Major changes to Australia’s migration program

Presently, only two actual changes have been announced so far, being the:

1. increase of the Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold (TSMIT) from $53,900 to $70,000. The TSMIT is the minimum remuneration threshold employers must meet to sponsor workers; and
2. access to permanent residency for “short-term” TSS Subclass 482 visa holders. The specifics of this have yet to be announced however.

What are the proposed policy reforms?

Other proposed reforms are likely to take further time to undertake further consultations, draft proposed legislation and pass. Examples of some of the proposed reforms include:

1. reforming the employer-sponsored visa system – including greater mobility (moving jobs without needing a new visa and a more generous time period to find a new employer), changing the approach to identifying skill needs (from current occupation lists), a body to advise on labour market needs (and the removal of labour market testing);
2. three tiered employer sponsored visas, including:
   1. a high salary cohort (with streamlined assessment);
   2. a mid-level cohort (with an intermediate level of effort – not dissimilar to current arrangements); and
   3. a lower paid cohort – applications being highly scrutinised with increased post-arrival monitoring.
3. recalibrating the points test for General Skilled Migration (GSM) visas – for example higher emphasis on a spouse’s attributes;
4. changing the Global Talent visa to improve clarity in selection criteria and removing the need for nomination;
5. considering whether the Business Innovation & Investment programs are to be retained as a substantial component of the migration program;
6. reform the Student/Graduate visa programs to improve international students outcomes;
7. improved collaboration with State/Territories governments to set regional visa settings including data sharing, skill shortage evaluation tools and other capabilities;
8. reforming the existing Parent visa program (including either completing removing permanent residence while improving access to temporary migration, or introducing a “lottery”); and
9. reforming the approach to skills recognition (i.e. skills assessments).

Any questions?

We will provide further details about these reforms as they become clearer and incorporated into the legislation. If you have any questions at this stage, get in touch with our experienced team by email at [email protected] or by phone at +61 3 9016 0484.

This document does not constitute legal advice or create an attorney-client relationship. Please consult an immigration professional for up to date information.