Immigration Lawyer Sydney

The intended migration program for the 2021 – 2022 year will basically carry over the previous plan intended to the 2020 – 2021 year, according to the Department for Home Affairs. The same number of Visa spaces are set aside for the skill steam.

Officials expect a post pandemic rise in immigration, once boarders are reopened. This is in addition to the present immigration needed to fill areas in agriculture that are understaffed during the Covid situation.

There are 160 000 Visa spaces for the 2021 -2022 budget year. About 50% of these are skilled visas, with emphasis on highly skilled migrants, global talent, Investor programs and Business innovation. About 77 300 spaces are allocated for family Visas.

The Australian Government aims to maximise the economic and social benefits of immigration, knowing that this adds diversity to the culture, which can lead to expansion into new areas of industry.

Some considerations for the Immigration Program:

– Supporting the immediate response to the covid-19 situation.

– An ageing population, increased life expectancy and fewer young adults means we need immigrants to fill some spaces in the workforce.

– Migrants help fill industry needs in regional areas.

– Temporary migrants are a prominent source of Permanent resident applications. 80% of permanent Visa applications were from those already in the country.

Immigration Lawyer Sydney

The Covid situation has disrupted the immigration program, but the country still wants skilled migrants. There should be an increase after the pandemic subsides.

Immigration Lawyer Sydney

During the Covid Lock down there are virtually no people arriving from overseas. And while this will eventually change it will be at least a year before migration to Australia returns to anything like its previous levels.

What is less affected, however, is the applications for Permanent Residency (PR). Most present applicants for PR have already been in the country for a few years, before the Covid pandemic started. So there will be migrant people continuing to apply for PR for the next year or two, once they have spent sufficient time in Australia. If successful, these same people may apply for citizenship after a few years of having PR status.

An Australia PR Visa is valid for 5 years. It allows migrants to move to the country with their family, and apply for citizenship after 3 years of being issues the PR Visa.

Benefits of Permanent Residency.

– Live and travel in Australia
– Study at tertiary level and apply for some education loans.
– Eligible for Social security benefits, after two years in the country.
– Access Medicare
– Sponsor relatives for PR in some situations.
– Apply and hold most government jobs.

To be eligible for PR you must have enough points, from among the following:

– English proficiency
– Aged under 45 years
– Aged 25-33, bonus
– Work experience outside Australia
– Work experience inside Australia
– Education (Doctoral degree)
– Niche Skills
– State sponsorship
– Skilled Spouse

PR Visa Application Documents:

– Application form
– Educational Credential Assessment Documents
– Birth certificate
– Character references/certificate
– Proof of nomination, where applicable
– IELTS or PTE language proficiency results
– 2 passport size photos
– Spouse Skill documents where applicable
– Police Clearance Certification (PCC)
– Business reference letters

Re-Applying for PR Visa after Rejection

If you have been rejected for PR in the past you can re-apply. There is no minimum time frame for this, but you must address the reason why you were previously rejected, and make appropriate changes where necessary. You may stand a better chance of acceptance if you re-apply under a different, more suitable, category.

Immigration Lawyer Sydney

Migration to Australia is presently limited due to Covid. But applications for Permanent Residency are still being made by those already in the country.

Immigration Lawyer Sydney

An estimated half a million skilled migrant workers have left Australia over the last 18 months, since the start of the covid-19 pandemic. This leaves some major labour shortages in some area of the country, noticeably in agriculture and engineering.

The situation looks to get worse, with a further 77 000 migrants expected to leave Australia and return to their own country by the end of the next financial year. This will likely have a major impact on many Australian industries, leaving them understaffed.

The government is looking to have a less constrained approach to migration in the near future, in order to combat this situation. One suggestion is to make permanent residency easier for skilled migrants. Another suggestion is to change the visa conditions for filling short term skills shortage visas.

A recent report to the government recommends an option for permanent residency in all employer-nominated visas. But this same report still emphasises the needs for competent language ability and prioritising migrants under 45.

International student visas are also discussed. The idea is to encourage students to stay in the country and fill persistent skill shortages. This includes reduced time required for the work experience needed to gain permanent residency. Students can will be able to apply for PR after only two years, where the previous requirement was three years.

The migration caps do not look to significantly change. At present there are a reduced number of applicants, and we actually need to encourage immigration because the cpas is not being reached.

This present situation does give us time to review the migration programs. We might expect migration numbers will start to return to in mid 2022.

Immigration Lawyer Sydney

Immigration requirements are always complex, and they are changing rapidly at present. Talk to our Immigration lawyer, Sydney.

Immigration Lawyers Sydney

There is presently a four stage plan for reducing Covid-19 restrictions and reopening Australia boarders. But 80% of the countries adults will need to be vaccinated before the final stages of this plan can be completed.

At present the vaccination drive has only reached about 18 % of the adult population in Australia, so there is a fairly long way to go. At the same time the country has largely been successful in containing the Virus. The initial sealing of borders, along with rapid lockdowns, and widespread use of masks and health measures, means we have done better than most other areas of the world.

At present, it seems reasonable to have 70% of the adult population vaccinated by the end of the year. So the 80% goal, and the opening of borders, may happen a few months into 2022.

Phase 1 : (Present situation)
– Boarders closed, a low cap on international arrivals.
– Rapid lockdowns for any outbreak
– Testing, tracing and isolation to reduce cases.
– Widespread vaccinations of Population

Phase 2 : (When 70% of adult population vaccinated)
– Continued vaccinations.
– Lockdown if necessary.
– Ease some restrictions.
– Allow some entry from overseas, with quarantine.

Phase 3 : (When 80% of population vaccinated)
– Vaccinated Australians overseas may return home.
– Vaccinated Australians can travel overseas.
– Gradual reopening of travel to countries considered safe.
– Vaccinated residents can travel without restrictions.

Phase 4 :
– Open borders
– Quarantine only for high risk arrivals from overseas.
– Non-vaccinated visitors can travel without restrictions, subject to medical testing.
– Booster shots as necessary

By this last stage we will end up living with Covid as we live with Influenza.

Immigration Lawyers Sydney

International borders are presently closed. But foreign individuals in Australia may need an immigration lawyer to help extend a Visa.