Changes in Australian Immigration from July 1 2024

Changes in Australian Immigration from July 1 2024

The Australian Government released its New Migration Strategy on December 11, 2023, announcing major changes in immigration policies. In accordance with this Migration strategy, the Government is set to implement significant modifications to the temporary skilled migration and education sector.

 

This blog presents a detailed overview of the major changes that are going to be in place from July 1, 2024. Therefore, if you are an Australian visa holder or want to apply for one, continue reading this blog post for the most up-to-date information.

Changes in Australian Immigration From July 1, 2024

Here is the list of changes in Australian immigration that will target international students, work and holiday visa holders, 457, 482, and 494 visa holders, and the Business innovation and investment program. Let’s discuss them in detail

Changes to Student and Temporary Graduate Visa for International Students

The Australian Government has announced significant changes to the Student and Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485).  Here are some of the important changes for international students in the year 2024:

 

  • The length of the stay for international graduates will be reduced.
  • The age limit for a 485 visa will be decreased from 50 to 35 years.
  • There will be no further opportunities for the extension of post-study work rights.
  • The English language requirements for temporary graduates will increase from 6.0 to 6.5 (IELTS).
  • The “Genuine Temporary Entrant” test will be replaced with the new “Genuine Student Test”.

 

Further details on the changed age limit, English requirements and GST requirements can be found here: All Latest 485 Visa Updates and News in 2024

Changes to Temporary Graduate Visa Streams

From July 1, 2024, the Temporary Graduate visa streams will be renamed as:

  • The Graduate Work stream will be renamed as the Post Vocational Education Stream.
  • The Post Study Work Stream will be renamed the Post Higher Education Work Stream.
  • The Second Post-Study Work Stream will be renamed as the Second Post Higher Education Work Stream.
  • There will be an end to the Replacement stream in 2024.

For detailed information on changes to these streams, read: Latest Changes to Temporary Graduate Visa Streams in 2024

Restrictions to End Onshore Visa Hopping to Student Visa Program

The Department of Home Affairs is going to implement strict measures on certain temporary visa holders. These measures will restrict these visa holders from applying for a Student visa while in Australia. 

Therefore, those who currently hold a Temporary Graduate visa, Visitor visa, or Maritime Crew visa will not be eligible to apply for a Student visa while they are in Australia from July 1, 2024. 

So, if the holders of a temporary graduate, visitor, or maritime crew visa want to apply for a student visa, they must first depart from Australia and then apply outside of the country.  You can find further information here: Australia Announces an End to Visa Hopping in 2024

Important Information: From July 1, 2024, subclass  476 visas will be closed to new applicants.

Changes to Student Visa Financial Requirements

The financial capacity requirements for student visas (subclass 500 and subclass 590) have been increased from AUD 24,505 to AUD 29,710. It represents an almost 21% increase from the previous amount. Students now have to show that they have enough money to cover 75% of the national minimum wage.

For an in-depth analysis of these changes, have a look at this blog post: Latest Changes to Student Visa Financial Requirements 2024

Changes to  Visa Conditions 8107, 8607 and 8608

Starting from July 1, 2024, the Australian Government is set to introduce changes in visa conditions 8107, 8607, and 8608. These changes will affect the following visa holders:

 

  • Temporary Work (Skilled) visa (subclass 457)
  • Temporary Skill Shortage visa (subclass 482)
  • Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (provisional) visa (subclass 494)

The following terms will be imposed on visa holders of subclass 457, 482, and 494 visas beginning on July 1, 2024, if they stop working with their sponsoring employer.

 

These visa holders will be provided with more time than the previous ones to find a new sponsor, apply for a different visa, or make arrangements to depart Australia.

 

The visa holders of  457, 482 and 494 will have up to 180 days at a time, or a maximum of 365 days in total, during the visa grant period.To learn more about these changes, read the following blog post: Recent Changes in Visa Conditions 8107, 8607 and 8608 in 2024

 

If you are a visa holder of 457, 482 and 494 and are worried about these latest changes, contact us at The Migration.

Increase in the Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold (TSMIT)

 

Starting July 1, 2024, the Australian Government will increase the Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold (TSMIT) from $70,000 to $73,150. Thus, starting on July 1, 2024, applications will be evaluated using the revised TSMIT of $73,150 or the annual market salary rate (AMSR), whichever is higher.

This increase in TSMIT will affect the following visas

 

  • Temporary Skill Shortage (subclass 482) Visa.
  • Employer-Sponsored Regional (subclass 494) visa.
  • Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186) Visa only via the Direct Entry stream.

 

To learn more about these changes, read this: Increase in the Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold (TSMIT).

Increase in Visa Application Fee

The Department of Home Affairs will likely increase application costs for a number of visa categories from July 1, 2024. However, the Government has not announced the new application fees. The application costs for review in the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) will also be increased from $3,374 to $3,496.

 

For updated information, visit the official website: Fees and charges for visas

Changes to Working Holiday Visa (WHV)

There will be two major modifications to the Working Holiday visa program:

 

  • Philippine nationals will now be eligible for the Work and Holiday (Subclass 462) visa.
  • The three months of “specified work” that UK citizens had to perform in order to receive their second or third Working Holiday visa have been eliminated.

Changes to Business Innovation and Investment Program (BIIP)  

There are no more allocations for the BIIP visa as the Government is planning to introduce a new visa, the “National Innovation Visa.”. By the end of 2024, a National Innovation Visa will replace the Global Talent Visa and Business Innovation and Investment Program. 

 

Changes to Permanent Migration Program Planning Levels (2024-2025)

Here are some of the important highlights of Permanent Migration Program Planning levels (2024-2025):

Migration Spots Available for 2024-25

The Australian Government has declared that 185,000 spots will be available for migration in 2024–2025. The permanent migration plan (2024–2025) will be divided into three categories: 

  • Skill Stream: 132,200 places (71% of the program)
  • Family Stream: 52,500 places (28% of the program)
  • Special Eligibility Stream: 300 places

482 Work Experience Requirement

The two-year work experience requirement for a Temporary Skill Shortage Visa (subclass 482) will be reduced to one-year as of November 23, 2024. 

Work and Holiday Visa

The Department of Home Affairs will introduce a new visa pre-application process for the Work and Holiday Visa beginning with the fiscal year 2024–2025.

Restricting International Students Numbers

The Australian Government intends to work with overseas educational institutions to limit the overall number of international students registered for a certain time frame.

Introduction of MATES Program

A new mobility pathway to live and work in Australia for up to two years will be made available to 3,000 Indian graduates with specialized skills in chosen industries through the introduction of the MATES program.

Final Thoughts

This article summarizes the significant changes in Australian immigration that are going to be in place from July 1, 2024. So, you must have had a general idea of these major changes by now. Do your own research and understand them clearly before taking any action. 

Keep in mind that:

This article aims to provide a general guide on these changes in Australian immigration. Consider seeking professional advice regarding your specific circumstances. Therefore, schedule an online appointment now and allow us to help you throughout your visa application process. 

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I am Kiran Bashir, an expert content writer and researcher with years of experience of writing in the field of immigration law. I am proficient in writing blogs, articles, and website content on Australian visa-related services.