The new Skilled Migrant Employment Register is a free initiative supporting employers and skilled migrants to connect to build the Western Australian workforce, which is currently experiencing a shortage of skilled workers across many sectors and parts of the state. Skilled migrants seeking employment in Western Australia connect with the Western Australian workforce by completing the connect with the Western Australia Workforce registration form. Once registered, WA Migration Services will publish the details of skilled migrants, such as preferred occupation, current location, and employment intentions on the Skilled Migrant Employment Register, indicating to employers the interest to gain employment in Western Australia. Employers seeking to build their workforce have the opportunity to review the Skilled Migrant Employment Register to identify talent that may align with their business needs and connect with skilled migrants.
The Victorian Government’s Business Innovation and Investment Program will remain temporarily closed to the state nomination visas until the Commonwealth Government’s allocation of state nomination places for 2022-23. The Victorian Government’s Business Innovation and Investment Program will remain temporarily closed to the following state nomination visas: The 2022-23 Business Innovation and Investment Program will open at a date recommended by the Commonwealth Government. However, the Expression of Interest (EOI), required for applying for Victorian Visa Nomination can still be lodged through the Commonwealth’s Department of Home Affairs SkillSelect system.
The Victorian Government’s Skilled Migration Program for 2022-23 will open soon. The 2022-23 program will be open to offshore applications and will have expanded eligibility criteria across both skilled migration visas:
Invitation Round: 13 July 2022 Matrix nominating Small Business Owners: 07 invitations 457 visa / 482 visa holders: 01 invitation Matrix nominating Critical Skill occupations: 111 invitations Overseas Applicants Matrix nominating Critical Skill occupations: 112 invitations Invitations were not issued if the applicants have an active application in the system or have previously received ACT nomination.
The Government has extended the temporary humanitarian stay offer for the Ukrainians until 11.59 pm on 31 July 2022. Ukrainians and their family members wishing to accept the offer must do so by 31 July 2022. This is a two-step process which involves issuing a Humanitarian Stay Temporary subclass 449 visa followed by a Temporary (Humanitarian Concern) subclass 786 visa. Ukrainians who are unable to accept the offer by 11:59pm on 31 July 2022 can explore the range of alternative visa options, including permanent visas. To know more, click here. To explore alternate visa options for Ukrainians, click here.
From 1 July 2022, Australia’s Fair Work Commission has increased the fair work high income threshold from $158,500 to $162,000. Fair work high income threshold is also used as tool to assess an applicant’s eligibility for applying for the Global Talent Visa. The applicants for the Global Talent Visa should be able to prove that they are currently earning a salary equivalent to or higher than Australia’s Fair Work High Income Threshold or that they have the ability to attract a salary at or above the Fair Work high income threshold, which is now $162,000.
VETASSESS vide its mail dated 11 July 2012 with the subject line ‘Update on Processing Times’ has informed all the Registered Migration Agents about the temporary extension of processing times for certain trade and professional applications. VETASSESS applications processing times have been extended to manage large number of applications and COVID-19 related staffing issues. Also, VETASSESS is taking active measures to deal with these issues to be able to provide efficient and quick service to its customers. For any query, contact VETASSESS at info@vetassess.com.au.
Migration Amendment (Postgraduate Research in Critical Technology—Student Visa Conditions) Regulations 2022, dated 23 June 2022 amends the Migration Regulation 1994 to replace visa conditions 8204A and 8204B by the new, more targeted, clearer visa condition 8208 which applies to Student visas Subclass 500 to screen for and manage the risk of unwanted transfer of Australia’s critical technology in certain temporary and permanent visa programs. The new visa condition 8208 is as follows: 8208 (1) The holder must not undertake critical technology related study unless: (a) the Minister is satisfied that there is not an unreasonable risk of an unwanted transfer of critical technology by the holder; and (b) the Minister has approved in writing the holder undertaking that critical technology related study. (2) Subclause (1) does not apply in relation to the intended course of study, or activities related to study in Australia, evidenced in the holder’s visa application. (3) In this clause: critical technology related study means: (a) a postgraduate research course within the meaning of clause 500.111 of Schedule 2 that relates to critical technology; or (b) a bridging course required as a prerequisite to a course mentioned in paragraph (a); or (c) a thesis or research topic that: (i) is for a postgraduate research course within the meaning of clause 500.111 of Schedule 2; and (ii) relates to critical technology. Condition 8208 is applicable to: The new critical technology screening framework will only come into effect when the Minister specifies the kinds of technology that will be covered by this new framework. The instrument is registered on the Federal Register of Legislation on 29 June 2022 and commenced on 1 July 2022, immediately after the commencement of Part 1 of Schedule 1 to the Migration Amendment (Protecting Australia’s Critical Technology) Regulations 2022. To access the instrument, click here.
Migration (Daily maintenance amount for persons in detention) Determination (LIN 22/031) 2022, dated 29 June 2022 increases the daily amount for a person in immigration detention, specifies each place for which the daily amount applies, and specifies the period during which the daily amount applies under section 262 of the Migration Act 1958. The instrument increases the daily maintenance amount for a person in immigration detention to $490.69. It also specifies the following detention centres where the person in immigration detention must be kept:i. Northwest Point (Christmas Island) Immigration Detention Centre,ii. Perth Immigration Detention Centre,iii. Villawood Immigration Detention Centre,iv. Yongah Hill Immigration Detention Centre; andThe instrument further provides that this daily maintenance cost for person in immigration detention is applicable till June 2024 after which the Department will review and update it.The instrument is registered on the Federal Register of Legislation on 29 June 2022 and commenced on 1 July 2022.To access the instrument, click here.
The Australian Government, on advice of the Chief Medical Officer has changed the requirements for international arrivals and departures, enabling people to travel to and from Australia without being required to declare their COVID-19 vaccinations, from 6 July 2022. From 6 July 2022:• People entering Australia are not required to provide evidence of COVID-19 vaccination status• People entering Australia are not required to complete the Digital Passenger Declaration or Maritime Travel Declaration• People leaving Australia are not required to provide evidence of their COVID-19 vaccination status• Travel exemption is not required by the unvaccinated visa holders to travel to Australia• Masks are mandatory on flights travelling to Australia.However, the travellers must comply with all the specific COVID-19 requirements of airlines, vessel operators and of other countries.