Now that the Federal Election is done and dusted, what does it mean for Australian Immigration? 

1. Partner Visa Changes

The changes for the partner visa were scheduled to occur 17 April 2019. So far, these changes have not come into effect, but are expected to occur fairly soon.

Their commencement dare has not been announced, but it is predicted that these changes will be enforced sooner rather than later, after the drafters have had the time to draw up the legislation.

The most important change will be the new requirement for a separate Partner Sponsor application which will increase both the wait time and the costs associated with lodging the application.

2. Proposed Price Increase 

There will be a price increase taking place on 1 July of this year. The visa application charges will be increased by 5.4%, which will be a significant increase for the more expensive visas. A Partner Visa which costs $7,160.00 now will increase by $387.00, the new price will be $7,547.00 on 1 July.

All visas will be affected by this price increase except for the Subclass 600 Visitor Visa and any second instalment charges for visa applications that have already been lodged.

3. Temporary Sponsored Parent Visa

The Temporary Sponsored Parent Visa applications will also begin on 1 July this year.

Applications for this visa have been open since 17 April 2019, there are 400 lodged applications. There are a total of 15,000 visas available.

4. Occupation Quotas 2019-2020

Quotas for both the Skilled Independent Visas (Subclass 189) and the Skilled Regional Visas (Subclass 489) will be reset on 1 July this year.

If you are considering lodging an Expression of Interest, it would be in your best interest to lodge before the invitation round, which is on 11 July 2019.

The number of permanent resident visas will be reduced by 23,000 spots but there will still be 160,000 available.

5. Working Holiday Visa Changes

From 1 July 2019, there will be an option to apply for a third-year visa. The third-year visa will only be available to applicants who complete six months of ‘specified work’ during their second year.

6. Shift to Regional 

The government is focused on the regional sector therefore expect more opportunities in the regional area.
Student should consider studying regionally as that will give them an extra year of postgraduate study, with new Regional Visas being introduced in late 2019.

What do we recommend? 

  • Lodge your visa before 1 July to avoid the increase in price
  • Lodge your partner visa before the new requirements are introduced
  • Before the July invitation round, calculate your points
  • Start thinking about regional living to increase your chances of getting permanent residency.

If you require further information, please contact the friendly team at Results Migration. Call us on 1800 808 717 or email us on [email protected] and book your free consultation today!