Regional 494 and 491 visas: Minimum salary/income threshold set to TSMIT $53,900 per year

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Regional 494 and 491 visas: Minimum salary/income threshold set to TSMIT $53,900 per year

The Department of Home Affairs has made known that the minimum salary threshold for nominations for 494 visa and the minimum taxable income threshold for 191 visas will be pinned to the Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold (TSMIT) which is currently $53,900 per annum, with exceptions for 494 nominations under labour agreements and Designated Area Migration Agreements (DAMAs). There is, however, an important difference on how this will operate for both visas.

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Skilled Migration Occupation List review commenced…major changes ahead?

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Skilled Migration Occupation List review commenced…major changes ahead?

Yesterday the Department of Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business commenced a review of the skilled migration occupation lists, due to be completed in March 2020. This will be the fourth review by the department since the skilled occupations lists were deemed unresponsive on 18 April 2017, the day it was announced that Subclass 457 – Temporary Worked (Skilled) visa would be abolished. Will there be any substantial changes arising from this review?

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Australia’s special relationships: NZ character woes; employer sponsored concessions for the UK?

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Australia’s special relationships: NZ character woes; employer sponsored concessions for the UK?

New Zealand and the United Kingdom have a close bond with Australia. Over the weekend the media reported dissatisfaction from NZ over its citizens being deported. Meanwhile the UK, in negotiating a Free Trade Agreement, are requesting concessions that might see amendments to the Subclass 482 – Temporary Skill Shortage visa or perhaps even a different visa subclass altogether.

This article clarifies why New Zealanders are over-represented in visa cancellations due to character concerns. It turns out that having a special visa might not be so special after all.

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DAMA occupation lists for South Australia and Warrnambool published

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DAMA occupation lists for South Australia and Warrnambool published

The occupation lists for South Australia’s two Designated Area Migration Agreements (DAMAs) and the occupation list for Warrnambool’s (DAMA) were recently published along with which occupations will have access to age, skill, salary, and English language concessions and which will have pathway to a permanent visa.

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