What is an Australian Resident Return Visa?
Why is it important to check the validity of your travel facility before flying outside Australia? That is because Australian Permanent Residents (PR) do not have an automatic right to return to Australia from overseas. PR visa holders are usually permitted a 5-year travel facility. A travel facility allows you to leave and re-enter Australia […]
Working visa holders in Australia are required to lodge a tax return
Tax time is here! The Australian Taxation Office has information in languages other than English to help people from non-English speaking backgrounds understand tax and superannuation (super) in Australia. A reminder that working visa holders also needs to lodge a tax return. Some people may even get some money paid back to them if they […]
Keep your emails secure #ActNowStaySecure
The Department of Home Affairs is reminding applicants to make sure they have strong email security in place. You must protect your data and avoid compromising your email accounts. Cybercriminals can use any information they can get to impersonate you or someone you know. They can get you involved in fraud, especially by using your […]
2022 VAC refunds for international students and backpackers now available
Early this year, the Australian Government announced a VAC Refunds Scheme in the hopes to attract around 150,000 students and 23,500 backpackers who are still outside Australia, to help fill critical worker shortages. Fully vaccinated Student (Subclass 500) or Working Holiday Maker (Subclass 417 or 462) visa holders who travelled to Australia within the specified […]
Government increases all Australian Visa application charges by 3%
Following Australia’s Migration Amendment Regulations 2022, the Government has also increased all Visa Application Charges (VACs) from their 2021‑22 baseline amounts by the 2022-23 forecast Consumer Price Index (CPI) of 3.00 per cent. Visa applications lodged on or after July 1st 2022 are subject to higher charges. VAC is the amount of money in Australian […]
Government releases new 485 Visa Replacement Stream requirements
Another exciting news for Temporary Graduate (SC 485) visa holders! To clarify the new SC 485 Replacement stream requirements, the Department has introduced Migration Amendment (Subclass 485 (Temporary Graduate) Visa Replacement Stream and Other Measures) Regulations 2022 – F2022L00845. Applicants for the new SC 485 Replacement stream can now apply from inside or outside Australia […]
Short-term TSS SC 482 visa holders now able to apply for a third TSS visa
The Government has removed the “onshore renewal restriction” requirement for the short-term stream Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) Subclass 482 visa holders who stayed in Australia during the pandemic. This recent Migration Regulations amendment now allows these sponsored visa holders to apply for a third onshore short-term stream TSS visa for applicants who remained inside Australia […]
Australia finally removes COVID-19 entry restrictions
The Albanese government announced that from 12:01 AM on 6 July 2022, Australia will finally end its COVID-19 entry restrictions. The international border finally opens in full – more than two years after the pandemic began. “The Chief Medical Officer has advised it is no longer necessary for travellers to declare their vaccine status as […]
NZ Citizen Family Relationship visa can now be granted regardless of location
Changes to lodgement arrangements for New Zealand Citizen (Family Relationship) visa applications have been announced! From 01 July 2022, the Department will grant New Zealand Citizen Family Relation (temporary) Subclass 461 visa regardless of the applicant’s location. The Subclass 461 visa is for a person who is not an NZ citizen but is a member […]
Reminder to sponsors and visa holders on updated Awards with new pay rates
Australia’s wage authority, the Fair Work Commission has increased the national minimum wage by $40 per week, which amounts to an increase of 5.2%. The award minimum wages have also increased by 4.6%, subject to a minimum increase for adult award classifications of $40 per week and based on a 38-hour week for a full-time […]