In Australia, 1 Julyis often the start date for many new policies — and migration policy is no exception.

Once we move into the new financial year on 1 July, migration grant quotas are reset, state nomination allocations are reset, state nomination policies change too — whether minor tweaks or major overhauls.

The upcoming 2023–24 financial year brings an especially large number of new policies.

Today we have pulled it all together — partly a heads-up, partly a nudge. Read on and you will see that getting in before the end of this financial year can save you real money. We have also included the open/close status of state nomination and other pathways.

Plenty of new Subclass 485 policies

1. From 1 July, new graduates in eligible fields such as IT and engineering

applying for a Subclass 485 may receive:

– Bachelor’s graduates: from 2 years to 4 years

– Master’s graduates: from 3 years to 5 years

– All doctoral/PhD graduates: from 4 years to 6 years

Confirmed:The fields eligible for the longer Subclass 485 and their corresponding qualifications have been confirmed.

Still pending:The specific CRICOS course codes for these fields — which the government previously said would be published before the policy takes effect — have not yet been released.

2. An additional 2-year Subclass 408 to compensate current and expired Subclass 485 holders

This is already in effect, with grants being issued.

For full details on the Subclass 485 extension and compensation policy, see:

The new Subclass 485 policy gives more people an extra 2-year visa! Expired, current, or those who stuck it out through the pandemic — all eligible! Eight common questions answered!

Big news! A large number of fields such as IT, engineering and healthcare will be eligible for a longer Subclass 485 — at least 4 years!

3. From 1 July, applications for the Subclass 485 Graduate Work stream confirmed to revert to the old rules

applications for the Subclass 485 Graduate Work stream (the former TR), the waiver of a skills assessment or pre-assessment for the nominated occupation, along with the extension of the visa period to 2 years, was a limited-time concession running from 1 July 2022 to 30 June 2023.So from 1 July 2023, applications for the Subclass 485 Graduate Work stream will revert to requiring a skills assessment or pre-assessment, and the visa period will return to 18 months.

Students wanting to apply for the Subclass 485 Graduate Work stream can still benefit from the concession by lodging on or before 30 June 2023 — so act quickly.

From 1 July, Subclass 500 student visa holders are limited to 48 hours of work per fortnight

This has been flagged several times already: from 1 July, the cap on student visa holders’ work hours returns. Compared with the earlier limit, it rises from the previous 40 hours per fortnight to 48 hours of work per fortnight.

Note: if you held a student visa on 9 May 2023 and were working in the aged care sector, you may continue to work full-time until 31 December 2023 — six months longer than other sectors.

III

The Subclass 408 COVID-19 stream— when it will be abolished is not yet confirmed, but it is under active consideration

The Subclass 408 COVID-19 stream was a product of the pandemic. The president of the Migration Institute of Australia (MIA) sent an open letter to registered migration agents yesterday, 6 June, sharing some new information obtained after meeting senior officials at the Department of Home Affairs — including the status of the Subclass 408 COVID-19 stream. The letter states that the Department of Home Affairs is actively considering abolishing the Subclass 408 COVID-19 stream, but has not yet set a specific date.

Visa fees rise from 1 July

With high inflation in Australia over the past six months or so, visa fees for the new financial year are rising particularly sharply:

– Temporary visas such as visitor, working holiday, training and temporary activity visas: up 15%

– Business and investor migration visas: up 40%

– All other categories, including Subclass 189, 190 and 491: up 6%

For example, the primary applicant visa fee for Subclass 189, 190 and 491 will cost about AUD 254 more after 1 July*

*The exact new visa fees are subject to the legislation.

A visitor visa, for instance, will also cost tens of dollars more.

If you need to lodge in time, get in touch with us.

From 1 July, ANMACfees for migration-related services also rise

The skills assessing authority for occupations such as nursing and midwiferyANMAC has announced that fees for migration-related services will rise from 1 July, with the full skills assessment going up by AUD 80. This is the authority’s first increase in 7 years — they simply cannot keep absorbing the runaway rise in prices and labour costs.

From 1 July, migration visa medicals replace urine tests with blood tests

From 1 July this year, medical examinations for migration-related visas will no longer require a urine test and will instead use a blood test. This change takes effect from 1 July: 15migration visa applicants aged a certain age and above (including Subclass 189, 491, 489 and 190) whose applications are not yet finalised will need a blood test for any medical undertaken after 1 July.

VII

From 1 July, the employer-sponsored TSMIT rises to $70,000

It has also been confirmed that if an employer-sponsored nomination is lodged on or before 30 June 2023, the $53,900 threshold will still apply.The nomination only needs to be lodged — it does not have to be approved.

Subclass 482 processing has been very fast lately — we have had cases lodged and granted on the same day — and Subclass 186 is speeding up too. Employer sponsorship is entering a golden era!

VIII

From 1 July, will the income requirement for converting Subclass 491 to 191 also rise to $70,000?Not yet confirmed

As at the time of writing, it remains unchanged — at the government level no one seems to have noticed that the TSMIT rising to $70,000 could also affect Subclass 491, and no explanation has been given……

Last but not least, we have attached the open/close schedule for the various state nomination pathways across the old and new financial years:

For a more detailed look at the current status of each pathway, see:In the final month of the financial year, these Subclass 190/491 pathways are still open and still issuing invitations! Covering common occupations such as accounting, engineering and IT!

If you need to arrange a state nomination or employer sponsorship strategy, or lodge a visa, get in touch with our consultants below:

Catch up on past articles

Senior managers can absolutely migrate to Australia through the skilled stream too! It starts with a skills assessment!

In the final month, these Subclass 190/491 pathways are still issuing invitations!

On a budget of RMB 70,000–80,000 a year, win a place at a top university on par with China’s 985 schools!

Migration News Group

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The New Policies Said to Start on 1 July — Where Do They Stand Now? Are They Confirmed? Plus the State Nomination Year-End Open/Close Schedule!

Senior managers can absolutely migrate to Australia through the skilled stream too! It starts with a skills assessment!

In the final month, these Subclass 190/491 pathways are still issuing invitations!

On a budget of RMB 70,000–80,000 a year, win a place at a top university on par with China’s 985 schools!

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