Changes to the Working Holiday Maker visa program

The Australian Government has announced changes to the Working Holiday Maker (WHM) visa program to support regional and rural communities.

Changes to the WHM visa program include:

- From 5 November 2018, expanding the regional areas where subclass 462-visa holders can work in agriculture (plant and animal cultivation) to qualify for the second year of stay in Australia. Currently, only those who work in Northern Australia are eligible.

- From 5 November 2018, increasing the period in which subclass 417 and 462 visa holders can stay with the same agricultural (plant and animal cultivation) employer, from 6 to 12 months.
The option of a third-year for subclass 417 and 462 visa holders who, after 1 July 2019, undertake 6-months of specified work in a specified regional area during their second year.

- Increase the eligible age for subclass 417 visa applicants from Canada and Ireland to 35.

The key focus is on providing farmers with immediate access to workers in key parts of regional Australia. The changes aim to increase the number of Working Holiday Makers available for seasonal work needs.

Employers will be able to retain trained and experienced employees doing agricultural (plant and animal cultivation) work for up to 12-months, rather than the previous 6-months.

The availability of a third-year visa will attract working holiday makers to work for longer in regional Australia.

From 5 November 2018, this will be extended to regional areas in New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria and Western Australia, and all of Northern Territory, South Australia, and Tasmania (more information later)

No change is being made to the existing Northern Australia concessions:

- subclass 417 & 462 visa holders can continue to work with one employer in northern Australia for up to 12 months in Aged & Disability Care; Agriculture; Construction; Mining; and Tourism & Hospitality

- subclass 462 visa holders can continue to complete specified work in northern Australia in tourism and hospitality or agriculture, forestry and fishing industries, to become eligible for a second year visa.

Participation in the second-year program is voluntary. Subclass 462-visa holders need to complete a total of three-months (88 calendar days) of specified work to be eligible to apply for their second-year visa. They may combine work completed in any existing specified industry and location with new industries and locations to meet the work requirement

Specified work for the third-year visa is the same as the eligibility for specified work for the second-year visa.

Minority Goverment

It will be very interesting with Morrison government, what will happen when the government is now a "Minority Government" due to the by-election at Wentworth NSW.

The lower house got 150 seats and the government has only 75 seats, down from 76.

It will be such a battle to pass all the legislation. We will see how many immigration legislation will be passed. Any changes to immigration law will be such a battle and interesting scene.

Having said that those who are eligible for the Australian citizenship, it is a great time to put in your application, before any changes.

Act now.

Act fast.

Before things getting tougher with all those English language requirements and so forth.

Australian citizenship; 01 July 2018

As of 01 July 2018, there is no change in Australian citizenship requirement. As the law did not pass the Senate last time. It is the 2nd time that had happened. The government needs to rethink its policy, I suppose.

For those who are eligible, this is the good time to lodge your citizenship application, as the changes may happen anytime. Things are unpredictable indeed.

J Migration Team
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www.j-migration.com

Australian Partner Visa Part 4; Same sex couple

For the spirit of Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade last weekend, I would like to take this opportunity to blog about the Australian Partner Visa for the same sex couple.

Please note that as of today, the Australian law does not recognize the same sex marriage. Therefore, if the same sex couple registered their marriage from somewhere else, it cannot be used to apply for Australian Partner Visa.

There are 2 ways for same sex partner to apply for Australian Partner Visa.

De facto relationship: 

Same sex couple can apply for Australian Partner Visa if they have been in relationship and have shared a mutual life and commitment to one another for at least 12 months. As long as the same sex couple can demonstrate that their relationship is long-term, genuine and continuing, then they can apply for Australian Partner Visa.

Register of relationship:

Same sex couple can apply for Australian Partner Visa even if they have not live or have a shared mutual commitment to one another for at least 12 months. They can register their relationship and apply for Australian Partner Visa. Good things about register of relationship is that it they do not have to wait for the Register of Relationship Certificate to be sent home in order to apply for Australian Partner Visa. They can use the receipt from the authority to apply for Australian Partner Visa immediately.

However, things to note: 

• Not all states or territories have facilities of "register of relationship". 
• Each state and territory have different requirement of "register of relationship". 

I will leave the detail of "register of relationship" to another blog.

I hope that this blog will benefit to some. I hope that love will be in the air, both for same sex couple and different sex couple....

Good luck everyone... may the love be with you...