Australia has long been the desired destination for immigrants all across the world.

Since 1945, when the first federal immigration portfolio was announced, more than 10 million people have settled in this beautiful country.

The country allows aspiring permanent residents get entry via any of the following programs-

• Migration Program for Skilled Migrants
• Business Migration
• Family Migration

Once Australian permanent residency is granted, an immigrant becomes eligible for almost all the benefits provided to a citizen in the country. These include:

• Right to live and study on a permanent basis
• Freedom to work & travel
• Social security benefits and healthcare entitlement
• Privilege to sponsor eligible family members for permanent residence
• Opportunity to become eligible for Australian citizenship after fulfilling the required criteria

However, often immigrants with permanent residency, fail to realise that their visa also comes with an expiry date for international travel facility.

Yes, an expiry date for travel!

All the permanent residents are given with an ‘international travel facility’, which is basically a liberty to depart from and re-enter Australia at any given time. This travel facility is valid for 5 years only starting from the date of visa grant. Even though one is entitled to remain in Australia after the expiry date, it is mandatory to meet the residence requirement or demonstrate close ties to the country to maintain a permanent resident status.

What to do to maintain a Permanent Resident status?

Apply for Resident Return Visa (RRV) (Subclass 155 and 157)

A Resident Return Visa is applied when the travel facility on the current visa has expired or is about to expire in order to re-enter the country. It is a permanent visa specifically designed for current or former Australian permanent residents and former citizen. On the basis of situation, 155 visa is valid for either 5 years or 1 year while 157 visa is valid for 3 months.

Eligibility Requirements

For 5-Year 155 Resident Return Visa

This visa requires an applicant to have spent at least 2 out of the 5 years’ period of international travel facility in Australia. It is not mandatory to show two consecutive years of residence. One can accumulate this period over the 5-year period followed by the application lodgement.

Must Read – Australian Citizenship Reforms 18th October 2017

For 1 Year 155 Resident Return Visa

If an applicant cannot meet the 2 of the last 5-year residence requirement, a 12-month resident visa is the best option to apply. However, one must be able to demonstrate of:

• Being physically present in Australia for not less than 2 years during the 5-year period from the day visa is lodged
• Not being absent for a continuous period of 5 years or more since the grant of permanent residency visa
• Holding a permanent residency visa or departing Australia previously as a permanent resident or citizen.
• Having a cultural, business, employment or personal ties to Australia

Eligibility Requirements for 157 Visa

To get eligible for this visa, an applicant must have:

• Spent at least one day lawfully in the period of 5 years in Australia
• Been a permanent resident or a citizen for the entire period spent in Australia
• Evidence of a compelling and empathetic reason for departure

If the applicant has never been in Australia for a continuous period of 5 years or since the grant of visa is given with an option to show a compelling reason behind the same and apply for the visa.

Some examples include:

• Work or study obligations
• Severe illness or death of an overseas family member
• Natural disaster
• Legal proceedings including sale of property or vowed obligations
• Other significant personal events like waiting for a year to let a child complete their education

How We Can Help?

Getting and maintaining permanent residency visa is a process that demands extreme precision. Our willingness to meet the precise needs and achieve the outcome that the client desire, make us one of the leading consultancies in the immigration industry.

From listing out the most suitable options to lodging an accurate application in the given time, our immigration consultants make sure that the requirements are met accurately.

Reach us today or book a consultation to get the best assistance in extending your PR visa.

Still have queries or doubts? Visit Aussizz Group Forum and get them resolved right away!

All these years, you’ve always felt proud of arriving early in the office and being the last to leave.

You never failed to work even in the lunch hour or missing your deadlines.

It’s been ages you took a real vacation and a word called “hobbies” no longer exists in your dictionary.

And then one fine day, when you were willing of taking that extra responsibilities, headache begins to soak your forehead.

Even a glare to that computer screen suddenly seems so disturbing.

Your eyes have gone through a particular sentence couple of times yet you failed to extract its meaning.

Moreover, getting through the long list of documents to read or e-mails seems as frightening as scaling a mountain. You want to do much more work but your brain is telling you to stop.

Well, no matter how much we love our jobs, it’s natural to have days where you feel tired of sitting in a cubicle and want to work at your own pace.

Fortunately, there’s one option that allows you vacationing and make some serious cash at the same time.

But how, you ask?

By Taking a Working Holiday!

A Working Holiday allow travellers to work and live in another country for a specific period of time. This means, you are not only free to try out a profession that you’ve never considered before but also get the freedom to travel anywhere throughout the country without any budget constraints.

Why Consider Australia for a Working Holiday?

Australia’s Working Holiday Program is among the most popular in the world. It allows citizens of 39 countries to live and work in Australia for up to 1 year along with an option to extend the visa for another 12 months (if certain criteria is met).  

There has never been a dearth of employment opportunities in Australia. You can always be sure of getting competitive salaries, flexible working arrangements and professional development.

Besides, living in one of the most beautiful continents, here’s what you can expect to explore:

Relish a dive in a pool inside an Ocean

This has certainly raised your eyebrow, how can anyone swim in a pool, within an ocean? But this is possible; there are various spots around the country, where your dream to splash your tiredness in a man-made pool within an Ocean can come true.

Few renowned names are Manly and Bondi in New South Wales, also there are places recently -refurbished Merewether Baths of Newcastle on the state’s central coast.

Enjoy and Cherish your memories of Road Trips

While having fun on developed and wide roads, you can enjoy the adventurous trip on four wheels, no matter it is on guided journey or in your own car. Explore the likes of QLD’s Cairns to Cape York, WA’s Gibb River Road, Tasmania’s East Coast and NSW’s Pacific Coast are all impressive trips.

Refresh yourself with fine wines

Choose your favourite wine from the wide range that has made Australia on the international wine map in last few years. You will see your appetite is pleased. To name few top regions include the Yarra, Hunter, Barossa or Tamar Valleys, and WA’s increasingly popular Margaret River wine region.

Types of Australia’s Working Holiday Visas

There are two types of visas included in the Working Holiday Program of Australia including:

• Working Holiday Visa (Subclass 417)
• Work and Holiday Visa (Subclass 462)

Both the visas allow to stay and undertake work in Australia for 12 months be it part-time, full-time and voluntary work.

However, certain criteria need to be met to get eligible for both the visas.

You must:

• Have an age between 18 and 30 at the time of lodging an application
• A valid passport of the country involved in the Working Holiday Program of Australia
• Be a genuine visitor
• Meet health and character requirements
• Not have lived in Australia before on working holiday visas
• Not have dependent child

How to get started?

With great wages, high quality life style, reasonable living costs and some magnificent donuts and it’s no surprise that Australia receives more than 200,000 applications every year for the Work and holiday program.

However, when it comes to get approval for the visa, an applicant is supposed to do number of things including setting a bank account, making reciprocal healthcare arrangements, applying for Tax File Number (TFN), etc.

This is where Aussizz Group comes into the picture. Being in the immigration industry since 2009, our expertise and assistance have always turned out to be great help in every phase of visa application. We leave no stone unturned to make sure every document is submitted properly and the desired outcome is achieved in the least possible time.

On 20^th April 2017 Immigration Minister introduced the legislation to the parliament with three broad changes to the criteria for Australian citizenship in which the applicant must:

• Have been a permanent resident for at least four years.
• Pass a stand-alone English test
• Have the evidence of contribution to the Australian community including employment or membership of community organisations

This made a lot of migrants with the hopes of being Australian citizen nervous. The new requirements for the Australian citizenship would have made it much more harder for them to attain one. After already going through the tough process and waiting time to be granted the Permanent Residency it would be simply unfair for the migrants who are contributing hugely towards the Australian economy to be subjected to the new changes.

However on 18^th October 2017 this controversial citizenship bill failed to pass the Senate. Despite this, Peter Dutton still intends overhaul citizenship laws.

The current requirements for the Australian citizenship require the applicant to:

• Be a permanent resident at time of application and time of decision
• Be of a good character
• meet the residence requirements

The general residence requirements are as follows;

• The applicant must have lived in Australia on a valid Australian visa for four years before applying &
• been a permanent resident for at least 12 months and immediately lodge an application.

If you applied for Australian citizenship before, on or after 20 April 2017, but before 1 July 2018, your application will be processed under the current rules and you are required to meet the above mentioned criteria.

If you apply for the citizenship on or after 1 July 2018 (subject to the legislation passing) you will need to have resided as a permanent resident for four years.

To avoid being affected by any future changes in the citizenship requirements we encourage all the eligible candidates to act now and apply for the citizenship.

The immigration stopped processing all the citizenship applications submitted after 20^th April. Now as immigration has opened the applications for citizenship there are about 120,000 pending application. This backlog may affect the processing time of your application.

For further information, feel free to get in touch with our experts today.

Did you recently complete your graduation from Australia? Are you mulling over to work or settle there? If yes, then firstly, you must apply for the Job Ready Program (JRP). Well, here is something that you should know about.

Job Ready Program

Job Ready Program is aimed at the international graduates who acquired an Australian qualification issued by a CRICOS registered training organisation.

It is a four-step process which assesses employment-based skills. It offers a chance to manifest your skills and willingness to do a job in the Australian workplace. It is inevitable to undertake JRP before you apply for migration to Australia.

The entire process of JRP initiates by first creating an account on the online portal where you can submit the application details along with the valid documents.

The Trades Recognition Australia (TRA) then reviews your submitted documents and contacts you to confirm whether you are eligible to apply for JRP or not.

What is TRA?

Trades Recognition Australia is a skill assessment service provider. It mainly specialises in assessing people’s trade skills that they gained either overseas or in Australia for the purpose of migration and skills recognition.

Once the Trades Recognition Australia (TRA) acknowledges you with the receipt of your valid application documents that you have submitted for the JRP, you can formally start the JRP Process.

Steps undertaken by TRA for the JRP Verification Process

Step 1: Provisional Skills Assessment

This step verifies whether an applicant is an international graduate with Australian qualification or not. It also checks if the applicant has undertaken any employment or vocational placement in the Australian workplace.

Step 2: Job Ready Employment (JRE)

The purpose of this step is to let you gain experience in an Australian workplace to evolve skills that are related to your nominated occupation. It is your duty to find a relevant occupation to that assessed in Step-1.

It is essential that you must have completed at least 1725 hours of paid employment over a minimum period of 1 year in an Australian workplace from your JRE start date which is approved by the TRA. During this period, you need to keep a Job Ready Journal with you in which you should mention your tasks and duties that you undertake at your workplace.

Step 3 : Job Ready Workplace Assessment

This step determines whether you are working at the required skill level or not at your workplace. This assessment is conducted by an assessor from a TRA-approved registered training organisation.

The assessor checks the tasks and duties that you are required to perform at your workplace as penned in your Job Ready Journal.

Step 4 : Job Ready Final Assessment

After successful completion of steps 1, 2, & 3, you are now eligible to apply for the last step. This step provides you with a skills assessment outcome which you will require for submitting an application to the Department of Home Affairs for independent skilled migration visa.

Important Updates to Consider Before Submitting Applications for JRP

• As per the approval from TRA, the applicants can now email their application documents. But, the documents must be attached as a single PDF.
• If you submit the documents in formats except for PDF, your application will not be processed further, and it will be returned to you.
• If you don’t wish to email your documents, you can even post them to the TRA. But, make sure that you post only the certified copies of your documents.
• You must submit applications that are decision ready. If you don’t provide all the required information and documents, your application might be rejected.

If you require any further information or assistance with the Job Ready Program Application, then our migration agents can help you with that. They know the entire process thoroughly and aim to guide you with the best possible solutions. You can even come and see us at our nearby branch in your city or get in touch with us via email or phone.  

The year 2017 is marked by significant changes in a number of Australian visas. This has been clearly reflected in the processing times of Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (RSMS) 187 visa.

The Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (subclass 187) Visa is a PR (Permanent Residence) visa for the skilled migrants who desire to work in regional Australia. This RSMS Programme is applicable only outside the major cities of Australia like Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Newcastle, and Wollongong as they are not included in Regional Australia.

With the announcement of future modifications in the procedure, the number of applicants for the Regional Sponsored Visa 187 has increased to a huge number. As a result, the processing time has also risen with the included RCB (Regional Certifying Body) advice by Immigration South Australia.

The visa processing for RSMS requires going through three stages, including:

Stage 1: Advice from RCB

• In this stage, the RCB demands certain proofs from the employer to examine whether his application is genuine or not.
• This advertisement period counts 4 weeks followed by an application process of 8 weeks.

Stage 2: Nomination Application

• In this step, it is checked if the employer has nominated you for a vacant/new position or replaced your post with the existing one. This needs to be proven with some documents.
• Department of Home Affairs verifies the genuineness of the requirement and cross-check the provided documents.
• This whole procedure takes about 10 months to get the nomination approval.

Stage 3: Visa Application

• Once the nomination gets approved, you can lodge your visa application. This can also be done while waiting for the nomination approval.

So, to reduce the processing period and avoid the new changes due to be introduced in March 2018, you can lodge all these three stages at the same time.

Must Read: All you need to know about RSMS 187 Visa

Here is how Aussizz Group comes to your aid to complete the processing of your 187 Visa

We have a team of expert and registered migration agents who can assist you from the initial stage of processing your application till the grant of visa and even further with the citizenship application.

Our team communicates with your employer directly so that you and your employer can breathe in relief as we take care of the whole procedure. Our migration team adheres to a strict code of conduct when it comes to the confidential information of our clients and leaves no stone unturned to help them get a positive outcome.

How can you start your application for Regional Sponsored 187 Visa with the Aussizz Group?

Are you also the one looking to apply for RSMS visa (subclass 187) soon? If yes, then make a move at the VERY MOMENT. You can prearrange an appointment with our expert migration agents and receive their recommendations and advice on document requirement and other visa obligations.

To initiate your application for 187 Visa, you need to submit the essential documents and necessary information to us. Once we acquire the prerequisites, we aim to lodge your application within 2 Business days.

How can you get in touch with the Aussizz Group TODAY?

We believe in keeping our clients updated and serve them with the best solutions for their problems. You can even ask specific queries related to 187 Visa on the immigration expert forum. You can feel free to visit our nearby office in your city or contact us via phone or email. 

Are you a Permanent Resident of Australia? If yes, then are you contemplating to gain the Australian Citizenship? Well, to acquire citizenship of Australia, you need to meet certain conditions set by the Government.

Here are the criteria for applying for Australian Citizenship.

• You need to be a PR of Australia.
• You should not have been absent from Australia for more than one year throughout your PR period.
• Passing the citizenship test is necessary.
• You must meet the ‘good character’ requirement that includes the Police Checks.

On 20^th April 2017, the Australian Government announced some new requirement to acquire the Australian Citizenship.

These requirements include:

• All applicants need to pass the stand-alone English test which will examine their proficiency in Reading, Writing, Speaking, and Listening English language.
• The applicant is required to have lived in Australia as a Permanent Resident for at least 4 years.
• The level of citizenship test will be strengthened to determine whether an applicant understands and commits to the shared values and responsibilities while residing in Australia.
• All the applicants will need to show measures that they have taken to contribute to the Australian community. These measures include evidence of one’s employment, their membership in the community organizations of Australia, and school enrolment of their eligible children.
• At present, there is no set limit to the number of times an applicant fails in the citizenship test. But the new requirement says that an applicant can fail the test only thrice.
• For applicants who indulge in any sort of cheating during the Citizenship test, an automatic fail will be introduced to them.

However, this announcement raised many concerns and protests among the residents of Australia and even political personalities against the Government. 

As a consequence, the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee came up with its reports on the Australian Citizenship Bill 2017. This report states that the Committee made four major recommendations regarding the Government’s citizenship changes. These recommendations were tabled in Parliament on 5^th September 2017.

These recommendations include:

Recommendation 1:

The Committee has asked the Government to clarify the standard for English language but also stated that the standard must not be set too high that it would disqualify the eligible applicants from achieving citizenship.

Recommendation 2:

The Committee also asked the Government to revise the imposition of 2-year ban on applicants for citizenship who failed three times successively in the citizenship test. Instead, the Government should introduce some additional tests on a cost-recovery basis to reduce the fraudulent applications.

Recommendation 3:

The Committee even asked the Government to consider introducing some transitional provisions for citizens who hold permanent resident visas on or before 20^th April 2017 so that the current residency requirement applies to this group of citizenship applicants.

Recommendation 4:

The Committee has asked the Senate to pass the bill.

Will the Government amend the bill by considering the recommendations and pass it or will it stick to its statement? We just have to wait and watch for the Government’s final declaration. Watch this space for all such updates and announcements. If you are seeking any further details on the information or updates regarding the Australian Citizenship, feel free to contact us or visit our nearby office.

21^st June 2017 came as a blessing for the Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC) as it received the prestigious title of being a full signatory of the Washington Accord.

Washington Accord is an international agreement between bodies that are responsible for accrediting the Engineering Degree Programmes in their respective signatory countries. It is a globally recognized standard of engineering education and accreditation system. It grants significant equivalence of degrees at an international level. This simply aims to benefit engineers with mobility across borders.

The PEC was representing Pakistan to avail this dignitary position since 2011. And, it finally succeeded in 2017.

So, congratulations to the engineers from Pakistan!!      

As an outcome of the new agreement, the engineers from Pakistan will now get extraordinary opportunities to accomplish their dream of studying or getting a job abroad with no barriers for Competency Demonstration Report (CDR). They are even eligible for the Skills Assessment via the Accredited Qualifications pathway for the migration purpose.

To recognize if a particular qualification is accredited under the Washington Accord, it becomes inevitable for that particular qualification to be listed on the list of Washington Accord Accredited Qualifications. This list is available on the PEC website. Another important requirement is that that particular qualification has to be completed in or after 2017.

Kudos to the dignitaries of the PEC for achieving the highest milestone of global recognition by the Washington Accord!!

It seems like this has been a great year not only for the Engineers from Pakistan but also across the globe as there is back to back good news for them!

Engineers Australia has announced that it will accept the Pearson’s Test of English Academic (PTE Academic) from 1^st November 2017.

If engineering is your passion and studying or settling abroad is your dream, then we, at Aussizz Group, have a line-up of immigration agents and education consultants to assist you through the entire journey. We are spread wide across the globe in Asia, Australia, and UAE. With years of experience, expertise, and knowledge, you can see your dreams turning into a reality with us. For more details, you can contact our team nearby you TODAY!!

As we mentioned in our previous blog, there are many changes that the Australian Government has introduced to the Visa Rules. This has major effect on the Visa Subclasses 457, 186 (Employer Nomination Scheme), and 187 (Regional Scheme Migration Sponsor). We penned down the changes that were announced in April, July this year and those that are expected to be announced in December, 2017 and March, 2018.

We have been getting a lot of questions related to the changes and how it will affect the individuals who are already holding or are planning to apply for either one of these three visas. Here, we answer those frequently asked questions.

What will happen to the 457 visa holders who are completing their 2 years after March 2018?

Australia’s Department of Home Affairs has not yet issued any statement regarding that. As soon as we have any information from the Department of Home Affairs, we would provide the update.

I am on 457 visa and want to change my employer. Can I do that?

Yes, it is possible. You must ensure that the transition between sponsoring employers is smooth or you could risk breaching your visa conditions. When changing employer your new employer must be an approved sponsor and they must nominate your occupation. Until this nomination is approved, you must not commence work with your new sponsor. If you do begin your new job prior to the paperwork being finalised, your visa could be cancelled and this is a breach of your 457 visa conditions. The new sponsor may need to prove that the position is a genuine requirement for their business and that they are offering a ‘market rate’ salary. They may also need to show labour market testing and, depending on your passport, you may need to sit the IELTS English test.

My 457 visa will expire in April 2018 so can I apply for PR with previous rules or are the new rules applicable?

People holding 457 who will complete their 2 years before March 2018 are unaffected by the changes and can apply for the ENS as long as they complete their 2 years before March 2018.

What about the new SOL for 2017-18 for 189 Visa? Have they released? What about accountants, will they remove this occupation?

Yes, the new SOL for 2017-18 for 189 Visa has been released and Accounting is in MLTSSL.

If I hold 457 Visa, what happens after the period of stay gets over?

If you complete 2 years before March 2018 then you can still apply for the Australian PR. For current 457 holders who will complete their 2 years after March 2018, the Immigration Department of Australia has not updated the information regarding the criteria.

What happens to the applicants who have lodged their 457 visas just before the changes have been introduced?

Currently it takes around 4-6 months for 457 visa application process. You can get the 457 granted for 2 years if your occupation falls in the skilled list but if it is on the STSOL then it doesn’t lead to PR.

I’m currently a 457 visa holder for 2 years, and now I want to apply for PR before March 2018, do I need IELTS to apply for PR?

Yes, you will require IELTS 6 bands to be able to apply for PR from July 2017 onwards.

I am on 457 Visa and it expires after July 2017. Will I be eligible to apply for PR?

As per the current rules you can apply for 186 transition stream (TRT), if you complete the 2 years on 457 Visa before March 2018. But if you do so after March 2018, there will be new requirement which will be you would have to complete 3 years with your employers. Then, you will not be eligible to apply for that stream.

My 457 Visa will expire in 2018. So, will the new rules be applicable to me?

If your visa expires after March 2018 then new rules will apply to you.

Do I need 3 years’ experience before applying for 457 or after?

If you apply for 457 or RSMS visa before the Mar 2018 then it is not mandatory to have work experience in the particular occupation. But if you apply after March 2018, you will require 2 years of experience and if you want to apply for RSMS visa, you need to have minimum of 3 years of exp.

I am on 457 Visa and my occupation is still on the MLTSSL list. Am I still eligible to apply for PR?

If you complete your two years before March 2018 and your occupation is still on MLTSSL then yes, you are eligible to apply for PR under ENS transition stream.

Hope we have been able to answer your concerns related to the 457, ENS & RSMS Visas. If you have any further questions or doubts, you can feel free to contact our team.

Aussizz Group have always strived to provide best solution for any problems related to the Australian Visa. We are delighted to have assisted so many clients and helped fulfil their overseas dreams.

The recent announcements back to back by the Department of Home Affairs have created a lot of confusion amongst the potential applicants of migration and temporary visa for Australia.

Here, we highlight the changes that came into effect and are anticipated in 2017, the new skilled occupation lists, and how the changes would affect you. Note the major changes in 457 Visa, Employer Nomination Scheme visa (ENS) and Regional Skilled Migration Sponsor Visa (RSMS). Also find the answers for the several questions that might concern you!

Recent changes in the month of April, 2017 regarding 457 Visa

• People holding 457 visa are unaffected by the changes and can apply for the ENS as long as they complete their 2 years before March 2018.
• Introduction of additional requirements (caveats) to be met to apply for different occupations on both the list.

For Example: for a Beauty Salon manger occupation, the business must have minimum 5 employees (part-time & full-time combined). For a Hair dresser occupation you must have a minimum of 2 years’ experience.

Major Changes as per the announcement on July 1, 2017

Skilled Occupation lists (MLTSSL & STSOL) are updated. Department of Home Affairs will be assessing and updating it every 6 months.

If occupation falls on MLTSSL then you will still be able to apply for ENS but if it falls under STSOL, there will not be any PR options for you.

If you are an existing 457 visa holder and want to apply for ENS Visa:

• Mandatory IELTS with minimum score of 6.0 bands each. (previously there was an exemption that was if your employer offered higher package then it is exempted i. e high income earners)

If you have already applied for 457 visa and it is not granted yet:

• Application after 1 July 2017 will have to undergo mandatory skill assessment which will depend on the country of your residence and the occupation you apply for.
• Compulsory submission of police clearance certificate (PCC) from home country or country where you have stayed for last 3 months.
• Training benchmark will be applicable.

Changes that are expected to be in effect from December 2017 (i.e re-assessment after 6 months)

• Department of Home Affairs would ask for TFN (Tax File Number) to be submitted along with the application.
• Department of Home Affairs would be publishing the results for all the sponsors who has not met the requirements in the past, have been blacklisted and upon investigation have not complied with the sponsorship requirements. The list will have the names of the businesses with the reason of the ban mentioned.
• If you are currently on the 457 visa, you may be eligible to apply for the General Skilled Migration (GSM) visa.

Again in March 2018, the Department of Home Affairs is expected to announce the following important changes.

For 457 Visa

• 457 Visa will continue till Mar 2018 only.
• From Mar 2018, the 457 visa will be replaced by TSS (Temporary Skill shortage Visa) with 2 streams: Short Term (2 years) and Medium to Long Term (4 years)
• Increase in the fee structure of visa application: Current charges for 457 Visa is AUD 1060. From Mar’18 it will be AUD 1150 for short term. For medium term the fee will be AUD2400.
• For 457 Visa, as long as you are completing your 2 years before Mar 2018, you should be able to apply for the ENS visa.
• For the STSOL occupation, there will only be one more chance for the renewal of the 457 visa. However, there will be no pathway under ENS scheme towards Permanent Residency (PR). For example: Profession of a cook falls under STSOL. You can get an extension for next two years but cannot apply for visa under ENS scheme.
• For the occupation listed on MLTSSL, there is still a pathway to Permanent Residency (PR).
• IF you want to apply for PR and your occupation list falls under STSOL then you might still be eligible to apply under General Skilled Migration (GSM).
• 457 Visa will continue till Mar 2018 only.

English Language Requirement:

• For the occupations on STSOL, the English language requirement is the same. i.e of 4.5 bands in each module and 5 bands overall or PTE equivalent.
• For occupations on MLTSSL, you require minimum 5 bands each for IELTS or PTE equivalent.

For TSS Visa, ENS Visa (Subclass 186) & RSMS Visa (Subclass 187)

• Not many options available for applications holding student visa.
• To apply for RSMS, you would require minimum 3 years of relevant full-time experience. Thus, it is better to apply for RSMS before Mar 2018 for the applicants who are eligible/ have the option to do so.
• Currently there is no minimum salary that is applicable for RSMS. For the 457 visa the min package is of AUD 53900. And this will be implemented for RSMS as well.
• Training requirements:
• The training benchmark criteria are currently applicable to only 457 visa and not RSMS visa. From Mar 2018, you have to meet the training requirements. It is not exactly a benchmark, but more like a training levy.
• To apply for TSS visa from Mar 2018, your employer or the business needs to meet the requirement of the training levy which basically means that they have to contribute to the Australian Training Fund so that it can be used to train other Australian PR and citizens. They have to contribute every year until their visa gets approved.
• To apply for TSS visa, if the business turnover is less than 10 million AUD, then the training levy will be AUD 1200 per applicant.
• To apply for TSS visa, if the turnover is more than 10 million AUD, then AUD 1800 will be the training levy.
• For ENS and RSMS, if it is a business with turnover of less than 10 million AUD, the training levy would be around AUD 3000 & for more than 10 million AUD it would be around AUD 5000. Applicable to the direct entry stream of both.

Age Criteria:

• There are lot of applicants on the 457 visa for like 10-15 years, and never applied for the ENS visa. The new changes from Mar 2018 will restrict the age as well. The max age is 45. For applicants aged above 45, you would not eligible to apply for ENS or RSMS.
• If you are under 50, you can apply for ENS and RSMS before Mar 2018.

Work Experience:

• If you want to apply for TSS visa, you must have min 2 years of experience. It does not have to be same as the occupation but should be highly relevant to it depending on the case. For RSMS, you would require 3 years’ min experience.

Now that you know about the changes, in our next blog, we have answered a few frequently asked questions related to Australia 457, ENS, RSMS Visas for you to make things more clear.

Aussizz Group believes in providing premium services to all the clients. Our education and immigration consultants believe in keeping you updated and provide you with better solutions to your problems.

Not sure if you have the required points for a visa? Download OccuSearch and find out now!

Migrating to Australia to study or settle calls for an insane amount of time.

Collect the original supporting documents, make arrangements with the insurance companies, get a tax clearance, and file a proper visa application.

With so many daily obligations to fulfil, you don’t get enough time during the entire day to do everything, and you feel stretched to your limit.

What if you are told to hire an immigration consultant?

It will come as no surprise to get a resounding “NO” as an answer.

Most often when it comes to migrating abroad, people refrain themselves from getting assisted by an immigration or education consultant due to the fear of scams or fraudulent activities.

A lot of misconceptions about these consultants float around the market which in turn lead people to apply for visa on their own, making them fall prey to visa rejections.

So, this article is all about knowing what those misconceptions are, and subsequently busting them.

Myth 1: They’re Frauds. They’re Only Interested in Money!

We have the habit of compromising with the quality when it comes to saving money. If you disagree to it, then all we can say is, “Fess up!” Most of us do really do that! And the same applies to hiring an immigration consultant. We prefer to seek services from someone who sounds official but is not licensed. Australian immigration law is complex and the process to get a visa can be difficult to navigate. Hence, one needs to look for someone who is authorised and possesses an in-depth knowledge of immigration procedures.

But how to know that the representative is in fact an authorised one?

Well, a professional immigration consultant is always registered with the office of the Migration Agents Registration Authority (MARA). It is an Australian Government authority that registers migration agents and regulates their profession.

Myth 2: Anyone can apply for a Visa! What’s so Special about Them?

Since a professional immigration consultant is registered with the relevant authority, the entire immigration process is administered with utter perfection. Such individuals are acquainted with all the laws and regulations of Australian immigration, hence there is no room for silly mistakes or delays in the processing of visa.

While the choice of hiring or not hiring such consultant is absolutely yours, we’d just like to add that applying for a visa without their help increases the chances of visa rejection. There are a number of factors that can make visa rejection come as easy as a piece of cake, like lack of awareness, complexity of the case, unwillingness to invest time in going through the instructions, and such; and you’d need no less than an expert on your side to make the chances of rejection go away!

Myth 3: They’re Just Glorified Career Counsellors!

A common myth about these agents is that they are just career counsellors, and nothing else. It’s true that you sometimes require a counsellor to help you decide your strongest areas, and subsequently the career choice that you should go for. While an Immigration and Education consultant would do that very thing – they wouldn’t do JUST that! There’s so much more to what they do.

First of all, your career choice would always reflect your core skills. Secondly, they’ll check with you whether you plan to further settle in Australia and get a PR or not. If you answer in a yes, then they will have to check for course options that suit your competencies, plus feature on the Australian PR course list for that year too. It’s not as easy as just going through a list and striking off your options; it’s about knowing which skills does Australia feel a shortage of that year, and checking whether your skillset fills in that gap or not.

It’s an extremely delicate process in the least, and you cannot afford to go wrong here. An immigration agent hence is your most valued asset when it comes to making your study abroad dream a reality.

Myth 4: They Only Care about Migration; Not Education!

This myth is a tenacious one.

But thank God it’s just a myth!

An ethical immigration consultant is never into stooping to any means to just sell his business. He cannot promote the engineering courses, which are highly aspired in Australia, to the students with Commerce or Arts background. Rather a good consultant would prefer to go for proficiency evaluation of the student and then send them to Australia to pursue the line of study that befits both their educational background as well as their future aspirations.

Myth 5: Got your Visa? You have no Need for Them Anymore!

Whether you are migrating as a skilled migrant or an International student, arriving to a new country introduces you to a plethora of things that are both essential for you to settle in, but unknown to you at that point. These things include accommodation arrangement, applying for a Tax File Number (TFN), opening a bank account, registering with Medicare, etc.  A reliable immigration consultant helps you handle all these things in an extremely hassle-free manner.

Studying or settling abroad is an opportunity that knocks only once. Exaggerating or accepting such myths only serve as a barricade that can inhibit you from getting the experience you deserve. A way to ensure that brilliant experience is by getting in touch with the team of leading education consultants and migration agents at Aussizz Group. With years of experience backing their knowledge and expertise in handling education and visa consulting, you can rest assured that your Australian dreams will definitely turn into reality!