This Week’s Migration News Roundup
Migration Weekly
1. WA to issue invitations within two weeks — Civil, QS, Architecture and more exempt from the job offer requirement
2. NT’s MINT program has run out of places — no new applications accepted for now
3. New developments on employer-sponsored reform; business and investor migration set to speed up
4. Subclass 191 grants now reaching May lodgements; two lodgement details to watch for Subclass 870
5. Weekly roundup of grants, invitations, skills assessments and citizenship processing progress
1. WA to issue invitations within two weeks — Civil, QS, Architecture and more exempt from the job offer requirement
This week’s biggest news comes from WA (Western Australia).
1. The state government has announced on its official website that the first invitation round of this financial year will be issued within August. Given that it’s already the 20th today, that means within the next two weeks.
2. WA had previously confirmed that applicants in the construction industry applying for the Subclass 190 under general stream sch2 can be exempt from the job offer requirement, but it was unclear which occupations counted as part of the construction industry. Today they updated their official website and clarified that occupations such as Architecture, Architectural Draftsperson, Civil Engineering, Structural Engineering, Civil Engineering Draftsperson, Civil Engineering Technician, Construction Project Manager, Landscape Architecture, QS, and Urban and Regional Planner all qualify. For these occupations, applicants from interstate, overseas, or non-WA graduates who relocate to WA do not need a six-month job offer related to the nominated occupation when applying for the WA Subclass 190.
In addition, at the MIA meeting on Friday 18 August, WA state officials said that the number of state nomination places had not yet been confirmed at that point.
WA’s allocation last financial year was second only to NSW and VIC, with very low lodgement thresholds, and it remains a dark horse, with limited competition — a score of just 65–80 points can give you a chance.If you’re interested in switching tracks, we suggest
1. relocate to WA, regardless of whether you’re currently overseas or interstate, because WA strongly favours inviting applicants who are already local — last financial year, those who relocated were almost guaranteed to receive one.
2. lodge as soon as possible to have the chance of an early invitation, WA’s drive to attract people is clear, and its policy settings are already sending very favourable signals.Last financial year it was a dark horse; this financial year it could become a hotspot, with competition intensifying — though the specifics still depend on the invitation rounds and the number of places available. But the best opportunities for lower scores always come at the start of the financial year — that much is always true!
For more details, see: WA state nomination invitations coming soon! Civil/Architecture/QS/Landscape and more can apply for the Subclass 190 without a job offer and at high priority! State officials: places not yet confirmed!
Get in touch with our consultants below to assess whether WA is right for you!
2. NT’s MINT program has run out of places — no new applications accepted for now
The NT also opened its state nomination program for this financial year last week. We have MINT program clients who received pre-approval, as well as clients through the local graduate stream who received pre-approval for formal nomination. However, this Friday the MINT panel agent was notified that:
–the NT MINT program’s 23–24 financial year places are full. This means that, unless additional places are added, the MINT program will temporarily stop accepting new applications for this financial year.
–Those who have already secured a place are unaffected.
Note that this applies to the MINT program only, and does not mean the NT’s state nomination places are exhausted — it does not affect the local graduate or overseas Subclass 491 streams.
3. New developments on employer-sponsored reform; business and investor migration set to speed up
Last Friday the MIA held its routine quarterly meeting with the Department of Home Affairs, and this week emailed MARA-registered migration agents to update them on what was learned:
1. State nomination places:
As at 11 August, the number of state nomination places was still under discussion. As noted above, as at 18 August the WA state government also said the figure had not yet been confirmed — generally the state governments confirm these together.
2. Employer-sponsored reforms are under active discussion
Removing the bar on onshore Subclass 482 holders obtaining a third visa is being prioritised. The new permanent residency pathway for occupations on the short-term/ROL lists applying via the Subclass 482 (TSS) is still slated to have its legislation released by the end of this year.
3. Business and investor migration set to speed up
More staff will be added over the coming months to work through the backlog of business and investor migration applications, which should speed things up — the wait for Subclass 188 to Subclass 888 has really become too long.
The Department strongly hinted that it will reform business and investor migration, but did not provide further details
This year it feels like everyone is waiting and waiting on the Department’s various decisions. The direction seems to be there, but the details are proving very hard to pin down…
4. Subclass 191 grants now reaching May lodgements; two lodgement details to watch for Subclass 870
Ever since Subclass 491 to Subclass 191 grants began two weeks ago, new grants have kept coming through. Our latest grant is for an application lodged in May 2023, and we’ve also seen many others share their results, mostly reaching April/May lodgements. That said, visa processing is always case by case, and like all visa categories some are faster and some slower — please be patient.
We have repeatedly cautioned that if the parents of a PR or citizen have already stayed in Australia on a visitor visa for 12 months or longer, we now strongly advise against extending the visitor visa onshore again.
Option 1: depart Australia for around six months, then apply for a visitor visa again.
Option 2: Option 1 requires the parents to spend a fairly long period offshore, but some families very much need their elderly parents to stay in Australia as much as possible. In that case, 870 is the safer choice.
As more people apply for the Subclass 870, we’d like to remind everyone of two points to watch:
1. Once you lodge a Subclass 870 visa, you can no longer lodge a parent migration application
5. Weekly roundup of grants, invitations, skills assessments and citizenship processing progress
A roundup of NewStars’ recent grants and invitations across various categories:Press and hold below to view — the page is updated continuously, so we highly recommend saving and bookmarking it!
State nomination invitations / GTI invitation statistics
GTI
Lodged 6 January 2023, GTI invitation code received 14 August 2023, Digitech field
This week’s grant progress and analysis
Lodged 5 June 2023, granted 15 August 2023 — Early Childhood (Pre-primary School) Teacher – 241111 (onshore)
Lodged 7 February 2023, granted 16 August 2023 — Early Lawyer/Solicitor – 271311 (onshore)
Lodged 20 April 2023, granted 14 August 2023. Occupation: Message Therapist
Lodged 20 April 2023, granted 15 August 2023 — Early Childhood (Pre-primary School) Teacher – 241111 offshore, with partner
Lodged 21 April 2023, granted 15 August 2023 — Secondary School Teacher – 241411offshore
Lodged 21 April 2023, granted 15 August 2023 — Secondary School Teacher – 241411offshore
Lodged 21 April 2023, granted 15 August 2023 — Registered Nurses nec – 254499onshore
Lodged 20 April 2023, granted 14 August 2023 — Registered Nurses nec – 254499
, onshore
Subclass 190 lodged onshore 20 Apr 2023 , granted 14 Aug 2023 — Early Childhood (Pre-primary School) Teacher, VIC state nomination
Subclass 190 lodged onshore 08 Sep 2022, granted 16 Aug 2023 — Multimedia Specialist, Canberra (ACT) state nomination
Lodged 28 April 2023, granted 17 August 2023 — Subclass 190 Medical Laboratory Scientist
Lodged 25 November 2022, granted 17 August 2023. Occupation: Management Accountant
Subclass 191 lodged 8 March 2023, Subclass 191 granted 14 August 2023, Accountant (General) – 221111 (onshore)
Subclass 191 lodged 18 April 2023, Subclass 191 granted 16 August 2023, Finance
Broker – 222112 (onshore)
Nomination lodged October 2023, visa lodged June 2023, Subclass 186 DE nomination approved + nomination 17 August 2023, Management Accountant
Lodged 7 October 2022, Subclass 186 DE nomination and visa approved 15 August 2023, Software Engineer
Nomination received 1 June 2023, Subclass 482 granted 14 August 2023, with partner, Statistician
None this week
Subclass 820 lodged January 2021, Subclass 820 granted August 2022, Subclass 801 granted August 2023
Subclass 820 lodged June 2023, Subclass 820 granted August 2023,
Subclass 820 lodged 10 July 2023, Subclass 820 granted 15 August 2023, with children
Subclass 820 lodged 1 August 2021, Subclass 801 granted 15 August 2023
Subclass 870 lodged 16 May 2023, granted 18 August 2023
Lodged 21 July 2023, Subclass 870 sponsorship approved 15 August 2023
Subclass 143 lodged 19 September 2016, granted 14 August 2023
Lodged: 15/08/2023, granted: 17/08/2023
Lodged 11 August 2023, granted 16 August 2023
Lodged August 2023, granted August 2023
Lodged August 2023, granted August 2023
Lodged August 2023, granted August 2023
Subclass 600 lodged offshore 14 Aug 2023 , granted 16 Aug 2023
Lodged 10 August 2023, granted 18 August 2023
Lodged 7 August 2023, granted 16 August 2023
Lodged August 2022, granted August 2023
Lodged July 2022, granted August 2023
Subclass 485 lodged onshore 13 Jul 2023 , granted 15 Aug 2023
Subclass 485 (Replacement) lodged offshore 26 May 2023 , granted 16 Aug 2023
Lodged 10 July 2023, granted 17 August 2023
Lodged 17 July 2023, granted 12 August 2023
Lodged 9 August 2023, granted 12 August 2023
Lodged 13 July 2023, granted 14 August 2023
Lodged 13 July 2023, granted 14 August 2023
Lodged 11 August 2023, granted 16 August 2023.
Lodged 7 August 2023, granted 14 August 2023
Subclass 155 visa
Subclass 155 lodged onshore 16 Aug 2023, granted 16 Aug 2023
Lodged: 01/08/2023, passed: 17/08/2023, Gymnastics Coach
Lodged 8 May 2023, completed 14 August 2023, ICT BA
Lodged 14 April 2023, approved 17 August 2023, overseas Software Engineer
Lodged 7 July 2023, approved 17 August 2023, Computer Network and Systems Engineer
Lodged 3 May 2023, approved 15 August 2023, 262111 Database Administrator
Past Highlights
No language test + no points test + no age limit — a one-step path to permanent residency, and the opportunity is still open!
No study required, no fuss — many overseas teachers can migrate to Australia directly!
A 60/65 average can get you into a Go8 master’s! GC and GD let you have it both ways!
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