It’s the end of the financial year and you know what that means…yes Australian immigration law changes! We’ve picked the top three, some had commenced on 1 July 2019 and some will come into effect in November 2019.
Let’s have a look at the top three (3) immigration law changes on 1 July 2019 and November 2019.
1. New Sponsored (Temporary) Parent Visa Subclass 870
The visa application for the subclass 870 Sponsored (Temporary) Parent visa opened on 1 July 2019.
A sponsored parent can apply for the new sponsored parent visa once a sponsorship application is approved and can lodge the actual visa application from 1 July 2019.
The visa provides parents with a new pathway to temporarily reunite with their children and grandchildren in Australia. The new sponsored parent visa subclass 870 can be granted for a longer period compared to the standard visitor visa. The visa provides an additional pathway for parents to reunite with their Australian citizens and permanent residents.
Up to 15,000 sponsored parent (temporary) visa may be granted each program year (from 1 July – 30 June).
2. Increase in Application Fee
Below is a comparison of some visa application fee before and after 1 July 2019.
| Visa | Fee BEFORE 1 July 2019 | Fee FROM 1 July 2019 |
| Student Visa | $575 | $620 |
| General Skilled Migration (incl. 189 points-tested, 190 & 489 visa) | $3755 | $4,045 |
| Partner Visa | $7,160 | $7,715 |
| TSS 482 Visa – STSOL | $1,175 | $1,265 |
| TSS 482 Visa – MLTSSL | $2,455 | $2,645 |
| ENS 186 Visa / RSMS 187 Visa | $3,755 | $4,045 |
| Graduate Temporary Visa 485 | $1,535 | $1,650 |
| Business Migration – Significant Investment Visa (SIV) | $7,310 | $7,880 |
| Business Migration – Entrepreneur | $3,755 | $4,045 |
You can check other visa application fee on the Department of Home Affairs website.
3. New Regional Visa Commencing in November 2019
New Regional Visas
The new skilled regional provisional visas will be for skilled migrants, and dependent family members, who want to live and work in the regional area of Australia.
Two new skilled regional provisional visas will be introduced in November 2019:
- Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) visa – available for those sponsored by an employer in the regional area of Australia. This visa will replace the RSMS 187 visa.
- Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (replacing subclass 489 visa) – available for those who are nominated by the state or territory government or sponsored by an eligible family member to live and work in regional Australia.
What is special about these new regional visas?
- People who are granted the new skilled regional provisional visas will be able to live and work in the regional area of Australia.
- The visa can be granted for up to five(5) years.
- Holders of new skilled regional provisional visas will be able to apply for permanent residency in Australia.
- The permanent residence skilled regional visa is said to commence in November 2022. To be eligible, applicants will need to provide evidence showing that they have lived and worked in regional Australia while holding one of the new skilled regional provisional visas.
- The Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) visa will have access to over 450 more occupations
- Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa will have access to over 70 more occupations
Source: Department of Home Affairs
CONTACT US
If you require assistance with your Australia visa or is interested to know more about the new immigration law changes in Australia to see whether you will be eligible, you can call one of our highly trained immigration lawyers at Agape Henry Crux. We can be contacted on (02)-8005 1108.
We speak fluent English, Mandarin, Cantonese, Indonesian and Malay. If these aren’t your language, we can also help you arrange an interpreter
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