15–17 February: the most anticipated Welcome Fest booths of USYD’s Orientation Week are almost here! Here’s the full schedule for this year’s orientation activities:
Brisbane Airport Welcomes International Students Back! As key study-abroad markets — including China — reopen, Australia’s university campuses are bouncing back faster than ever this year. In December alone, the number of student visa applications in Queensland jumped 31%, rising from 7,170 to 9,400.
Commonly known as a draughting professional — a drafter for construction and civil engineering projects. This TAFE-level programme is genuinely exceptional. Unlike other TAFE courses that are physically demanding, this one only requires basic drawing ability and software skills. It suits both men and women. Most importantly, it is a currently in-demand occupation in the Australian market — engineers charge a premium to draft plans, but the tier just below that is in high demand from employers, making it ideal for those working towards PR.
At last, Western Australia (WA) has issued its first pre-invitation round of 2023. WA has attracted a great deal of attention this financial year: it holds the third-largest allocation, behind only New South Wales and Victoria; it has lowered its threshold so significantly that even non-local graduates living interstate are keen to try; and with the financial year at the halfway point, WA’s actual quota usage remains very low — meaning there are still plenty of opportunities in the second half.
This week’s migration news summary:
I. WA’s first 2023 pre-invitation round — accounting, engineering & IT occupations securing Subclass 190 with 70 points!
II. Subclass 489→887 finally sees a wave of grants!
III. Department of Home Affairs: contributory parent migration — 12-year wait? Sufficient quota remains this financial year
IV. Latest data: surge in temporary visas, processing improves — bridging visas down. Subclass 491 still favoured?
V. Weekly roundup: visa grants, invitations, skills assessments & citizenship processing
This week’s highlights:
UWA supports students returning to Australia;
UQ supports students returning to campus;
RMIT return-to-Australia FAQ;
ANU launches new accounting specialisations;
Master of Accounting with internship placement;
Orientation Week;
Offer Show.
This week’s Offer Show covers ANU, University of Melbourne, UNSW, Monash University, University of Adelaide, UTS, and RMIT University, spanning popular fields including Business, Education, IT, Real Estate, and Translation.
Skilled migration grants have been flowing smoothly lately. The most-watched subclasses — 189, 190, 491 and 887 — have all seen progress to varying degrees.
After the Australian Christmas break, the GTO team returned to work with good news flowing in for 2023. The GTI visa EOI processing progress has also been updated.
To tackle the housing shortage, Queensland’s Griffith University has taken the lead — converting vacant student dormitories into emergency short-term accommodation, including redesigning floor plans and carrying out renovations.
