The US and the UK are tightening their immigration policies. President Trump implemented a travel ban and has repeatedly emphasised that he will be evaluating the country’s immigration policy and introduce tougher screening of visa applicants. While the travel ban has been removed by the US Federal court there is no stopping the President from giving out another executive order of similar nature. In the UK there has also been a stir up as the British government looks to cap the number of international students to the UK. The trend in the development of immigration policies in these two countries has startled migrants and temporary-stay workers and students, who now ponder their future in the US or the UK.

This presents Australia with an opportunity to attract genuine skilled professionals, aspiring students and potentially business and investor migrants to Australia. The US and the UK have long benefited from their preferred migrant destination status for many years, with many entrepreneurs, technology innovators and brilliant scientists settling down in the US or UK. Now Australia may stand to gain from opening its borders to attract talent, skills and investment from overseas.

What are the visa options available for Australia?

The Department of Immigration and Border Protection (DIBP) of Australia manages a migration programme which oversees a huge range of visas. In summary:

If you are a skilled professional you may consider applying for the:

- Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189)
- Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190)
- Skilled Regional (provisional) visa (subclass 489)

Highly skilled professionals such as scientists with a global reputation, or sportspeople who achieved a regional or global ranking may consider applying for the following visa:
- Distinguished Talent visa (subclass 124/858)

If you have a business which will be sponsoring you for temporary or permanent work you may consider the following visas:

- Temporary Work (Skilled) visa (subclass 457)
- Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186)
- Regional Sponsor Migration Scheme (subclass 187)

If you are a business owner or investor, the following visas will be of interest:

- Business Innovation and Investment (provisional) visa (subclass 188)

There are five different streams available under this category:

1. The Business Owner stream - for current business owners and managers
2. The Investor stream - for active investors who consistently changes their investment portfolio
3. The Significant Investor stream (SIV) - for investors looking to invest A$5 million in complying significant investments
4. The Premium Investor stream (PIV) - an exclusive invite-only visa which requires A$15 million in investments
5. The Entrepreneur stream - for innovators who are able to obtain funding from Australian venture funds to develop their ideas and research in Australia

- Business Talent (Permanent) visa (subclass 132)

The Business Talent visa is for owners of a business which has a high annual revenue. The owning and managing of a highly successful business allows you to apply for permanent residency through the subclass 132 visa.

Australia maintains a flexible immigration policy and is in need of skilled professionals and investments to improve its innovation capabilities, R&D and domestic market size. Contact Work Visa Lawyers if you need to know more about your options for an Australian visa.

Source:

1. http://money.cnn.com/2017/01/31/technology/india-h1b-visa-trump-tech-companies/index.html
2. http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2017/02/09/whats-next-court-donald-trump-immigration-travel-ban-muslim-president/97719392/
3. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/education/education-news/cap-brexit-international-student-visas-cost-uk-economy-2bn-year-immigration-hepi-a7526026.html
4. http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/couple-given-28-days-leave-9734476

Comments by Chris Johnston – Principal Lawyer and Registered Migration Agent at Work Visa Lawyers

The political situation in the US and the UK has brought about uncertainty in the immigration policies of both countries. Australia should now be well placed to attract skilled and business talent from all over the world.

The visa options available may confuse many hence a detailed and individual assessment should be done to determine the most suitable visa for a prospective migrant to Australia. Different visas have different requirements so it is very important to assess your eligibility before applying.

Speak to a Registered Migration Agent to understand your options before submitting your application for an Australian visa. Seeking accurate advice and submitting a strong application upfront will ensure a smooth visa application for you to begin your life in Australia.

This information is accurate on 11 February 2017

Do you need help with an Australian visa application?

At Work Visa Lawyers we are experienced in assisting applicants in all matters relating to Australian visa applications. Our areas of expertise include Skilled Migration visas, Business Skills Migration visas, Employer Sponsored Work Visas, Partner and other Family Migration visas as well as the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) Review, Judicial Review and Ministerial Intervention.

If you require further information regarding your Australia visa options you can contact us through:

(08) 8351 9956 or +61 8 8351 9956

or   This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.