Australian Immigration Daily News

The Department of Home Affairs confirmed on their website that it will no longer be accepting applications for Distinguished Talent Visa (Subclass 124).  This visa is designed for individuals to apply for permanent residency directly or via invitation through SkillSelect.  The primary criteria for grant of the visa is for the applicant to be outside Australia at the time of grant.

What does this mean for those wishing to lodge a new Distinguished Talent Visa Application?

Those applicants wishing to access the Distinguished Talent Visa via the Standard Stream or the Global Talent Independent Stream will need to lodge an application for Subclass (858) Distinguished Talent Visa.

Law Council President, Pauline Wright, said the jump from $690 to $3,330 will pose a severe threat to access to justice for migrants.

“The Law Council considers it unconscionable for the government to be imposing such an exorbitant rise in the cost of migration applications to the Court,” Ms Wright said.

“This fee rise is objectionable particularly when many refugee applicants and temporary visa holders receive no government support and, in some cases,have no access to work rights during the appeal process.”

There is a myth circulating in the migration profession that migration agents need to do 5 Category B CPD points in a registration year.

This is not the case.

Here is the reality:

Migration Alliance has received the following email update from the NSW government, "Live and Work in NSW":

2020-21 Financial Year Update

The NSW Government’s limited number of interim nomination places for the 2020–21 financial year have been exhausted.

We are currently awaiting confirmation of an additional allocation of places from the Home Affairs for the remainder of the financial year.

According to the latest data available via the SkillSelect Dashboard, there are 710 Expressions of Interest applications pending for the State of South Australia for 132 Significant Business History and 132 Venture Capital Entrepreneur Business Visas.

Whilst the State continues to operate on interim allocations, this is a timely reminder for existing and new 132 visa holders to ensure they adhere to the State’s strict monitoring and compliance rules.

Business migrants seeking nomination for a Business Talent subclass 132 visa must meet both state and Department of Home Affairs requirements. State and Australian Government requirements are different for each stream.