This Week’s Migration News Round-Up

Migration Weekly

1. The 408 COVID stream finally enters its countdown — some holders can still extend for another 6 months

2. WA issues invitations — civil engineering, QS, architecture and similar occupations continue to be invited at 65–85 points

3. Tasmania has used 20% of its allocation — invitations to tighten across the board from here

4. The 485 Graduate Work stream will return to an 18-month validity period

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

1. The 408 COVID stream finally enters its countdown — some holders can still extend for another six months

The biggest news this week is, without question, the 408 COVID stream (referred to below as the 408) — a long-awaited announcement that has finally landed. On the one hand, the government gave only two days’ notice, reportedly to avoid a flood of new applications before the changes took effect; on the other hand, it has put a number of transitional arrangements in place.After the Minister for Home Affairs announced the news on Thursday, the relevant legislation was confirmed on Friday.

Before 12:00 am on 2 September 2023

–applications already lodged but not yet granted will continue to be processed. On Friday we received a large number of 408 grants — all lodged just in the past few days — and the visa validity period is still one year

–existing 408 holders will keep their visa at least until it expires

From 3 September 2023

–the 408 is open only to existing holders to apply for, the visa is valid for just six months, and a visa application charge of AUD 405 applies

– you can lodge within 28 days before or after your current 408 expires (no longer 90 days before expiry)

– for example, holders of the 485/500/462 and similar visas can no longer lodge a new 408 COVID stream application

The government will finish processing all 408 applications by February 2024

If you don’t meet the requirements to extend the 408 again, you might consider renewing a student visa, applying for the 407 Training visa, or even moving straight onto a migration pathway. Get in touch to explore your renewal options!

2. WA issues invitations — civil engineering, QS, architecture and similar occupations continue to be invited at 65–85 points

On the migration front, Western Australia made the headlines. After a rocky journey on its allocation, WA issued its first round of pre-invitations within August as expected — the first new round of invitations in 1.5 months, following Canberra’s first Matrix invitation round in July.

On Friday afternoon WA released the official data from its first round:487 pre-invitations were issued, all for the Subclass 190, across both the Graduate stream and General stream Schedule 2

–General stream Schedule 2 (non-WA graduates)civil engineering / architect / landscape / construction project manager / QS / urban and regional planner / structural engineering — along with a number of trades occupations, were all invited, with EOI scores between 75 and 85. All applicants were already in WA, so if you’re serious about the WA pathway we’d still recommend relocating there

–Graduate stream — relatively fewer occupations were invited, but with EOI scores between 65 and 75. Notably, this round also invited applicants located elsewhere in Australia and even overseas. WA lists this State of Residence by the lowest ranking, with interstate and offshore ranked after local applicants, so they only listed interstate/offshore — WA graduates who are also in WA were of course invited too.

See the chart below for details

Is WA being a little generous in a single round?

WA issued 487 pre-invitations in its very first round, against a Subclass 190 state-nomination allocation of 1,500.A pre-invitation can’t be equated directly with an allocation place — take-up has to be factored in. In other words, a pre-invitation only uses an allocation place once the applicant lodges the formal documents and the state government assesses them and issues a formal nomination. If the documents aren’t lodged, or aren’t approved, no allocation place is used.

Of course, you also have to bear in mind that the occupations above don’t require a job offer, so take-up will be higher than for other occupations.

WA’s position is now very clear: priority goes to local graduates and construction-industry-related occupations. If you’d like to know more, feel free to ask:

3. Tasmania has used 20% of its allocation — invitations to tighten across the board from here

The other state with plenty of news this week was Tasmania, which held an information session and also began issuing formal nominations to applicants who received ROI invitations in the previous financial year.

As at 29 August 2023: the combined 190/491 allocation is 1,200, of which 272 have been used, leaving 928 places remaining — that is, 20% has been used. There are currently 842 Active ROIs in the Gateway system, of which 486 are for the 190 and 356 for the 491.

Tasmania has made clear that, until May next year, only 28 pre-invitations will be issued each week (14 each for the 190 and 491) . Competition can be expected to be fierce, so the state government also placed strong emphasis on the priority attributes of the Gold and Green pathways and on additional considerations.

Gold and Green pathway priorities:

– occupations on the Critical Roles List (particularly in the health and infrastructure sectors) have a better chance of being invited

– the occupation is on the TOSOL occupation list and relates to your skills assessment

– more than 15 months of work related to your skills assessment

– the occupation relates to your studies

– the applicant is a doctoral student

– offshore applicants (places for offshore applicants are very limited, and only offshore applicants with an offer from a local Tasmanian business are currently being considered)

Additional considerations:

All else being equal (whether a Gold, Green or Orange applicant), the state government has also indicated it will give additional weight to an applicant’s:

1. salary (whether it exceeds the median salary level or the TSMIT income threshold)

2. length of employment

3. length of residence in Tasmania

4. English proficiency

For more information, see:Tasmania’s first seminar of the new financial year | 20% of the allocation already used! Invitation priorities updated again — are the “Gold” and “Green” pathways heating up? The state government is also encouraging employer sponsorship…

To find out more directly, contact our consultants below

4. The 485 Graduate Work stream will return to an 18-month validity period

Another piece of news this week is that 485 Graduate Work stream applications lodged on or after 3 September 2023 will revert to an 18-month validity period. The cut-off is based on the lodgement date — that is, applications lodged on or before 2 September will still have a two-year validity, while on or after 3 September 2023lodgements will be 18 months.

The old 485 TR (Graduate Work stream):

– applies to graduates of certain trades qualifications or diploma programmes

– and to those who applied for their first student visa before 5 November 2011

If you’re a bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral graduate, this news won’t have much bearing on you.

5. A 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 strongly recommend saving and bookmarking it!

State-nomination invitations / GTI invitation statistics

Tasmania state nomination

ROI invitation received in the previous financial year, formal nomination now granted

Nomination lodged 16 June 2023, formally invited 29 August 2023

Nomination lodged 19 July 2023, formally invited 29 August 2023

Nomination lodged 16 June 2023, formally invited 29 August 2023

Nomination lodged 7 July 2023, formally invited 29 August 2023

Northern Territory

Lodged: 07/03/2023 Approved: 25/08/2023 — MINT 190 state nomination formally invited Occupation: Computer Network and Systems Engineer

GTI Global Talent invitation

Lodged February 2023, GTI invitation code granted 30 August 2023 — health sector

This week’s grant progress and analysis

189 Skilled Independent migration

Lodged 8 June 2023, granted 29 August 2023 — occupation in shortage

Lodged 9 June 2023, granted 28 August 2023. Occupation: Registered Nurses nec

Subclass 500 lodged offshore 23 Aug 2023, granted 27 Aug 2023

190 State-nominated skilled migration

Lodged 17 May 2023, 190 granted 31 August 2023 — offshore accountant invited by NSW at 95+5 points

Lodged 20 May 2023, granted 31 August 2023 — ACT onshore nurse, single

887/191 Regional permanent residence visa

Lodged 19 July 2023, granted 29 August 2023

Employer sponsorship

Lodged November 2022, 186 nomination approved 31 August 2023 — software engineer

Lodged 4 May 2023, 494 nomination approved + granted 31 August 2023 — Retail Manager (General)

Lodged 30 June 2023, 482 nomination and sponsorship approved 29 August 2023 — motor mechanic

Nomination received 1 August 2023, 186 DE granted 29 August 2023 — taxation accountant

Lodged early November 2022, 186 nomination approved 28 August 2023 — 186 accountant DE

Lodged: 14/08/2023, 482 granted: 28/08/2023 — electrical engineer

Business and investor migration / GTI

None this week

Partner migration

Lodged 19 April 2023, 820 granted 31 August 2023

Lodged 21 September 2020, 820 + 801 granted together 30 August 2023

Lodged 8 June 2023, 820 granted 30 August 2023

Lodged 30 September 2022, granted 28 August 2023

Lodged 2 May 2023, granted 28 August 2023 — 820

820 lodged 6 July 2022, granted 30 August 2023

801 lodged 27 September 2022, granted 31 August 2023

Parent migration / visas / child visas

103 switched to 143 on 13 August 2017, granted 30 August 2023

870 lodged 1 May 2023, granted 30 August 2023

600 Visitor visa

Lodged 15 March 2023, granted 29 August 2023

Lodged 4 August 2023, granted 29 August 2023 — offshore application

Lodged 26 August 2023, granted 31 August 2023 — offshore application

Lodged 25 August 2023, granted 31 August 2023 — offshore application

Lodged 28 August 2023, granted 31 August 2023 — offshore application

500 Student visa

Lodged February 2022, granted 1 September 2023 500 Postgraduate Research

Lodged 28 August 2023, granted 1 September 2023 — higher education

Lodged 4 August 2023, granted 1 September 2023 — ELICOS

Lodged 1 July 2023, granted 29 August 2023 — VET

Lodged 21 July 2023, granted 30 August 2023 — higher education

Subclass 500 lodged offshore 23 Aug 2023, granted 27 Aug 2023

Lodged 23 July 2023, granted 29 August 2023 — higher education, onshore

485 Graduate Work visa

Lodged 10 July 2023, 485 granted 31 August 2023

Lodged 5 July 2023, granted 28 August 2023

Lodged 11 August 2023, granted 25 August 2023

Lodged 11 August 2023, granted 29 August 2023.

408 visa

A large number of 408 grants this week — only a selection is listed

Lodged 28 August 2023, granted 31 August 2023

Lodged 31 August 2023, granted 1 September 2023

Lodged 24 August 2023, granted 28 August 2023

Subclass 408 lodged onshore 24 Aug 2023, granted 28 Aug 2023

Subclass 408 lodged onshore 30 Jun 2023, granted 30 Aug 2023

Subclass 408 lodged onshore 29 Aug 2023, granted 31 Aug 2023

This week’s skills assessment processing progress

VETASSESS

Lodged: 03/08/2023 Approved: 31/08/2023 — illustrator

Lodged: 02/08/2023 Approved: 31/08/2023 — conference and event organiser

Lodged: 04/08/2023 Approved: 01/09/2023, Occupation: Finance broker

Lodged: 22/06/2023 Approved: 28/08/2023 — conference and event organiser

Accounting skills assessment lodged 17 July 2023, result issued 29 August 2023 (expedited)

AIQS

Lodged 29 August 2023, result issued 31 August 2023

Catch up on past articles

A full guide to the skills assessment requirements for 482 employer sponsorship — who needs one, in what circumstances, and can it be waived?

Confirmed! The 408 COVID stream is cancelled from 1 September — but there’s a transition period

WA issues its first invitation round this week — policy unchanged for now! A smaller allocation this year doesn’t mean you can’t pursue study and migration in WA!

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

[Australia Migration Weekly Issue 301] WA issues 487 invitations in its first round — including interstate and offshore applicants! Fierce competition for Tasmania this financial year! The old 485 TR returns to 18 months!

A full guide to the skills assessment requirements for 482 employer sponsorship — who needs one, in what circumstances, and can it be waived?

Confirmed! The 408 COVID stream is cancelled from 1 September — but there’s a transition period

WA issues its first invitation round this week — policy unchanged for now! A smaller allocation this year doesn’t mean you can’t pursue study and migration in WA!

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