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What are the changes to the 457 visa scheme effective from 19 April 2017? On 18 April 2017, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull announced the 457 visa scheme will be replaced by a new Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) visa program. The TSS visa will be introduced in March 2018 however, the government is already making changesRead more

There have been a few concerns in the media lately that New Zealanders will no longer have direct access to Australian citizenship following the Government’s recent citizenship changes – so we thought we’d clarify this for all Kiwis out there. On 19 April 2017, the Government announced changes to the Australian citizenship requirements and asRead more

On 19 April 2017, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull announced several changes to the requirements to become an Australian citizen. The changes are yet to be implemented, however permanent residents seeking to obtain citizenship may be impacted by the new requirements, which are expected to come into effect by the end of 2017. Am I eligibleRead more

457 visa to be abolished and replaced The Prime Minister, Malcolm Turnbull and the Immigration Minister Peter Dutton, announced the 457 visa scheme will be abolished and replaced by a new Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) visa program by March 2018. Malcolm Turnbull said, “The new visa will better target genuine skill shortages including in regionalRead more

After signalling its intention to tighten temporary foreign worker visas, the Government is currently reviewing the subclass 457 visa program. Here are 4 ways the 457 visa program may be reformed. By Occupation Currently, 651 occupations are eligible for a subclass 457 visa as listed on the Consolidated Sponsored Occupations List (CSOL). Shortening this listRead more

Discover how diverse your suburb is with SBS’s interactive tool which shows the diversity of Australian suburbia via ancestry, age, birthplace data and more. In West Perth, where the Interstaff head office is located, we found that the most common ancestries were: English 24.8% Australian 14.9% Irish 9.8% Scottish 7.0% Chinese 6.8% Italian 4.7% IndianRead more

In response to recent controversy in the media that immigration should be scaled back to ease house prices, economists for The Australian Financial Review have spoken out about the important role that immigrants play in boosting our economy. How migrants help to boost our economy Sinclair Davidson, Economist for The Australian Financial Review says, ‘We are better offRead more

Since 2011, the Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (RSMS) has been used as a visa option to sponsor skilled overseas employees for work in Perth. However, as you may have heard in the media, the Federal Government is now deciding whether to exclude Perth from using the Scheme. If the change goes ahead, skilled overseas workersRead more

The Perth International Arts Festival is now in full swing until 5 March, 2017. Get with the PIAF program and see what’s on at Perth’s celebration of the arts across the mediums of theatre, circus, dance, classical music, contemporary music, film, writing and visual arts. Source: The Perth International Arts Festival  Read more

An investigation by Fairfax has uncovered allegations that franchisees at Domino’s Pizza have been underpaying workers and selling visa sponsorships to foreign students and recent immigrants. The Fairfax investigation included a phone recording between a franchisee and a prospective employer, saying the prospective employee would need to pay over $100,000 in exchange for a visaRead more

The Australian government is considering a bill which could allow Immigration Minister, Peter Dutton the power to require certain groups of foreign nationals to revalidate their visa if he deems it is in the public’s interest to do so. The proposed bill Proposed Amendments to the Migration Act: 96E – Minister may determine that certainRead more

Interstaff has been helping couples successfully apply for Partner Visas for almost 30 years. Find out what your visa options are with our free phone consultation. Alternatively, please feel free to visit our Partner Visa page to learn more about bringing your partner to Perth.Read more

Google Trends has reported ongoing interest in the number of people from the United States and Canada searching ‘move to Australia’ and similar search terms since the start of 2017. The increased interest to move to Australia is likely to be linked to ‘the Trump effect’, which has stirred political controversy in and around theRead more

The Australian newspaper today reported that Bill Shorten is exploring options to increase the 457 visa fee to encourage the use of local workers. Federal Opposition Leader, Bill Shorten signalled his support for raising the application fee for 457 visas to reportedly allow for greater government investments in TAFE and technical educational institutions that trainRead more

Throughout January and February 2017, Interstaff is providing several information sessions to international students who are MateinOz members. MateInOz are on a journey to provide a range of support services to international students seeking a ‘mate’ to help with their transition to Australia. MateInOz lend a helping hand with everything from accommodation to building socialRead more

As we enter 2017, Immigration Minister, Peter Dutton is continuing a review of Australia’s migration policies with a continued focus on tightening skilled migration and permanent migration intakes. The outcome will no doubt result in further legislative changes to immigration programs throughout the year. In 2016, we already saw preliminary changes to the 457 visaRead more

The number of people deported from Australia has increased from 76 people in 2013-14 to 983 in the last financial year, following changes to the ‘character test’ under the Migration Act in December 2014. The increase in visa cancellations on the grounds of criminal convictions reflects the Immigration Department’s emphasis on the character requirements ofRead more

In light of the State’s unemployment rate, National Labor leader Bill Shorten will today back plans to remove Perth from a skilled migration program that brings overseas workers to WA. Mr Shorten has pledged to support WA Labor Leader Mark McGowan and his strategy to exclude Perth from the Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme. The SchemeRead more

Immigration Minister, Peter Dutton has confirmed the Department is considering an overhaul of the citizenship test to reportedly assess people’s ability to integrate into Australian society. The current citizenship test asks 20 questions, randomly drawn from a larger pool, covering Australia’s history, government structure, election rights and duties of an Australian citizen. Mr Dutton saidRead more

Labor leader, Bill Shorten says he has a “comprehensive plan” to address Australia’s high unemployment rate, which includes tightening the 457 temporary visa program. He argues the scheme is putting Australian-born citizens out of work. Mr Shorten’s plans include more rigorous requirements for businesses to test the local labour market before employing visa holders, andRead more

International students – come down to this free barbeque this Saturday 10 December 2017, hosted by student support and networking group, MateinOz. It’s a great chance to meet new people on the same journey – and you’ll also see a few faces from Interstaff! Don’t forget to register here. To read more about MateinOz, click here.Read more

While the topic of 457 visas has attracted a lot of political and media attention with growing concerns over Australia’s unemployment rate, it’s worth noting there are 95,000 primary 457 visa holders currently in Australia, and if we include their partners (who also have work rights), they still make up less than 1.2% of the Australian workforce. ThereRead more

Fairfax Media recently published leaked sensitive papers which reveal possible changes to put migrants on probation before being deemed fit for permanent residency and Australian citizenship. The leaked papers were prepared for a meeting between the Department of Social Services and the Department of Immigration and Border Protection and state how the Turnbull government hopesRead more

There has been a lot of news in the media about 457 visas recently, especially with growing concerns over Australia’s unemployment rate and both political parties promising to tighten rules for skilled foreign workers on 457 visas. As migration agents, we know first-hand that particular industries such as mining, oil and gas and IT/technology canRead more

A pilot scheme designed to assist migrants with setting up their business in Australia is being run in Tasmania, which could signify greater support for business visa applicants is on its way. The Tasmanian Government’s Department of State Growth, Business and Skilled Migration’s pilot scheme gives business migrants access to complimentary one-on-one professional assistance toRead more

From 19 November 2016, children over 23 years of age and single parents will no longer be eligible to be included as dependent family members in a visa application as the Government changes its definition of ‘the family unit’ in migration regulations. The ‘member of the family unit’ definition will be changed and limited toRead more

This afternoon on 16 November 2016, Immigration Minister Peter Dutton confirmed the Government’s changes to the 457 visa, which will reduce the time skilled migrants can remain in Australia from 90 days to 60 days if their employment ceases. The change will affect 457 visas from this Saturday 19 November 2016. The Department of Immigration and BorderRead more

The Productivity Commission has proposed changes in a report to the Australian Government, which could significantly change the way Australia chooses its migrant intake. Some of the major recommendations include reducing the age limit for skilled applicants wanting permanent residence, and providing more points for the skills and traits of secondary adult applicants. Here areRead more

Interstaff, like others in the migration industry, has continued to experience significantly longer government visa processing times than 12 to 18 months ago. To alleviate the issue, the Department of Immigration and Border Protection has made changes to reduce processing times for 457 visas, although currently the average 457 visa processing times have remained just belowRead more

According to The Guardian newspaper, Canada’s immigration website crashed multiple times during the recent United States (US) Election. And in addition, US interest in google search terms ‘Move to Australia’, ‘Work in Australia’ and ‘Live in Australia’ have also spiked significantly, as shown in the above graph sourced by Google Data. It appears the uncertaintyRead more

Cottesloe Beach Cottesloe (pictured) is one of the most well-known and popular of all Perth beaches for a number of reasons. It’s great for both swimming and walking along, and has a fun lively atmosphere in summer with grassy terraces and picnic areas, pubs and cafes over the road, and even more as you headRead more

The Government has announced its decision to lower the amount of tax charged to working holiday visa holders, known as the ‘backpacker’s tax’, from 32.5 per cent to 19 per cent. The Government application charge for working holiday visas was also reduced, bringing the cost down from $440 to $390. Changes to the working holidayRead more

IELTS recently announced they are trialling a new service to give IELTS test takers feedback on their results. Test takers will be able to receive valuable feedback on their performance for each of the writing, speaking, reading and listening components, together with advice on how to improve their skills to help them reach the nextRead more

The High Court have made a unanimous decision against a ministerial determination, which would have allowed offshore vessel workers to work without an Australian skilled work visa because their work was deemed not to be in the Australian migration zone. Under the determination made by previous Assistant Immigration Minister, Michaelia Cash, offshore vessel workers carryingRead more

Under the new Temporary Activity Visa Framework to commence on 19 November 2016, formal sponsorship and nomination requirements will no longer be required for some specific short stay activity visas as the Department of Immigration and Border Protection condenses seven Temporary Work and Activity Visas down to four. View our Temporary Activity Visa Framework Fact SheetRead more

If you follow us on social media (which gets you the latest migration news and updates), you’d know we’ve been making some exciting new changes here at Interstaff. Apart from our fresh new look, we’ve enhanced our migration services to provide you more information and resources that will help you on your journey. After all,Read more

While the media continues to scrutinise the Australian immigration program, recently at a Melbourne Mining Club conference, Shell Australia chairman Andrew Smith, emphasised the importance of immigration in boosting resource industry and economic growth. Mr Smith said, ‘Often hysterical debate has surrounded Australian immigration in the new millennium. There has been a failure of industryRead more

Recent research by internationally recognised migration expert from the University of Melbourne, Lesleyanne Hawthorne shows that the percentage of skilled migrants that were able to find employment in their field varied depending on their chosen course of study. The percentage of recently arrived migrants who were able to find employment in their field of study:Read more

The SBS recently reported an analysis of figures from the Department of Immigration and Border Protection’s documents, which show that 54.6% of migrants from India hold a Bachelor’s degree or a higher educational degree. The figure is three times more than Australia’s national average of 17.2% reflected in the 2011 Census. The figures were analysedRead more

Skilled occupations such as engineers, taxation accountants, barristers and solicitors are at risk of being removed from Australia’s 2016/17 skilled occupations lists (SOL), following advice from the Department of Education and Training to the Minister of Immigration and Border Protection. The SOL is a compilation of occupations for skilled migration with the aim of meetingRead more

Twice the number of skilled migrants arriving in Australia with a tertiary qualification are finding employment in their field of expertise compared to 15 years ago, according to the latest research from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). The ABS figures show that since 2010, nearly 40 per cent of migrants with a tertiary qualificationRead more

Australian cities made three of the top 10 most liveable cities spots in the annual index undertaken by The Economist Intelligence Unit. Melbourne took the number one spot, Adelaide came in at a tie with Calgary at 5th and Perth followed closely behind in 7th place, up one from place from the previous year. TheRead more

The New South Wales (NSW) State Government announced there were no changes made to the NSW Skilled Nominated Priority Occupations List for 2016-17 and would begin selecting and issuing invitations to top ranking candidates for the 2016-17 financial year from late July 2016. In the 2015-16 financial year, the NSW State Government nominated 4,000 candidatesRead more

The ‘genuineness’ criterion for 457 Visa applications is seen to be a topic of debate in the migration industry because it allows for subjective judgement by the Department and Tribunal to determine whether there is a genuine need to employ 457 Visa holders for a nominated position. In our own experience, there have been casesRead more

In July, Interstaff attended a roadshow by the Department of Immigration and Border Protection (DIBP) which advised of recent changes to the 457 Visa program to more accurately reflect the needs of the Australian economy. Australia’s 457 Visa program helps to address labour shortages in the economy in circumstances where positions are unable to beRead more

According to the Department of Immigration and Border Protection (DIBP), changes in Accredited Sponsorship policy which came into effect from 1 July 2016 will enable an additional 900 businesses to become eligible for faster visa processing. Currently processing times for unaccredited 457 Visa Sponsors can reach over 40 days, however the DIBP seeks to reduce this toRead more

Latest findings from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) labour force data show that the number of women employed by Australia’s resource industry has risen to its largest quarterly increase in eight years. The statistics reveal the number of women working in the resources industry increased by 8,000, bringing the female percentage to 17.1% ofRead more

In response to recent visa fraud claims by FairFax Media and the ABC, the Migration Institute of Australia (MIA) has reinforced the importance of seeking immigration assistance from Registered Migration Agents, who are subject to a strict Code of Conduct and ethical obligations. In Australia, migration agents must be registered with the Australian Government body,Read more

The Australian newspaper today reported that short-term arrivals from mainland China and Hong Kong increased by 21% over the past year, with a record number of 1.4 million Chinese tourists visiting Australia. While New Zealand proved to be one of China’s top destinations in the previous year CommSec Economist, Savanth Sebastian said Australia had 52,000Read more

The latest statistics on Google search terms such as ‘move to Australia’, ‘visa for Australia’ and ‘visa to Australia’ from within the UK region shows numbers of people looking to move to Australia from the UK have spiked following the Brexit decision to leave the European Union (EU) on Friday 24 June, 2016. The statisticsRead more

The Federal Government has capped the number of accountants that will be able to receive a skilled visa to 4777, which may affect businesses looking to sponsor an accountant from overseas from 1 July, 2016. Accountants applying for a work visa individually without employer sponsorship will also be affected as the cap applies to both employer sponsoredRead more

The Federal Government has indicated it would consider lowering the proposed rate for the so-called backpacker tax, following ongoing backlash from the agricultural and tourism industry since the tax was announced in the 2016-17 Federal Budget. The Federal Government’s original backpacker tax would have seen working holiday visa holders pay 32.5 cents for every dollarRead more

The Western Australian innovation sector will be boosted by a $20 million package designed to strengthen WA’s position as an innovation leader, following Premier and Science Minister, Colin Barnett’s recent 2016-17 State Budget announcement. Mr Barnett said the innovation package would build on a number of Government initiatives already occurring in Commerce, Finance and ScienceRead more

FairFax Media have claimed seven Chinese workers on the visa subclass 400 were exploited to work on a luxury apartment development in Richmond, Melbourne at rates below the Australian minimum wage without penalty rates or superannuation, despite working six days a week. FairFax also reported that the seven Chinese workers were some of the first subclass 400Read more

A greater number of Australian businesses with an annual turnover of at least AUD $4 million over the last three years will be eligible for priority visa processing from 1 July 2016, following the Department of Immigration and Border Protection’s changes to the Accredited Sponsorship qualifying requirements. In addition to meeting the new qualifying requirements,Read more

The Federal Court has found a Darwin computer company, Hallmark Computer Pty Ltd, and its owner have committed several breaches of sponsorship obligations to three of its 457 visa holders. The company has been ordered to pay $430,000 in penalties to the Federal Government as well as more than $83,000 in restitution to the workers.Read more

A so called ‘visa-fixer’ has been caught on camera offering to arrange false paperwork for skilled and student visas in exchange for cash sums of up to $50,000. The ‘fixer’ told an undercover operative he could arrange fake job offers and paperwork from employers he knew in Sydney and Melbourne in order to falsify requirements forRead more

Britain’s Brexit decision to leave the European Union (EU) will bring in a flood of young British families and increased business investment in Australia, according to Premier, Colin Barnett. Mr Barnett told The Sunday Times newspaper that British young professionals and young couples with children were likely to be unsure about their future and mayRead more

The Australian student visa system has undergone a major overhaul, with changes being made by the Government to replace the current eight student visa subclasses with two new subclasses, the Student Visa Subclass 500 and Student Guardian Subclass 590. The consolidation of eight student visa subclasses to two is expected to drive a number ofRead more

The Minister for Immigration and Border Protection, Peter Dutton has announced the introduction of two new visa initiatives designed to enhance tourism, youth, mobility and business links between Australia and Singapore. The new visa arrangements were negotiated as part of the Australia-Singapore Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. Both countries have agreed to implement a Work and Holiday visa arrangement forRead more

Delays in Government processing of subclass 457 visas has worsened in 2016, according to the Migration Institute of Australia. The Australian newspaper recently reported some small businesses have complained of delays of more than four months, however the Government has confirmed the average 457 visa is processed in 40 working days or eight weeks. Migration Institute Chief AngelaRead more

Following the 2016 Federal Budget announcement, the Australian Government has proposed a number of changes to visa programs affecting backpackers as well as citizens of New Zealand, India, Thailand, Vietnam, Chile and the United Arab Emirates. Changes for citizens from India, the United Arab Emirates, Thailand, Vietnam and Chile The Migration Institute of Australia expects that trialRead more

If you are looking to apply for an Independent or Family Sponsored Points Tested visa or a Temporary Graduate (subclass 485) or Graduate Work Stream visa from 1 July 2016, your occupation will need to be listed on the current Skilled Occupation List (SOL), which is reviewed by the Australian Government each year. The recently announcedRead more

Labor Senator Kim Carr recently told The Australian newspaper of his intention to proceed with a disallowance motion of the Migration Amendment (Offshore Resources Activity) Regulation 2015, however this is dependant on gaining the support of the Senate. Hundreds of highly specialised skilled workers employed on sub-class 457 or 400 visas working on Australia’s offshore oilRead more

Every night as many as 105,000 homeless men and women sleep out on Australia’s streets and wind-blown alleyways, without basic shelter from the cold and rain. Sheila Woods, Interstaff International’s Managing Director, has committed to doing what she can to support homeless Australians by registering for the Vinnies CEO Sleepout. Sheila said, “Many of usRead more

The number of overseas born Australians is currently at its highest point in over a century of migration, with latest statistics from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) confirming over 28% of the Australian population were born overseas. “Australia has traditionally had a high proportion of migrants, but we’ve now hit a peak not seenRead more

Over 150 people attended the Skilled Migrants Professionals Seminar on Friday 18 March at Murdoch University to access valuable networking opportunities designed to help skilled migrants compete in the Australian job market. Interstaff Visa Coordinator, Allieu Sesay said, “Seminars like the Skilled Migrant Professionals Seminar are great because they provide a chance to network withRead more

Nearly 4,000 individuals from these 4 Commonwealth countries — Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom – have taken part in a survey and the results show that most of them strongly agree to have a Union-style system (that is similar to Europe) which would enable free movement among these 4 nations. 70 percentRead more

More than 85 percent of new jobs for information and computer technology (ICT) were occupied by international workers for the year 2015, according to a report made by the Australian Computer Society. It is stated in the report that hiring overseas workers is now made a top priority in order to address the critical skills shortagesRead more

Australia has a large number of undocumented workers – some estimates suggest that the number may exceed 100,000 people. Add to this the massive international student population and temporary work visa holders and you have a big problem. Sadly this leads to exploitation by unscrupulous employers. These sentiments were published in a recent article inRead more

Did you know up to one third of Australians are of Irish heritage? Irish settlement played a formative part in Australia’s social, political and cultural background. At Interstaff, several of our team members are of Irish descent, including our Managing Director, Sheila Woods and Registered Migration Agent, Elain Flynn. On behalf of all of usRead more

Interstaff International are proud to be Perth’s official migration agency sponsoring the Skilled Migrant Professionals Seminar held at Kim Beazley Theatre, Murdoch University on Friday 18 March from 5pm to 8.30pm. The Skilled Migrant Professionals Seminar is designed to provide networking opportunities between skilled migrants and employers, recruitment agencies, career counsellors, relevant service providers forRead more

Today women around the world are celebrating International Women’s Day. It’s a day where the world recognises improvements in women’s rights, while also acknowledging that unfortunately in many parts of the world, there are still many women experiencing violence or inequality. The Australian Department of Immigration and Border Protection recognises the plight that some womenRead more