Will Australia Stop Permanent Migration ?

Will Australia Stop Permanent Migration?

Australian visa processing has not been suspended because of COVID-19. Permanent migration will not stop.

Migration Program Planning level will remain at 160,000 for the 2020-21 program year. The distribution of places will change with an increase from 47,732 to 77,300 for Family and Partner Visa\’s.

Employer-Sponsored, Global Talent, Business Innovation and Investment Program visas will be prioritised within the Skilled Stream. Onshore visa applicants and Partner visa applicants where the sponsor resides in a designated regional area, will be prioritised for the 2020-21 Migration Program.

Planning levels take into account Australia\’s economic requirements due to the COVID-19 pandemic and therefore we are now experiencing a shift in migration priorities by the Australian government.

General Skilled Migration

The General Skilled Migration category was reduced in order to focus on skilled migrants who would address the immediate economic needs of Australia.

In the past, sponsored skilled migrants have demonstrated stronger employment outcomes in the short-term. Historically, these migrants have demonstrated higher rates of employment after six months of settlement.

The Primary Migration Skilled Occupation List has been introduced to support Australia\’s immediate economic needs.

Regional Immigration

Immigration to Australia plays an important role in the development of regional Australia.

Regional Australia offers employment opportunities due to ongoing skills shortages in regional areas. As a result, the Australian government introduced two new skilled regional provisional visas (subclass 491 and subclass 494) to encourage immigration to regional Australia.

Australian Immigration Categories

Employer-Sponsored

The Australian government offers a range of Employer Nominated visa options that enable Australian businesses to employ skilled workers from overseas. These include the Temporary Skills Shortage (TSS) subclass 482, Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS) subclass 186 visa, and the Skilled Employer-Sponsored Regional (SESR) subclass 494 visas.

Employer-sponsored migration is now an economic recovery priority for the Australian government.

General Skilled Migration

Skilled migration visas allow highly skilled workers to live and work permanently in Australia.

Regional Skilled Employer-Sponsored Regional Skilled Work Regional

The Skilled Employer-Sponsored Regional visa (subclass 494 visa) allows employers to sponsor overseas workers. Subclass 494 visa holders can live and work in regional Australia on a temporary basis. This visa is designed to assist regional employers who are unable to meet their workforce needs from the labour market.

Business Innovation and Investment Program

The Business Innovation & Investment (Subclass 188) visa provides a pathway to permanent residency for business people who want to own and manage a business or to make an investment in Australia. Pathways to achieve Australian permanent residence under the business and investment program are as follows:

Investor Stream – for business people who want to own and manage a business or to make an investment in Australia.
Significant Investor Visa – for business people who want to own and manage a business or to make an investment in Australia.
Innovation Stream: – for business people who want to own and manage a business in Australia, or make an investment here.

Business and Investor migration is now an economic recovery priority for the Australian government.

Global Talent Program

The Global Talent Independent Visa Program allows individuals with an internationally recognised record of achievement in target industries to migrate permanently to Australia.

The GTI program is a streamlined pathway for highly skilled candidates in specific industry sectors. You must be able to attract an annual salary that is at least the Fair Work High Income Threshold of AUD153,600 (this figure is adjusted annually on 1 July) in one of the following industry sectors:

Agricultural Technology (AgTech)
Financial Technology (FinTech)
Cyber Security
Medical Technology (MedTech)
Space and Advanced Manufacturing
Energy and Mining Technology
Quantum Information, Advanced Digital, Data Science and ICT

Global and Distinguished Talent visas are now an economic recovery priority for the Australian government.

Distinguished Talent

Distinguished Talent Visa\’s are for individuals with an internationally recognised record of achievement in their field of expertise, or those who have provided specialised assistance to the Australian Government in the matters of security, to migrate permanently to Australia.

Global and Distinguished Talent visas are now an economic recovery priority for the Australian government.

Partner

Partner visas allow the spouse or de facto partner of an Australian citizen, permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen to enter or remain in Australia. The partner visa applicant is initially granted a temporary visa, and is eligible for permanent residency if the relationship still exists after a two-year waiting period.