‘Overall decrease in places for many skilled visa streams is evident’: says expert after Australian budget

The Government will maintain the 2021-22 migration numbers at 160,000. However, the size of the program will remain as a ceiling and not a target.

Vivek Asri
_{Image by mohamed Hassan from Pixabay}

Experts believe the focus on Global talent and Business and Innovation visa will affect other programs.

Chaman Preet of Migration and Education Experts, Melbourne said, “The proportional allocation places to BIIP, Global Talent and Family visas will have a significant effect on numbers available for other migration streams. I think an overall decrease in other skilled visa places is evident.”

Listen to Migration expert Chaman Preet explaining the budget:

Here are the highlights of the budget:

Family and Skilled visa streams

Places will remain unchanged, focusing on onshore visa applicants and on reducing the onshore Partner visa backlog.

Skilled Visas
Around 50 per cent of the programs dedicated to skilled visas with priority given to highly skilled migrants in the employer-sponsored Business Innovation and Investor Program and Global Talent visa cohorts.

Family Visas
77,300 places will be available in 2021-22 for the Family visa stream.

Overseas Migration
In 2019-20 a total of 154,000 people migrated from overseas. Experts say this is expected to fall to around 72,000 by the end of 2020-21. However, it will gradually increase to a little over 200,000 in 2023-24.

Sponsored Temporary Parents visas
The validity period for Sponsored Temporary Parents visas has been extended by 18 months for individuals who cannot use their visas due to COVID-19 travel restrictions.

Global Talent Visa
The Federal Government has committed $550 million over the next four years to attract talent and business from overseas.

Temporary Visa
The Federal Government has removed the requirement for applicants for the Subclass 408 Temporary Activity Visa to demonstrate their attempts to depart Australia if they intend to undertake agricultural work. The temporary visa holders can now apply for the Temporary Activity visa 90 days before the expiry. Earlier it was 28 days before expiry.

Student Visa
The 40-hour fortnightly work limit for the international students working in the tourism and agriculture sector has been removed.

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