Skills In Demand Visa announced
Skills In Demand Visa – launching December 7th
When you work in Migration (or have any dealings with the Government!) you do get used to a bit of ‘hurry up and wait’. The new Skills In Demand (SID) visa was a little like that – announced, then silence for months. Then a lot of rumour. Now we have been given a few days notice that it is coming into effect as of December 7th 2024.
But what does it mean?
Key takeaways
The current Temporary Skilled visas, the Sub Class (SC) 482 will be retired from December the 7th 2024. Anyone with an application in before this date can expect to be processed under the ‘old’ rules.
There will be no change to people currently on a SC482
Anyone who has not applied before the change over must apply under the new rules. These new rules will change eligibility and have a new skills list
The new visa is expected to have a clearer path to PR, reduce the experience needed to apply and have faster processing times
There are three pathways planned, with two expected to be ready for the launch
There is a “Specialist Skills Pathway” that recognises these roles are filling a national need rather than a narrow gap in the market. Aimed at higher earners ($155,000 / year) and those that are ‘highly skilled' the commitment will be for a standard 7 days processing time
The “Core Skills Pathway” has more in common with the temporary visas we have seen before. It is expected to be for 4 years, operate off a new Core Skills List but have simplified application processes
There is an ‘Area for Future Reform’ that will consider how to facilitate lower paid migration. With a Federal Election due in 2025 the future of this pathway is less certain
Next steps
If you are currently on a SC482 visa then you can relax, nothing changes. The revisions to how the new SID visa translates to PR might have some benefit for you but that will become clearer over the next few weeks.
If you are midway through an application for a SC482 then you should contact your Agent before the rules change on December 7th and talk through what this means for you. If your application has not yet been submitted you may want to discuss if the SID visa is a better fit, or how the changes will impact your eligibility.
If you aren’t in a position to apply yet – or don’t qualify for the SC482 as is – then the best course of action is to wait a week or two for the dust to settle and then reach out for a chat about your eligibility.
The team here will have a busy week leading up to December 7th submitting applications for SC482 visas and will spend the weekend getting up to speed with the material that gets released by the Department. From Monday 9th December onwards we will be ready to advise on the new visa and look forward to helping you start your new life in Australia under the new rules.
Links:
Migration Strategy, page 47 on for the SID visa
All information is accurate at time of release but should be considered general information rather than migration advice. We recommend you always consult a Registered Migration Agent for personal advice before committing to a course of action.
If you would like help or advice on a Migration issue please feel free to get in touch on hello@mcdonaghmigrations.com.au and we can set some time up to talk through your options
So, my Agent isn’t Registered? So what!
You don’t have to spend long on any Ex-Pat, migration or visa advice section of the Internet to find “The Swarm”. Any post asking for visa advice, and particularly any post asking for a Migration Agent recommendations, brings The Swarm out in force.
The numbers will vary depending on the popularity of the page and its moderation policies but there will always be a few. The message might be “I can help, WhatsApp me on…”, or a slightly bossier “DM me” or the most direct of all “Message sent”. What there will generally be is a long list of people all offering their migration services.
There are a few common elements to the messages. They will generally not offer any kind of help or advice or be at all specific to the user asking the question. They will be copy & pasted, generic messages that are dropped across multiple message threads. Often it will just be an image of a business card. Low effort, high volume. Sound familiar? It should, because these are classic spammer tactics. And they are almost always from unregistered Migration Agents.
Now this might sound like a bit of a Privilege Whinge. Here at mcdonagh | migration everyone who provides migration advice is a Registered Migration Agent (RMA). That comes with an overhead and a cost, so it might seem like I’m moaning about the competition.
But it’s much, much more serious than that. An article on the ABC (linked below) tells a heartbreaking story of a young woman and her family who were scammed by an unregistered Agency. The family borrowed and spent $13,000, mortgaging their farm to do so. All they have to show for it are a handful of forged documents. Police estimate the scammers made $1.2 million from scores of families. In that single agency. So unregistered agents don’t just steal business from the legitimate industry. At worst they may be criminal fraudsters preying on the vulnerable.
Real vs fake – a spotters guide
So how can you tell a genuine Agent from a fake? It isn’t easy as many will be very convincing. Here are 3 easy checks to verify:
1. Ask for the Migration Agent Registration Number (MARN)
The easiest way to verify. Every genuine RMA will quote you their MARN. It will be in their email signature. It will be on their website and referenced in their online or social media posts. You can verify it is legitimate by searching on the OMARA website. Don’t accept advice from anyone without a MARN. And don’t accept excuses like “I work with an Agent, here is their MARN”. No MARN, no advice!
2. Check the website
Legitimate Agencies will have their registration details listed on the website (our ‘About’ page has a “Legal Detail” section listing my MARN, our company ABN and linking to the Code of Conduct, for example). If an Agency doesn’t list these details, talks about “working with” Agents or doesn’t reference the Code of Conduct then these are red flags
3. The Code of Conduct
All RMAs are bound by the Code of Conduct. And we are bound to tell people that! In my first email to you I will link to the Code and the Consumer Guide. The invite to your Initial Consultation will also link to them. And at the start of that Initial Consult I will ask if you have received them. Because it is essential you are aware of your protections. If your Agent has not mentioned the Code to you, linked to it or sent you a copy then that is another red flag
But not all fake Agents are scammers
A common defence is that some people genuinely offer Migration Services and are unregistered. Outside Australia there is no legal requirement to be Registered to provide migration advice. So why go with a Registered Agent? After all they may be more expensive.
Well it does come back to that Code of Conduct again. To retain registration all RMAs must comply with some rules:
· We must be qualified. We must hold a post graduate qualification in Australian Migration Law and have passed the “Capstone” (an exam with a failure rate of between 40-60% per sitting)
· We must stay up to date. We must have subscriptions to professional libraries (the Law, basically) and undertake annual training
· We must be insured. This gives you cover in case we make errors
· We have obligations around how we manage your money. We must keep your fees separate to our business’ money and ensure we have enough on hand to cover refunds
None of this applies to unregistered Agents.
Migrating to Australia is a once in a lifetime thing. Like getting married or having children it is something that will change your life forever. It is an expensive and time consuming process.
So why risk it by taking a chance on an Agent who isn’t Registered?
If you would like help or advice on a Migration issue please feel free to get in touch on hello@mcdonaghmigrations.com.au and we can set some time up (with an RMA!) to talk through your options
IASAQ collaboration agreement signed!
mcdonagh | migrations agrees collaboration with IASAQ
Here at mcdonagh | migrations we are strongly committed to ensuring that quality migration advice is available to everyone, irrespective of income or means. And – through our irish | to oz brand – we are active in supporting the Irish community into and in Australia.
So we are really pleased to have pulled those threads together by signing a collaboration agreement with the brilliant team at the Irish Australian Support Association of Queensland (IASAQ). The IASAQ is a group dedicated to providing support, care, assistance and consideration to the Irish diaspora in Queensland. They do great work supporting the Community, including helping those who have Immigration questions. mcdonagh | migrations have now agreed to provide discounted Migration advice to all IASAQ users. As part of the agreement the Agency has agreed to provide free of charge (pro bono) advice to those IASAQ users in particular need.
Fionnuala Murphy, the IASAQ Manager said “we are delighted to have mcdonagh | migrations on board to support our agency and the work we do”. Andrew McDonagh, Managing Agent, added “I am really proud to have signed this agreement and excited at the opportunity to help members of the community when they really need it”.
An additional element in the agreement will see mcdonagh | migrations donate a percentage of qualifying fees from referred clients back to IASAQ. Fionnuala added “Thanks also for the generous donation for any migration work you undertake on behalf of our clients; it's very much appreciated!”
In addition to our community work mcdonagh | migrations offers a full migration service to commercial and private individuals. To learn more please email us at hello@mcdonaghmigrations.com.au
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If you would like migration advice on this or any other subject we are always happy to help, please send an email to hello@mcdonaghmigrations.com.au and we will schedule a time to chat.
As always this content is considered correct at time of publication (1st July 2024) but may no longer be current through subsequent changes to legislation, regulation or policy. This is generic information provided for context and education and is not specific migration advice. Always consult a Registered Migration Agent for information tailored to your specific circumstances.
Temporary visa (SC482 and 494) working rights eased
Some very good news for those in Australia on a sponsored temporary work visa! And it isn’t often we get to say that…
Coming into effect on the 1st July 2024 are a series of changes around your ability to switch jobs and your work rights. These are intended to fix some of the power imbalances you have when an employer holds your visa work rights. As I know from personal experience you can feel trapped when losing your job might mean having to leave the country, so these updates are very welcome.
In short, the changes are:
Under the old rules, if you left your job, you had either 60 or 90 days to find a new Sponsor. In the new rules that is now up to 180
In that 180 day period you can work for any employer and in any role – you are not limited to your nominated position
The drive behind this is to reduce exploitation and allow temporary workers the freedom to change roles with much less fear.
As with all changes we will need to see how this works in practice. On the surface though it is a welcome move and one we look forward to supporting our clients with.
You can read the full explained detail on the Government website at this link. If you are either an Employer or sponsored worker and have questions or require support with a SC482 or SC494 visa please email us on hello@mcdonaghmigrations.com.au and we will be happy to help and advise.
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If you would like migration advice on this or any other subject we are always happy to help, please send an email to hello@mcdonaghmigrations.com.au and we will schedule a time to chat.
As always this content is considered correct at time of publication (26th June 2024) but may no longer be current through subsequent changes to legislation, regulation or policy. This is generic information provided for context and education and is not specific migration advice. Always consult a Registered Migration Agent for information tailored to your specific circumstances.
A benefit of Brexit? Impossible!
The UK’s political decisions have always been a bit of a mystery to outsiders, probably none more so than Brexit. Even the pro-Leave side now accept that the complications continue to stack up and the challenges mount from that choice. But there is a little bit of an upside for one group who probably wouldn’t have expected it.
Post Brexit the UK could negotiate it’s own international trade deals. And one of the first, the Australia-United Kingdom Free Trade Agreement (A-UKFTA), came into force at the end of May. I am not going to pretend to understand the complexity and economic risks, benefits, opportunities and costs of that. But it does have a little nugget for anyone on - or planning to get - a SC417 Working Holiday Visa. The increase in age to 35 (from 30) has been pretty well publicised. What has received much less coverage is the fact that UK passport holders no longer have to meet the specified work requirements for second and subsequent SC417 visas. So if you are from the UK you no longer have to go through that dreaded rite of passage of picking mangos in FNQ, working the bar in a dusty roadhouse or shearing sheep in the middle of the Territory in order to extend your stay!
I know a lot of people who have served their time doing ‘farm work’ to qualify for a second visa and the experiences have been almost universally positive. So there is a tiny twinge of sadness at seeing a really authentic Australian experience disappear. As a Migration Agent though this is very important news. It simplifies matters for anyone on a UK passport and a SC417. It makes it easier for them to extend their stay and gives more flexibility to how they can use their work rights. All good things. Crucially these benefits also apply to UK passport holders who received their first SC417 on a non-UK passport. Which is where the irish | to oz team got very interested - if you came to Australia on SC417 and an Irish passport but qualify for a UK passport then you can take advantage of this relaxation of the rules.
Who would have thought that a consequence of Brexit would be to allow young Irish people to stay in Australia without picking pineapples? It is a strange world we live in!
If you would like migration advice on this or any other subject we are always happy to help, please send an email to hello@mcdonaghmigrations.com.au and we will schedule a time to chat.
As always this content is considered correct at time of publication (21st June 2024) but may no longer be current through subsequent changes to legislation, regulation or policy. This is generic information provided for context and education and is not specific migration advice. Always consult a Registered Migration Agent for information tailored to your specific circumstances.
Paging Dr NHS, Dr NHS To Australia please
One Doctors story of transforming his life by moving to Australia
So the whole premise of healthcare | to oz is that the Australian healthcare system is vacuuming up medical and allied health professionals from all over the world. There is a huge social good for Australia in attracting skilled and experienced healthcare professionals to our shores. And what a return we give them when they come! “Put the Life back in your Work | Life balance” is more than a tag line. Working in frontline health is never an easy job - the hours can be long, the patients cranky and the job is pressured. But it doesn’t have to be made harder by funding cuts, incompetent Government or poverty pay. And when the out of work side includes world class beaches, great weather and a relaxed lifestyle you have to ask why you wouldn’t move!
But of course by the time people get as far as speaking to a Migration Agent they are normally pretty sold on the benefits. They know what they want, I just need to help with the How.
Still it is always good to read something that reinforces your own view of the world. And this article from the ABC (the Australian equivalent of the BBC) could almost have been written by our Marketing team it lines so well with our views.
The article starts by talking about an experienced Doctor who found that:
Since moving to the Sunshine State, the 45-year-old says he has seen his salary nearly triple and has found the work hours more sustainable.
That end result is making a lot of NHS staff - and Doctors in particular - ask if Australia is the answer for them. Again from the article:
Australia is the most popular destination for UK doctors, according to the country's regulator, the General Medical Council (GMC).
More than one in five medicos who quit to work abroad are heading Down Under.
In 2022-2023, 1,974 British medical professionals relocated to Australia — a 67 per cent increase from 2021–2022.
Dr Trivedi, from the BMC, said:
"Patients are waiting tremendously long times and actually having bays demarcated in corridors with no privacy, no curtains, where they're waiting 24 hours, sometimes even longer, before a decision is made on where they can go because there might not be enough beds in the hospital," he said.
There are more than 7.5 million cases on the NHS patient waitlist while one in 10 people are waiting more than three weeks to see a GP.
"It doesn't take a genius to wonder why doctors want to go to there [Australia], especially when on top of all those things, they are paid far more than they are currently here in the UK,"
I could quote the entire article - it is a damning indictment of the state the NHS has fallen to and a powerful, independent, argument in favour of migration to Australia.
Here at healthcare | to oz we understand the pressures that NHS staff are under. We get why you would want to explore the opportunities that a new life in Australia can offer. And - having gone through the process - we know how hard it can feel to turn that dream into a reality.
And that is why we can help. We understand the complexities of the visa system, the registration needs, skills assessments and pros and cons of the different avenues that are available. If you would like to follow Dr Deshmukh to Australia and a new life then drop us an email at hello@mcdonaghmigrations and lets get the process started!