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Category: Australian Visa

Australia’s Bold New Migration Strategy (Dec 2023): A Comprehensive Overview

Australia's Bold New Migration Strategy (Dec 2023): A Comprehensive Overview

Today (Dec 11 2023), Australia's Minister for Home Affairs, The Hon Clare O’Neil MP unveiled the much-anticipated Migration Strategy. It's a substantial document, a full 100 pages, packed with insights and significant changes to the visa system in Australia. But, don't worry, we've got a brief overview to keep you in the loop! Over the next few days, we will go deeper into each aspect of the announcement to look at how it might impact various visa options in the coming years.

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How much does an Australian PR cost?

If you're considering immigrating to Australia, obtaining permanent residency (PR) is a major milestone. However, the cost of obtaining Australian PR can be significant. In this post, we'll explore the various fees and expenses associated with the Australian PR process.

Asian men are calculating about finances about the cost or future investment at home while the coins are arranged with the idea of saving.
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September 2023 Australian Migration Update – New Visa Planning Levels Announced

Key Takeaways

  • New 2023-24 planning levels set at 190,000 places, a reduction of 5000 from last year
  • Skilled visa numbers for Subclass 189, Subclass 190 and Subclass 491 reduced slightly, GTI numbers maintained at 5000
  • No new allocations for BIIP program. Numbers cut to 0.
  • Most family visa numbers maintained. Parent visa numbers boosted to 8500

Introduction

Hey there! We wanted to share some of the latest announcements about Australia's permanent Migration Program for 2023-24. As you might've heard, there has been some major changes to the Migration Program Planning Levels for this year as compared to last. The 2023-24 migration program has been set at 190,000 places. This represents a reduction of 5000 places from last year's levels. The program is divided into the Skill stream, Family stream, and Special Eligibility stream. This post discusses the allocation of visas across these streams.

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Understanding the Migration Program Planning Levels

Introduction

Australia is one of the most popular destinations for immigrants across the globe. The country has a well-structured immigration system that aims to attract skilled workers, investors, and students from different parts of the world. The Australian government sets the annual Migration Program Planning Levels that determine the number of visas that will be issued for different categories of migrants. In this blog post, we will discuss the Migration Program Planning Levels in detail.

What are Migration Program Planning Levels?

Migration Program Planning Levels refer to the number of visas that the Australian government plans to issue in a financial year. The financial year in Australia starts on July 1 and ends on June 30 of the next year. The planning levels are set by the Department of Home Affairs, which is responsible for administering the Australian immigration program.

The Migration Program Planning Levels are divided into different categories, including skilled migration (which includes the points based visas such as 189 and 190, the Global Talent Visa and various Business and Investment Visas), family migration, humanitarian migration, and other special visas. The department sets the planning levels for each category based on the country's economic needs, social priorities, and demographic objectives.

How are the Migration Program Planning Levels determined?

The Australian government sets the Migration Program Planning Levels after a careful consideration of various factors, such as the state of the economy, the country's population growth, and skill shortages in different sectors. The government conducts a comprehensive review of the existing immigration policies and programs to identify areas that need improvement. Based on the findings of the review, the government sets the planning levels for the next financial year.

The planning levels are also influenced by the feedback received from various stakeholders, including migrant communities, employers, and industry bodies. The government consults these stakeholders to understand their needs and concerns and to ensure that the planning levels reflect the country's changing economic and social landscape.

Conclusion

The Migration Program Planning Levels play a crucial role in determining the number of visas that the Australian government will issue in a financial year. The planning levels are set after a careful consideration of various factors, including economic needs, social priorities, and demographic objectives. Understanding the Migration Program Planning Levels is essential for anyone who wishes to migrate to Australia or is interested in Australian immigration policies and programs.

If you are planning to migrate to Australia, it is advisable to consult with a registered migration agent who can guide you through the immigration process and help you understand the various visa options available to you. Wisekangaroo migration agents can also help you prepare your application and ensure that you meet the eligibility requirements for the visa that you wish to apply for.

Engineers Australia is now a nominating organisation for Global Talent Independent Visa

Finding a nominator for the Global Talent Independent (GTI) Visa is often the biggest challenge for many applicants. If you are an Engineer then you can add a new nominating peak body to your list.

Last week, Engineers Australia announced that the Department has accepted it as a nominating organisation for the GTI Program. EA is a peak body for almost all engineering related professions. Until now Australian Computer Society (ACS) was the only option for most applicants who did not personally know a reputed Australian individual or organisation. With EA in the mix, there are now more nomination options.

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July 2021 Updates to FWHIT & Visa Costs For GTI Visa

It's that time of the year when applying for Australian visas gets more expensive. Every year on 1st of July, a number of changes are announced to the planning levels of various visas. Additionally, visa application charges (VACs) charged by the Department are revised up in line with the CPI forecast. This year, as per the Migration Amendment (Visa Application Charges) Regulations 2021 – F2021L00842 the VACs of a number of visas have been increased by 1.75%, rounded to the nearest $5.00 and Business Innovation & Investment Program VACs have gone up by 11.345% + the 1.75%.

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Budget 2021-22: Latest Updates to Australian Visa Rules

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg delivered the Federal Budget on Tuesday 11 May 2021. I've been pouring over the Budget Documents to identify the changes to the Australian Visa rules. This year's budget has been surprisingly light on Immigration rule changes. Perhaps it's because the Australian Government expects 2021 to be a repeat of 2020 so not many significant changes have been announced. However, it is important to be aware of the latest visa updates if you are a temporary visa holder looking to transition to permanent residency. Keep reading the learn more about:

  • Recent developments in relation to  Coronavirus (COVID-19) and visa processing 
  • Impact of Budget 2021 initiatives on Australian visa applicants and visa holders 
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What should you look for in a nominator for GTI Visa?

The Global Talent Independent Program is a fairly new visa program that was announced last year by the Australian Government. We have written a step-by-step guide for the GTI visa to help you learn more about the various eligibility requirements.

One of the key requirements for the GTI visa is having a nominator who is also internationally recognised in your field. This nominator must be an Australian PR, citizen or Australian organisation.

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