NSW SPONSORSHIP, 189 INVITATION ROUND, AND ECONOMIC IMPLICATIONS
NSW Sponsorship Program Updates
The New South Wales government has announced significantchanges to its 190 and 491 state-sponsored visas, set to open in October. Amajor update is the shift in their deeming date policy, which may impacteligibility for applicants.
491 Visa Pathways
There are three pathways for the 491 Visa:
- Pathway 1: Applicants must be working in regional New South Wales, though they don’t necessarily need to live there. For example, you could live in Sydney but work in a regional area. Applicants must either meet the minimum earnings threshold or qualify for one of two concessions:some text
- Earning 90% of the required income threshold.
- Up to 10% of income can be non-monetary.
- Pathway 2: If your occupation is on the New South Wales Skills List, you can lodge an Expression of Interest (EOI) and may be selected by the government. This option is open to both onshore and offshore applicants.
- Pathway 3: The graduate stream has been reintroduced for recent graduates who studied in regional New South Wales and have an eligible occupation. We are awaiting further information on which occupations will be eligible.
190 Visa
For the 190 Visa, applicants need to submit an EOI and waitfor an invitation from the New South Wales government. Like the 491 Visa,occupations must be on the new skills list. This visa is also open to bothonshore and offshore applicants. Within each occupation group, there may beprioritization of certain specializations. For example, among nursingoccupations, those most in demand may be ranked higher.
Employment Skill Points Assessment Changes
One of the most significant shifts in New South Wales’immigration policy is its adoption of the Home Affairs definition of skilledemployment. For years, the state government has denied applicants sponsorshipsby refusing to recognize certain employment skill points. The new policy alignswith immigration department standards and considers factors such as ANZSCOclassifications, employment records, and references. This is welcome news formany, as it promises a fairer assessment process.
Economic Concerns and Migration
Australia’s economic outlook continues to weaken, withconcerns about the potential impact of cutting international student numbers.The ABC’s 7:30 report highlighted that while interest rates have stifledeconomic growth, migration has helped sustain it. With net overseas migrationcontributing both demand and an increased labor supply, the Australiangovernment is under pressure to reconsider student visa caps, particularly forregional universities that are struggling to meet financial obligations.
462 Work and Holiday Visa Ballot
A new ballot for the 462 Work and Holiday Visa program isset to open on September 16, targeting Indian, Chinese, and Vietnamese passportholders. Due to high demand, a random selection process will be used to manageapplications fairly. There’s a $25 fee to enter the ballot, raising questionsabout the government’s intent to capitalize on hopeful applicants.
Insights from the 189 Invitation Round
The first 189 invitation round for this financial yearoccurred on Wednesday. While we are still waiting for more comprehensive data,preliminary results seem to align with the June round. Here’s a snapshot of thepoints required for some key occupations:
- Accountant: 100 points
- Architect: 75 points
- Carpenter: 65 points
- Civil Engineer: 75 points
- Electrical Engineer: 90 points
- Software Engineer: 95 points
Surprising Results from the June Invitation Round
A Freedom of Information request revealed that 5,292invitations were issued in the June round. India dominated the invitations,receiving 41% of the total, with China a distant second at 15%. A staggering84% of invitations were granted to individuals already living in Australia.
Top invited occupations included:
- Carpenters: 657
- Civil Engineers: 577
- Painting and Trades Professionals: 568
- Architects and Landscape Architects: 448
- Accountants: 399
Interestingly, 56% of Carpenters invited were Indianpassport holders, the majority of whom were already in Australia. Indianstudents, especially those in vocational courses, seem to be benefiting fromthe invitation rounds. These students often complete two years of education,followed by employment for 12 months or more, while navigating complex skillassessment processes.
Final Thoughts
The migration policy landscape is constantly evolving, andchanges in state sponsorship requirements or visa invitation rounds cansignificantly impact both current applicants and Australia’s economy. Withchallenges ahead for universities and other sectors dependent on internationalstudents, it will be important to monitor how these shifts influenceAustralia’s overall growth.
Stay tuned for more updates as we continue to explore theseimportant immigration developments.
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