Australian Immigration News: February 2021

/ / Immigration to Australia

In February, South Australia announced the details of their skilled migration programme and New South Wales added occupations to the subclass 190 visa PR stream. Further to this, the Department of Home Affairs decided to grant the parents of Australian citizens and permanent residents visitor visas with longer validity.

The South Australian nomination process commenced on Monday, 8 February

South Australia decided to open their nomination process to only applicants living and working within South Australia. Unfortunately, you can’t apply for nomination at this stage if you live offshore or in another Australian state.

The work experience requirements to apply for nomination is as follows:

  • Subclass 491: You must have worked in South Australia for the six months prior to applying for nomination unless stated otherwise for your occupation.
  • Subclass 190: You must have worked in South Australia for the 12 months prior to applying for nomination unless stated otherwise for your occupation.

You’ll be able to apply for concessions and waivers to these work experience requirements if you live and work in outer regional South Australia. Long-term residents who live and work in South Australia are also eligible for waivers of the skilled work experience requirements.

New South Wales has added occupations to the permanent residency stream of the subclass 190 visa

New South Wales has made it possible for more onshore subclass 190 visa holders to become permanent residents by adding nine occupations to this visa’s skilled occupation list:

  • 233211 – Civil Engineer
  • 233212 – Geotechnical Engineer
  • 233214 – Structural Engineer
  • 233215 – Transport Engineer
  • 233511 – Industrial Engineer
  • 233512 – Mechanical Engineer
  • 233513 – Production or Plant Engineer
  • 312211 – Civil Engineering Draftsperson
  • 312212 – Civil Engineering Technician

To qualify for permanent residence using the subclass 190 visa, you must:

  • Be 45 or younger
  • Obtain a minimum score of 65 points in your SkillSelect Expression of Interest
  • Have an English language test score that proves competent English
  • Hold a valid skills assessment in an occupation that exactly matches an occupation on the New South Wales subclass 190 visa occupation list
  • Live in New South Wales

Unfortunately, New South Wales is not accepting Expressions of Interest at the moment from applicants who live offshore or in another Australian state or territory.

Longer Australian visitor visa validity for the parents of Australian citizens and permanent residents

Australia has announced that the parents of Australian citizens and permanent residents are now eligible for a more generous visitor visa. However, Australia will consider applications on a case-by-case basis.

The new maximum validity periods for multiple entry visitor visas are as follows:

  • Five years for parents outside of Australia and in the Parent visa queue for an AX 103 visa
  • Three years for parents outside of Australia who:
    • Have had a previous Australian visa and complied with the conditions, and have not applied for a Parent visa; or
    • Have not applied for a Parent visa; or
    • Have applied for a Parent visa but are not yet in the Parent visa queue.
  • Eighteen months for parents who:
    • Have not previously travelled to Australia, and have not applied for a Parent visa; or
    • Have applied for a Parent visa but are not yet in the Parent visa queue.

In addition to these requirements, you’ll have to undergo a medical exam, maintain health insurance in Australia, and ensure that you do not stay in Australia for more than 12 months in any 18-month period.

Please note that the longer validity of visitor visas is not available who apply in Australia, and it will be subject to condition 8503, which means that you cannot apply for a new visa while you’re in Australia.

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