Australia to open up to eligible visa holders – 1st December, 2021

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Eligible vaccinated visa holders can travel to Australia without an exemption

The DHA have announced that certain visa holders will be able to travel to Australia without holding a travel exemption.

Travellers  will still need to comply with any quarantine arrangements in their arrival  state/territory. However those arriving in NSW, Victoria and the ACT will likely be able to avoid any hotel quarantine arrangements if they can provide evidence of accepted vaccinations.

Travellers should confirm what is needed prior to travel. State/territory border permits may be required. This includes those arriving in one state, but then intending to travel to another.

The DHA announcement is below – https://covid19.homeaffairs.gov.au/vaccinated-travellers#toc-7

New arrangements for eligible visa holders

From 1 December 2021, fully vaccinated eligible visa holders can now travel to Australia without needing to apply for a travel exemption. Eligible visa holders are people who hold the following visas:

Visa
Subclass 200 – Refugee visa
Subclass 201 – In-country Special Humanitarian visa
Subclass 202 – Global Special Humanitarian visa
Subclass 203 – Emergency Rescue visa
Subclass 204 – Woman at Risk visa
Subclass 300 – Prospective Marriage visa
Subclass 400 – Temporary Work (Short Stay Specialist) visa
Subclass 403 – Temporary Work (International Relations) visa (other streams, including Australian Agriculture Visa stream)
Subclass 407 – Training visa
Subclass 408 – Temporary Activity visa
Subclass 417 – Working Holiday visa
Subclass 449 – Humanitarian Stay (Temporary) visa
Subclass 457 – Temporary Work (Skilled) visa
Subclass 461 – New Zealand Citizen Family Relationship visa
Subclass 462 – Work and Holiday visa
Subclass 476 – Skilled – Recognised Graduate visa
Subclass 482 – Temporary Skill Shortage visa
Subclass 485 – Temporary Graduate visa
Subclass 489 – Skilled – Regional (Provisional) visa
Subclass 491 – Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa
Subclass 494 – Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) visa
Subclass 500 – Student visa
Subclass 580 – Student Guardian visa (closed to new applicants)
Subclass 590 – Student Guardian visa
Subclass 785 – Temporary Protection visa
Subclass 790 – Safe Haven Enterprise visa
Subclass 870 – Sponsored Parent (Temporary) visa
Subclass 988 – Maritime Crew visa

Note: Additional visa subclasses may be added over time. 

This is in addition to the exemptions outlined on: Travel restrictions and exemptions.

If you have any questions about a visa application and/or exemptions then please Contact Us.

UPDATE: General Skilled Migration (GSM) program – July 2020 

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UPDATE: General Skilled Migration (GSM) program – July 2020 

In recent times there has been significant reduction in number of invitations issued to applicants to apply for a GSM visa. This has been based on a general reduction in visas invitations offered by the DHA and – understandably – the effects of COVID19. 

Whilst there appear to have been no formal announcements by the DHA, the GSM program has to a certain extent been put on hold as of 1st July, 2020. This date marks the new Australian financial year.

It is understood that the Australia government is considering how best to shape the migration program post COVID19.

A key part of the post COVID19 GSM program will be the state/territory nominated visas, namely the Skilled Nominated visa (Subclass 190) & the Skilled Work Regional visa (Subclass 491).

If you are an applicant who has submitted an Expression of Interest (EOI), or you hope to apply in the future, you can however be confident that the program will re-open soon and states/territories will be able to provide clarification about their programs. 

An overview of the states/territories nomination status as of now is below:

AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY (ACT) 

The ACT have advised that the guidelines for for any nomination applications submitted for a Subclass 190 or Subclass 491 visa after 1 July, 2020  are “To be advised”. 

NEW SOUTH WALES (NSW)

NSW is currently closed for accepting any nominations under the General Skilled Migration (GSM) program for the Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) Visa (Subclass 491).

NORTHERN TERRITORY (NT)

At this stage, onshore GSM nomination applications will continue to be accepted and assessed, but no nominations can be issued until the Northern Territory has been allocated quotas for the 2020/21 financial year. 

QUEENSLAND 

The Queensland State Nomination Skilled Program is closed. This includes both the Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) (subclass 491) and Skilled Nominated (Permanent) (subclass 190) visas. Queensland has not yet received advice fromDHA in regards to their nomination allocation for financial year 2020/21 and when we they be able to re-open the skilled program.

SOUTH AUSTRALIA (SA)

SA is currently closed for accepting any nomination applications for the Skilled Migration program, for the Skilled Nominated (Permanent) Visa (Subclass 190) and the Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) Visa (Subclass 491). It is scheduled to re-open from early August. This will be dependent on the Commonwealth Government’s allocation of state nomination places for program year 2020/21. 

TASMANIA

Tasmania is currently not issuing any nominations under the Skilled Migration program, for the Skilled Nominated (Permanent) Visa (Subclass 190) and the Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) Visa (Subclass 491) as the nomination quotas are yet to be allocated to the States by the Commonwealth Government for the 2020/21 program year.

VICTORIA 

The Victorian Government’s state nomination program will remain temporarily closed while they await the Commonwealth Government’s allocation of state nomination places for 2020/21.

WESTERN AUSTRALIA

Western Australia have made no specific comments with regards to their nomination program. 

If you want to discuss how you are effected, your current visa application or your visa options going forward please Contact Us.

ACT Nomination – program remains closed for overseas applicants

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The ACT have confirmed today – 19th June, 2018 –  that the ACT Skilled Migration program remains closed to overseas applicants.

The ACT confirmed the reasons for the decision.

Reason for restricting applications

As is the situation in other jurisdictions, the ACT is facing a significant increase in demand for the relatively small number of nomination places allocated annually by Home Affairs. We are currently investigating options to fairly manage the increased demand for the ACT 190 nomination program. As we work through these issues and consider options to manage demand, the program will remain closed to Canberra residents with nominated occupations listed as ‘closed’ on the current ACT Occupation List. The program will also remain closed to all overseas applicants.

If this closure effects you, and you want to discuss what other opportunities you may have, please Contact Us.

ACT Migration Program closed to overseas applicants

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ACT Nomination – closed for overseas applicants immediately

With immediate effect, as of the 23rd August, the ACT Skilled Migration program is closed to overseas applicants.

The exceptions to this are those applicants who have on occupation on this list, are applicants who have close ties to the ACT through family members, or a job offer in the ACT.

Whilst this is a disappointing outcome, unfortunately it is not unexpected. When we announced on our blog that the ACT 2017-18 occupations had been released, we also asked the question “How long will they last this year?”.

The answer is that it lasted from the 5th July, 2017 until yesterday. An improvement on the 13 days the occupation list was open for last year.

If this closure effects you, and you want to discuss what other opportunities you may have, please Contact Us.

Australia skilled visas – ACT occupations from July 2017

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ACT skilled occupation list – how long will they last this year?

The ACT have announced their skilled occupation list for 2017-2018. The ACT occupation list is only for the Skilled Nominated (Subclass 190) visa.

Unlike other states or territories The ACT do not nominate applicants for the alternate state/territory nominated Skilled Regional (Provisional) (Subclass 489) Visa.  This visa is a temporary residents visa. It is commonly acknowledged to be an inferior visa to the Subclass 190 visa.

 

ACT Migration

Migrate to Canberra

Some surprise occupations 

Added to the ACT list, and not seen on any other state/territory lists, are the following:

  • Copywriter
  • Newspaper or Periodical Editor
  • Print Journalist
  • Technical Writer
  • Television Journalist
  • Journalists and other writers

In addition the following can also be nominated:

  • Public Relations Professionals

Is time ticking…..

If your occupation is listed, and you are keen to apply, then the advice is to get onto it. In the last financial year, 2016 to 2017, the occupation list was only open for a few weeks before it was closed.

What occupations are on the 2017-18 list?

OCCUPATIONS
Architect
Audiologist
Careers Counsellor
Chef
Civil Engineer
Clinical Psychologist
Copywriter
Corporate Services Manager
Counsellors (nec)
Diesel Motor Mechanic
Drug & Alcohol Counsellor
Early Childhood (Pre-Primary School) Teacher
Educational Psychologist
Electrical Engineer
Electronics Engineer
Family & Marriage Counsellor
General Practitioner
Geotechnical Engineer
Graphic Designer
Hairdresser
Illustrator
Industrial Engineer
Journalist & other writers (nec)
Landscape Architect
Mechanical Engineer
Medical Diagnostic Radiographer
Medical Radiation Therapist
Motor Mechanic (General)
Motorcycle Mechanic
Newspaper or Periodical Editor
Nuclear Medicine Technologist
Nurse Manager
Nurse Practitioner
Nursing Clinical Director
Occupational Therapist
Optometrist
Organisational Psychologist
Orthopist
Physiotherapist
Primary Health Organisation Manager
Print Journalist
Psychologists (nec)
Public Relations Professional
Quantity Surveyor
Recreation Officer
Registered Nurse (Aged Care)
Registered Nurse (Child & Family Health)
Registered Nurse (Community Health)
Registered Nurse (Critical Care & Emergency)
Registered Nurse (Developmental Disability)
Registered Nurse (Disability & Rehabilitation)
Registered Nurse (Medical Practice)
Registered Nurse (Medical)
Registered Nurse (Mental Health)
Registered Nurse (Paediatrics)
Registered Nurse (Perioperative)
Registered Nurse (Surgical)
Registered Nurses (nec)
Rehabilitation Counsellor
Resident Medical Officer
Retail Pharmacist
Small Engine Mechanic
Social Professionals (nec)
Social Worker
Solicitor
Sonographer
Speech Pathologist
Structural Engineer
Student Counsellor
Technical Writer
Television Journalist
Transport Engineer
Web Designer
Welfare Centre Manager
Welfare Worker

If you would like to discuss your options then please Contact Us.

ACT Migration Program Closed to Overseas Applicants

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The below was announced on the ACT government website. If you like to discuss how this effects you please let on touch.

ACT MIGRATION PROGRAM CLOSED TO OVERSEAS APPLICANTS

Applicants living overseas

Effective 14 September 2016, applications for ACT nomination from overseas residents will not be accepted. If you are living overseas you will not be able to commence an application for ACT nomination of a Skilled Nominated (subclass 190) visa until the program reopens in July 2017.
Applications lodged on or before 13 September 2016 will be processed in queue order.
Canberra residents

This action does not affect Canberra based applicants. You are still able to apply for ACT nomination if you meet the nomination criteria.

Australian immigration SolutionsAustralian immigration

ACT Skilled Occupation list to be updated on 31 August 2016

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ACT Occupation List Update – 31 August 2016.

The ACT have announced the following about their Subclass 190 visa program.

The demand for occupations in the ACT is currently under assessment. The new ACT Occupation List will be published on 31 August 2016. 

If you are interested in living in Canberra and knowing what occupations will appear on this list please register your interest with us.

You can contact us via email – mark@cargilmigration.com or phone + 44 (0)7710 649194.