Australia Immigration: Latest Visa Updates & News

January 14, 2025

Northern Territory General Skilled Migration (GSM) Program to no longer accept applications for the year 2024-2025

The NT General Skilled Migration (GSM) Program has reached the allocation cap for 2024-2025. The program will no longer accept new applications for this period. However, applications sent before the halt will be assessed, and eligible candidates will be issued invitations. New applications will be accepted once the allocation for 2025-26 is released. 

There is, however, an exception for onshore applicants. Onshore applicants with the visa deadlines given below can still send their applications during the suspension if:

• Their visas are set to expire before July 1, 2025 (Does not include Temporary Graduate Visa applicants)
• If the applicants are getting ineligible due to the increasing age factor (Turning 45 years)

*Want to migrate to Australia? Sign up with Y-Axis assist you with the immigration procedure. 

January 07, 2025

Australian student visa applicants to submit Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) Effective January 1, 2025

Starting January 1, 2025, all student visa applicants must submit a Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE). This new change replaces the previous Letters of Offer, which were accepted. The new changes will not impact Australian student visa applications submitted before January 1, 2025.

*Want to study in Australia? Get in touch with experts at Y-Axis to guide you with the process. 

December 27, 2024

ACS Announced new ANZSCO Codes for Cyber Security, Data Science, and DevOps

The Australian Computer Society (ACS) will release 10 new ANZSCO codes in January 2025. The codes will be announced for job roles in three major fields: cyber Security, Data Science, and DevOps. The new ANZSCO will support the Skills in Demand (SID) visa and Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL).

Cyber Security Roles
261315	Cyber Security Engineer
261317	Penetration Tester
262114	Cyber Governance Risk and Compliance Specialist
262115	Cyber Security Advice and Assessment Specialist
262116	Cyber Security Analyst
262117	Cyber Security Operations Coordinator
262118	Cyber Security Operations Coordinator
Data Science Roles
224114	Data Analyst
224115	Data Scientist
DevOps Role
261316	DevOps Engineer

*Click here to learn more about the new CSOL occupations. 

December 27, 2024

VETASSESS to accept applications for 20 Additional Occupations

VETASSESS will accept applications for 20 additional occupations that align with Subclass 186 and Subclass 482 visas. The new SID visa uses the Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL).

ANZSCO	Occupations
139917	Regulatory Affairs Manager
224714	Supply Chain Analyst
225114	Content Creator (Marketing)
234114	Agricultural Research Scientist
234115	Agronomist
234116	Aquaculture or Fisheries Scientist
234521	Entomologist
234612	Respiratory Scientist
311112	Agricultural and Agritech Technician
311113	Animal Husbandry Technician
311114	Aquaculture or Fisheries Technician
311115	Irrigation Designer
311217	Respiratory Technician
311314	Primary Products Quality Assurance Officer
312914	Other Draftsperson
362512	Tree Worker
362712	Irrigation Technician
451111	Beauty Therapist
451412	Tour Guide
451612	Travel Consultant

*Click here to learn more about the new CSOL occupations. 

December 27, 2024

Trades Recognition Australia (TRA) will continue to assist with Skills Assessments for the New SID visa. 

The Trades Recognition Australia (TRA) will assess the Skills Assessments for the SID visa (Core skills stream). Applicants who require assessment can continue to send their applications under the TSS skill assessment program. Applications sent by December 7, 2024, will be assessed for the new SID visa. 

*Want to apply for the Subclass 482 visa? Let Y-Axis guide you through the process. 

December 13, 2024

Details of the latest Western Australia Invitation Round

The government released the Western Australia Invitation Round details on December 13, 2024. Invitations were issued for the State Nominated Migration program. 

Intending visa subclass	General stream	General stream	Graduate stream	Graduate stream
	WASMOL schedule 1	WASMOL schedule 2	Higher education	Vocational education and training
Visa subclass 190	450	600	340	105
Visa subclass 491	450	600	335	115

*Want to work in Australia? Let Y-Axis guide you with the process. 

December 07, 2024

Australia declares New Skilled in Demand visa

The New Skilled in Demand visa was introduced instead of the Australia Temporary Skills Shortage visa on December 7, 2024. The new immigration streams for the New Skilled in Demand visa are the Core Skills Pathway, Skills Pathway, and Essential Skills Pathway. This visa will cover around 465 occupations, including Tech jobs. These jobs will be applicable for Subclass 186 visas. This New Skilled in Demand visa will enable business candidates to explore the streams that benefit employers and skilled professionals.

December 06, 2024

Australia changes the Global Talent Independent visa to National Innovation visa (subclass 858) visa

Australia has changed the Global Talent Independent visa to the National Innovation (subclass 858). However, the processing and requirements for a GTI visa are similar. To apply for a National Innovation visa, an applicant must:

• Be nominated
• Apply for EOI
• Once you receive an invitation, apply within 60 days

Note: Internationally recognized candidates by the federal and state governments who have awards in their fields will be on the priority lists of 1 and 2. After that, Tier 1 and Tier 2 will be prioritised.

Changes implemented in National Innovation visa

Processing cost: Candidates over 18 must pay AUD 4,840.00, and dependents under 18 must pay AUD 2425 and AUD 1210.

English language requirement: Education in English medium can provide functional level English language proficiency or score five in the IELTS band in each equivalent test.

List of Priority Orders 

Priority Orders
Priority one	Exceptional candidates from any sector who are global experts and recipients of international ‘top of field’ level awards.
Priority two	Candidates from any sector nominated on the approved Form 1000 by an expert Australian Commonwealth, State or Territory Government agency.
Priority three	Candidates with exceptional and outstanding achievements in a Tier One sector:
	Critical Technologies
	Health Industries
	Renewables and low emission technologies
Priority four	Candidates with exceptional and outstanding achievements in a Tier Two sector:
	Agri-food and AgTech
	Defence Capabilities and Space
	Education
	Financial Services and FinTech
	Infrastructure and Transport
	Resources

Indicators of exceptional and outstanding achievements

Indicators of exceptional and outstanding achievements
Top-of-field Level Awards	Recipients of national research grants	Holders of PhDs with high-levels of academic influence or thought leadership	Other measures of high-calibre talent	Candidates nominated by an expert Australian Commonwealth, State or Territory government agency
Nobel Prizes	Receipt of a national level research grant for the highest quality research in Australia or from other countries showing that the individual is at the top of their field. These include but are not limited to:	Holders of a PhD with high-levels of academic influence or thought leadership in their field, such as:	Other measures of high-calibre talent may include:	Other indicators of exceptional and outstanding achievements we may consider in conjunction with nomination by an expert Australian Commonwealth, State or Territory government agency include:
Breakthrough Prizes	·         Australian Research Council grants	·         Recent publications in top ranked journals, for example Nature, Lancet or Acta Numerica		·         Athletes and creative who will raise Australia’s international standing in their field
Rousseeuw Prize	·         Department of Education Accelerator grants equivalent level grants from other countries. This includes:	·         A high h-index for their stage of career, for example an early career researcher with a h-index of 14	·         Recent keynote appearance at a high-profile international conference. For example:	·         Evidence of innovative investment activity with an established track record of supporting successful innovative ventures
Eni Award	-        United Kingdom Research and Innovation Grants program	·         A research-based degree from a top global university, for example, ranked in the top 100 World University Rankings by Times Higher Education	-        Web Summit; International Congress of Mathematicians	·         Evidence of promising entrepreneurial activities that will lead to the commercialisation of a product or service in Australia, particularly where linked to Commonwealth, State or Territory based innovation hubs.
Institution of Electrical Engineers Medal of Honor	-        Funding from the EU Commission		-        American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting or	·         Recognised intellectual property attributed to them, for example holding relevant international patents.
Fields Medal	-        Funding from the US National Science Foundation		-        International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium
Chern Medal	• Other similar level grants.
Abel Prize			·         Earning at or above the Fair Work high income threshold, where:
L’Oreal-UNESCO Award for Women in Science			-        There is written communication from an Australian employer offering employment in Australia with an annual salary equivalent to, or higher than, the high income threshold or
Turing Award			-        The primary applicant's current earnings are an amount equal to, or greater than, the high income threshold.
ACM Prize in Computing
Pulitzer Prize
International Booker Prize
International Tchaikovsky Competition Gold Medal
Olympic Gold Medal
Laureus World Sportsman or Sportswoman of the year

December 04, 2024

Construction Trade Occupation will be prioritized more by Victoria for Australian skilled visas

The Victoria State government will prioritize the construction trade occupation for the skilled visa nomination program for 2024-25. The nomination skill visas included are Skilled Work Regional (subclass 491) and Skilled Nominated (subclass 190) visas, which will target the country's labor shortage.

Below are the lists of prioritized Occupations list from the Construction Trade Occupation:

ANZSCO Code	Occupation Name
331211	Carpenter and Joiner
331212	Carpenter
331213	Joiner
333111	Glazier
333211	Fibrous Plasterer
333212	Solid Plasterer
334111	Plumber (General)
334112	Air Conditioning and Mechanical Services Plumber
334115	Roof Plumber
341111	Electrician (General)
341112	Electrician (Special Class)
342211	Electrical Lines Worker
342411	Cabler (Data and Telecommunications)
394111	Cabinetmaker

December 04, 2024

Canberra Matrix allotted application status and places as of November 28, 2024-2025

The Act Nomination selected and provided places for subclass visas each month, 190 and 491. Below is the allocation provided by November 28 for 2024-2025:

Category	Skilled Nominated (subclass 190)	Skilled Work Regional (subclass 491)	Total
2024-2025 Nomination Places Application Count (as of 28 Nov 2024)	1,000	800	1,800
Total Approvals	238	178	416
Total Refusals	18 (7%)	23 (12%)	41
Approvals by Residency Status
ACT Residents	NA	NA	358 (86%)
Overseas Residents	NA	NA	58 (12%)
Remaining Allocation	762	622	1,384

December 04, 2024

Tasmania Migration updated the nomination status and processing time for Australia visas

Tasmania Migration declared the nomination status and processing time for Australia skilled visas:

Category	Skilled Nominated (subclass 190)	Skilled Work Regional (subclass 491)
Processing Times	The oldest application lodged on 19 October 2024.	Same as subclass 190.
Nomination Places Used	679 of 2,100	224 of 760
Nomination Applications Lodged (Not Decided)	247	96
Invitations to Apply (Not Accepted)	58	33
Registrations of Interest (ROI) on Hand	359	334

• Orange-Plus attribute: Candidates with one Orange-Plus attribute will be prioritized and get an ITA in 6 months.
• Subclass 190 candidates with one Orange-Plus attribute will be invited to this year's program.
• Occupation requirement: Must be a skilled occupation to get the Orange-Plus attribute

December 03, 2024

Australian Government updated the new Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL)

On December 3, 2024, the Government of Australia revised the new Core skill occupation list (CSOL). The new CSOL list will help the Government remove old occupation lists in the temporary skilled visa program. CSOL will apply to the core skills stream of the new skills-in-demand visa that will replace the TSS visa on December 7, 2024. It will also apply to the direct stream of Subclass 186 visas.

*Click on this page for New Core Skills Occupation List to work in Australia.