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State Sponsorship 190 and 491 Visas

The Australian states are now open for sponsorship under the 190 and 491 visas. Check the eligibility criteria for your desired state or territory to see if you qualify.

We have some articles for more information: South Australia / Queensland / Victoria / New South Wales.

Victorian Invitation Rounds

Victoria recently held an invitation round, inviting professionals in various occupations, including Marketing Specialists and Accountants. Having high points for a job in Victoria with a good salary seems to be a relevant consideration from the Victorian Government.

The Victorian Government said that for offshore applicants they are only considering Health, Education, and Social Services.

Selection rounds will continue through September 2023, with the program closing in early 2024. Submit your Registration of Interest as soon as possible.

Western Australia

Western Australia also had the first invitation round for 190 and 491 visas. Some occupations invited were in priority WA Industries: building and construction; healthcare and social assistance; hospitality and tourism; and o education and training. The invitations were to people living in WA, living in other states, and offshore.

Employer-Sponsored 482 to PR in Two Years

If you have held a 457 or 482 visa for over two years, you may be eligible to apply for permanent residency.

Click here to read more about Permanent Residency for employer-sponsored 482 visa holders after 2 years.

Big news coming soon

It is expected that the Minister for Home Affairs will announce the plans for reforms in the next few days or weeks.

One of the changes that may be coming is Refining the Points test

In addition to points we have already covered; the table says better targeted skilled migration will:

• Introduce new permanent skilled visa settings, including exploring a revised points test
• The points reforms could include more points for skilled partners. 
• A more granular system in terms of age and points, for example not losing 10 points when you turn 40. There is also the possibility of cuts to regional points.

Recently Work Visa Lawyers had the opportunity to host an intern as part of the internship programme jointly organised by the Australia China Busines Council (ACBC) SA and the University of Adelaide. We received an intern from the University of Adelaide, Alice Zhu and she performed the following for Work Visa Lawyers as part of her internship:

• provide insights for social media marketing for China
• help arrange posts to the Work Visa Lawyers Weibo account
• analyse and suggest Chinese social media engagement strategies for the business to adopt

In addition to the above Alice managed to produce a video on her own which shares the experience and feelings of a Chinese international student in Adelaide. The video showcases some of the tourist attractions in South Australia, including:

• Hanhdorf
• Adelaide Central Market
• Chinatown
• Glenelg
• Victor Harbour
• Yankalilla
• Kangaroo Island

It is our pleasure to present to you the video made by Alice below:

You can copy and paste the link below into your browser if you are unable to view the video here.

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGc6hC6XXk8&feature=youtu.be

For viewers in China you can also view the video on the Work Visa Lawyers Youku account via the link below:

YouKu: http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XMTY2MDIxNDE2MA==.html#paction

Work Visa Lawyers would like to convey our thanks to ACBC-SA and the University of Adelaide for taking the initiative and making the effort to introduce this internship programme. The internship programme is an excellent platform to allow international graduates here in SA to help Australian businesses become China-ready, and gain practical work experience at the same time. We also thank Alice for her excellent work and contribution during her short time with us.

Principal Migration Agent and Lawyer Chris Johnston with intern Alice Zhu

If you would like to know more, or have an Australia-China visa or migration related enquiry, please feel free to contact Work Visa Lawyers at:

(08) 8351 9956 or +61 8 8351 9956

or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

On 15 March 2016, the Department of Immigration and Border Protection (DIBP) introduced new provisions that allow priority processing of visitor visa applications for Chinese nationals. This program is being run as a trial for the moment, and may expand to include applicants of other nationalities at a later date.

The following are further details:

• The priority processing is only available to passport holders for the People’s Republic of China
• The request for priority processing is only available for applicants of the Visitor Visa Tourist or Business Visitor streams
• The fee for priority processing is A$ 1,000 in addition to the original visa application fee
• The method to request for priority processing differs according to your visa application lodgement method

While you can request for priority processing, there is no guarantee that the visa will be granted quickly. The DIBP repeatedly reminds you that the finalisation of the visa application also depends on factors such as the applicant meeting the health and character requirements. You cannot ask for a refund of the priority processing fee unless the visa application fee is refunded.

Therefore it is best that you prepare all necessary documents and complete all health and character checks before requesting for the priority processing.

Comments by Chris Johnston – Principal Lawyer and Registered Migration Agent at Work Visa Lawyers

The introduction of the priority processing looks positive in encouraging more visitors from China. It also demonstrates the improving bilateral ties between Australia and China. The option of priority processing may also facilitate travel plans for tourists and business visitors from China.

However it will be interesting to observe if the normal processing timeframe gets slower, inevitably forcing more applicants to choose the priority processing option. Furthermore the additional A$ 1,000 spent on applying for a visa may be perceived as a barrier to visit Australia, and may also reduce the amount of travel allowance available while visiting Australia. This means that the spill-over benefits to local Australian businesses and vendors will be reduced.

This information is accurate on 24 March 2016

Source:

https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/F2016L00295/Download

Do you need help with an Australian visa application?

At Work Visa Lawyers we are experienced in assisting applicants in all matters relating to Australian visa applications. Our areas of expertise include Skilled Migration visas, Business Skills Migration visas, Employer Sponsored Work Visas, Partner and other Family Migration visas as well as Migration Review Tribunal, Judicial Review and Ministerial Intervention.

If you require further information regarding your Australia visa options you can contact us through:

(08) 8351 9956 or +61 8 8351 9956

or   This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Starting on 21 September 2015, young Chinese nationals will be able to apply for the Work and Holiday (462) visas and Working Holiday (417) visas to Australia as part of improved visa facilities under the recently concluded China-Australia Free Trade Agreement (ChAFTA). This is the first stage where 1,500 places in the Working and Holiday Visa program are going to be open for application, with more places to be released in further stages until the programme reaches its annual cap of 5,000 places.

To apply for this visa, applicants must take note of the following:

• Hold a valid passport issues by the People's Republic of China
• Age 18-30 at the time of lodging the application
• Will not be with a dependent child while you are in Australia
• Have enough money to support yourself on a working holiday (about AUD 5000)
• Have enough money to buy a return or onward travel ticket at the end of your stay
• Have not previously entered Australia on a Working Holiday visa (subclass 417)
• Meet the educational requirements – usually completing a tertiary qualification
• Have functional English
• Meet character and health requirements
• Holders of Chinese passports are not required to provide evidence of Government support for the grant of the visa
• Chinese applications cannot be lodged by post, and instead must be made by appointment and in person at one of the three addresses provided in either Beijing, Guangzhou or Shanghai

So take advantage of this unique Australian visa that will allow you to visit and work in Australia at the same time! The limited places mean that not everyone in the populous country will be able to obtain this visa so act now and apply! Check with Work Visa Lawyers for your eligibility before applying.

Comments by Chris Johnston – Principal Lawyer and Registered Migration Agent at Work Visa Lawyers

The Work and Holiday visa programme is a great platform for overseas visitors to experience living in Australia for an extended period of time (up to 12 months). The ability to work also means that visa holders can experience the Australian work culture and meet potential employers who might be willing to offer a permanent position if the visa holder impresses. The wages from work done will also allow travellers to see more of Australia during the 12 months of stay.

A word of caution though is that Work and Holiday visa holders need to be aware of employment laws and regulations in Australia so that they are not abused in any way. A good source for that information is FairWork.gov.au and I recommend that all Work and Holiday visa holders refer to the website to understand the employment conditions in Australia.

This information is accurate on 18 September 2015

Sources:

1. https://www.comlaw.gov.au/Details/F2015L01437/Explanatory%20Statement/Text
2. http://www.border.gov.au/Trav/Visa-1/462-
3. http://english.cri.cn/12394/2015/07/02/3742s885455.htm
4. http://www.fairwork.gov.au/

Do you need help with an Australian visa application?

At Work Visa Lawyers we are experienced in assisting applicants in all matters relating to Australian visa applications. Our areas of expertise include Skilled Migration visas, Business Skills Migration visas, Employer Sponsored Work Visas, Partner and other Family Migration visas as well as Migration Review Tribunal, Judicial Review and Ministerial Intervention.

If you require further information regarding your Australia visa options you can contact us through:

(08) 7225 5091 or +61 8 7225 5091

or   This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Work Visa Lawyers was selected and invited to participate in the recent South Australia trade delegation to the Shandong province in China. It was a privilege to be part of the 250-strong delegation and the only Australia migration services provider on the trip. The Department of State Development did a fantastic job arranging the programme and logistics for such a large group of people. The trade delegation visited the cities of Jinan and Qingdao in Shandong from 24 to 28 May. We also did an additional visit to the city of Guangzhou in Guangdong independently from the 28 to 31 May.

The programme started with the South Australia Premier, the Honourable Jay Weatherill MP providing a briefing to the delegates who have arrived in the city of Jinan. There was a strong emphasis on the collaboration and win-win cooperation between the two sister states. Briefings were also given by:

• Minister of Trade and Investment, the Hon. Martin Hamilton-Smith
• National Vice President, Australia China Business Council, Sean Keenihan
• Executive Director, Investment, Trade and Immigration, Department of State Development, Matt Johnson

After the briefings delegates were separated by industry and had introductions to all members in the respective groups. Work Visa Lawyers were placed under the Services Stream throughout the Forum. A run-through of the schedule for the next couple of days was also carried out.

25 May 2015

The morning ceremony started with opening remarks by the Governor of Shandong, Shuqing Guo and the Premier of South Australia, the Honourable Jay Weatherill MP. Following the opening speeches, signing ceremonies were carried between 4 different groups of China and South Australian businesses.

Delegates from South Australia and attendees from the Chinese side then broke into the respective industry streams and held presentations that were specific to the industry. Interestingly there were a lot of presentations on environmental services with focus on water and sewage treatment, which is not surprising for a rapidly industrialised nation with concerns of pollution and waste management.

Work Visa Lawyers Principal Migration Agent and Lawyer Chris Johnston and Cultural Liaison Officer Sean Choong at the morning ceremony

After a lunch session delegates resumed the meetings by stream and conducted 1-1 business matching arranged by the Department of State Development. This was followed by the Gala Dinner which included cultural performance by South Australian and Shandong artists.

26 May 2015

After breakfast and checking out of the Shandong Hotel we made our way to board the high-speed train that connects Jinan to Qingdao, the home of Haier, Hisense and Tsingtao. The distance of approximately 360 kilometres was covered by the train in approximately 2 hours 30 minutes (averages out to be around 144km/h).

Chris Johnston with the high speed train

Upon arrival in Qingdao it was back to work immediately as we met up with the President of Qingdao Syndicate International Economic and Technical Cooperation Co. Ltd., Mr Yu Liang Chen about the supply of skilled workers to Australia. Even though both parties have corresponded for a long time via electronic channels, it was great to meet each other in person to have an in-depth discussion about collaboration for a mutually beneficial partnership.

Chris Johnston with Mr Chen in Qingdao

Being common practice in China we were then invited to have dinner with Mr Chen and his colleagues as part of extending the local hospitality. It was a bountiful and gracious dinner by the host and we are very thankful for that.

27 May 2015

Similar to the opening ceremony in Jinan, the morning session opened with opening remarks by the Mayor of Qingdao, Xinqi Zhang and the Premier of South Australia. Signing ceremonies were then carried out and a free and open business matching session was held for attendees of the forum to speak with South Australian businesses that were of interest.

Following the business matching session a lunch session was held for delegates and invited attendees of the forum in Qingdao. The luncheon marked the closing of the forum and delegates either returned to Adelaide the next day, or went on to other cities in China for their own business development activities. Work Visa Lawyers headed to Guangzhou the next day.

The luncheon at the Shangri-la Hotel in Qingdao

Members of the Services Stream for the Forum

28 - 31 May 2015

Upon completion of the programme with the Department of State Development, we did an additional visit to the city of Guangzhou in the Guangdong province. During our time in Guangzhou we met with individuals interested in migrating to Australia as well as businesses in Guangzhou who are related to and interested in the services of Australian migration. We also managed to conduct a presentation at one of the largest English training schools in China, Wall Street English.

Chris Johnston introducing Australia to the students at Wall Street English

We were very fortunate to have the hospitality of the General Manager of the Doubletree by Hilton in Guangzhou, Chris Roberts who is a fellow South Australian. He extended extra care and consideration to Work Visa Lawyers and facilitated us in meeting our business obejctives.

The hospitality provided by Chris Roberts

Return to Adelaide and Findings from the Visit to China

A 13-hour flight brought us back to Adelaide from Guangzhou and it was a bit of a long journey. However it was extremely beneficial to have been invited by the Department of State Development of South Australia to participate in the largest Australian trade delegation to China since the completion of negotiations for the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement (ChAFTA) in November 2014.

With particular focus on Shandong and South Australia, there are definitely many areas of collaboration that will bring benefit to both regions. The initiative taken by the Department of State Development and Australia-China business associations such as the Australia China Business Council has done an excellent job of building the bridge for South Australian businesses to reach potential clients, partners or investors in Shandong and beyond. Work Visa Lawyers commends the effort and work done by those involved in the planning and execution of the 2^nd South Australian-Shandong Economic and Cooperation Development Forum. We look forward to be part of the delegation again next year. See you again soon China!

Work Visa Lawyers will be in China! Watch Cultural Liaison Sean Choong with details in this video.

A Mandarin version of the video is below.　

中文视频：

For our friends in China, view the video on YouKu!　优酷链接：http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XOTU5MTc5MTA0.html?from=y1.7-1.2

澳大利亚移民代理处Work Visa Lawyers 将拜访中国！

(English version below)

很荣幸地在此宣布我们在本月即将拜访中国数城市，提供澳大利亚移民的咨询服务。若您有关于澳大利亚移民的兴趣或疑问，别错过此会面的机会。您将与主顾问兼有注册移民中介克理斯·佐斯敦会面，得到详细的澳大利亚移民意见与资料。本公司文化联系人员进伟也将随访，提供翻译服务。

我们的地点列表如下：

２０１５年５月２４日至２６日　－　山东济南市

２０１５年５月２６日至２８日　－　山东青岛市

２０１５年５月２８日至３１日　－　广东广州市

私人专属会面

我们在以上城市即将进行个人的磋商。因时间限制，与克理斯的会面档期将会有限。若有兴趣，请立即联络我们，预约您的时间。

澳大利亚移民研讨会

我们将于５月２９日傍晚在广州市举办一项笼统的澳大利亚移民研讨会。因地点所限，请尽早登记您的参与。

马上联络我们吧！

专业人士的意见通常都要求一个费用。这次的会面与移民研讨会将会是免费，不需任何费用。立刻把握您的机会，得到专业、仔细的澳大利亚移民资料，得知您前往澳大利亚的选择吧！请联系：

微信：Sean_CW_Choong

电子邮件地址：This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

电话：+61 8 7225 5091

期待与您的会面！

关于我们

创立于2011 年，注册移民代理与主顾问克理斯·佐斯敦（移民中介注册号: 0640686）身怀越9年的澳洲移民工作经验。本公司所提供的服务包括：

• 商业技术移民
• 技术移民
• 雇主赞助移民
• 家庭团聚移民
• 移民审查法庭审理与司法审查
• 澳洲公民申请过程

专业的移民意见、细心的客户服务，让您安心与稳定地经历澳大利亚的签证申请过程。

若有任何询问，请联络本公司文化联系人员进伟（Sean）。进伟所流利的语言包括中文，广东话，马来文以及英语。

E: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Work Visa Lawyers is coming to China!

We are pleased to announce that Work Visa Lawyers will be meeting people who are interested to know more about migrating to Australia from China. This will provide the people of Jinan, Qingdao and Guangzhou the opportunity to meet with an experienced Registered Migration Agent from Australia to discover options to migrate to Australia. Meet with Principal Registered Migration Agent and Lawyer, Chris Johnston (MARN: 0640686) and Cultural Liaison, Sean Choong at the following dates and venues:

24 – 26 May 2015 – Jinan

26 – 28 May 2015 – Qingdao

28 – 31 May 2015 – Guangzhou

Personal Meetings

We will be conducting individual meetings at the cities listed above. Meetings are limited and strictly by appointment only. Chris will be explaining the Australia visa requirements, application process and fees.

Seminar in Guangzhou

We will be holding a seminar in Guangzhou in the evening of Friday, 29^th May 2015 to provide a general idea of the different pathways to migrate to Australia. Seats are limited so registration is essential!

Contact us NOW to reserve a meeting or attend our seminar – for FREE!

Clients are usually charged a fee when they seek Australia migration advice. Chris will be providing consultations at the meetings and seminar at NO COST to the attendees. Please contact us via email, WeChat ID or phone details below to reserve your exclusive consultation now!

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

WeChat ID: Sean_CW_Choong

Phone: +61 8 7225 5091

About Work Visa Lawyers and our Services

Established in 2011, Registered Migration Agent and Lawyer Chris Johnston (MARN: 0640686) has more than 9 years of Australia Migration work experience. The firm provides services including:

• Business Skills Migration
• General Skilled Migration
• Employer Sponsored Migration
• Family Migration
• MRT and Judicial Reviews
• Australian Citizenship Applications

Work Visa Lawyers is committed to provide excellent service to our clients, which include:

• Honest and accurate advice based on the current migration laws
• Maintaining the confidentiality of our client’s affairs
• Quality customer service

We minimise the time you have to spend on applications and risks of mistakes you may experience because of the lack of experience in Australia visa applications.

China reduces threshold to attract more skilled migrants! Australia faces more competition in attracting skilled migrants!

A recent joint statement released by the Communist Party of China Central Committee Organization Department, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security and the State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs has indicated a pursuit of overseas talent by a country that traditionally has a net emigration rate and suffers from brain drain as talents pursue employment overseas. China only makes up for 0.4% of the total immigrant population in the world according to 2013 data¹. That means out of the total 231,522,200 migrants in the world, only 848,500 are in China. Australia records 2.8% (6,468,600) while Singapore (a country that consistently attracts overseas talent to settle and accumulate human capital) records 1.0% - 2,323,300 (impressive for a country with a population of only 5.4 million in 2013 and a country land size of 718 square kilometres). The announcement shows that China is looking to amass talented professionals and perhaps prepare for a predicted global workforce crisis according to this interesting article by the Boston Consulting Group (BCG).

According to the statement China will be looking to attract overseas talent by introducing preferential policies in visa applications, residence permits, settling in China as well as exit/entry convenience that was previously strict for overseas arrivals. More details will be provided by the authorities in the later part of the year.

Comments by Chris Johnston – Principal Lawyer and Registered Migration Agent at Work Visa Lawyers

The announcement made by the Chinese authorities basically means more competition for skilled workers in the region. According to the Department of Employment total employment for Australia is projected to increase by 838,100 (7.2 per cent) reaching 12,442,700 by November 2018². Net skilled migration is required to ensure the national workforce does not shrink to meet the expected demand.

To remain attractive for overseas skilled workers to settle in Australia, the Department of Immigration and Border Protection (DIBP) may need to consider its skilled migration policy settings and requirements, as well as further improve service standards for visa applications to be processed in a timely manner. A review of the temporary work visas are already underway as highlighted in our earlier article.

Source:

From the article - China further lowers threshold to attract overseas talent

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2015-01/25/content_19401866.htm

1. Trends in International Migrant Stock: The 2013 Revision

2. http://lmip.gov.au/default.aspx?LMIP/EmploymentProjections

This information is accurate on the 6 February 2015

Do You Need Help With Your Australia Visa Application?

At Work Visa Lawyers we are experienced in assisting applicants with visa applications for Skilled Migration including Independent and State Sponsored visas, state sponsorship applications as well as employer-sponsored visas.

If you require further information regarding a review or your appeal options you can contact us through:

 (08) 7225 5091 or +61 8 7225 5091

or   This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.