The Australian Government has announced new updates to the country’s Migration Program as of July 1st, which also coincides with the start of the financial year in Australia.
Hello from the E2 team!
We are excited to inform you about new changes to Australia’s migration policies that were implemented to address skill shortages and boost the country’s economic recovery after the COVID-19 pandemic.
The updates are especially relevant for migrants who have lived and worked in Australia since the 1st of February 2020. Please note all the information published in this article can be verified on the website of the Australian Government Department of Home Affairs website.
Disclaimer: The purpose of the E2 Blog is to provide general information based on publicly available sources and does not constitute legal or migration advice in any way. Anyone seeking advice on relocating to Australia should seek advice from a registered migration agent.
Key takeaways
- Graduate visa holders (485 Stream) are now eligible for the Temporary Graduate Replacement visa in case they have been unable to return to Australia due to travel restrictions.
- There is Increased accessibility to graduate visas (485 Stream) for students who complete 2 years of any qualification. No nomination or skills assessment is required.
- New PR pathways are available now for skilled migrants on Temporary Skill Shortage visas (482 Stream).
- Meeting English proficiency requirements are still essential for any skilled migration process in Australia. E2 Test Prep can help you prepare for the test you need to pass to acquire your visa.
Updates to Temporary Graduate Visas – Graduate Work Stream
(subclass 485)
Update #1: New Temporary Graduate Replacement visa stream
The first piece of good news is that a new visa was created for graduates (485 visas) who were affected by COVID-19 travel restrictions.
Primary applicants now have the option to apply for this visa until the 1st of January of 2027. The Temporary Graduate Replacement visa is granted for the same period as the previous visa.
Despite the above, some applicants will receive additional time in their replacement. For example, if a student was granted a Post Study Work visa of 2 years by completing a Master by coursework qualification, they will receive a 3-year replacement.
The requirements to apply for the Temporary Graduate Replacement stream
All applicants must:
- Lodge the application before the 1st of January 2027.
- Having lost time on any 485 stream visa due to Australia’s Covid-19 restrictions and the ability to demonstrate it.
- The affected temporary visa had to be granted before December 15 of 2021.
- Meet the requirements for a valid 485 visa including having competent English for Post Study work applicants.
Update #2: Removal of occupation nomination and skills assessment requirements for temporary Graduate visa
Now way more people can access a Post Graduate visa!
For the 2022-2023 financial year, every student visa holder (subclass 500) who has completed a CRICOS registered qualification of at least 92 weeks of study will be eligible to apply for the Temporary Graduate stream (485 visas).
The above means that all graduates of VET courses instead of only those with an occupation nominated on the skilled occupation list will be able to extend their stay in Australia.
The requirements to apply for the Temporary Graduate stream
All applicants must:
- Be under 50 years of age.
- Hold a valid Australian visa.
- Have held a student visa for the last 6 months.
- Maintain health insurance.
- Provide a valid Australian Police Check or evidence of applying to one at the moment of your application.
- Submit evidence of having the required level of English.
| TEST | Score |
| IELTS (General or Academic) | Overall score of at least 6 with a minimum score of 5 for each of the 4 bands. |
| TOEFL iBT | Total score of at least 64 with a minimum score of 4 for listening, 4 for reading, 14 for writing and 14 for speaking. |
| PTE Academic | Overall score of at least 50 with a minimum score of 36 for each of the 4 parts. |
| OET | At least B for each of the 4 parts |
| Cambridge C1 Advanced | Overall at least 169 with a minimum score of at least 154 in each of the 4 test components |
Did you know E2 Test Prep has partnership agreements and offers test preparation for the majority of the top internationally recognized English tests for migration, professional development and education in Australia?
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Update to Temporary Skill Shortage visas (subclass 482)
A new PR pathway
For the next 2 years from the 1st of July of 2022 Temporary Skill Shortage visa holders who were employed in Australia between February 1 of 2020 and December 14 of 2021 for a minimum of a year, will now be eligible to apply for the new Australian permanent residency pathway.
This is now possible through the Temporary Residence Transition (TRT) stream of the Subclass 186 Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS).
One of the most significant updates announced for the 482 visas is that occupations on the short-term list will also be eligible for the Temporary Residency Transition stream.
Are you or your employer unsure of your eligibility for this visa? Attend our webinar in association with Bravo Migration and solve all your questions.
The requirements to access the TSS PR pathway
- Holding a subclass 457 visa that was not granted under the Labour Agreement stream OR
- A subclass 482 (TSS) visa granted for an occupation on the Medium to Long-term Strategic Skills list OR
- Having a subclass 482 (TSS) visa or subclass 457 visa granted for an occupation on the short-term stream and you must:
- have been in Australia for at least one year between 1 February 2020 and 14 December 2021
- meet all other nomination and visa requirements for the TRT stream
Disclaimer: The purpose of the E2 Blog is to provide general information based on publicly available sources and does not constitute legal or migration advice in any way. Anyone seeking advice on relocating to Australia should seek advice from a registered migration agent.
Your English is still an essential part of the process
The best way to prove to the Australian migration authorities that you meet the minimum English requirements for your visa application is to sit and pass any of the internationally recognised English tests such as IELTS, PTE, TOEFL and others.
With E2 Test Prep you can:
- Get started today for FREE.
- Learn online at your own pace anywhere anytime.
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