Path forward – 2023
Now that the new year is well and truly upon us, it is time to have a look at what could lie ahead this year in the area of Migration.
The new year promises to be eventful and exciting.
2022 ended on a bright note with visa processing times decreasing for most visa categories and 35,000 invitations being handed out for 189 Skilled Independent visas. Many occupations received an invitation with 65 points and not all of them were Teaching and health related occupations. Not only were Trades occupations such as Carpenters, Bricklayers, Motor Mechanics, Gas fitters, Metal fabricators and Plumbers invited on 65 points but also other occupations such as Internal Auditors, External Auditors, Solicitors and Environmental Managers. Also, a significant portion f the invitations were for offshore applicants. This is a trend noticed since August 2022 when 12,200 invitations were issued. When you compare this with a mere 1000 invitations issued in April 2022, you can comprehend the massive and positive change that is happening in the migration environment in Australia with the new Labour government.
Needless to say, all this has been a breath of fresh air to thousands of hopeful visa applicants, especially those living overseas who had been waiting for years with almost no hope.
One can safely predict that this trend will continue this year too.
There could be some exciting days ahead with the skilled occupation list being updated, priority processing for New Zealand citizens commencing form July 2023 and states and territories relaxing more of their criteria to make it easier for applicants to be granted state sponsored visas.
By April 2023, a report of a comprehensive review of Australia’s migration system is expected and that is also expected to make significant improvements to the system.
But what about the much-touted Global Talent visa which was introduced with great fanfare by the previous Liberal government? The allocation for this visa was 15,000 in 2019 and it is now down to 5,000. It appears that this downward trend will continue as the Labour government seeks to leave its own mark on Australia’s future.
Watch this space for all the exciting developments as they happen….
