Today’s Prime Ministerial press release confirmed that the government has made the decision to remove the work hour restriction for student visa holders — lifting the cap to help address labour shortages across multiple Australian industries caused by Omicron, as a temporary emergency measure.
The Prime Minister did not specify that it would be limited to target sectors, however both AFR and SBS reported it as applying to student visa holders working in affected industries.
The Department of Home Affairs website has not yet been updated,with the current version (updated late October 2021) still showing that only certain sectors such as tourism and hospitality are exempt from the hour cap — we will continue to monitor for updates.
Students are encouraged to make the most of this period — use the time to meet full-time work requirements for state nomination, top up your hours to meet eligibility thresholds, or even work towards employer sponsorship. That said, please always prioritise your health and safety first!
Victoria’s state nomination programme has today updated its invitation data up to 31 December 2021 —
Subclass 190
This financial year’s total nomination quota is 3,500. A total of 8,929 ROI applications have been received, with 1,505 ROI invitations issued,of which 1,444 invited applicants have submitted formal documentation for state nomination.
Subclass 491
This financial year’s total nomination quota is 500. A total of 1,379 ROI applications have been received, with 210 ROI invitations issued,of which 199 invited applicants have submitted formal documentation for state nomination.
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*The scores below include the 5/15-point state nomination bonus
Health sectors
Still the most popular — Subclass 190 received 3,240 ROIs; comparing November and December data showsan increase of 293, with a minimum invited score of 85 points; Subclass 491 received 313 ROIs, minimum invited score 65 points
Digital sectors
Primarily ICT-related digital occupations — Subclass 190 received 2,066 ROIs,an increase of 216 in one month, minimum invited score 95 points; Subclass 491 received 277 ROIs, with a minimum of 90 points required
WORKFORCE SKILLS PATHWAY (early childhood education and cookery)
Subclass 190 received 1,086 ROIs,an increase of 101 in one month; minimum invited score is 95 points for early childhood education, and 85 points for chef/cook; Subclass 491 received 483 ROIs, minimum invited score is 70 points for early childhood education and 65 points for chef/cook
For other sectors, please refer to the chart below —
Processing times:For both Subclass 190 and 491: 75% of applications processed within 32 days; 90% within 43 days
Most frequently nominated occupations (groups)
With more than half the financial year now elapsed, less than half of the Subclass 190 quota has been utilised,meaning Victoria is releasing invitations at a steady pace, with ample quota remaining for the second half of the financial year. The same applies to Subclass 491, which also tends to attract comparatively lower application volumes in Victoria than in other states. For this financial year,Victoria has been issuing invitations fairly frequently for in-demand occupations such as IT, healthcare, teaching, early childhood education, and cookery. Compared with NSW, Victoria holds a relative advantage in the clarity and transparency of its data and rules. That said, given the strong applicant pool, scores for popular occupations are not low — though they are not out of reacheither.Those waiting on Victoria can continue to wait with confidence; those still considering it are welcome to give it a go.
Recommended: Victoria’s early childhood education fast-track pathway — read more:
Internal invitation updates —
Our most recent case:a formal Victoria state nomination for a social worker at 70+15 points — ROI invitation received on 11 November 2021, formal documents submitted on the 21st,with the formal nomination granted on 4 January 2022, the very first working day back after the break!
From the most recent round of ROI invitations in early December, the following were invited ⇓⇓ No ROI invitations have been issued in 2022 yet:
Study Abroad / Migration
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Previous Articles
New offshore migration opportunity: Canberra state nomination opens for offshore 190 & 491!
New offshore migration opportunity: Canberra state nomination opens for offshore 190 & 491!
I’ll keep building my life on Australian soil for the rest of my days!”
One-year programme, no background required, skills assessment included, language requirement waived — Subclass 190 migration!
Two more states open offshore nomination channels! The Department of Home Affairs reminds new migrants to claim their “entitlements”
Migration information sharing and Q&A group
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New year, three pieces of great news for offshore migration to Australia — how do you choose between three state nomination options?Click “Original Link”to watch the video guide!”
