Australia-United Kingdom FTA -Working Holiday Visa Arrangements

The Australia-United Kingdom Free Trade Agreement enters into force today.

The agreement also includes measures designed to improve the mobility of skilled workers and young people, in both directions. From 31 January 2024, Australians up to the age of 35, up from 30, will be able to apply for working holidays in the UK and stay for a maximum of three years instead of two.

Commencement of new arrangements

Under the new arrangements:

  • from 1 July 2023, UK passport holders can apply for a Working Holiday visa between the ages of 18 and 35 years inclusive
  • from 1 July 2024, UK passport holders can be granted up to three separate Working Holiday visas without having to meet any specified work requirements.

The new arrangements will apply to all Working Holiday (subclass 417) visa applications for UK passport holders lodged from the date of implementation.

Australia is a beautiful country and a destination on many people’s bucket list. It’s known for its breathtaking landscapes, friendly locals, laid-back culture, and world-class beaches. This new agreement offers a fantastic opportunity for UK passport holders to experience all that Australia has to offer. Whether you’re interested in working, travelling, or both, the new arrangements make it easier to achieve your goals.

 

Age Limit Increased and No Regional Work Requirement!

The Subclass 417 Working Holiday Visa arrangements will remain largely unchanged, except that visa holders will now be able to apply for year long visas for up to three years and no regional work is required after 1 July 2024. This means that you can choose to apply for a first, second, and third visa at any time, as long as you comply with the eligible age requirement.

If you’re interested in taking advantage of this fantastic opportunity, you’ll need to plan your trip carefully. Australia is a big country, and there’s a lot to see, so it’s worth taking some time to research different areas and plan your itinerary.

 

Reciprocal Health Care

As well as the benefits of traveling and working in Australia, the new arrangements also come with another benefit for UK passport holders. You’ll be able to access reciprocal healthcare arrangements for essential medical treatment during your stay in Australia.

 

A Unique Opportunity

All in all, the new Australia-UK Free Trade Agreement offers a fantastic opportunity for UK passport holders looking to travel, work, and experience Australia’s amazing culture. The new arrangements will make it easier for UK passport holders to apply for and use Working Holiday Visas, with the age limit now increased to 35 years.

Much of migration practise is about positioning; positioning is then about pathways. Holding a 3 year Working Holiday visa is most advantageous especially when seeking to remain in the UK.

Australian business looking to enter or expand into the UK market can seek assistance from Thames Migration UK visa and migration consultants. To learn more about how to get UK Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) and also for UK applicants seeking to gain Australian PR from Working Holiday Visa – Step by Step Process Contact Us

Resource: Australia-United Kingdom Free Trade Agreement

3 Year Working Holiday Visa -Australia-United Kingdom (FTA)

The Australia-United Kingdom Free Trade Agreement (A-UKFTA), signed virtually on 17 December 2021.

On 17 November 2022, the Australian Government Joint Standing Committee on Treaties (JSCOT) handed down its report on the Australia-United Kingdom Free Trade Agreement (A-UKFTA).

Finally, after 17 months since inception, the Australia – UK Working Holiday visa to be implemented by 31st of May 2023.

What this means for UK applicants;

– three year working visas between the Australia and the United Kingdom,
– UK citizens up the age of 35 can obtain three year temporary visas to Australia and vice versa.
– UK citizens will be able to apply for Permanent Residency whilst in Australia (Onshore)

While some details were announced in the media release, others appear to be still under negotiation. Two provisions are available at this time:

-a framework for professional bodies to agree to streamline licensing processes to facilitate the movement of qualified professionals between Australia and the UK and,

-within two years of entry into force, Australians will be able to apply for working holidays in the UK up to the age of 35 and stay for a maximum of three years instead of two.

It is not yet clear if the removal of the regional work requirement for UK Working Holiday Makers has been included or how Labour Market Testing will be handled in the agreement.

Much of migration practise is about positioning; positioning is then about pathways. Holding a 3 year Working Holiday visa is most advantageous especially when seeking to remain in Australia permanently.

To learn more about how to get Australian PR from Working Holiday Visa – Step by Step Process, contact us today.

Reference- Media Release

Breaking Migration News -1st July Changes

 

TSMIT Increase & PR Pathways for all Short-term TSS 482 Visa Holders

Temporary skilled migration income threshold raised to $70,000

The Albanese Government will increase the Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold (TSMIT) from $53,900 to $70,000 from July 1 (Australian Financial Year).

This is the Government’s first action in response to the independent Review of the Migration System led by Dr Martin Parkinson, which found that Australia’s migration system is broken.

The Albanese Government is also announcing that by the end of 2023, Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) short stream visa holders will have a pathway to permanent residency within our existing capped permanent program.

This will provide employers and migrants with more certainty, and will help increase the skill level in our permanent skilled program.

 

To learn more contact us today.

Australia Day Office Closure

Thames Migration offices in Australia will close from Thursday 26th January 2023 and reopen on Monday 30th January 2023.

From the entire Thames Migration team, we wish you all a happy Australia Day!

Festive Season Office Closure

During the festive season, Thames Migration offices in both Australia and the United Kingdom will close from Monday 19th December 2022 and reopen on Monday 9th January 2023.

From the entire Thames Migration team, we wish you all a merry festive season and a Happy New Year!

Upcoming 1st July Changes

VAC Increases – CPI 3%

Australian Visa Application Charges will increase on 1 July 2022 by 3%, in line with the previously forecast Consumer Price Index increase. The increases will be rounded to the closest $5.00.

The increases come into effect for applications lodged on or after 1 July 2022.

This Instrument commences 1 July 2022. Migration Amendment (Visa Application Charges) Regulations 2022 – F2022L00828.

Subclass 485 – Skilled occupation concession

Regulations to temporarily remove the requirements for Subclass 485 (Temporary Graduate) applicants in the Graduate Work stream to nominate an eligible skilled occupation and to obtain a skills assessment.

This concession is to allow applicants who have studied for occupations that are not on the skills lists to live and work in Australia for a further temporary period.

This amendment will provide this temporary concession for applications made between 1 July 2022 and 30 June 2023 (inclusive). This Instrument also includes a provision for the Minister to extend this date beyond 30 June 2023 based on prevailing economic conditions.

Migration Amendment (Occupation Nomination and Skills Assessment for Subclass 485 Visas) Regulations 2022 – F2022L00822 

This Instrument commences 1 July 2022.

Pathway to PR From 1 July 2022

The Australian Government has just released legislation on the permanent residency pathways for visa holders on the Short-Term Skilled Occupation List (STSOL), in response to the strong labour demand and the declining number of temporary visa holders in 2021 due to the pandemic.

From 1 July 2022, a Subclass 457 or 482 visa holder nominated in a STSOL occupation will be able to access the permanent residency pathway under the Subclass 186 Temporary Residency Transition Stream (TRTS), if they:

– Have been in Australia for at least 12 months between 1 Feb 2020 and 14 December 2021; and

– Meet the TRTS requirements (that is, 3 years of employment as a Subclass 457 or 482 visa, age, English language, etc.)

This new legislation provides a pathway to permanent residency for Subclass 482 visa holders in the short-term stream, regardless of whether their nominated occupation is on the Medium & Long-Term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL), the Short-Term Skilled Occupation List (STSOL) or the Regional Occupation List (ROL).

Furthermore, the grandfathering provisions for those who held, or had applied for, a Subclass 457 visa on 18 April 2017 has now been extended.

To learn more about your eligibility for this pathway, please contact Thames Migration in Australia or the United Kingdom.

Source to Legislation: Migration (Specified persons and periods of time for regulation 5.19) Instrument (LIN 22/038) 2022

Full reopening of Australian borders – 21 February 2022

The Prime Minister has announced today that Australia’s borders will be fully reopened on 21 February 2022 to all double vaccinated travellers, business people and visitors. Those who are not vaccinated will be required to apply for a travel entry exemption and undertake quarantine if granted permission to enter the country.

Visa holders who are not fully vaccinated will still require a valid travel exemption to enter Australia, and
will be subject to state and territory quarantine requirements.

To learn more, contact us today.

Festive Season Office Closure

During the festive season, Thames Migration offices in both Australia and the United Kingdom will close from Thursday 23rd December 2021 and reopen on Wednesday 5th January 2022.

From the entire Thames Migration team, we wish you all a merry festive season and a Happy New Year!

Partner Visa Changes Commencing in November 2021

Australian Partner Visas are about to change

There is about to be a major change to the way partner visas are processed splitting the process into 2 distinct and separate parts. Prior to these changes an application consisted of a sponsorship application by the Australian half of the relationship together with a visa application by the other partner and dependants. These processes next month will now be considered separately on their own individual merits.

In November, the new reforms will consist of the following:

  • Introducing an English language requirement for permanent resident sponsors and Partner visa applicants; and
  • Applying a new sponsorship framework that will require Australian sponsors to become ‘approved sponsors’ before an applicant can proceed to lodge a partner visa.

Sponsorship approval

In November, the Australian sponsor of the Partner visas will be required to apply for, and be approved as a sponsor before the visa application is lodged. If for any reason the sponsorship is not approved (the sponsor for example, is found to not be of good character) then the visa application cannot be made. There is no indication yet as to what fees will be charged or the exact requirements that sponsor and applicant will have to meet, though they will in all probability have at least to meet the current standard. Whether additional criteria will be set for sponsor or applicant is not yet known. The other unknown at present is how long it is going to take to complete this new process.

As always, there will also be obligations on the sponsor to notify of any changes in circumstances and failure to do this will most likely result in penalties.

If this additional step to the sponsorship component is to be extended this will negatively impact onshore Partner visa applicants wanting to lodge a visa application prior to their substantive visa expiring.

English language requirements

The Australian Partner visa program does not presently require applicants or sponsors to meet any English language requirements.

The upcoming Partner visa reforms will require visa applicants and their permanent resident sponsors to provide evidence of a functional level of English or to demonstrate that they have made reasonable efforts to learn English at the time of the permanent Partner visa stage.

Which visas will these requirements apply to?

What is considered ‘Functional English

You can demonstrate you have functional English if you:

  • Completed a degree, higher degree, a diploma or a trade certificate in an institution in or outside of Australia that required at least two years of full-time study and all instruction was in English;
  • You completed all years of primary and at least 3 years of secondary school in or outside of Australia and all instruction was in English;
  • You completed 5 years of secondary school in or outside of Australia and all instruction was in English;
  • You completed 1 year of full-time study towards an award in Australia and all instruction was in English;
  • You completed the part-time equivalent of 1 year of full-time study towards an award in Australia and all instruction was in English;
  • You achieved an average band score of 4.5 in IELTS;
  • You achieved a total band score of at least 32 in TOEFL iBT;
  • You achieved a total band score of at least 30 in PTE; or
  • You achieved a total band score of at least 147 in CAE.

Who will be exempt from the English language requirements?

These requirements will apply to passport holders from countries other than:

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • Ireland
  • New Zealand
  • United States
  • United Kingdom

How Thames Migration can help you position your Partner visa application

If you are planning on applying for a partner visa in the near future, we highly recommend that you consider applying for the partner visa application sooner rather than later.

If you would like further information on the Australian Partner visa reform, assistance applying for a Partner visa or for further assistance with any other migration or visa issues, please contact our offices in Australia or the United Kingdom today.