Visa Executive at the Immigration Law Conference 2026
System Under Strain: Key Takeaways for Your Visa Strategy Visa Executive team member, Christina Lien, attended the 2026 Immigration Law Conference, where Department of Home Affairs and Administrative Review Tribunal officials provided rare public candour on processing pressures, employer‑sponsored reforms, and the government’s migration agenda. Key Conference Takeaways -Processing delays and bridging visas -Skills in […]
Arrival Control Determination of holders of passports issued by the Islamic Republic of Iran
Following on from our recent newsletter detailing the Arrival Control Determination under the Migration Amendment (2026 Measures No. 1) Act 2026 which put in place suspension of certain international arrivals into Australia, it has been announced this week by the Minister for Home Affairs that as of 26 March 2026 and remaining in effect for […]
Increase in the minimum salary threshold for the 482 and 186 programmes to begin on 1 July 2026.
The Core Skills Income Threshold (CSIT) and the Specialist Skills Income Threshold (SSIT) are automatically indexed each year for the Subclass 482 and Subclass 186 programs, in accordance with the formula prescribed in regulation 5.42A of the Migration Regulations. For these visa programs, a new legislative instrument is not required to update the CSIT and […]
Middle East Crisis Support and Information
The Migration Institute of Australia has sent the following information that provides information for those impacted by the Middle East crisis. The newsletter provides travel information from Smartraveller, how to request consular assistance, register on the crisis registration portal, visa information available on the Department’s website and links to mental health support. Please find a […]
Bridging Visa B (BVB) processing times
We’re getting lots of questions about Bridging Visa B (BVB) processing times, especially from clients with upcoming travel plans — so here’s a quick, honest update. Home Affairs is currently carrying a very large backlog across most visa categories, and unfortunately BVBs are not immune. While BVBs can be granted quickly, we’re increasingly seeing: If […]
Australian 186 TRT Visa Program Changes
Just as we had thought that we were heading towards the end of the year and starting to buy presents, think about buying the Christmas tree and going to Mecca to buy a cream that would make us look like Jennifer Lopez or a young Brad Pitt, the Immigration Department decides to destroy our visit […]
Update on Employer Nomination Scheme (Visa Subclass 186) processing time frames.
11 November 2025 The Immigration Department’s Employer Sponsored Program Delivery (ESPD) team has just advised that it is currently receiving a higher than usual volume of applications under the Employer Nomination Scheme visa programme. On 31 October 2025, the ESPD confirmed that while it cannot provide a definitive timeframe for assessment, it is currently assessing […]
Increase in Subclass 400 refusals for Indian nationals
5 November 2025 We have seen a recent dramatic increase in refusals for subclass 400 visas lodged by Indian nationals. We have reached out to our national association to garner their feedback and they noted that they are aware of the refusal spike and are currently undertaking an FOI (Freedom of Information) request.An FOI can […]
Jobs and Skills Australia CSOL consultation
Jobs and Skills Australia (JSA) assists the Australian Government in decision-making on the current, emerging and future skills and workforce needs of the Australian economy. This includes in regional, rural and remote Australia, and on the development of new industries and new technologies. JSA provide high quality data, analysis, and insights to better understand Australia’s […]
482 visa holders and purchase of residential property
Can Temporary Residents Buy Property in Australia? Yes — With the Right Strategy The team at Visa Executive are often asked by temporary visa holders if they can buy a house in Australia. The answer is – we don’t know – so we have reached out to the star of mortgage brokers in Australia, Alycia […]