Breaking News! New Australian Visa Regulations

Starting from September 16th, the Australian government has released new regulations that have sparked heated discussions: India has been included in the official Australian visa legislation - eligible Indian citizens will be able to apply for Australia’s working holiday visa.

There may be a large number of Indians flocking to Australia in the future!

01 India officially included in Australia’s work and holiday visa program!

Starting from September 16th, 2024, Australia’s new regulations officially announced that India will be officially included in the scope of application of the Australian Work and Holiday Visa (Subclass 462). This means that eligible Indian citizens can now apply for this visa to work and vacation in Australia.

The following are the application requirements:

• Hold a valid Indian passport

• Applicants for visas who are over 18 years old but under 31 years old

• Completion of at least two years of higher education

• Possess practical English proficiency

• Having sufficient funds to support living in Australia and meeting the health and character requirements set by the Australian government

Some requirements for Indian applicants have been waived, such as the need to provide proof of support for foreign GOVs, lowering the application threshold.

Work and Holiday Visa (subclass 462) holders can currently:

• First entry into Australia within 12 months from the date of visa issuance

• Stay in Australia for up to twelve (12) months from the date of first entry, during which you can leave and re-enter multiple times

• During the stay in Australia, you can engage in paid or unpaid work, generally working for the same employer for up to six months

02 Australian work visa policy relaxed

According to the latest announcement from the Australian Department of Home Affairs, the application requirements for the 482 work visa (temporary skills shortage visa) will be significantly relaxed

Reduced work experience requirements

Previously, applicants were required to “accumulate at least 2 years of relevant work experience in the past 5 years”, but the new regulations will relax this requirement. Starting from November 23rd this year, the requirement for work experience will be reduced from 2 years to 1 year.

More flexible experience recognition

The acquisition time of work experience will no longer be limited. Whether it was ten years ago or earlier, as long as the applicant meets other conditions, they can still apply for a visa.

In addition, the job responsibilities of applicants have become more flexible. Previously, at least 38 hours of work per week were required to be considered as “full-time experience”, but now even part-time work can be counted as experience. Applicants can also combine multiple work experiences to demonstrate their rich experience background.

Full-time work preferred

Although part-time and multiple work experiences are recognized, full-time work experience is still preferred.

This policy change provides more opportunities for friends who are interested in applying for an Australian work visa. The recognition of work experience is more flexible and relaxed. Regardless of past experience, everyone can benefit from it!

03 Work visa to permanent residency PR application period shortened

482 visa holders who have worked for their employer for a certain number of years can apply for a 186 visa to permanent residency through the TRT channel

Expansion of occupational scope

According to the latest policy update, the scope of occupations that can be converted to permanent residency has been greatly expanded. Previously, only occupations listed on the Medium and Long Term Occupation List (MLTSSL) were eligible to apply for the 186 permanent residency visa. With the arrival of the new policy, “all occupations on the occupation list” can apply for the 186 visa to be converted to permanent residency, providing more practitioners with the opportunity for permanent residency.

Shorten the length of permanent residency

In the past, 482 visa holders had to work for their employer for at least 3 years before applying for a 186 visa to permanent residency through the TRT channel. According to the new regulations, this work period has been shortened to 2 years, greatly accelerating the time for applicants to obtain PR.

Remove renewal restrictions

Previously, 482 short-term visa applicants could only renew their visas once after their visas expired, while medium-term visa applicants could reapply. Now, the new policy has lifted the limit on the number of renewals, allowing all 482 visa holders to renew their visas unlimited times, providing more flexibility for applicants.