In December 2023, the federal government announced changes to its visa system as part of a new migration strategy. This strategy, which came into effect on 1 July 2024, aims to streamline the visa application process, address labour and skills shortages, and manage the exploitation of migrant workers (McHugh-Dillon, 2024). However, tackling what the Albanese government labels a ‘broken’ migration system (Roberts, 2023), has resulted in stricter rules for those seeking visas and repercussions for a short-staffed regional Australia.
Work and Holiday Visa Changes for Select Nationalities
A pre-application ballot process has been introduced for Work and Holiday visa (subclass 462) applicants from China, Vietnam, and India; aiming to create a more balanced distribution of opportunities. With this new system—which replaces the current ‘first-come, first-served’ model—applicants pay a $25 fee to enter a lottery, and if selected, they can apply for the visa. However, Joshua Strutt, the director of the Immigration Advice and Rights Centre, has highlighted a downside for applicants, explaining that ballot systems can ‘add a level of anxiety for people’ (Ittimani, 2024).
While the lottery system is clearly beneficial for Australia, some of the other changes to Work and Holiday visas are causing unforeseen ramifications. Until now, all backpackers on working holidays had to complete 88 days of regional work to apply for a second year. This requirement no longer applies to UK citizens, even though they are the most represented nationality in the scheme.
Backpacker Job Board founder Matthew Heyes said, “The 88-day program was really good in that it helped direct backpackers into regional Australia, where they would come not only for the work, but they would also spend their dollars there.” (Nakamura, 2024)
Exemptions to the Work and Holiday Visa Six-Month Cap
From 1 January 2024, there were also additional exemptions to Condition 8547 of the Work and Holiday visa—allowing some visa holders to work for the same employer for more than six months without asking permission.
These exemptions include:
- Working in different locations, without any one location exceeding six months.
- Employment in plant and animal cultivation.
- Certain industries, including aged care, disability services, fishing and pearling, tree farming and felling, and construction and mining in northern Australia.
- Natural disaster recovery work.
- Critical sectors such as agriculture, food processing, health, aged and disability care, childcare, tourism, and hospitality. (Department of Home Affairs, 2024)
New Visa Scheme for Indian Tech Professionals
Another notable introduction is the Mobility Arrangement for Talented Early-professionals Scheme (MATES). This visa is specifically for Indian nationals aged 18-30 with qualifications in high-demand technology fields such as renewable energy, mining, engineering, ICT, AI, fintech, and agtech. (Department of Home Affairs, 2024)
Former Deputy Secretary of the Department of Immigration, Abul Rizvi, has called the scheme ‘beneficial’, he said, “It adds to exchange of young people between the two countries which is a positive. A possible risk is if the young people find it hard to get a job (noting a weakening labour market) or are exploited and/or underpaid.” (Kaul, 2024)
The programme will offer 3,000 places annually, with a $365 application fee for those selected through the ballot. (Department of Home Affairs, 2024)
Stricter Rules for Onshore Student Visa Applications
The government is also tightening the rules for onshore student visa applications. From the 1st of July, holders of certain visas—including those for visitors (subclass 600), maritime crew (subclass 988), and temporary graduates (subclass 485) —will no longer be eligible to apply for a student visa while in Australia (Nakamura, 2024). This measure aims to prevent ‘visa hopping’, ensuring that student visa holders are genuine students pursuing further education or career advancement (McHugh-Dillon, 2024).
Overhaul of Temporary Graduate and Temporary Skills Visa Lengths
The Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) is undergoing several changes, including restructuring its streams and reducing the age limit to 35 years (with exceptions for research students and certain nationalities). The length of stay will vary for the new streams, with the current 18 months for vocational education graduates remaining in place and visas for PhD holders shortening to three years (Department of Home Affairs, 2024).
For people with temporary skills visas—such as the Temporary Skill Shortage visa (subclass 482)—the government is extending the time allowed to find a new sponsor or arrange to leave Australia if they lose their job. Visa holders will have up to 180 days at a time, with a maximum of 365 days across the entire visa grant period. (Department of Home Affairs, 2024).
Preparing for Updated Visa Regulations
According to the government, their crack-down on migration numbers aims to support economic recovery and long-term growth (Roberts, 2023), aligning with public sentiment within Australia. This direction is reflected in the 2023 Scanlon Foundation report, where 33% were worried that Australia’s migration intake is too high (Speers, 2023).
However, for internationals seeking visas, the swathe of changes in 2024 are making the process much more difficult; with international student visa grants already dropping by 35% (Ministers for the Department of Home Affairs, 2024). In this climate, applying for an Australian visa can be complex and overwhelming—for both applicants and employers. If you need assistance navigating these changes, the experts at Kinatico can offer knowledgeable advice and solutions.
References
‘Albanese Government continues to deliver on Migration Strategy’. Australian Government: Ministers for the Department of Home Affairs. 2024. https://minister.homeaffairs.gov.au/ClareONeil/Pages/albanese-government-continues-deliver-migration-strategy.aspx
‘A Migration Strategy for Australia’. Australian Government: Department of Home Affairs. 2024. https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/what-we-do/migration-strategy
Ittimani, L. (2024, May 18). ‘Australian government launches working holiday visa lottery for some applicants.’ The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/article/2024/may/18/australian-government-launches-working-holiday-visa-lottery-for-some-applicants
Kaul, N. (2024, February 26). ‘New MATES migration scheme seeking 3,000 early career professionals from India to kick off this year’. SBS Hindi. https://www.sbs.com.au/language/hindi/en/article/australia-to-offer-3000-temporary-work-visas-to-indians-from-this-year-no-sponsorship-needed-under-new-mobility-scheme/wld1qqkp2
McHugh-Dillon, R. (2024, July 1). ‘Your guide to Australian visa changes for 2024-25’, SBS News. https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/your-guide-to-australian-visa-changes-for-2024-25/siwtg0n4e
Nakamura, G. (2024, January 15). ‘Visa requirement change for UK backpackers could worsen outback labour shortage’. ABC News. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-01-15/uk-backpackers-working-holiday-maker-visa-change-concerns/103299198
Roberts, G. (2023, December 11). ‘Three key takeaways of the federal government’s migration review’. ABC News. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-12-11/tightening-of-visa-conditions-australian-government/103212590
Speers, D. (2023, December 2023).‘New migration strategy aims to reduce Australian arrivals to ‘sustainable level’’. ABC News. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-12-10/migration-strategy-anthony-albanese-martin-parkinson-intake/103210216
‘Working Holiday Maker (WHM) program’. Australian Government: Department of Home Affairs. 2024. https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/what-we-do/whm-program/latest-news
Zhao, I. (2024, May 9). ‘Australian government quietly suspends new working holiday visa applications for Chinese nationals’. ABC News. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-05-09/australian-government-suspends-working-holiday-visa-china/103814934
