Changes for Immigration Lawyer Sydney

In April of this year, the Australian Government reviewed immigration policies. This seems to be the biggest review since the 1988 Fitzgerald Report. Issues such as temporary immigration, skills lists, immigration backlogs, care shortages and aging technology were looked at. One central concern was whether Australia has become reliant on temporary migrants who are not being offered clear pathways to permanent residency.

Immigration had steadily increased in the 1996–2007 period, with temporary visas remaining uncapped since this time. The number of temporary visas has doubled since 2007. The people holding these visas did not always have a clear path to permanent residency (PR), so they often took several temporary visas in succession before sometimes gaining PR.

The 2023 review considered the temporary visa situation to be harmful if there is no path to PR. Workers can be exploited, especially if they are in lower occupational code employment. This is partially addressed with the increase in the minimum threshold from $53,900 to $70,000.

There is concern that the skilled occupation list is not working as it cannot keep up with the constant changes in the labour market. A more streamlined, less complex system is suggested, looking at migrants with specific in-demand skills, migrants with broad, socially useful education, and those who fall into the ‘exceptional case’ criteria.

Australia has one of the most complex visa systems, with over 100 types of visas and other tailored labour agreements. There is a huge backlog of applications, partially due to older computer systems.

Concerns include the reduction of one pathway putting more pressure on other pathways. If there are fewer international student places then more people will try to immigrate on a sham spousal application. There is also concern that the reduction of international student visas or holiday visas will affect institutions and employers who rely on these workers.

Of course, an influx of migrants will need suitable accommodation, which is presently in short supply in this country.

Immigration Lawyer Sydney

There are several paths to migration and PR in Australia, but the system is changing. Talk to us about the best legal pathway.

The Government’s immigration policy presently wants more temporary migrants in order to fill labour shortages. This makes sense if the jobs are there and people with appropriate qualifications are willing to fill them. But we can all too easily overlook the supporting infrastructure, such as having enough housing, namely rental accommodation, for these new immigrants.

Rental prices are constantly increasing, and while there are a number of new homes being built, it is far short of what is needed for the expected 400,000 additional people expected by the end of the financial year.

The total number of immigrants to Australia is actually lower than anticipated, due to the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions. So, the problem could have been worse. Really, the housing shortage should have been addressed a decade ago. The immigrants are not the cause of the accommodation shortage. Rather, it is a case of the immigrants we need not being looked after with sufficient accommodation.

Many of the immigrants we see in the next year will be returning international students, and a fairly high number of working holiday makers. This is expected to peak over the course of the year, and then taper off as the backlog of potential migrants held back by COVID-19 restrictions all gain entry to the country.

The Government intends to limit the number of permanent migrants to 195,000 per year. It is unclear how this relates to those already in the country on temporary visas. There are an estimated 1.8 million people presently in Australia under the temporary visa scheme. These people need accommodation whether they are on a path to permanent migration or just staying for the duration of their employment.

Presently, about 60% of those accepted for permanent migration were initially on a temporary visa. Only a small number of these were from employer-sponsored schemes. This implies that not too many migrants are filling the labour shortages. At the same time, it also implies that there are a significant number of positions in the labour market for migrants with decent, appropriate qualifications.

Our Immigration Lawyers Sydney are aware of the ever-changing migration situation. There are presently employer-sponsored visas and other opportunities to fill vacancies in the labour market. We look at the best paths to legal immigration.

Immigration Lawyer Sydney

Immigration law is complex and has changed due after Covid restrictions. Consult an immigration Lawyer for the best legal Visa application.

The recovery period after COVID-19 has seen some significant gaps in the Australian workforce. Some skilled and professional positions are presently short-staffed, and will remain so for a few years even as we encourage migration to fill these positions.

The skilled migration program lists occupations in Australia that are presently being offered to foreigners. This list was largely put on hold when COVID became serious, in early 2020. It has been revised to suit the situation in 2023.

The most needed areas that can be filled by foreign applicants include:

• Civil Engineering
• Early Childhood Teachers, Secondary School Teachers
• Registered Nurses
• Information and Communications Technology (ICT)
• Construction Managers
• Software and Applications Programmers
• Electricians
• Metal Fitters and Machinists
• Plumbers
• Child Carer Workers
• Age and Disability Carers
• Chefs

Some occupations previously on the list have now been removed, as they have been partially filled. However, there are still a fair number of these positions available, and applications for most of these positions are still being accepted and often approved.

• ICT Security Specialists
• Analyst Programmers
• Developer Programmers
• Software Engineers
• Software and Applications Programmers
• Chief Executives
• Accountants
• Engineers
• Veterinarians

Many occupations not listed are still taking some applications as there are vacancies in some areas of Australia.

There are several applicable Visa paths to immigration:

• 482 Visa (TSS) Temporary Skill Shortage
• 494 Visa (Provisional) Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional
• 186 Visa (ENS) Employer Nomination Scheme
• 187 Visa (RSMS) Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme

Our Immigration lawyers Sydney can advise on the best immigration path. This mean the right type of Visa, and the right documents for application. Immigration lawyers are specialists and offer the best chance for Visa approval.

Immigration Lawyers Sydney

Immigration on a skill shortage Visa is a good option for those with appropriate qualifications. Talk to us about the best options.