL) were replaced by the new Medium and Long Term Skills Shortage List (MLTSSL) and the Short Term Skilled Occupation List (STSOL) on 19 April 2017. Until 30^th June 2017 the change was essentially a change in name (and removal of 216 occupations). As of 1^st July 2017 we now have additional changes to the applications of the MLTSSL and the STSOL.

There are now different MLTSSL and STSOL for different visa programmes

Key terms: Subclass 190 Skilled Nominated visa – Subclass 489 Skilled Regional Sponsored visa – State Sponsorship – State Nomination – Occupation Lists

State sponsorship is a critical component of the Australian visa application for many. Having a state nominated visa application provides:

• an immediate Invitation to Apply (ITA) for the subclass 190 Skilled Nominated and subclass 489 Skilled Regional Sponsored visas, i.e. not subject to invitation round points requirements
• access to additional occupations on the Short-term Skilled Occupation List (STSOL) - each Australian State and Territory creates their own list from the STSOL)

Typically there are limited places for each occupation being sponsored by the different States and Territories. The best time to apply is in early July (NOW) as the planning numbers are reset for the new financial year.

Key terms: Migration Policy Changes – 1 July Changes – Subclass 189 Skilled Independent – Subclass 190 Skilled Nominated visa – Subclass 489 Skilled Regional Sponsored visa – MLTSSL – STSOL – Occupation Lists - Subclass 186 Employer Nominated Scheme - Subclass 457 Temporary Work (Skilled) - Occupation caveats

The Department of Immigration and Border Protection (DIBP) has released updates to the following skilled occupation lists:

- Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL)

- Short-term Skilled Occupation List (STSOL)

- Employer Nominated Scheme (subclass 186) – Direct Entry Stream Occupation List

- Temporary Work (Skilled) visa (subclass 457) Occupation List

- Training visa (subclass 407) Occupation List for Nomination eligibility type 2

In summary 12 occupations were removed from the occupation lists, namely:

Key terms: Migration Policy Changes – 1 July Changes – Subclass 189 Skilled Independent – Subclass 190 Skilled Nominated visa – Subclass 489 Skilled Regional Sponsored visa – Age requirements – English exemptions – MLTSSL – STSOL – Occupation Lists -

There are plenty of changes happening to the Australia migration programme on 1 July 2017. Here is a summary of the major changes affecting the most common visa subclasses.

Age requirements lowered for a number of visas!

The age limits of the following visas have been reduced to below 45 years of age:

At the time of application

- Subclass 186 Employer Nomination Scheme Direct Entry stream

- Subclass 187 Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme Direct Entry stream

At the time of invitation to apply

- Subclass 190 Skilled Nominated

- Subclass 489 Skilled Regional Sponsored

- Subclass 189 Skilled Independent

Previously it was announced that the lower age requirement was only applicable to the subclass 189 Skilled Independent visa application. The age limit does not apply to applicants for the NZ stream for the subclass 189 Skilled Independent visa.