Tasmania will open its 2025–2026 Skilled Migration State Nomination Program today, 6 October 2025, even though the Australian Government has not yet finalised state and territory nomination allocations. Migration Tasmania confirmed that the new program year brings a series of updates aimed at improving clarity, efficiency, and program risk mitigation. The changes follow a review…
Victoria has opened its 2025–2026 skilled migration program with 380 interim visa places, pending confirmation of the state’s full allocation from the Australian Government’s Department of Home Affairs. The Department of Home Affairs has granted Victoria 200 places for the Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190) and 180 places for the Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa…
On 2 September 2025, the Australian Government confirmed that the permanent Migration Program for 2025–2026 will remain at 185,000 places, the same as the previous year. The program maintains a strong focus on skills. The Skill stream accounts for 132,200 places (71 per cent) and is designed to strengthen the economy and address skill shortages,…
Australia extends Skilled Refugee Labour Pilot to 2026, offering 500 visa places for businesses to recruit qualified refugees into critical workforce gaps. The Australian Government has confirmed the extension of the Skilled Refugee Labour Agreement Pilot for another 12 months, keeping the program active until 30 June 2026. First launched in July 2021, the pilot…
Jobs and Skills Australia has opened consultations on the 2025 Core Skills Occupations List (CSOL), inviting feedback from businesses, unions, governments, workers and other stakeholders until 26 September. The CSOL forms part of the Government’s skilled migration settings, guiding employer-sponsored visas under the Skills in Demand framework. Unlike previous lists, it does not prioritise or…
If you are looking at applying for the National Innovation Visa (Subclass 858), you now have more options, with New South Wales (NSW), Victoria (VIC), and South Australia (SA) all opening their doors to nominations. What is the National Innovation Visa? The 858 visa is a permanent visa for individuals with an internationally recognised record…
If you hold a Partner (Provisional) visa (subclass 309) or a Partner (Temporary) visa (subclass 820), and it has been two years since you first lodged your visa application, you may now be eligible to move to the permanent stage of your Partner visa. This is an important milestone that can provide long-term certainty for…
English proficiency is an essential part of many Australian visa applications. From 7 August 2025, the Department of Home Affairs introduced new rules that change the way English ability is assessed. These updates affect the tests you can take, the scores you need, and how long your results are valid. If you are preparing a…
If you are applying for an Australian visa, you may need to prove your English language proficiency. This requirement is set by the Department of Home Affairs (DOHA) and applies to certain visa subclasses. The aim is twofold: Why Does the Department Require an English Test? The DOHA requires proof of English ability for some…
Australian employers who wish to nominate overseas workers for skilled visas in Australia must follow strict salary and market rate rules. These rules apply to the Temporary Skill Shortage (subclass 482), Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) (subclass 494), Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186), and Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (subclass 187) visas. The purpose of these…