Visitor visa: new travel agents for Approved Destination Status stream
"The purpose of the instrument is to update the list of approved travel agents for the Approved Destination Status (ADS) stream of the Visitor (subclass 600) visa. The ADS stream facilitates group travel from the People’s Republic of China to Australia for applicants participating in tours organised by travel agents..."
BVA taken to have been granted immediately?
Tip Series: Is the Department required to backdate the time of grant of a BVA to the time of the respective substantive visa application? No. As a result, a last minute BVA application might result in clients being unlawful for hours and even days.
Extension of temporary graduate and skilled regional provisional visas
The new instrument amends the Migration Regulations 1994 (Cth) to "extend previously granted temporary graduate and skilled regional provisional visas whose holders have been impacted by COVID-19 related international travel restrictions in place from..." and to "extend certain Subclass 489 (Skilled – Regional (Provisional)), Subclass 491 (Skilled Work Regional (Provisional)) and Subclass 494 (Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional)) visas for three years"
Form, place and manner for International Relations visa
"The purpose of the instrument is to update the approved form, place and manner (“the arrangements”) requirements for making an application for a Temporary Work (International Relations) (Class GD) visa (Class GD visa) in the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility stream..."
DAMA for Orana (NSW)
'Employers in the Orana region in the central west and western region of New South Wales have been given a boost, with a new migration agreement between the Federal Government and Regional Development Australia (RDA) Orana to attract skilled workers to the region'
Closure of subclass 189 for new primary applicants in NZ stream
The new Regulations "permanently close the Subclass 189 (Skilled – Independent) visa in the New Zealand Stream to new primary applications. Partners and dependants of primary applicants ..."
SAF charges amendment
"The amendments of the Skilling Australians Fund Regulations are necessary to ensure that the nomination training contribution charge that currently applies to the Temporary Skill Shortage visa will apply to..."
Wide-range identity matching
'The [Bill] will facilitate the secure, automated and accountable exchange of identity information between the Commonwealth and state and territory governments, pursuant to the objectives of the Intergovernmental Agreement on Identity Matching Services (IGA), agreed by COAG in October 2017. The Bill will achieve this by providing explicit legal authority for the Department of Home Affairs ... to collect, use and disclose identification information'
Subclass 462: new country added
"The purpose of this instrument is to amend LIN 21/019 to implement Subclass 462 visa arrangements agreed to by the Australian Government and the Government of ..."
Changes to subclasses 600 and 870
The new Regulations make important changes to the conditions imposed on visa subclasses 600 (visitor) and 870 (parent) and to the eligibility for merits review for subclass 870 applicants. Some of the changes commence on 19 December 2019 and some on 29 February 2020.




















