The first four working days of the new financial year were fairly quiet — state-nomination quotas hadn’t landed yet, with only Tasmania opening its gateway and South Australia holding an information session.

On visa processing, employer-sponsored cases kept up last year’s pace, essentially seamless. There were also Subclass 143 and 103 grants, while Subclass 408 and ordinary visitor Subclass 600 visas are still being assessed!

The surprise came on Friday 7 July, when the Department of Home Affairs finally hit the go button on processing across three major categories, and above all Subclass 491 rained down!

Subclass 491 leads the grant downpour!

Once the $0-income requirement to transition to Subclass 191 was confirmed, Subclass 491 seems to have found its feet too. Interest is growing—after all, last financial year most occupations had a real shot at an invitation by reaching 50–70 points on their own, then “coasting” for three years to PR while still receiving Medicare and free Australian public schooling for the children, why not? Grants across the three major categories also start with Subclass 491!

As at the time of writing, here is a summary of Subclass 491 grants up to 7 July 2023:

Lodged June 2022 to September 2022:

Auditor 70+15, onshore, Tasmania nomination

Accountant 65+15, onshore, Tasmania nomination

Chemical Engineer 55+15, onshore, Tasmania nomination

Lodged September 2022, Accountant, onshore

Lodged early September 2022, Marketing Specialist, onshore

Lodged late October 2022, Advertising Specialist, onshore

Lodged early November 2022, Café or Restaurant Manager, onshore

Translator, onshore, Queensland nomination

Three popular Subclass 491 streams for 2022–23 — NSW WA Canberra

Beyond the three popular options, South Australia and the Northern Territory also issued plenty of Subclass 491 invitations. Most of them are open to a wide range of common occupations.

South Australia’s general offshore streamselects applicants by points, work experience and English

The Northern Territoryoffers three streams for offshore applicants, and the broadly applicable Priority Occupation Stream has very low invitation scores — you have a chance with just 50–70 points of your own, and you need at least 1 year of work experience in the nominated occupation (some occupations have additional, longer requirements)

Subclass 482 employer sponsorship — lightning speed

Right now any occupation moves at lightning speed, with no slowdown heading into the 2023–24 financial year. This week’s visa grants and nomination approvals were all lodged within the past three months, some only at the end of June.

Nominated occupation: Contract Administrator

Nominated occupation: Cook

Subclass 186 employer sponsorship — straight to PR

Processing is up to around September 2022, a little slower, but once granted it’s straight to PR! Worth considering if you have three years’ work experience

Nominated occupation: Accountant

Subclass 189 and 190 won’t be too bad in 2023–24, but they’ll be hard-pressed to beat 2022–23. Applicants are still flocking in, and the path for Subclass 189 and the popular states’ Subclass 190 is already jam-packed. With the Department actively releasing favourable policies to “redirect the flow”, the distinctive Subclass 491 and employer-sponsored options are set to become the newly “backed” force! While the crowd is thin, get moving! Get in touch for an assessment of Subclass 491 or employer sponsorship!

Subclass 190 and 189 had grants too!

Engineering Technologist, offshore, 80+5 points NSW Subclass 190, visa lodged February 2023, granted 7 July 2023

External Auditor, onshore, Canberra Subclass 190, lodged early November 2022, granted 7 July 2023

Subclass 189 skilled independent migrationcases were mostly lodged in late 2022; the case below is an Auditor

Parent migration — both Subclass 103 and 143

Subclass 143 Contributory Parent visa granted. The new financial year has already seen a number of applications that paid the contribution fee at the end of last year approved quickly. There’s no update on requests for further documents yet — the recommendation date is still early May 2017.

Subclass 103 queued-stream Parent visa granted, lodged late June 2011, second VAC paid late June 2023, granted 3 July 2023

Skills assessment unaffected by the financial-year changeover

Still progressing on schedule this week

233513 Production or Plant Engineer, assessed with over 12 years of work experience

All four major accounting occupationsassessed in full

Organisation and Methods Analyst, no further documents, no phone interview, approved on the day of assessment

511112 Project Manager, Project Coordinator at an IT company, no background check

Temporary visas have no quota limits and are being granted as usual

Temporary visas — Subclass 408, 600 and the Subclass 500 student visa — are all being approved normally, none of them subject to quota limits.

Subclass 600 visitor visa overturned, all four family members granted, including one applicant with a previous visa-refusal history

Subclass 600 visitor visa overturned, refused on the first application; after analysing the reasons we helped the client pinpoint the problem, and a second lodgement was granted within a week!

Subclass 408 COVID streamis also being granted quickly as usual, all lodged in the last few days of June

PS. the exact end date for the Subclass 408 COVID stream hasn’t been confirmed yet

Visitor visa processing is gradually easing — if you can supply more supporting material, you’re welcome to come in for an assessment of whether to lodge again. As for Subclass 408, lodge it now!

Past highlights

Study abroad without a language score! Brilliant five-star universities from just 70,000–80,000 RMB a year — OK!

Migration occupations open to most people overseas! Last financial year you only needed 50–70 points

The new financial year’s first state-nomination stream opened on 7 July! Recent skills-assessment case studies

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

New Financial Year, First Round: Subclass 491 Unleashes a Storm of Grants — Accounting/Marketing/Translation! Subclass 189/190/143 Are Here Too! Subclass 600 Easier, Subclass 408 Still On!

Study abroad without a language score! Brilliant five-star universities from just 70,000–80,000 RMB a year — OK!

Migration occupations open to most people overseas! Last financial year you only needed 50–70 points

The new financial year’s first state-nomination stream opened on 7 July! Recent skills-assessment case studies

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