The Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services, and Multicultural Affairs Alex Hawke has announced the signing of Townsville DAMA for boosting economic prosperity by overcoming the economic challenges posed due to workforce shortage in Townsville. Townsville DAMA covers 195 occupations across a wide range of sectors including: The Designated Area Representative (DAR) for the Townsville DAMA is Townsville Enterprise which is a peak economic development and destination marketing organization. It will manage the process of accessing the Townsville DAMA which will be open to businesses operating in any of the 9 local government areas covered by the agreement: From 1 July 2022, local businesses can apply individually to access the Townsville DAMA. To know more, click here.
The new applications for Tasmania State Nomination Program have been temporarily restricted to invited candidates only. Applications that are not processed before 30 June 2022 will be processed in the 2022-2023 program year. To know more, click here.
In response to COVID-19 travel restrictions, the Sponsored Parent Subclass 870 visa holders, who were outside Australia in July 2021have been granted an automatic visa extension for 18 months. The visa extension of 18 months under this concession, will not be counted towards the maximum stay period of 10 years for this visa. In addition, sponsorship obligations have also been given 18 months extension. To know more about visa conditions and details, click here.
Invitation Round: 19 April 2022 Matrix nominating Small Business Owners: 0 invitation 457 visa / 482 visa holders: 01 invitation Matrix nominating Critical Skill occupations: 18 invitations Overseas Applicants Matrix nominating Critical Skill occupations: 05 invitations Invitations were not issued if the applicants have an active application in the system or have previously received an ACT nomination. The next Canberra Matrix invitation round will be held before 05 May 2022.
Migration (Arrangements for Temporary Work (International Relations) (Class GD) visa applications) (LIN 22/009) Instrument 2022[ “the Compilation”] dated 4 April 2022 incorporates the amendment made by migration (Arrangements for Temporary Work (International Relations) (Class GD) visas) Amendment Instrument (LIN 22/036) 2022 [ “the Instrument”], specifying approved form, place and manner requirements for making an application for a Temporary Work (International Relations) (Class GD) visa in the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility stream. The instrument provides that for making an application for a Temporary Work (International Relations) (Class GD) visa under the following streams: Form 1403 (Internet) must be used or, if a written notice has been received, Form 1403 can be used in accordance with instructions in that notice. The instrument also provides that for a primary or combined application for the following streams: Form 1403 (Internet) must be used or, if a written notice has been received, Form 1403 can be used in accordance with instructions in that notice. For all other applications, Form 1481 (Internet) must be used or, if a written notice has been received, Form 1481 can be used in accordance with instructions in that notice. The compilation is registered on the Federal Register of Legislation on 21 April 2022 and commenced on 4 April 2022. It is currently in force. To access the compilation, click here.
Migration (Temporary Visa Subclass for the Purpose of Health Requirement) Specification (LIN 22/007) 2022, dated 11 April 2022, specifies temporary visa subclasses which may lead to permanent visas to which PIC 4005 and 4007 apply and also repeals Visa Subclasses for the Purposes of the Health Requirement 2016/067. PIC 4005 and 4007 require visa applicants to be free from health conditions that will result in significant costs to the Australian community. The instrument specifies the temporary visas to which these PICs apply and adds two new subclasses, namely Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) Subclass 491 and Skilled Employer-Sponsored Regional (Provisional) Subclass 494. PIC 4005 and 4007 apply to: The instrument is registered on the Federal Register of Legislations on 12 April 2022 and commenced on 13 April 2022. It is currently in force. To access the instrument, click here.
Migration (Excluded Health Care and Community Services) Instrument (LIN 22/014) 2022, dated 14 April 2022, specifies the health care and community services for subclauses 4005(3) and 4007(1B) of Schedule 4 to the Regulations that are excluded from costs assessment by a Medical officer of Commonwealth (MOC) in relation to certain temporary visa applications, under PIC 4005 and 4005. Subclauses 4005(1) and 4007(1) of Schedule 4 to the Regulations provide that an applicant must be free from a disease or condition which is likely to require health care or community services and result in an insignificant cost to the Australian community, irrespective of whether such services are actually used. This instrument specifies the excluded health care and community services from the assessment of the health criteria, under PIC 4005 and 4007, by a Medical officer of Commonwealth (MOC) in relation to all temporary visas that are subject to the health criteria, other than specified temporary visas that provide a pathway to permanent residence. The following health care and community services are specified: The health care and community services specified in this instrument are provided by the Australian government to Australian citizens and permanent residents and generally are not available to temporary visa holders, therefore, reasonable to exclude these costs from a MOC’s considerations. The instrument also repeals the Specification of Health Care and Community Services (IMMI 11/073). The instrument is registered on the Federal Register of Legislation on 20 April 2022 and commenced on 21 April 2022. It is currently in force. To access the instrument, click here.
The changes include that the applicant must be working and living in the ACT for the ACT nomination pathway and also it is advised to ensure that the most recent information is used while lodging client’s applications. To know more, click here.
Migration (Temporary Visa Subclass for the Purpose of Health Requirement) Specification (LIN 22/007) 2022, dated 11 April 2022, specifies temporary visa subclasses which may lead to permanent visas for subparagraphs 4005(2)(b)(ii) and 4007(1 A)(b)(ii) of Schedule 4 to the Migration Regulations 1994 and also repeals “Visa Subclasses for the Purposes of the Health Requirement 2016/067”. If an application is for a temporary visa of a subclass specified for subparagraph 4005(2)(b)(ii) or 4007(1A)(b)(ii) of Schedule 4 to the Regulations, then the applicant’s health and associated costs will be assessed for the same period for which a permanent visa is assessed, that is, a period commencing when the application is made. For this purpose, the instrument updates the specified temporary visa subclasses by adding two new subclasses, namely Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) (subclass 491) and Subclass 494 Skilled Employer-Sponsored Regional (Provisional) (subclass 494). The instrument also removed certain temporary visa subclasses which were previously specified in IMMI 16/067, as those visa subclasses have been repealed and closed to new applications before the commencement of the instrument.The instrument specifies the following visa subclasses: If the application is covered by subitem 1216(3A) or Schedule 1 to the Regulations: Subclass159(ProvisionalResidentReturn) Subclass300 (ProspectiveMarriage) Subclass160(BusinessOwner(Provlslonal)) Subclass309(Partner(Provisional)) Subclass161(SeniorExecutive(Provisional)) Subclass445(DependentChild)) Subclass162(Investor(Provlslonal)) Subclass487(SKiiiedRegionalSponsored)) Subclass163(Sate/TerritorysponsoredBusinessOwner(Provisional)) Subclass489(SKilledRegional(Provisional)) Subclass164(State/TerritorySponsoredSeniorExecutive(Provlslonal)) Subclass491(SKilledWorKRegional(Provlslonal)) Subclass165(State/TerritorySponsoredInvestor (Provisional)) Subclass494(SKiiiedEmployerSponsoredRegional(Provisional)) Subclass173(ContributoryParent(Temporary)) Subclass820(Partner)) Subclass188(BusinessInnovationandInvestment(Provisional)) Subclass884(ContributoryAgedParent(Temporary)) The instrument is registered on the Federal Register of Legislation on 12 April 2022 and commenced on 13 April 2022. It is currently in force. To access the instrument, click here.
Migration (Specified Work and Areas for Subclass 417 and 462 Visas) Amendment Instrument (LIN 22/050) 2022, dated 8 April 2022, expands the specified kinds of work and areas of Australiaspecified in LIN 22/012 and LIN 22/013 for the definition of specified Subclass 417 work and specified Subclass 462 work in regulation 1.03 of the Regulations, respectively. The instrument specifies the flood recovery work, carried out in flood-affected areas, after 31 December 2021, as the kinds of work for the definition of specified Subclass 417 work or specified Subclass 462 work. The work includes both paid and unpaid, clean‑up, construction, or any other work in association with restitution or restoration of services, property or infrastructure, land, waterways, and providing support services to people living, working, or volunteering in the affected areas. It also adds a list of areas of Australia defined as flood-affected areas. The instrument also ensures that both paid and unpaid bushfire recovery work carried out after 31 July 2019 in a bushfire affected area is regarded as the kind of work for the definition of specified Subclass 417 work or specified Subclass 462 work. The instrument also adds 4 postcodes to be included in the areas in which tourism and hospitality work must be carried out, after 21 June 2021, which are not part of Northern Australia or remote and very remote Australia, for the definition of specified Subclass 417 work or specified Subclass 462 work. It also removes to remove postcode 7001 from remote and very remote Australia. The following are the additional postal codes: The instrument is registered on the Federal Register of Legislation on 11 April 2022 and will commence on 1 July 2022. To access the instrument, click here.