June at Nomos
As we close off another financial year and prepare for the next, we look back on a particularly cold June. Some of the updates for this month:
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- The Migration Amendment (Subclass 189 (Skilled – Independent) Visa in the New Zealand Stream) Regulations 2023 operates to permanently close the subclass 189 (Skilled – Independent) visa in the New Zealand stream to new primary applicants from 1 July 2023. This is unsurprising, as the stream has been temporarily closed for a while now, and the recent changes to Australian citizenship laws for NZ citizens have made the 189 option redundant. New Zealanders living in Australia should consider whether they are eligible for Australian citizenship, as this particular permanent visa pathway will no longer be available to them.
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- From 1 July, subclass 485 visa holders with specified qualifications will be entitled to a longer visa period:
– Select Bachelor degrees – 4 years
– Select Masters degrees – 5 years
– All Doctoral DegreesThe qualifications will be specified in a legislative instrument and are to be reviewed annually. These will include qualifications in health care, engineering and IT.
- From 1 July, subclass 485 visa holders with specified qualifications will be entitled to a longer visa period:
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- Also, a reminder that a number of the changes introduced in response to COVID-19 will end on 1 July. These include the requirement for skills assessments for subclass 485 visas and the relaxation of work restrictions for Student visa holders. From 1 July, all students will be entitled to work 48 hours per fortnight – this legislation has now been introduced. The only exception to this is for students working in the aged care sector on 9 May 2023, who are permitted to work without restriction until 31 December 2023.
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- Visa application charges increase on 1 July – that means that if you haven’t lodged your visa application yet, you have just one day left to do it before the fees go up! Our previous blog outlined some of the forthcoming increases. If you’re planning towards a visa lodgement in the future and need to understand what new fees may apply, please contact us.
That’s the Nomos wrap-up for June. See you next month!
*This is general information only, as at the date of publication, and should not be interpreted as legal advice. For an accurate and current assessment of your circumstances and visa options, please contact us to receive this advice.
