The Federal Government is likely to introduce several changes to Australian visas this year. While some changes have already been confirmed, others are still pending.
These changes could affect a multitude of people wanting to apply for a range of visas, including work, partner and parent visas.
Replacement of the 457 with the Temporary Skill Shortage visa
One of the major changes related to visa is the replacement of the 457 visa with the new Temporary Skill Shortage -or TSS- visa, which will happen in March.
Michael Walker, a manager at an immigration firm in Melbourne, says the new visa replacing the 457 visa program will be divided into two streams, Short-Term and Medium-Term.
"Sponsors nominating occupations on the short-term list will only provide the visa applicant with a two-year stay in Australia, with only one option to extend for a further two years,” says Mr Walker.
“However, on the medium to long-term list, these visa applicants will get a four-year visa, and that visa holder will be able to transition into permanent residency, under the nomination of the same sponsor, after being on the TSS visa for a period of three years."
Visa holders in the short-term stream won't have a pathway to permanent residency.
It's important to note that there will be more requirements under the TSS visa than the 457.
The new visa will have different eligibility criteria from the outgoing 457 visas.
Immigration counsel Nilesh Nandan says that applicants will need to have a higher level of English and more work experience.
"There's also, I guess, a higher threshold in terms of getting the visa in the first place with a requirement for the temporary visa of two years of relevant work experience. Previously, there was no relevant work experience necessary to get the temporary visa. And in term of the permanent visa, there's now a 3-year work experience requirement,” Mr Nandan tells SBS Radio.
He also warns that the TSS visa will cost more than the 457 for employers who will have to contribute by way of training levy that was announced in last year’s budget.
Source: AAP
Partner visa
The government is also making changes to the partner visas. The two-step process that the government wants to implement involves approval of the sponsoring partner prior to making a visa application.
Nilesh Nandan is worried that this might cause some problems besides delaying the ability of applicants to lodge a visa application.
“[The] Sponsors will face and that is to have obligations on those sponsor obligations and sanctions imposed on those sponsors in case those obligations are not met,” he says.
But there’s an upside to this change too. Mr Nandan says a careful evaluation of a person will make the incoming spouse aware of their sponsor’s past criminal conduct.
“Previously, we've had spouses come in and not really know, not have been aware of the past criminal conduct on the part of sponsors."
Partner visa applicants may have to wait longer for a decision on their applications, claim migration agents. Source: Getty Images
Temporary parent sponsored visa
In 2017, the government also announced a new temporary sponsored parent visa. The bill enabling the visa to come into effect still needs to be approved by the Senate.
The three-year-visa would cost $5000, the five-year-visa $10,000 and the 10-year-visa $20,000. Once the visa-holder has been in Australia for 10 years, they wouldn't be able to reapply and wouldn't have a pathway to permanent residency, which is worrying some migrants.
"The biggest concern is how that ten-year period drop-dead comes about. Everyone is excited about that visa. I think that visa will come through. I think the biggest problem is not the cost of that visa. People who have their parents abroad, who want to bring them in, are not concerned about that as much as they are concerned about what happens after the ten years mark. I think that's the big problem that needs to be considered before this legislation gets up,” says Mr Nandan.
Michael Walker says the government is also expected to bring back an amended version of its citizenship bill, which would toughen the conditions to obtain citizenship.
"The proposed change is that they would need to be a permanent resident for at least four years before being able to be eligible to apply for citizenship and as I said, a higher English language standard."
Currently, applicants only need to be permanent residents for a year before to be eligible for citizenship and there's no English test required.
More visa cancellations and deportations
Australian Immigration Minister Peter Dutton said Government hasn't abandoned the Citizenship changes bill. Source: AAP
If you think you might get affected by those changes, keep an eye on the Department of Home Affairs' website homeaffairs.gov.au to stay up to date.
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