Changes in Australia’s Immigration Policy: New Visas and Regulations for 2023-24

What visa changes have already been announced for 2023-24?

Citizenship Pathway for New Zealanders

• From 1 July 2023 (the start of Australia’s financial year), New Zealanders who have been living in Australia for four years or more will be eligible to apply directly for Australian citizenship. They will no longer need to first apply for and be granted a permanent visa.
  • The changes apply to New Zealand citizens holding a Special Category (subclass 444) visa (SCV) who arrived here after 26 February 2001. Those who are long-term residents will be able to have their period of permanent residence backdated.
    
    
  • The New Zealand stream of the Skilled Independent (subclass 189) visa is currently closed to new applications and will permanently close on 1 July.

New visa for Pacific migrants

• A new visa will be introduced, providing 3,000 places for eligible migrants from Pacific countries and Timor Leste.
  • Spots for the Pacific Engagement visa (PEV) will be allocated by a ballot process each year, and those selected will be able to apply for permanent residence in Australia.
    
  • Applications will be able to be lodged online from July.

Changes for Working Holiday Makers

• A concession allowing Working Holiday Makers (WHMs) to work for the same employer or organisation for longer than six months without requesting permission will also end on 1 July. The six-month working limitation was temporarily relaxed in January 2022 to address labour shortages during the pandemic.
  
  
  • Any work that is carried out before 1 July will not be counted towards the six-month limitation period. This means WHMs can work for any employer for up to an extra six months even if that work started before 1 July.

 

Other upcoming immigration  Changes in Australia’s Immigration Policy

• Australian Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil has released the long-awaited review in its immigration policies. Ms. O’Neil said that the country’s immigration system is “not fit for purpose” and has many flaws that could lead to exploitation.

Key Takeaways from the review

• The review has made the following changes in the current Australian immigration system:

Migrants will need to earn more

• Firstly, the minimum salary an applicant needs to receive sponsorship from an employer from 1 July has increased.
  
  
  • The Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold (TSMIT) has not been raised since it was frozen at $53,000 a decade ago. It will jump to $70,000, where it would have been without the freeze.
    
  • “This is the first increase to the TSMIT in a decade. It is a down payment on the type of migration system the Albanese government wants to build,” Ms O’Neil said in a statement on the day the review was released.

   Skilled workers will have a pathway to permanent residency

• Secondly, the government said it would also provide all skilled temporary workers with the opportunity to apply for permanent residency by the year’s end.  The change will making the PR application process even more competitive.

Introduction of three new tiers for migration

• The immigration system of Australia will be divided into three tiers. The first tier will be a ‘light touch’ one, which will be streamlined for high-earning workers. The second tier will be a mainstream skilled pathway focussing on middle-income earners.
  • The third one will be for the essential industries, which will reorganize the country’s intake of low-earning migrants.

Lesser visa types

• The review found that the immigration system of Australia is highly complex and has more than 100 visa subclasses. And, the requirements for these visas don’t test their long-term ability to contribute to the economy in reality.

Keeping meritorious students in Australia

• International students are an essential source of Australian skilled migration. And currently, these students cannot apply for a graduate visa until graduation. Hence, the review suggests an immediate graduate visa.

Changing Australia’s points system

• A change must be made in Australia’s points system that selects migrants. The current test doesn’t have the caliber to differentiate among candidates effectively.