Australia immigration news latest

Here are the latest news and updates on Australia's immigration policies and programs:

Recent Changes:

  1. Skilled Independent Visa (subclass 189) changes: The Australian government has introduced changes to the Skilled Independent Visa (subclass 189) to prioritize applicants with strong English language skills and those with qualifications in high-demand fields such as technology and healthcare. (Source: Australian Government Department of Home Affairs)
  2. New Priority Migration Skilled Work Regional (subclass 491) visa: The government has introduced a new visa stream for skilled workers who want to live and work in regional areas of Australia. This visa is designed to address labor shortages in regional areas and to encourage migration to these areas. (Source: Australian Government Department of Home Affairs)
  3. Changes to the Temporary Skilled Migration (subclass 482) visa: The government has introduced changes to the Temporary Skilled Migration (subclass 482) visa to improve the integrity of the program and to ensure that temporary workers are not exploited. (Source: Australian Government Department of Home Affairs)

Recent Developments:

  1. Australia's population growth slows: Australia's population growth has slowed down due to a decline in international migration. The country's population growth rate has fallen to its lowest level in over a decade. (Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics)
  2. Immigration Minister's comments on migration: The Australian Immigration Minister, Alex Hawke, has stated that the government is committed to reducing immigration numbers and prioritizing the needs of Australian workers. (Source: The Australian)
  3. Regional migration pilot program: The government has launched a regional migration pilot program to encourage migration to regional areas of Australia. The program will provide incentives for migrants to live and work in regional areas. (Source: Australian Government Department of Home Affairs)

Upcoming Changes:

  1. Changes to the points-based system: The government is planning to introduce changes to the points-based system used to assess skilled migration applications. The changes are expected to prioritize applicants with strong English language skills and those with qualifications in high-demand fields. (Source: Australian Government Department of Home Affairs)
  2. New visa stream for international students: The government is planning to introduce a new visa stream for international students who want to stay in Australia after completing their studies. The new stream is expected to provide a pathway to permanent residency for international students. (Source: Australian Government Department of Education, Skills and Employment)

Recent Statistics:

  1. Net overseas migration: Australia's net overseas migration (NOM) has slowed down in recent years. In 2020-21, the NOM was 224,000, down from 248,000 in 2019-20. (Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics)
  2. Skilled migration: In 2020-21, Australia granted 128,000 skilled migration visas, down from 143,000 in 2019-20. (Source: Australian Government Department of Home Affairs)
  3. International student numbers: In 2020, Australia had 640,000 international students, down from 744,000 in 2019. (Source: Australian Government Department of Education, Skills and Employment)

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