Month: February 2021

1. NSW 190 and 491 — the wait is finally over!
2. Queensland to raise the threshold for the 491 small business stream; business investor migration applications now closed
3. South Australia reopens Accountant and Chef; Canberra issues invitations weekly!
4. Some visitor visas can now be applied for free — could October bring a border reopening breakthrough?

This university reimburses flights back to Australia and quarantine costs
UNSW’s fast-track first year now accepts Year 12 results
Third-year undergraduates can lock in an ANU postgraduate place early
University of Sydney offers tuition subsidies for these students
Three days left to apply for UTAS’s February intake
UWA launches a prestigious new migration-friendly degree
Visa expiry peak is approaching — renew early

Can you actually work full-time? Bridging visas too confusing? What if you’re overseas?
Have you run into a lot of problems when lodging your visa application? No criminal record certificate? Currently in China? What exactly are the restrictions on a bridging visa? Still waiting for your visa to be granted and feeling anxious — does chasing it up actually help? Whatever confusion or difficulty you face on your migration journey, you’ll find the answer that’s right for you on Migration StarKnow.

With Semester 1 getting underway at universities across the country, orientation week is back to normal too. After such a long absence, orientation week left plenty of students exclaiming: it’s been ages since they’ve seen this many people on campus!

A number of occupation 261313 candidates invited on 95+5 points, with DOE concentrated in late 2020 and early 2021. There’s also a 262112 ICT Security Specialist on 95+5 points, DOE early November 2020.

For international students, especially those studying in South Australia, the South Australian Government has always given the most favourable migration policy treatment to local international students. Drawing on the migration policy South Australia announced in February 2021, this article recommends universities and postgraduate courses worth studying in South Australia.

Exit and entry exemption updates change like flipping a face — a new look every month — and the weather’s changed again recently. While entry exemptions have kept up their usual strictness, exit exemptions have suddenly fallen into step too, with more refusals than approvals of late.

NSW/Canberra/Victoria/Tasmania state nominations are gaining momentum, with applicants across multiple occupations securing invitations! Employer sponsorship is also delivering frequent results! Don’t want to just wait around — looking for another path? For more, watch episode 27 of “What You Need to Know About Australian Migration” (15-21 February)

On 18 February 2021, the Department of Home Affairs updated visa processing times again, based on data for the month of January 2021.

On the migration journey, doubts and difficulties are inevitable — here, you’ll find answers made for you. How do engineering applicants secure a skills assessment? What’s the current outlook for engineering-background applicants pursuing Subclass 189 skilled independent migration? Are state nominations favourable for engineering candidates across the states? What are the requirements? How should employer sponsorship be approached? In this episode of Migration StarKnow, our video focuses on engineering-background applicants, bringing together four major categories of questions. Migration consultants Ethan and Jason answer each one from a professional perspective, helping you understand which options best suit you as an engineering applicant on your migration journey. If you have other questions you’d like us to cover, leave a comment — we’ll answer them in our next episode!