RELO NEWS
The Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa eligibility criteria has been restricted, according to an announcement by the Minister of Immigration. The points threshold for selection has been increased from 140 to 160 (regardless of whether an applicant has a job offer) and some applicants must now complete formal tests to prove their knowledge of the English language.
All other policies, including work and work-to-residence visas, remain unchanged.
The Federal Government has amended visa application procedures for work and family reunion entry visas in an effort to streamline applications for foreign workers and their families and to minimize the discrepancy in processing times between work and family reunion visas. The amended rules became effective December 29, 2015.
The new rules eliminate a local immigration authority approval step that has in the past increased processing times by many weeks. Therefore, the following benefits should occur:
The Home Office presented a new law for approval by Parliament on January 11, 2016 that would raise visa fees over the next four years, in line with its goal to reduce taxpayer contributions toward the border, immigration and citizenship system and ensure the system is fully funded by foreign nationals who use it. Additionally, fee increases for some immigration services are expected to come into force in April 2016.
