Visa Application Charges
All Visa Application Charges (VACs) will be increased in line with the forecast Consumer Price Index and rounded to the neared $5. However, indexation only applies to the 1st instalment and does not apply to 2nd instalment VACs.
Skilled Migration Visas
- Subclass 189: maximum age limit has lowered to 45 years old
- 189 New Zealand visa stream: new permanent visa stream for New Zealand citizens to be granted an Australian permanent residency. The 45 year old age limit does not apply to this visa.
- NZ citizens under 189 visa stream: specification of income thresholds for 2011-2017
- Employer Nominated Migration Schemes (186/187):
- English language requirements – attainment of Competent English score of IELTS score of 6 or equivalent
- Age – a maximum age limit of 45 at the time of applying for Direct Entry stream applicants
- Subclass 457 changes:
- Expanding mandatory skills assessment
- Introducing mandatory penal clearance checks
- Tightening existing training benchmarks
- Removing English language exemption based on a skilled migrant’s salary
- 457 online application system moving from eVISA to ePLUS system from 1 July – any ‘saved’ partially completed 457 applications in eVisa will be lost when the new ePLUS forms are turned on
Other Temporary Visas
- Working Holiday Maker – Visa application charge raised to $440
- Online Visitor visa lodgement for Indian nationals – all Indian passport holders will have the option to lodge visitor visas online
Online Protection Visa Lodgement
- Temporary Protection subclass 785 visa (TPV), Safe Haven Enterprise subclass 790 visa (SHEV) or Permanent Protection visa (PPV) included in the online lodgement system
- PPV, TPV and SHEV will have a single paper application Form 866 from 1 July 2017
- Form 1505 will be made available for subsequent applications for TPV and SHEV
