Immigration Lawyers and Migration Agents

Your Australian Visa Our Focus

On 28 October 2021, new laws were released in Australia to make immigration from Hong Kong easier. The new Migration Legislation Amendment (Hong Kong) Regulations 2021 will allow Hong Kongers who are currently working or studying in Australia to achieve permanent residency quickly and easily.

This follows the changes already made in July to give Hong Kong applicants priority processing for skilled visas. 

Two pathways to Australian Permanent Residence will be available to both Hong Kong SAR passport and British National (Overseas) passport holders from 05 March 2022. 

Senator James Paterson, Chair of the Joint Committee in Intelligence and Security has announced that skilled visa applicants coming to Australia from Hong Kong will receive priority processing, a sentiment which Minister for Immigration Alex Hawke confirmed on 30 July 2021 on ABC Radio.  While filling the void in Australia’s skilled labour force is certainly a driving factor in this decision, Paterson said it was also a moral obligation and " the right thing to do after the Chinese Communist Party broke its promise to protect the freedoms of the people of Hong Kong."  While Australia is already fast-tracking business, investment, and global talent visas for Hong Kong nationals, this is a new opportunity for those who could not previously obtain an Australian visa to escape the political turmoil of their homeland. 

With news of China’s new laws for Hong Kong amid riots in Hong Kong, the Australian Government has acted to extend additional visas to Hong Kong passport holders to remain in Australia. These new measures are designed as a part of Australia’s overall skilled visa program, attracting and retaining talent from around the world.