Australia Proposes Massive Changes to Immigration System

Australian home affairs minister Clare O’Neil unveils reforms designed to cut red tape and reduce delays to permanent residency:

• A new points test for skilled migrants
• Changes to Genuine Temprory Entrant (GTE) requirement for study visa
• Automatic grant of 485 visa after completion of study visa
• Opportunity to apply Permanent Residency (PR) for all company sponsored visas
• No labour market testing for company sponsored visas in favour of new skills assessments and fairer pay thresholds
• Increase in Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold (TSMIT) from $53,900 to $70,000

The central recommendation is to create three tiers of regulation for migrants:

• a “light-touch” approach for very skilled migrants on high salaries;
• a mid-level cohort of migrants who earn above the amount of the temporary skilled migration income threshold; and
• a lower-wage cohort in sectors with skills shortages such as the caring economy.

The government has accepted this recommendation and will work with states, business sector, unions and civil society to determine the pay thresholds.

🔬 Despite outlining the broad policy direction, the changes will require further consultation on the threshold for the system’s top tier before the government delivers its final migration strategy in late 2023.

Useful Resources

• Review of the Migration System: Final Report 2023
• A Migration System for a More Prosperous and Secure Australia: Outline of the Government’s Migration Strategy (April 2023)
• Public Submissions - A Migration System for Australia's Future