Day one of September: a platter of three updates

1. WA releases the first invitation round of this financial year, and construction-related occupations become the “chosen ones”

2. Legislation confirmed: minor changes to the requirements for renewing a Subclass 408

3. The old 485 TR (Graduate Work stream) reverts to 18 months from 3 September

1. WA releases the first invitation round of this financial year, and construction-related occupations become the “chosen ones”

On 31 August, WA released the first invitation round of the 2023-24 financial year. Earlier, after our WA manager contacted the state government, we learned thatWA was not, for the time being, considering any change to the policy it had already announced, and at the time the invitation scores were expected to be very high.

Now that the results of the first round are in, the scores are not at all alarming: the lowest invited EOI score was 65 points, with most invitation scores falling between 70 and 85 points.

This is because, in this round, WAappears to have given all of its invitations to occupations in the building and construction Sectors.As at the time of writing, WA has not yet released its official report; the invitation data we have gathered is as follows:

–Civil engineering had the most reported invitations, with the lowest securing a 190 at 60+5 points; building, landscape architecture and QSall had a fair number of reports, with the lowest at 70+5 points; every invitation report we have seen so far is construction-related

-Some went through the in-state graduate stream, while others went through the general sch2 stream — but all of them were already living locally in WA. Only one report mentioned a QS in NSW being invited, which is yet to be confirmed

-Submission dates ranged from early in the year to quite a few lodged only within the past three months

However —

we had clients on 90 points in these same occupations who were not invited, and we have seen many people report that, even with similar scores and circumstances — or having lodged earlier — they were not invited. This is most likely because the quota is too small, so unlike last year not every application can be accommodated — there is an element of luck involved

Those in other occupations need not lose heart so early — it does not necessarily mean other occupations will not be invited at all later on.

Construction has become WA’s “chosen” field —

From its statements to its policy and its actual invitations, WA has shown its support for the construction industry across the board — largely because the state is so short of the relevant skilled workers, a point both the Premier and the Skills Minister have made on numerous occasions.

Under the state-nomination policy, many construction-related occupations do not require a job offer: the graduate stream never required one, and non-local graduates going through general stream sch2 are exempt from the job-offer requirement, and relevant work experience is not required either.

WA’s “chosen” construction-related occupations are not limited to those invited above — there are many more; please see the chart below

Requirements for the above construction-related occupations for non-WA graduates applying for the WA 190

-An EOI of at least 65 points

-A skills assessment for the nominated occupation

-English of at least four 6s

-In theory you can lodge whether you are in the state, interstate or overseas, but moving to WA greatly increases your chances of being invited

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2. Legislation confirmed: changes to the requirements for renewing a Subclass 408

Yesterday’s news about the 408 (Confirmed! The 408 COVID stream will be abolished this Friday! Some people can still apply, but for a shorter period and with a visa fee!) was formally legislated today

From the legislation we can see that, from 2 September, only Subclass 408 COVID-stream holders are allowed to lodge, and only within28 days before or after that visa’s expiry.This replaces the previous default, under which lodgement was allowed at any time within the 90 days before the visa’s expiry.

Given that the Department has said it will finalise all Subclass 408 COVID-stream applications by February 2024, the pool of applicants who can lodge is narrowing even further.

If you do not meet the requirements to renew a 408, you might consider renewing a student visa, a Subclass 407 Training visa and so on — get in touch for an assessment and to explore your renewal options!

3. The old 485 TR (Graduate Work stream) reverts to 18 months from 3 September

The old 485 TR (Graduate Work stream)applies to those in trade occupations / diplomas, or those who applied for their first student visa before 5 November 2011

Normally it is valid for 18 months; during the pandemic this was temporarily increased to 2 years, and until now it had not been confirmed when it would revert to 18 months.

On 31 August the Department updated its website: old 485 TRs (Graduate Work stream) lodged on or after 3 September 2023 will revert to 18 months, with the cut-off based on the lodgement date.

As an aside, after the news broke many people assumed this meant the policy giving an extra 2 years to bachelor’s or master’s 485s with eligible qualifications was gone?It is not!

Bachelor’s / master’s / doctoral qualifications go through the Post-Graduate Work stream, which has not changed at all and can still be applied for.

In short, this news concerns Stream B; most of you are going through Stream A — it is unrelated, so there is no need to worry, and nothing has changed.

Recommended past articles

WA releases its first invitation round this week, with no policy change for now! A smaller quota this year does NOT mean you can’t come to WA for study and migration!

Confirmed! The 408 COVID stream is abolished on 1 September! But there is a transition period

Opportunity favours the prepared! See how she was invited at last after three years of “biding her time”!

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Civil / Building / QS / Landscape 65-85 Points Land WA 190! Minor Changes Again for Subclass 408 and the Old 485 TR!

WA releases its first invitation round this week, with no policy change for now! A smaller quota this year does NOT mean you can’t come to WA for study and migration!

Confirmed! The 408 COVID stream is abolished on 1 September! But there is a transition period

Opportunity favours the prepared! See how she was invited at last after three years of “biding her time”!

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