New South Wales will continue issuing invitations for the Skilled Work Regional (subclass 491) visa – Pathway 2 after exhausting its nomination allocation for the Skilled Nominated (subclass 190) visa. The state confirmed it has invited enough Expressions of Interest (EOIs) to fill its subclass 190 nomination places for the current 2025–26 program year. NSW…
Australia will introduce an approved work sponsor register, a public database of employers sponsoring skilled migrant workers, following new legislation aimed at increasing transparency and reducing exploitation. The Australian Government has enacted reforms under the Migration Amendment (Combatting Migrant Exploitation) Act 2026, authorising the Department of Home Affairs to publish the register of approved work…
The Department of Home Affairs has expanded the Australian Immi App to 47 countries, allowing more visa applicants to submit biometric information remotely and avoid in-person appointments. On 24 March 2026, the Department of Home Affairs added 13 countries to the Offshore Biometric Collection Program, extending access to the mobile-based visa processing tool. Applicants in…
New South Wales will run skilled migration invitation rounds in April 2026 for subclass 190 and subclass 491 visas, urging applicants to update EOIs before strict deadlines. Investment NSW confirmed it will conduct a Skilled Nominated (subclass 190) visa invitation round in the week starting 13 April 2026. Applicants must ensure their Expression of Interest…
VETASSESS will independently validate student assessments across Australia’s vocational education and training (VET) sector, strengthening quality, consistency and transparency while supporting accurate skills assessments for skilled visa applicants. The Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA) has appointed VETASSESS to deliver independent validation of student assessments, following the introduction of a new regulatory panel designed to strengthen…
From 26 March 2026, Australian authorities have temporarily restricted entry for Iranian Visitor (Subclass 600) visa holders abroad to maintain orderly migration amid international instability. The government enacted a six-month Arrival Control Determination under the Migration Amendment (2026 Measures No. 1) Act 2026, imposing travel limits for certain Iranian passport holders. The measure provides authorities…
The Australian Government has amended how employers determine the Annual Market Salary Rate (AMSR), introducing more flexible methodologies under the Migration Legislation Amendment (Annual Market Salary Rate) Instrument 2026. The changes revise existing provisions in IMMI 18/033 and allow employers to adopt alternative approaches when calculating AMSR, particularly where traditional industrial instruments do not fully…
Minimum salary thresholds for employer-sponsored visas rise from 1 July 2026, requiring employers to offer higher pay to overseas workers under subclass 494, 482 and 186 visas. The Federal Government updated these income thresholds using the latest wage data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics. The changes apply to nomination applications lodged on or after…
Engineers Australia has welcomed an updated national infrastructure roadmap released by Infrastructure Australia, highlighting the importance of engineering expertise in improving infrastructure productivity. The updated Infrastructure Priority List identifies five national focus areas aimed at addressing major challenges in transport, water security and energy systems. The priorities include developing high-productivity freight networks, improving ports capacity…
VETASSESS has changed its Offshore Skills Assessment Program (OSAP) and TSS Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) assessment programs following updates introduced by Trades Recognition Australia, affecting application intake, occupations assessed, and fees. Under the changes, VETASSESS has paused acceptance of new Stage 1 Documentary Evidence Assessment applications from 9:00 AM (AEDT) on 13 March 2026 until…