Stay on top of Australian Immigration news and updates for January and February 2021, such as the updates to the Skilled Visa Program, the reopening of Australian borders, and the vaccination rollout.
2021 has just started , but we have already seen many updates on Australian Immigration, regional occupation list changes, new visa requirements , and – thankfully – some good news regarding the pandemic in Australia.
We put together the most important information for you to stay on top of these updates. Check it out:
Australian Immigration News – January and February 2021
Vaccination rollout and international borders
Vaccination rollout has started in Australia at the end of February, and it is happening in stages. Quarantine hotel workers, border officers, front-line health care workers, aged and disability care staff, and residents are the first groups the receive the vaccine, followed by other priority groups.
International borders continue to be closed; however, as per the Government’s plan, the goal is to vaccinat 80% of the population by October, which means borders may reopen for international students, business travellers and overseas workers by then.
There is nothing confirmed so far, so please stay tuned to our posts, videos, and social media, as we will keep you updated on that.
Family visas granted onshore
The Department of Home Affairs has also announced that some family visas that were applied for outside Australia, will be granted to applicants even while they are onshore without leaving the country. This was not previously possible but it is a change that has been implemented to assist people who are not ablet to depart Australia due to the pandemic to have their visa granted. In other words, people who have applied for certain Partner Visas, Contributory Parent Visas and Child Visas outside of Australia and are currently in the country are now able to have their visas granted while in Australia due to COVID.
States and territories updates
Another important Australian Immigration News update is related to the Regional Skilled Visas within the General Skilled Migration Programs, most specifically the Subclasses 190 and 491 visas. Many States and Territories have update their requirements for State/Territory nomination as well as occupation lists during January and February.
To sum up, States and Territories’ main focus is now on the economic recovery and health response to deal with the pandemic. Except for Queensland, all States and Territories are accepting applications for the 491 and 190 Visas.
If you want to understand each state or Territory update, check out this blog post or the video below, where we explain them all in detail. Or contact us for advice on your case, specifically.
NSW open for 188 Business Investment applications
New South Wales has opened for Nomination Applications for the 188 Business Investment Visa. The state is seeking business owners with assets and capital to establish, develop, or buy and manage a new or existing business in the state.
The program is also open for people outside of Australia and once the 188 visa is approved, holders are granted automatic travel permission to enter the country.
If you are a business investor or a business owner and believe you qualify, please contact us to check and help you with your case.
