woocommerce domain was triggered too early. This is usually an indicator for some code in the plugin or theme running too early. Translations should be loaded at the init action or later. Please see Debugging in WordPress for more information. (This message was added in version 6.7.0.) in /home/indianav/migratetosunnyaustralia.com/wp-includes/functions.php on line 6131Australia remains resilient in the face of Covid-19 pandemic and is committed to continuing its migration programs and accepting skilled migrants for its economic growth.
There is no doubt that the Covid-19 pandemic has impacted the Australian immigration outlook and will result in some major changes in the coming months.
We have discussed below some changes that may impact migration prospects of potential applicants.
State Nomination Programs To Open Shortly
Every year the 1st of July marks the start of the new financial year in Australia which continues till the end of June the following year.
The month of July is the time when Australians rush to lodge their tax returns and government generally reveals its budgets and major changes to immigration policies.
Also, this is generally the time when all Australian states also proceed to announce their quotas generally in the month of July or August for visas that they will issue in the new financial year (Jul 20 – Jun 21)
Given the unique situation this year with regards to the Covid 19 pandemic, the immigration is anticipated to take longer to allocate its quotas for different visa types and only after this has happened, the individual state governments will start accepting applications for Regional Work Visas and State Sponsored Permanent Residencies.
It is worth noting and more on a positive note that the Government of South Australia has already stated that it shall re-open their Skilled Migration program by early August 2020.
David Coleman (Immigration Minister) had earlier stated that the Regional Work Visa program had shown a very strong start to the year in encouraging regional migration and as a result maximum number of migrants that will be able to move to Regional Australia will be lifted to 25,000.
As such, we anticipate that Regional Work Visa (491) will increasingly become the most sought-after visa as it gives full work rights to the visa holder and an easier pathway to permanent residency as compared to TSS Work Visa (482).
Given the recent legislative changes in Hong Kong that have been brought about by China, the Australian immigration will be adjusting its immigration policies to provide 5 year residence with an option to permanent residency for nearly 10,000 Hong Kong citizens and residents who are currently residing in Australia on skilled and graduate visas.
Alan Tudge (Acting Minister for Immigration) has stipulated that these changes to Australian immigration policies will be brought about to attract the immense global talent and great businesses that Hong Kong is renowned for and accepting Hong Kong migrants will in turn lead to generating more wealth and jobs for Australians.
Due to the ongoing Corona Virus pandemic we anticipate that the processing of some visa applications will take longer than others especially the ones where Australian immigration authorities need to liaise with international counterparts to get information on necessary health and security checks of visa applicants.
Immigration has not yet announced any increase in visa application charges however, credit (or debit) card surcharge fees levied for the purpose of lodging applications has been increased from 1.32% to 1.4%.
It is understandable that many potential applicants might be facing reduction in working hours or might have been made redundant however, it is important to note that Australian immigration legislation changes quite frequently and it may be best to start working on the steps involved in lodging a successful application, as it can take 6-8 months to get an Australian visa.
We strongly urge applicants to prepare and lodge their Skills Assessment applications as it forms the basis of their future visa application. If an applicant doesn’t pass a Skills Assessment then, one cannot proceed with a visa application in future.
It is worth noting that due to the Covid-19 pandemic the skills assessing authorities especially those that are responsible for Trade occupations are allowing applicants to undertake the technical interview (which happens after the applicant passes the initial stage) directly online from the comfort of their homes.
How Can We Assist You ?
We have assisted many candidates to successfully migrate to Australia on various types of Australian visas and will be able to assist you through all the stages of lodging a successful visa application including the Skills Assessment.
Contact us or book a consultation today with our Registered Migration Consultant Sunny Soni.
