Migration News

Weekly Immigration Update: Major Points Test Reform Looms as ANU Research Shapes Government Policy Executive Summary The Australian Immigration Agency has been closely monitoring developments surrounding the federal government’s review of the skilled migration points test. Drawing on extensive research conducted by the Tax and Transfer Policy Institute at the Crawford School of Public Policy (Australian National University), the government is poised to finalise a new framework that reflects the modern realities of migrant outcomes in Australia. With implementation potentially beginning as early as March, prospective applicants and current visa holders must understand what is at stake.

Australian Immigration Weekly Update: NT Allocations Open, Student Fees Triple, and March 2027 Points Test Revealed Executive Summary The Northern Territory has become the second jurisdiction to release its skilled migration allocations for the 2026–2027 programme year, with a notable 12 per cent increase directed entirely towards the 491 visa. Meanwhile, the Federal Government has confirmed a tripling of student visa application fees, and credible sources suggest a revised points test will take effect from March 2027, with the proposed model signalling a clear pivot towards younger, English-proficient applicants.

Australian Immigration Weekly Update: Modern Slavery Risks, Working Holiday Visa Changes, and Industry Concerns Executive Summary This week’s update examines the pause on certain Working Holiday visa subclasses, growing concerns about exploitation in the construction industry’s apprenticeship push, and recent enforcement action against an aged care provider for unlawfully recovering sponsorship costs from migrant workers. We also address the urgent need for systemic reform to protect vulnerable visa holders from coercive employer practices.

Australian Immigration Weekly Update: Cabinet Division Halts Major Policy Announcement as Visa Backlog Surges Beyond 400,000 Applicants Executive Summary The Australian Immigration Agency (AIA) brings you this week’s most significant developments in immigration policy and programme administration. Cabinet divisions have forced the cancellation of a major ministerial address on migration reform, while newly released figures expose a backlog exceeding 400,000 applicants across key visa categories. Concurrently, the Administrative Review Tribunal has publicly acknowledged it is operating at a deficit of 30,000 cases per year.

Ministerial Direction 119: What Australia’s New Visa Priority Processing Means for Applicants in 2026 Executive Summary The Australian Government has implemented significant changes to skilled visa processing through Ministerial Direction 119 (MD 119), establishing a five-tier priority system that fundamentally disadvantages offshore applicants. Under this framework, only applicants in law enforcement and defence-related occupations are afforded priority status when applying from outside Australia—all other offshore candidates will face extended or indefinite delays.