Australian Immigration Daily News

The below messaging and information sheets have been provided by the Skills Assessment and Support Team from Trades Recognition Australia.

Need to apply for a refund for your applicant’s Trades Recognition Australian (TRA) program fees? From 3 June 2024 the TRA Fees, Payments and Refund Policy and Refund Request Form have changed. The new form is available at Home | Trades Recognition Australia Please ensure you refer to the TRA Policy and Program Guidelines to check your applicant’s eligibility. For all refund enquiries, or to apply for a refund, please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

Other documents: DEWR-TRA-Fees-Payment-and-Refund-Policy-.pdf and DEWR-TRA-Refund-Request-Form.pdf

The Australian Government has introduced the Australian Passports Amendment (2024 Measures No. 1) Determination 2024, which aims to strengthen the legal framework for disclosing personal information to support identity verification services such as the Document Verification Service (DVS) and Face Verification Service (FVS). This legislative amendment, issued by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, is designed to enhance the security and efficiency of identity verification processes while upholding individual privacy.

Key Highlights:

• Legislative Authority: The amendment is enacted under the Australian Passports Act 2005, specifically sections 46 and 57, which permit the disclosure of personal information to designated individuals for identity verification purposes.

  ...

Summary of the Education Services for Overseas Students Amendment (Quality and Integrity) Bill 2024

The Education Services for Overseas Students Amendment (Quality and Integrity) Bill 2024 introduces significant changes to enhance the quality, integrity, and sustainable growth of Australia's international education sector. Key amendments include:

1. Education Agents and Commissions:

   ...

Migration (Arrangements for Pacific Engagement Visa Applications) Instrument (LIN 24/012) 2024

Issued by Authority of the Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs

Purpose and Scope: The instrument LIN 24/012, under subregulation 2.07(5) of the Migration Regulations 1994, specifies the form, manner, and place for applying for the Subclass 192 (Pacific Engagement) visa, which grants permanent residence to citizens of select Pacific island countries and Timor-Leste, along with their families.

Key Provisions:

The document titled "Migration (LIN 19/198: Evidence of financial capacity—Subclass 500 Visa and Subclass 590 Visa) Amendment (LIN 24/042) Specification 2024" details significant updates to the financial capacity requirements for applicants of the Subclass 500 (Student) Visa and Subclass 590 (Student Guardian) Visa.

Key Updates and Purpose:

• The amendment revises the financial requirements for these visa subclasses to reflect the current cost of living in Australia, ensuring that visa holders can adequately support themselves during their stay.
• The updated financial requirements are calculated based on a new methodology tied to the Australian National Minimum Wage, aiming to align the visa holders' financial capacity with the minimum standard of living similar to the lowest-paid Australian workers.

Specific Changes: