Complete guide on Australia visa changes 2024-25

Highlights: Australia visa changes 2024-25

• The Federal government of Australia announced major changes to the Australian visas in December last year.
• Many new changes were applied to Australia’s new Migration Strategy.
• The new strategy will make the system more efficient, target the labor market, and address the country's skill shortages.
• With some changes already implemented, most other updates came into effect from July 2024.  

 

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List of the Australia visa changes 2024-25

The Australian Federal government announced changes to the new Migration strategy to help facilitate a streamlined visa processing system, deal with the ill-treatment of migrant workers, and manage the country's labor market and skill shortages.

 

Some of the key changes announced to the Australia visas are as follows:

 

Changes to the visa ballot process

Certain kinds of Australian visas will now have a pre-application ballot process. Indian, Vietnamese, and Chinese nationals who plan on holidaying in Australia will now be required to first apply for one of the limited number of spots via a ballot for $25. Upon being selected for the ballot, candidates can apply for Subclass 462 (Work and Holiday Visa). The updated ballot system will replace the previous “first-come-first-served” system to make the entire selection process equal and more efficient. The new pre-application ballot will also be implemented for the latest visa for young professionals from India.

 

The Work and Holiday visa caps for the following nationals are given in the table below:

Work and Holiday Visa (Subclass 462)
Country	Cap
China	5000
Vietnam	1500
India	1000 (expected)

 

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New visa for Young Indian professionals

Indians between the ages of 18-30 who are qualified in in-demand technology-related fields are eligible for the new temporary visa for young Indian professionals.  The visa is valid for up to two years. The program is also called as the MATES (Mobility Arrangement for Talented Early-professionals Scheme visa). The visa was introduced as a part of the Mobility Partnership Arrangement and Australia-India Migration in May 2023. The new pilot program currently has around 3,000 spots for applicants with required qualifications in engineering, artificial intelligence, mining, renewable energy, information and communication technology, agricultural technology, and financial technology.

 

Candidates who secure a place in the ballet process can apply for a visa with a $365 application fee. Family members included on the visa application will not be considered for the 3000-cap.

 

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Onshore Australian student visa applications

New measures were announced for international students who wish to study in Australia. Specific visitor visa holders and maritime and Temporary Graduate visa holders no longer qualify for onshore student visa applications.

 

Here is the list of visas that are no longer eligible to apply for onshore applications:

 

• Temporary Graduate (subclass 485)
• Visitor (subclass 600)
• Electronic Travel Authority (subclass 601)
• Medical Treatment (subclass 602)
• eVisitor (subclass 651)
• Maritime Crew (subclass 988)

 

Temporary Graduate Visa

The duration of stay for Temporary Graduate visa holders will now be reduced, and the age limit will be revised. The Temporary Graduate Visa (Subclass 486) will now be simplified from four to three streams and be renamed as:

Old stream name	Updated stream name
Graduate Work Stream	Post-Vocational Education Work stream
Post-Study Work Stream	Post-Higher Education stream
Second Post-Study Work Stream	Second Post-Higher Education Work stream
Replacement Stream	Discontinued

 

The general age limit for the TGV is now reduced to 35 years or under, while, research students enrolled in masters or doctorate (PhD) in Australia is eligible to apply till the age of 50. British National Overseas and Hong Kong passport holders are also eligible to apply for the visa till the age of 50. The visa duration for the Post-Vocational Education Work stream

 

will remain unchanged while the Post-Higher Education Work stream is expected to receive a few changes.

 

The table given below has the list of updated durations for the TGV.

Temporary Graduate visa (Subclass 486)
Post-Vocational Education Work stream	18 months
Post-Higher Education Work stream
Individuals completing a bachelor degree including honours	up to 2 years
Masters by coursework	up to 2 years
Students studying a masters by research or a PhD	up to 3 years
TGV holders who graduated from a regional educational institution and have lived in a regional area	2 years

 

Also Read…

International grads can now work in Australia for 4 years with the extended Post Study Work Permit

 

Temporary skills visas

Migrants on specific temporary visas also have changes announced to their visa conditions. The changes will be implemented to the list of visas given below:

 

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

 

The above visa holders will now be given longer to look for a sponsor, apply for a different visa, or make arrangements to leave the country. Visa holders can now get 180 days at a stretch or 365 days in total for the entire grant period of the visa, where the visa holders can work for other employers during this time frame. The new visa changes apply to the current visa holders and those who were issued a visa on or after July 1, 2024.

 

Read More…

Australia announces new changes for Skilled Worker Visas, effective from July 01, 2024.

 

Business Innovation and Investment Program (BIIP)

The Business Innovation and Investment (provisional) visa (subclass 188) facilitates visa holders to conduct investment or business activities, manage a business, or take up an entrepreneurial activity in Australia. As of 1 July, the government will no longer be holding any new allocations for the program, with a permanent closure of the Subclass 188 visa. A new National Innovation visa will be implemented by the end of 2024 to replace the Business Innovation and Investment visa.

 

Note: Subclass 188 visa holders who qualify for the Subclass 888 visa can continue on this business pathway after July 2024.

 

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List of other upcoming Australia visa changes in 2024

Two other major changes are expected to be announced this year.

 

Skills in Demand Visa:

The Skills in Demand visa, which will come into effect by the end of 2024, is one of the key commitments in the new Migration Strategy. The temporary skills worker visa is a four-year visa set to replace the Temporary Skill Shortage visa (subclass 482). The Subclass 482 visa allows visa holders to reside in the country while employed full-time for a sponsoring employer. 

 

The new Skills in Demand visa focuses on three major pathways:

Type of skill	What it does?
Specialist Skills	Fast-tracks applications from high-earning professionals with skills in areas like technology and green energy industries
Core Skills	Focuses on areas with shortages, to simplify the application process and create an occupation list designed to be regularly updated
Essential Skills	Targets lower-paid workers in critical sectors like aged care

 

Introduction of a new National Innovation visa:

The National Innovation Visa aims to attract high-performing investors and researchers. The new visa will replace and combine the BIIP and the Global Talent visa (subclass 858).

 

Note: Further details of the new national innovation visa are yet to be announced by the government

 

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