December 21st, 2023 at 01:24 am

Australia To Halve Immigration Intake in 2 Years | Australia Immigration Update

The government of Australia has chosen to reduce the yearly intake to 250,000 to rectify the system’s noted flaws. This will return the intake to pre-pandemic levels by June 2025.

Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neal launched a new 10-year immigration policy and blasted the previous government for leaving the immigration system in shambles. The following are some of the recently implemented measures:

• Increased minimal proficiency levels in English for overseas students
• Also, stricter screening of second visa applicants
• In addition, candidates for scholarships must demonstrate how continuing their education will substantially advance their academic or professional objectives.
• Above all, to ease the strain that record migration levels are placing on housing and infrastructure, tighter visa requirements will also apply to low-skilled workers and international students

The administration intends to put these policies into place to regulate the number of migrants and cut the yearly inflow by about 50%. However, the modifications will enhance the processes for obtaining visas for immigrants with specialized or necessary talents, such as highly qualified IT professionals or caregivers, giving them more chances to obtain permanent residence.

According to Minister O’Neal, these steps will draw in the required labor force while lowering the danger of exploitation for people who live, work, and study in Australia.

Mystery Behind Australia’s Migration Plan

Recently, Australia unveiled a 10-year migration plan with a primary goal of changing the immigration framework. The goal of this proposal is to reduce immigration and tighten regulations for foreign students.

The strategy aims to improve the integrity and quality of international education, addressing what has been described as a “broken” system.

Migration Plan’s Primary Changes

1. Revamping Visa Pathways

The main component of the plan is a substantial modification to Visa Pathways. The current Temporary Skills Shortage Visa will be replaced by a new one called the Skills In-Demand Visa. There will be three subcategories under this new Visa:

Specialist Skills Visa Pathway: This is directed at highly trained workers, particularly in the technology and grain energy industries.

Core Skills Visa Pathway: To adapt to the changing needs of the labor market, this focuses on candidates who are on the list of vital occupations for the country’s core skills.

Essential Skills Pathway: This focuses on low-paying occupations and labor jobs when there is a manpower shortage.

2. Action Against Visa Misuse and Exploitation

To prevent the exploitation of migrant workers and the abuse of the Visa system, the strategy presents a roadmap for enforcing stronger adherence to the Visa procedure. To safeguard the rights of migrant workers, this involves establishing a Home Affairs Student Visa Integrity Unit.

3. Strict English Language Testing

This modification was proposed to guarantee that international students are in Australia for legitimate educational reasons. For student visas, the minimum IELTS score will rise from 5.5 to 6.0, and for graduate visas, it will rise to 6.5.

4. Managing Visa Hopping

The phrase “visa hopping” refers to the practice of students reapplying for school or switching courses in an attempt to lengthen their stay while working in unskilled labor. Students who are classified as probable visa hoppers will be regarded as high-risk students under this new scheme. Also, the application procedure will be considerably more difficult and slower for them.

Australian Migration Strategy: Key Highlights

1. Introduction of New Visa

The government lists raising living standards, forging closer ties with other nations, and improving working conditions for Australians. The present Temporary Skill Shortage Visa will be replaced with a new one called the Skills In-Demand Visa as part of the immigration plan’s five key goals.

The plan states that this new visa will provide workers with clear pathways to permanent residence and greater flexibility in changing companies. Depending on their skill level, individuals who want to pursue them can choose from three pathways to get the 4-year Visa: the Specialized Skills, Core Skills, or Essential Skills Pathways.

2. Tackling Worker Exploitation

More laws, rules, penalties, and directives will be put in place to deal with labor exploitation and inappropriate use of the visa system. To improve openness and ease the movement of foreign workers, a new public registration of employers and sponsors will be launched.

The registration will contain details about the nominated occupations, the quantity of temporary skilled workers being hired, and the identities of approved sponsors. The goal of educating skilled migrants on their rights at work is to stop worker exploitation.

3. Language Requirements to Study

The administration also intends to raise the bar for international students and educational institutions to stop people from becoming temporarily employed. The Australian government has declared that there would be more stringent English language standards to enhance the standard of education for students studying there and lessen the possibility of workplace exploitation.

The International English Language Testing System (IELTS) now requires a score of 6.5 instead of 6.0 for graduate visa applicants and a score of 6.0 instead of 5.5 for student visa applicants for individuals who want to study in Australia. The bulk of permanently temporary migrants, according to the government, are foreign graduates and students, 108,000 of whom have resided in Australia for five years or longer.

The migration strategy also includes a few initiatives aimed at streamlining the skilled migration program. Condensing the core skills Pathway into a single list of professions is another useful simplification tactic. Many will be in favor of the inclusion of transactions in this pathway provided evidence of a genuine market for them is presented.

Australia’s immigration laws have evolved to meet the nation’s changing needs, both today and in the future. It is a good idea to cooperate with state governments to build a cooperative migration policy to encourage talented persons to work in regional Australia.