Australian Immigration Daily News

The Department of Home Affairs is remaking the legislative instrument that lists acceptable courses for qualification as a registered migration agent in Australia. The Department is seeking submissions for inclusion in this new legislative instrument from higher education providers offering courses for qualification as a registered migration agent. 

On 1 April 2026, Migration (IMMI 18/003: Specified courses and exams for registration as a migration agent) Instrument 2018 (IMMI 18/003) will sunset. The Department is remaking the instrument so it aligns with the contemporary knowledge requirements expected of the industry. 

The Department must assess all courses before they can be included in the new instrument. The Department must also reassess and approve courses listed in IMMI 18/003 before they can be included in the new instrument. 

Migration work is already complex enough. Between client deadlines, changing regulations, and high-stakes decision-making, most agents are stretched thin. But if you run your own practice, you’re juggling even more than that. You’re also the director. The business owner. The person responsible if something goes wrong behind the scenes. Each of those roles comes with its own set of risks.

Management Liability Insurance helps protect you from the unexpected issues that come with managing a business.

What is Management Liability insurance?

The Migration (Specification of Organisations) Instrument 2025 (LIN 25/015), issued under regulation 1.21 of the Migration Regulations 1994, formally repeals the previous instrument IMMI 13/023 and updates the specification of organisations authorised to make independent assessments of non-judicially determined claims of family violence.

This legislative update confirms that LSC Psychology remains the sole specified organisation for this purpose. The previous reference to the now-defunct Department of Human Services has been removed, reflecting the cessation of its agreement with the Department of Home Affairs. The instrument ensures that personnel employed by or contracted to LSC Psychology may continue to act as “independent experts” under the Migration Regulations, particularly for matters relating to family violence claims in Division 1.5.

This instrument commenced the day after registration on the Federal Register of Legislation and is exempt from disallowance under section 42 of the Legislation Act 2003. No public consultation was required, and no human rights statement was necessary, given its technical and clarifying nature.

The Migration Amendment (Visa Application Charges) Regulations 2025 implements scheduled adjustments to visa application charges (VACs), effective from 1 July 2025, consistent with the Australian Government’s annual indexation policy. The majority of VACs will increase by 3%, reflecting the 2023–2024 Consumer Price Index (CPI), as announced in the Federal Budget.

Additionally, this instrument introduces a further targeted increase for the Subclass 500 (Student) visa and Subclass 590 (Student Guardian) visa, with the base application charge rising from $1,600 to $2,000. This measure aligns with the Government’s Building Australia’s Future plan, aiming to better support the integrity of Australia’s international education system.

Importantly, visa applicants from Pacific Island countries and Timor-Leste remain exempt from the uplifted charges as part of Australia’s commitment to regional partnership and equitable access to education opportunities.

On 30 June 2025, the Department of Home Affairs will cease its operations in the Australian Embassy in Berlin and will be closing the visa processing office. 

The closure of the Home Affairs visa processing office will not impact visa and citizenship applicants in Europe as visa applications are already lodged via digital platforms. There is no need for clients to attend the Embassy in person to lodge an application. 

Going forward, their offices in Belgrade and London will share responsibility for immigration issues across the Europe region, as required.