Opportunities you might miss during the holiday rush
Opportunities you can’t miss
As the holiday season approaches, it is essential to acknowledge that processing times by the Department of Home Affairs may be slower than usual in the upcoming weeks. This can be due to various factors, such as the closure of processing offices on public holidays, staff vacations, and an increase in visa applications before the start of the New Year.
If you wait for the holiday rush, you might miss out on these opportunities:
Limited appointment slots
Given the notable increase in visa applicants this year, and a significant decrease in placement invitations, applicants are advised to submit their visa applications at their earliest convenience.
COVID-19 visa extension
Eligible COVID-19 Pandemic Event Visa Holders planning to extend or renew their visa have less than four months to process it. The Pandemic Event Visa will permanently close this coming February 2024. We will see an influx of applicants trying to beat the deadline. Thus, it is essential to be ahead of everyone.
Parent Visas updated processing times
Each year, there are more applicants for Parent visas than the available quota, which leads to extended processing times for these applications. Although it is assumed that processing times will be lengthy, the Department cannot give the exact timeframe as the Parent Visa will now be subject to the capping and queuing process. This process means that a limited number of visas will be granted each Migration Program year. Once they reach the allotted placements, no more visas will be granted that year.
Capping and queueing will apply to all Parent visa applications, which encompass:
Parent Visa (subclass 103)
Aged Parent Visa (subclass 804)
Contributory Parent (subclasses 143 and 173)
Contributory Aged Parent (subclasses 864 and 884)
Australia – U.K. Innovation and Early Careers Skills Exchange
The collaboration between Australia and the UK has sparked numerous advantages. One of the outcomes of this agreement is the Innovation and Early Careers Skills Exchange Pilot Program (IECSEP), which has opened up new and exhilarating opportunities for UK citizens to enhance their careers in Australia. This program comprises of two streams:
Early Careers Skills Stream
This stream offers a distinctive opportunity for professionals at the beginning of their careers to participate in temporary work placements, secondments, or intra-corporate transfers in Australia. By doing so, they can enhance their skill set and gain valuable international experience.
Innovation Stream
This stream presents an exceptional chance for innovators from the UK to contribute their expertise to Australian organizations for a duration of up to three years. This fosters the exchange of knowledge and promotes collaboration between Australian businesses and their counterparts in the UK, facilitating cross-border cooperation.
Australia presents great opportunities this year for those planning to work and live in the country. However, Australian immigration laws and requirements are constantly changing, which is why it is important to lodge your application as soon as possible.
With the holidays approaching, we would strongly encourage you to contact your case manager to find out what other documents are pending so we can work on your application before the holiday rush begins.
