Here’s what you need to get one..

• You must have been in Australia on or before 19 February 2016, and be normally resident in Australia for at least five years prior to lodging the visa application.
• Primary applicants must hold a Subclass 444 visa (New Zealand special category visa, granted to New Zealand citizens on arrival in Australia). Secondary applicants  and dependents can hold any visa or a Bridging Visa A, B, or C.
• Primary applicants must have earned at least the equivalent of the TSMIT (Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold) (currently $53,900), for four years prior to lodgement unless exempt.
• There is no age limit.
• The visa application charge is payable in instalments as follows,
  • The first instalment is $720 for primary applicants, $360 for additional applicants over 18 years of age, and $180 for additional applicants under 18 years.
  • The Second instalment  is $2,880 for primary applicants, $1,440 for additional applicants over 18 and $720 for additional applicants under 18.
• Upon grant, the applicants become Australian permanent residents, with all its perks, and, unlike the citizenship changes that will affect other permanent residence visa holders, the citizenship requirement for Subclass 189 – New Zealand Stream visa holders will be one year of permanent residence only.

Are you eligible for this Australian visa – the Subclass 189 – New Zealand Stream visa? Find out now. Call Australia Here We Come on 03 9573 5200 or book yourself a consultation with one of our experts.  Give yourself the best chance.

The post From Kiwi to PR to Aussie citizenship? 1 July changes announced. appeared first on AHWC.

Oh, the ever dynamic world of Australian Migration! Always changing, always more expensive, always fewer opportunities.

In addition to the government’s unprecedented changes which occurred on 19 April, brace yourselves for more changes on 1 July…

Visa application Charges (VAC) will go up again on 1 July.

According to the Department,

From 1 July 2017 all current VACs will be indexed annually in line with the forecast Consumer Price Index

(CPI) and rounded to the nearest $5.

 The indexation only applies to the 1st instalment component of the VAC.

 Indexation does not apply to 2nd instalment VACs.

The indexation of 1st instalment VACs applies to both primary and secondary applicants.

Please open the document below to see the complete list of increases.

Visa Application Fees Chart commencing 1 July 2017.pdf 

Other changes

• For Employer Nominated (ENS/RSMS) Visas, the English language requirement for all applicants will be raised to competent English (IELTS 6) – with Transitional (from 457 visa) and Direct Entry requirements to be consistent
• The upper age limit for Direct Entry ENS and RSMS will be lowered to 45 years of age
• There will be further changes to occupations lists.

And in November?

Ta Da, the new Temporary Sponsored Parent visa…

• $5000 for 3 years
• $10,000 for 5 years
• Maximum of two 5 year visas
• No work rights
• 15,000 places
• ??? whether you will be able to apply for any other visas whilst onshore (eg Aged Parent, Partner etc)

Need help with all the changes? Unsure what to do? Give yourself the best chance. Australia Here We Come Migration. With you all the way. +61 3 9573 5200

The post 1 July changes. appeared first on AHWC.

I will try to answer  the questions/scenarios that must be raging through your minds, if you’re currently holding a 457 visa….

(Before you proceed though I need to emphasise  that we think you’d be foolish if you don’t consult a reputable Registered Migration Agent or Immigration Lawyer and get professional advice with respect to your options. You’re unlikely to get a second bite of the PR apple if you muck up)

I

I have been on my 457 visa for 2 years or more with the same employer, and my employer is willing to nominate me for permanent residence.

We would advise you to get the employer’s nomination and visa application lodged as soon as possible, ensuring all the criteria are met.

II

I have not been on my 457 Visa for two years with my employer,  but I will have the two years before 1 March 2018.

We would advise that as soon as you have racked up two years with your employer, have your employer nominate you and lodge the visa application before 1 March 2018.

III

I have a 457 visa that expires after the new TSS visa comes into effect, but because I changed employers, I will not have worked two years with my new employer at the time my visa expires. My occupation is on the STSOL. My employer is willing to nominate me.

You must be professionally assessed to see when you meet the requirements for a skills assessment in your occupation, and if not, what actions, if any, can be taken to help you meet the requirements. If you do meet the skills requirements, and other criteria for the Subclass 186 visa – and your employer meets the employer requirements, you will be able to lodge an Employer Nominated Direct Entry Visa application.

Because your occupation is on the STSOL, you cannot transition to permanent residence after March 2018 if you’re  the holder of a TSS visa. Also, you will only be able to apply for a  two year TSS visa, as your occupation in on the STSOL, not the MLTSOL. Your direct Entry nomination and visa application must be lodged as soon as possible but definitely by 1 March 2018.

Contact us  to discuss this situation if you find yourself in it, so that we can asses you for an alternative pathway that may not involve a skills assessment.

IV

I have had a 457 visa for less than two years and my occupation is no longer on the new lists.

You will not be able to apply for permanent residence via the Direct Entry Employer Nominated Visa, but if you have sufficient time left on your visa and can accrue 2 years with your employer (even, at this stage after March 2018*), you will be able to lodge a Subclass 186 Transitional visa. You may however have other options . Contact us without delay to discuss this scenario further.

V

I have a 457 visa that is about to expire. I don’t yet have two years with my employer, but would do if I could get another 457 visa.

If your occupation is on one of the lists, ask your employer to re-nominate you for a 457 visa (in the same occupation) and lodge a new 457 visa application before your current visa expires.  As soon as you have accumulated 2 years on your 457 visas, follow the advice at II above.

VI

I’m on a 457 visa and my occupation is on the MLTSOL, will I be able to transition to Permanent Residence after March 2018, because I will only have two years with my employer after that?

You should be able to transition to Permanent residence after March 2018 as the occupation lists do not apply to Employer nominations that are transitional (i.e where you have been with your employer for at least two years).

VII

I have a 457 visa which will expire after March 2018, but I won’t have two years with my employer at that time. My occupation is on the MLTSOL. My employer is willing to nominate me.

You could obtain a skills assessment in your occupation (if you have the necessary qualifications) and then lodge a Subclass 186 Direct Entry Visa application. Alternatively, you could apply for the new TSS visa, notch up three years with your employer, and transition to PR that way, keeping in mind that the new “Skilling Australia Fund” Levy will apply to nominating employers to the tune of between $3000 – $5000, depending on the size of the business.

VIII

I have another scenario you haven’t covered above.

Contact us on +61 3 9573 5200 or by email or we’ll book you in for a consultation, or you can book one yourself here.

If you were looking forward to PR via your 457 visa and your world has just been turned upside down, call us. Give yourself the best chance.

*At this stage, we think that the two year period required for a transitional Employer Nominated Visa will remain, but this has not yet been confirmed by the Minister. To transition to PR from the new TSS Visa, you will need three years with an employer and an Occupation on the MLTSOL.*

The post Help! I’m on a 457 visa, what do I do now about PR? How do the changes affect me? appeared first on AHWC.

1. There are two new Occupation Lists that have replaced the Skilled Occupation List (the SOL) and the Consolidated Skilled occupation list. The new lists are called the Medium Long Term Skilled Occupation List (MLTSOL) and the Short Term Skilled Occupation List (STSOL), which when combined with the MLTSOL is the "new CSOL".
2. The new lists removed 216 occupations on the previous list and some retained occupations have "Caveats" or extra requirements.
3. 457 Visas will be replaced by Temporary Skill Shortage Visas (TSS) in March 2018.
4. TSS visas will be granted for two years if you have an occupation on the STSOL and four years if you have an occupation on the MLTSOL. There will be a maximum of two two year visas for STSOL occupation holders.
5. A two year TSS Visa will cost $1,150 for each adult applicant and $290 for a child.
6. A four year TSS Visa will cost $2,400 for adults and $600 for a child.
7. There will be no pathway to permanent residence for two year TSS's where the occupation is on the STSOL, and for TSS visa holders with an occupation on the MLTSOL, the transition period to Permanent Residence will increase to three years (from two currently).
8. In the intervening time while we await the TSS Visa, with immediate effect, 457 visas will only be granted for two years where the occupation is on the STSOL and four years if you have an occupation on the MLTSOL. This will apply even if you  lodged your visa application before the changes were announced.
9. If you have lodged a 457 visa application nominating an occupation that is not on the new lists, you will be invited to withdraw your application, or have it refused.
10. If you are on a 457 visa, and you accrue 2 years with your employer whilst on the visa, you will still be able to transition to Permanent Residence, if your employer is willing to nominate you, no matter whether your occupation has disappeared or is on the STSOL.

After all the changes (and the budget changes as well), we advise more than ever that you find yourselves a reputable Migration team to assess your best options and prepare your applications. 

Call the experts at Australia Here We Come, and give yourself the best chance +61 3 9573 5200, or book a consultation today.

The post 10 things you should know about the demise of the 457 visa, and its replacement, the new TSS Visa appeared first on AHWC.

The post WTF Just happend last week? New lists, New rules, No warning. appeared first on AHWC.

"Abolition and replacement of the 457 visa – Government reforms to employer sponsored skilled migration visas

The post BREAKING NEWS…NEWS.. 457 visas appeared first on AHWC.

Would you like to stay in Australia? Have you thought about a Subclass 485, Temporary Graduate visa? This visa could provide you with the opportunities and work experience which could  set you up for general skilled migration and the wonderful world of Australian permanent residence. 

Here are some important tips to increase your chances of getting that Subclass 485 Temporary Graduate Visa.

You must meet the Australian 2 year study rule.

Your course or courses combined must be CRICOS registered and be at least 92 weeks long in total.(2 years).

You must apply within six months of your course completion date

Your completion date is the date you have completed all the components of your course – generally the date contained in your completion letter. It is not the date of your graduation or the date on your degree testamur or diploma or certificate.

You need English if you don't have an exempt passport.

 You must have the required level of English by the date of your visa application.

The following table shows the scores required for the various approved English tests.

 Please note that you will continue to meet the English requirement if you hold a passport from the UK, the US, Canada, New Zealand or the Republic of Ireland which means that you are exempt from the English language requirements above. 

English language test are valid for 3 years immediately before your application date. Be aware that skills assessing authorities may prescribe which English test you must sit.

You must apply for a skills assessment before you lodge your visa application if you're applying via the Graduate Work Stream.

Those of you with a Bachelors, Masters or Doctorate who meet the criteria for the Post Study Work Stream (ie you have a higher education degree and your first student visa was granted after 5 November 2011), do not require a skills assessment. Your skills assessment must be approved 

Is this the right visa for you?  Find out fast. Book a consultation now (click here) ,and we'll get you started on the road to your Subclass 485 Graduate Visa!

The post International student? Finished your studies? Apply for a Graduate Visa! appeared first on AHWC.

If  you can’t back up your  self-calculated score with suitable evidence in your Skilled Visa application or Business Visa application, your visa application will be refused, and in a worst case scenario, you may  be prohibited from applying for any other visa for another three years because of the  Australian Immigration Department’s Fraud Public Interest Criterion 4020 (PIC 4020).  Australian Immigration Department case officers  impose this ban where visa applicants have claimed points and are then unable to produce plausible evidence for the points claimed in the skilled migration points test. This ban is imposed on the basis that you have provided the DIBP with bogus information and/or documents.

At Australia Here We Come, we’ve had extremely anxious applicants who have done their own points test calculations phone us after lodging EOI’s worrying whether or not they have calculated their points test accurately. In almost all cases we find that they have inadvertently miscalculated their points score which they have then provided to the Australian Immigration Department. Callers in most cases had submitted their EOI’s with clearly overestimated points test scores.

Doing this, as mentioned above may attract PIC4020’s sanctions, but fortunately we are usually able to assist clients in these cases to eliminate this danger and submit a correct points test score via the EOI system ( and of course seriously reduce their anxiety levels!).

It goes without saying that Australian Migration Law, the Migration Regulations and the idiosyncratic Australian Immigration Policy is complex and lengthy. Policy dictates almost every aspect of Australian visa application procedure and is available to the department of immigration and Registered Migration Agents and Immigration Lawyers. It is extremely difficult for a potential visa applicant with no formal migration law knowledge and no way to access policy to properly assess their own points score. By way of example, how do you know without access to policy when your employment is at skilled level, or which qualifications count? How do you know what you’ve overlooked? 

Is it possible your points score in fact be higher than you’ve calculated, giving you a much higher chance of receiving an invitation? Do you know how to lawfully increase your points score relatively easily?

Recently, we came across a visa applicant who claimed she had 85 points – a score that is nearly impossible to achieve, and  after her score was recalculated by one of our Registered Migration Agents, who is expert in Australian permanent residency and the Skilled Migration points test, we found her score was in fact 55. We took steps on her behalf to prevent any sanctions mentioned above and we also advised her as to the steps to take to increase her score to allow her to receive an invitation to lodge her Australian permanent residence application. She now has permanent residence via the Skilled Independent stream.

Given the ridiculously exorbitant cost of visa application fees these days, it is false economy not to consult a Registered Migration Agent or Immigration Lawyer to assist you with your Skilled Visa or Business Visa points test, your EOI and your visa application.

At Australia Here We Come we offer a no visa no fee guarantee for SkillSelect Skilled visas, giving you peace of mind visa wise and financially. Contact us today and book a consultation. Call +61 3 95735200  or enquire here

The post Points Test Australia – adding it up looks easy but don’t be fooled! appeared first on AHWC.

With respect to criminal convictions, many clients think fines are not criminal convictions or offences, especially where the fine has been paid in full. However, generally, the only fines that are truly not criminal convictions are simple traffic offences such as low level speeding, parking fines etc. 

WHERE A FINE HAS BEEN DETERMINED BY A COURT IT BECOMES A CRIMINAL CONVICTION EVEN WHERE IT IS A FINE HANDED DOWN BY A COURT "WITHOUT CONVICTION". SUCH CONVICTIONS MUST BE DISCLOSED AND THEY WILL APPEAR ON YOUR CRIMINAL RECORD.

We are finding that some of our clients have ticked "no criminal convictions" on say their working holiday visa applications, and subsequent Subclass 457 visa applications. Then they move onto their permanent resident applications where they are required to produce police certificates from every country in which they have reside for 12 months or more since the age of 16. Suddenly the court fines they had "forgotten" about appear and we hear the usual story that they didn't think a fine was a conviction.

Now we have other problems – non disclosure of criminal information on prior visa applications, which, if disclosed from the outset, would have caused few, if any problems, all of which could have been disappeared with a good legal submission and Statutory Declaration.  Now we have a situation where you have provided bogus information to the ABF and the potential ramifications outlined above.

The takeaway from this is that you must think carefully about the questions that require you to disclose information about your criminal history. If you have ever been summonsed to court, appeared in court or charged with any offence, or fined by a judge or magistrate you should seek a police certificate from that country to clarify what it was that eventuated from those circumstances.

Don't forget those pesky incoming passenger cards either. These also require disclosure – and the Dept save these in your file to compare to other applications lodged later. Recently for example, we had a client who stated he had no criminal convictions on his passenger card and then disclosed convictions on a PR applications after being reminded of them by a police check. Case officer was none too pleased and threatened to throw the book at him (i.e. refuse his visa and ban him for three years for lying). Luckily for him, he contacted us… 

If you have any questions about the issues raised above, please don't hesitate to call us on +61 3 95735200 or make an enquiry today.

The post Sure you don’t have any criminal convictions? What about those fines? appeared first on AHWC.

Congratulations to the following brand new Australian Visa holders:-

Sharon O | Subclass 820 Partner visa

Emma S |Subclass 186 Employer nominated permanent residency

Rose C  | Subclass 820 Partner visa

Paul P | Subclass 186 Employer nominated permanent residency

Stephanie H | Subclass 186 employer nominated permanent residency

Mark W | Subclass 186 employer nominated permanent residency 

Richard F | 801 permanent residency

Tania D | multiple visitor visa 

Vili T | 461 NZ family member visa

Michael Q | 820 partner visa

Julie-Ann B | Subclass 820 partner visa

Kristina P | Subclass  820 partner visa

Elise A | Subclass 186 Employer nominated permanent residency

Kieran H | Subclass 186 Employer nominated permanent residency

Roisin O | Subclass 186 Employer nominated permanent residency

Sean S | Subclass 186 Employer nominated permanent residency

Kevin G | Subclass 186 employer nominated permanent residency

Adriena W | Subclass 189 skilled independent permanent residency

And – 7 lucky businesses now able to sponsor 457 visa holders!

Come and join the happy club! Call us on +61 3 9573 5200 or find us on Facebook.

The post More Happy Clients! | Australia Here We Come’s Newest Australian Visa holders! appeared first on AHWC.