This Week’s Migration Update

Migration Weekly

1. Canberra’s first official invitation report of the new financial year confirms low-points invitations

2. VETASSESS priority processing changes again; CPA pauses skills assessment lodgements

3. WA announces its current state nomination status; Tasmania also issues pre-invitations

4. Visitor visa appeal success stories; TOEFL testing changes

5. Weekly round-up of grants, invitations, skills assessments and citizenship processing progress

1. Canberra’s first official invitation report of the new financial year confirms low-points invitations

Having issued its first round of Matrix invitations last week, Canberra has this week released the official data for that round. The key features are as follows:

–the range of occupations invited was very broad, with most occupations on the list receiving invitations

– the number issued was not held back despite the formal quota not yet being received — still plenty

– a larger proportion of invitations went to offshore applicants

– most occupations, both onshore and offshore, continued to receive invitations at relatively low Matrix scores

A total of 822 Matrix invitations were issued, with offshore applicants accounting for 68%. Of these, the small-business stream issued 18 Subclass 190 invitations, with a minimum invited score of just 70 points, the general onshore stream issued 138 Subclass 190 and 88 Subclass 491 invitations, and the offshore stream issued 299 Subclass 190 and 262 Subclass 491 Matrix invitations.

Score breakdown:

Aside from the popular accounting, IT and engineering occupations

Offshore Subclass 491: most occupations invited at 55–60 points

Offshore Subclass 190: most occupations invited at 65–75 points

Onshore Subclass 491: most occupations invited at 55 points

Onshore Subclass 190: most occupations invited at 65 points

**There was one official score correction: For Finance Managers, the minimum invited scores were 95 points (Subclass 491) and 100 points (Subclass 190) onshore, and 55 points (Subclass 491) and 65 points (Subclass 190) offshore.

Canberra offshore Subclass 491 requirements

– an EOI of at least 65 points

– a positive skills assessment

– one year of work experience in the nominated occupation

– English of 6 in each band

– not having lived in Australia for at least the past 12 months and not holding an Australian visa (a visitor visa is acceptable)

Canberra offshore Subclass 190 requirements

– an EOI of at least 65 points

– a positive skills assessment

– three years of work experience in the nominated occupation

– English of 7 in each band

– not having lived in Australia for at least the past 12 months and not holding an Australian visa (a visitor visa is acceptable)

For more on this round’s official report, see: Official report released! In its first round of the financial year, Canberra issued 561 invitations to offshore applicants — 830+ in total! Most occupations invited at 55–75 points!

Canberra continues to issue invitations steadily in the new financial year, and offers strong prospects of an invitation at a low score. Invitations cover the great majority of occupations commonly held by applicants from China, with as little as one year of relevant work experience required. Get in touch to arrange a skills assessment and a points review.

2. VETASSESS priority processing changes again; CPA pauses skills assessment lodgements

A skills assessment is the first requirement for the Subclass 189/190/491 pathways, and VETASSESS assesses the largest number of occupations — in particular, many offshore occupations are assessed by them. Standard (non-priority) VETASSESS skills assessments are slow to process — the authority currently quotes 12–20 weeks — whereas priority processing takes only around 10 business days.

VETASSESS currently allocates 55 priority places per day, and this week the rules for requesting priority processing have changed again, with five new grounds added for requesting priority processing. They are:

– you have received a request from the federal or a state government and must lodge documents within a set time

– your current visa expires within 8 weeks and you are unable to apply for another visa

– you will turn 33, 40 or 45 within the next 8 weeks (which reduces your age points)

– your IELTS or PTE results expire within 8 weeks

– your spouse’s English results or skills assessment expire within the next 8 weeks

All of the above grounds require supporting evidence.

You can still lodge a priority request without one of the urgent grounds above, but you will only be allocated a place once that day’s priority-need requests have been allocated and only if places remain.

Priority processing applies to professional and general occupations, not to trade occupations. The priority fee is currently AUD 623, rising to AUD 806 shortly after 9 August 2023.

In short: if you’re considering migration, start with a skills assessment now. For success stories, see: Accounting / QS / software engineering / civil / telecommunications / copywriting / TESOL and more — all granted visas or positive skills assessments! Subclass 189 backlog exceeds 26,000 applications!You can also contact our consultants directly for an assessment based on your work experience and highest qualification.

In addition, CPA Australia, which handles skills assessments for accounting occupations, has advised: owing to a system upgrade, new skills assessment applications cannot be lodged from 8pm on 18 July 2023 until 24 July 2023. Any applications started but not completed before 18 July will be automatically deleted by the new system, so they will need to be re-lodged after the 24th.

3. WA announces its current state nomination status; Tasmania also issues pre-invitations

This Friday, Western Australia announced the current status of its state nomination program on its official website.

–first, it confirmed that as at 21 July it had not yet received its formal state nomination allocation

– applications already lodged will continue to be processed, but formal nominations cannot be issued until the allocation is received

– new pre-invitations will also not commence until the allocation is received

– any changes will be updated on the official website in due course

Besides Canberra, which (as noted above) has issued pre-invitations and is processing applications, Tasmania also issued ROI invitations this week — one of our accounting clients was invited!States such as Queensland and the Northern Territory have likewise indicated that applications already received will continue to be processed, but that the full state nomination program cannot get under way until the formal allocations are in. So for now everyone is waiting on the federal allocations — hopefully next week!

4. Visitor visa appeal success stories; TOEFL testing changes

Processing of Australian visitor visas has been gradually easing over this period, and we have helped many clients — previously refused for a range of reasons and from a range of backgrounds — successfully overturn those refusals:

The broad approach to overturning a refusal is:

–study the refusal letter carefully — even with a “template-style” refusal, identify the issues the case officer raised last time and prepare thoroughly and carefully

–even where a PR holder or citizen is applying on behalf of their parents, don’t be careless — prepare the most complete documentation possible; a previous grant, or being a PR holder or citizen, does not guarantee a grant

–have an experienced professional understand the background in depth and draw out the supporting material carefully, adding a travel plan, a cover letter and so on

– where necessary or appropriate, consider the Family sponsored stream

Space is limited — for a more detailed analysis, see: Visitor visa refused with a template letter — can it be saved? DIY application for parents refused — can you re-apply? Family-sponsored / business streams — worth considering?

Visitor visas are no longer straightforward, and a template lodgement won’t do. Whether visiting children or friends, we recommend handling the application carefully and assessing the risks from the very first attempt — try not to leave a refusal on record, as it makes the next attempt far more difficult. If you need help, contact our consultants below:

This week the Department of Home Affairs website also carried a small update: from 26 July 2023, TOEFL iBT will no longer provide English language results for Australian visa applications, until further notice.

The following English tests can still be taken:

– IELTS, including the One Skill Retake (OSR) single-band resit (OSR cannot be used for Subclass 476, 482 or 485 applications)

-PTE

– Cambridge English (CAE), also known as C1 Advanced

– Occupational English Test (OET), used mainly for medical professions

5. Weekly round-up of grants, invitations, skills assessments and citizenship processing progress

A round-up of Newstarsec’s recent grants and invitations across all categories: Press and hold below to view — the page is updated continuously, so we highly recommend saving it!

State nomination invitations / GTI invitation statistics

Tas state nomination

Accountant (General) –
221111, 65+5; ROI lodged 10 July 2023, invited to lodge Nomination 17 July 2023

This week’s grant progress and analysis

Subclass 189 Skilled Independent

Lodged 22 December 2022, granted 18 July 2023, Registered Nurse (Aged
Care) – 254412, 75 points

Lodged 21 December 2022, granted 18 July 2023, Accountant (General) – 221111, 95 points

Lodged 22 December 2022, granted 17 July 2023, Registered Nurses nec –
254499, 65 points

Lodged 21 December 2022, granted 18 July 2023, Architect – 232111, 85 points

Subclass 190 State Nominated

Lodged 7 February 2023, granted 19 July 2023, Accountant (General) – 221111, 80+5 points (VIC)

Lodged 3 February 2023, granted 19 July 2023, Electrical Engineer –
233311, 65+5 points (VIC)

Lodged 21 November 2022, granted 19 July 2023, 85+5 points, Chef

Lodged: 26/08/2022 Granted: 20/07/2023, accounting, onshore

Lodged 6 April 2023, granted 18 July 2023

Subclass 491 (new regional) / Subclass 489 (former regional) sponsored visas

Lodged 23 November 2022, granted 21 July 2023

Lodged 12 June 2023, granted 18 July 2023. Occupation: Massage Therapist

Subclass 489 lodged late 2019, granted 19 July 2023, accounting

Lodged 4 January 2022, granted 18 July 2023, accounting, 75+15

Subclass 887/191 regional permanent residence visas

Lodged 22 November 2022, granted 19 July 2023

Employer-sponsored

Lodged 13 September 2022, granted 19 July 2023, Subclass 186 DE, accounting

Lodged 9 June 2023, nomination and visa granted together 18 July 2023, Subclass 186 TRT, nominated occupation Massage Therapist

Business and investor migration / GTI

None this week

Partner migration

Subclass 820 lodged 5 March 2020, 820 granted 17 November 2021, 801 granted 17 July 2023

Subclass 820 lodged 6 December 2019, 820 granted 15 March 2021, 801 granted 19 July 2023

Subclass 820 lodged 3 January 2020, 820 granted 30 March 2021, 801 granted 21 July 2023

Subclass 801 lodged 7 August 2020, granted 19 July 2023

Subclass 820 lodged 12 April 2023, granted 18 July 2023

Subclass 309 lodged 24 January 2023, granted 21 July 2023

, Subclass 820 lodged 12 April 2023, granted 18 July 2023

Lodged late December 2022, granted 19 July 2023, 820+801 granted together

Parent migration / visas / child visas

Subclass 870 lodged 22 November 2022, second-instalment visa fee notified 12 July 2023, granted 14 July 2023, offshore

Subclass 143 lodged 6 April 2017, granted 18 July 2023

Subclass 600 Visitor visa

Lodged 30 June 2023, granted 17 July 2023, offshore

Lodged 4 July 2023, granted 17 July 2023, offshore

Lodged 11 July 2023, granted 17 July 2023, offshore

Lodged 6 July 2023, granted 17 July 2023, offshore

Lodged 12 July 2023, granted 18 July 2023, onshore
Lodged 30 June 2023, granted 20 July 2023, offshore

Lodged 10 July 2023, granted 19 July 2023. Family of three

Lodged 11 July 2023, granted 18 July 2023, PR’s parents

Lodged 28 June 2023, granted 17 July 2023, PR’s parents

Lodged 10 July 2023, granted 17 July 2023, PR’s parents

Lodged 14 July 2023, granted 17 July 2023

Lodged 14 July 2023, granted 21 July 2023

Lodged 29 June 2023, granted 21 July 2023

Subclass 500 Student visa

Lodged 13 July 2023, granted 15 July 2023, higher education

Lodged 11 July 2023, granted 17 July 2023, higher education

Subclass 485 Graduate Work visa

Lodged 1 May 2023, granted 21 July 2023

Lodged 29 June 2023, granted 17 July 2023

Subclass 408 visa

Lodged 14 July 2023, granted 17 July 2023

Lodged 20 July 2023, granted 21 July 2023

Lodged 19 July 2023, granted 21 July 2023, with spouse

Lodged 10 July 2023, granted 21 July 2023

Lodged 18 July 2023, granted 20 July 2023

Lodged 14 July 2023, granted 19 July 2023

Subclass 155 visa

Lodged 18 July 2023, granted 18 July 2023

Citizenship applications

Lodged 10 May 2023, test notified 15 June 2023 (Melbourne Office), approved 15 July 2023

Lodged 3 November 2022, test notified 10 March 2023 (Melbourne Office), approved 31 March 2023, citizenship ceremony notified 18 July 2023

This week’s skills assessment progress

CA ANZ (accounting-related)

Lodged 19 May 2023, External Auditor (221213) completed 18 July 2023

Lodged 17 May 2023, External Auditor (221213) completed 11 July 2023

VETASSESS

Occupation: Contract Administrator; lodged: 11/07/2023 completed: 17/07/2023

Occupation: Program Administrator; lodged: 02/07/2023 completed: 16/07/2023

Occupation: Information Organisation Professional; lodged: 13/07/2023 completed: 20/07/2023

Occupation: Copywriter; lodged: 09/07/2023 completed: 20/07/2023

Occupation: Corporate Services Manager; lodged: 09/07/2023 completed: 15/07/2023

Lodged 26 May 2023, approved 20 July 2023, Civil Engineer

Lodged 31 May 2023, approved 18 July 2023, Civil Engineer

ACS

Lodged 17 April 2023, approved 20 July 2023, Software Engineer

Lodged 11 April 2023, approved 20 July 2023, Software Engineer

Lodged 17 April 2023, approved 19 July 2023, Software Engineer

Lodged 17 May 2023, approved 19 July 2023, Computer Network and Systems Engineer

AIQS

Lodged 16 March 2023, approved 17 July 2023. Occupation: Quantity Surveyor

Past highlights

Offshore applicants aged 35–44: the state-nomination shortcut to secure a Subclass 491 and aim for a Subclass 190!

A golden window for offshore skilled migration — miss it and who knows how many years you’ll wait! Three recommended pathways!

Accounting / QS / software engineering / civil / telecommunications / copywriting and more — all granted visas or positive skills assessments!

Migration News Group

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Reply: 0000 → view the 16 November policy update (Subclass 491 + skilled migration points)

[Australia Migration Weekly Issue 294] WA announces state nomination status, Canberra invites 561 offshore at low scores! VETASSESS priority processing changes again! Visitor visa appeal success story

Offshore applicants aged 35–44: the state-nomination shortcut to secure a Subclass 491 and aim for a Subclass 190!

A golden window for offshore skilled migration — miss it and who knows how many years you’ll wait! Three recommended pathways!

Accounting / QS / software engineering / civil / telecommunications / copywriting and more — all granted visas or positive skills assessments!

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