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The new Subclass 494 visa will "replace" subclass 187 on 16 November 2019. But will the health waiver, which is available for some subclass 187 applicants, be available for subclass 494?

A new instrument that commences on 25 Feb 2020: "As a response to the cancellation of visas as a direct consequence of the Covid-19 pandemic, the instrument creates arrangements for applicants who are in Australia and who are former Visitor (Class FA) visa holders and whose visas were cancelled due to the risk of a Public Health Emergency of International Concern designated by the World Health Organisation, to the health, safety or good order the Australian community, or a segment of that community".

The Migration Act 1958 (Cth) has been amended with effect from 5 December 2019 to "repair" (in the words of the Bill) what has become known as the "medevac" legislation.

The purpose of the new instrument is to "amend the Migration Regulations 1994 (the Migration Regulations) to make changes to visa application charges (VACs) for certain visas as a consequence of the 2017-18 Budget Measure Indexation of visa application charges, and 2020-21 Budget Measure Migration Program – changes to the Business Innovation and Investment Program"

"The purpose of this Instrument is to allow for the use of computerised decision-making in certain circumstances"

The new instruments specifies the English language proficiency requirements that an applicant may be required to meet in order to satisfy clause 485.212 of Schedule 2 to the Regulations for the grant of a Subclass 485 (Temporary Graduate) visa (the Subclass 485 visa) in either of the Post-Vocational Education Work stream or the Post-Higher Education Work stream

The new instrument specifies the approved form and the place and manner in which applications must be lodged for the following visa subclasses: 189, 190, 485, 476, 489, 491 and 887.

The new regulations enable a cohort of secondary applicants for Subclass 309 (Partner (Provisional)) and Subclass 100 (Partner) visas who no longer meet the age requirement for the visa, to be eligible for the grant of the visa

The new regulations remove a duplicated requirement to provide English language translations as part of citizenship applications

The new Bill seeks to amend the Migration Act 1958 (Cth) to "introduce new offences and related civil penalty provisions for employers, labour hire intermediaries and other persons in the employment chain who coerce or exert undue influence or undue pressure on a non-citizen to accept or agree to an arrangement in relation to work"