Australia immigration reform, a must-see!

In October 2024, the Joint Immigration Committee under the Australian Parliament released a heavyweight report proposing 73 immigration policy reform recommendations. These recommendations cover multiple areas such as skilled migration, employer-sponsored visas, and parent visas, aiming to optimize Australia’s immigration system to meet the country’s growing population demand and labor market challenges. Although these policies are still in the recommendation stage and have not yet been implemented, they provide valuable guidance for future immigrants. So, how to choose the most suitable immigration path in this possible wave of reform?

The background of the immigration proposal: why this reform is necessary

As an immigrant country, Australia’s immigration policy has always been one of the core driving forces for national development. However, with the changes in the global economy, labor market, and the adjustment of Australia’s own population structure, the current immigration system faces various challenges. Especially in terms of the quality and quantity of skilled immigrants, labor market demand, and regional development, the existing policies have been unable to meet the country’s long-term development needs.

Therefore, after in-depth research, the Joint Committee on Immigration Issues proposed this reform proposal, with the goal of optimizing the source of immigration and enhancing the contribution of immigrants to Australia’s economy and society through more flexible and diverse immigration policies, especially in the introduction of technical and regional talents.

Immigration advice focuses on areas and potential opportunities

Employer-Sponsored Visa Reform: More Opportunities and Flexibility

• Increase the age limit for 186 visa applicants

For immigrants planning to apply for permanent residency in Australia through employer sponsorship, the reform of the 186 visa is particularly crucial. The committee recommends raising the age limit for applicants of the 186 visa to between 50-60 years old, which undoubtedly provides more opportunities for immigrants who are slightly older but have rich work experience. Especially for applicants for senior management positions or special contributions, they can enjoy exemption from age restrictions.

• 482 Visa Reform: Graded Path Makes Choices More Diverse

The current 482 TSS visa will be replaced by the “Skills in Demand Visa”, which adds three different paths: professional skills path, core skills path, and basic skills path. This means that immigrants can choose the path that suits them according to their skill level, and the application process will be more precise and targeted. High-skilled professionals can choose the professional skills path, while workers with key industry skills can apply through the core skills path.

Skilled immigration reform: expected to increase application success rate

• Legislative guarantee for EOI process

Skilled migration has always been the main force of immigration to Australia. The reform proposal clearly proposes to ensure that the EOI (Expression of Interest) process for skilled migration is more transparent and standardized through legislation. This means that skilled migration applicants will be able to have a clearer understanding of their application status, plan and prepare in advance, and improve the success rate of their applications.

• Optimization of integral system

The new proposal requires a more comprehensive consideration of the skills and experience of the co-applicant in the points test. This is obviously good news for those who hope to immigrate with their families. Through a more comprehensive points consideration, factors such as the education and work experience of the applicant, their spouse, and children may all become bonus points.

Immigration reform in remote areas may be a better choice

• Attract immigrants to remote areas

The Committee recommends that the Government of Australia adopt policy incentives to attract migrants to remote areas, particularly those with lower population densities, such as rural and far north Australia, with the central objective of addressing labour shortages in remote areas and promoting economic and social development in these areas.

If you are willing to move to remote areas of Australia, you can not only enjoy some policy benefits and rewards, but also find more development opportunities in these areas. For example, providing priority for parent visas for medical graduates working in remote areas.

• The long-term opportunities brought by regional immigration

Immigrants working in remote areas usually enjoy lower living costs and faster settlement opportunities. In addition, as the development potential of remote areas continues to increase, these areas may become emerging residential and economic centers for immigrant families in the future.

Parent visa reform: waiting time will become a new focus

Australia’s parent visa is a concern for many immigrants who hope to reunite their families. However, there is currently a problem of long processing times for parent visa permanent residency applications. The committee recommends that the government stop accepting new parent immigration permanent residency applications and accelerate the development of new family immigration visa policies.

This reform means that family members planning to immigrate to Australia through a parent visa may need to reconsider their immigration path. This change may put some pressure on applicants who rely on their parents, but it also brings more flexibility and choices to future family immigration.

Working holiday visa reform: more young people have the opportunity to experience Australia

For many people, working holiday visas have always been an important channel to enter Australia. According to the committee’s proposal, the applicable age for working holiday visas will be extended to 35 years old. This means that more people have the opportunity to experience Australia through short-term work, travel, and cultural exchanges, further paving the way for long-term immigration or career development.

How to choose the most suitable immigration path for you

Faced with these reform proposals, how should immigrants choose the most suitable path for themselves?

Firstly, it is crucial to understand one’s own needs and goals. For example, skilled immigrants can choose the appropriate visa path based on their skills and experience, while employer-sponsored immigrants need to consider the conditions of employer sponsorship and whether they meet the age and experience requirements.

For those who have family immigration needs, they may need to choose between parent visas and other family reunification channels. If you hope to move to remote areas, you can pay more attention to relevant policy incentives and regional development opportunities.

When choosing an immigration path, financial planning is equally important, especially in terms of remittances, investments, and family financial arrangements. If you plan to meet your fund transfer needs through cross-border remittances, BiyaPay provides convenient and low-cost cross-border remittance services. Its Localization remittance method effectively reduces handling fees, and there is no limit to the amount, which can help you quickly and safely transfer funds to Australia. Choosing BiyaPay can make your cross-border fund management smoother and reduce the worries on the immigration road.

Although these 73 reform proposals have not yet been officially implemented, they have provided rich choices and planning space for future Australian immigrants. Immigrants should pay attention to the latest developments of these proposals, combine their own situations, and plan ahead. Whether you are a skilled immigrant, employer-sponsored immigrant, or family reunion immigrant, understanding these reform proposals will help you find the most suitable immigration path for yourself and seize future opportunities.