Please find our webinar recording below for an update on immigration compliance and work rights checks.
Please contact your Ajuria adviser if you have any questions.
The post Webinar Recording | Immigration Compliance & Work Rights Checks first appeared on Ajuria Lawyers – Leaders in Immigration.
Please find our webinar recording below for a full briefing and discussion about the changes and how they will affect your business and your employees.
Please contact your Ajuria adviser if you have any questions.
The post Webinar Recording | Election 2028: Will the Push to Cut Net Overseas Migration (NOM) Make It Harder for Australian Employers to Recruit Skilled Work first appeared on Ajuria Lawyers – Leaders in Immigration.
As Australia heads towards the 2028 Federal Election, migration has once again become one of the hottest political issues. Both major parties are under pressure to act to reduce Net Overseas Migration (NOM) by election time, but what does this mean for employers who rely on skilled workers from overseas?
Recent changes to processing priorities may have changed the recruitment landscape more than many employers realise. While visa eligibility has not changed, the order in which skilled visa applications are processed has. In most cases, applications lodged for workers who are already in Australia will now be prioritised ahead of applications for workers overseas regardless of urgency or need for those workers.
Announced quietly and with little fanfare, is this really a simple process change, or does it represent a much broader shift in Australia’s approach to skilled migration? Is it short-term gain or are there deeper forces at work?
Join Ajuria Lawyers and special guest Henry Sherrell for a practical and thought-provoking webinar where we will explore:
About our guest Henry Sherrell
Henry is an adviser at the Scanlon Foundation and is a member of the Migration Advisory Council on Skilled Migration expert sub-committee. Prior to this, he worked for the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, and the Department of Immigration and Citizenship. He was the Deputy Program Director (Migration) at the Grattan Institute.
Thursday, 13 August 2026 – 2pm AEST
Whether you regularly sponsor overseas workers or are planning your future workforce strategy, this webinar will help you understand the changing migration landscape and what it means for your business.
Don’t miss this timely discussion on one of the most significant changes to Australia’s skilled migration program ahead of the changing political climate in Australia.
The webinar will be recorded.
The post Webinar Invitation | Election 2028: Will the Push to Cut NOM Make It Harder for Australian Employers to Recruit Skilled Workers? first appeared on Ajuria Lawyers – Leaders in Immigration.
The Australian Government has introduced a Ministerial Direction, which changes the order in which many skilled visa applications are processed.
Importantly, this does not change who is eligible for a visa. Instead, it changes which applications are processed first, meaning some applicants may receive decisions sooner than others.
Who will be prioritised?
The Department of Home Affairs will now give priority to:
What’s different?
The biggest changes are:
Which visas are affected?
The new processing priorities apply to a range of skilled and employer-sponsored visas, including:
What does this mean for employers?
If you sponsor workers in construction, healthcare, aged care, teaching, defence or law enforcement, your applications may be processed more quickly.
Employers recruiting for other occupations should be aware that processing times may increase, particularly where workers are applying from overseas. We will need to wait to see in practice what this will mean.
What does this mean for visa applicants?
Applicants already in Australia—especially those in priority occupations—are likely to have their applications considered sooner.
Applicants applying from overseas or in non-priority occupations may experience longer waiting times.
Key takeaway
The government has stated that this Ministerial Direction is designed to help Australia fill critical workforce shortages by prioritising visa applications in key sectors. Although visa requirements have not changed, processing times may.
If you would like to discuss how these changes may affect your recruitment plans or visa application, please contact the Ajuria Lawyers team.
The post New Skilled Visa Processing Priorities Now in Effect first appeared on Ajuria Lawyers – Leaders in Immigration.
Ajuria Lawyers invites you to join our upcoming webinar designed specifically for Australian employers and sponsors.
Stay up to date with the sponsorship obligations and compliance requirements. Our practical session will help ensure your business is prepared should the Australian Border Force or the Department of Home Affairs conduct a compliance audit or site visit.
We’ll cover common compliance pitfalls, recent legislative changes, record-keeping obligations, and practical steps you can take to minimise risk and protect your business.
This practical session will cover:
We look forward to you joining us.
Wednesday, 19 August 2026 – 11:00 AM AEST
This webinar will be recorded.
The post Immigration Compliance & Work Rights Checks – A Practical Guide for Employers first appeared on Ajuria Lawyers – Leaders in Immigration.
Increase in Government application fees, Core Skills Income Threshold & Fair Work High Income Threshold
Government fees
As we predicted from the budget figures, the Government has increased visa fees between 4% and 25%.
The Government has also started to differentiate fees based on passport nationality by:
The new fees for the most commonly used visas are:
| Temporary visas | From 1 July 2026 |
| Skills in Demand – Subclass 482 main visa applicant | $4015 |
| Skills in Demand – Subclass 482 secondary applicant 18+ | $4015 |
| Skills in Demand – Subclass 482 secondary applicant u18 | $1005 |
| Temporary Work Visa – Subclass 400 | $535 |
| Bridging Visa B | $575 |
| Training Visa – Subclass 407 | $535 |
| Entertainment Visa – Subclass 408 | $535 |
| Permanent | From 1 July 2026 |
| Employer Nomination Scheme – Subclass 186 main applicant | $6140 |
| Employer Nomination Scheme – Subclass 186 secondary applicant 18+ | $3070 |
| Employer Nomination Scheme – Subclass 186 secondary applicant u18 | $1535 |
The nomination fee and Skilling Australians Fund Levy has remained the same. They have not been increased.
Core Skills Income Threshold (CSIT)
As a reminder, the Core Skills Income Threshold (CSIT) will increase on 1 July 2026 to $79,423. New nomination applications from this date will need to meet the new threshold or the annual market salary rate, whichever is higher.
The CSIT for existing 482 visa holders and nominations lodged before 1 July 2026 can remain at the rate as when lodged:
However, the earnings must still be reviewed and increased to meet the market rate if that is higher.
Labour Market Testing requiring a salary now needs to be for at least this new CSIT amount.
Specialist Skills Income Threshold
Skills in Demand visa (SID) (subclass 482) applications in the Specialist Skills stream must meet the Specialist Skills Income Threshold (SSIT).
The SSIT for SID Specialist Skills Stream nomination applications is as follows:
FWHIT
The Fair Work High Income Threshold (FWHIT) has increased to $190,100.
The threshold is relevant to the age exemption under the Subclass 186 Employer Nomination Scheme visa. Applicants relying on this exemption to satisfy the under-45 age requirement must demonstrate earnings above the FWHIT for the relevant qualifying period.
English exemption for Intra-Company transfers
As at 1 July 2026, the guaranteed annual earnings threshold for the English language exemption for an intra-company transferee (ICT) under the Skills in Demand (subclass 482) visa remains $96,400. It has not been indexed in line with the Core Skills Income Threshold (CSIT) or Specialist Skills Income Threshold (SSIT).
EOFY staff reviews & visa holders
The new financial year means staff review time for a lot of businesses. It is an important reminder that 482 visa holders have been approved to work in their nominated occupations only.
While a promotion within the same occupational stream (and any associated salary increase) will generally comply with their 482 visa conditions, a move into a different role must be carefully considered and may require a new nomination or adjusted market rate. If a new role for a 482 visa holder would fall into a different occupation, a new 482 nomination and visa application will need to be lodged.
Please discuss any proposed role changes with your Ajuria adviser to ensure that your visa holders will continue to be compliant.
Employers are also reminded to ensure 482 visa holders are paid according to their approved salary and at the Australian market rate for the role.
DISCLAIMER This information is current as of 1 July 2026 and is subject to change with little notice. This publication is of a general nature only and should not be used as legal advice. To the extent permissible by law, Ajuria Lawyers and its associated entities shall not be liable for any errors, omissions, defects or misrepresentations in the information or for any loss or damage suffered by persons who use or rely on such information. Liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards Legislation.
The post 2027 Financial Year – Australian Immigration Updates first appeared on Ajuria Lawyers – Leaders in Immigration.
Australia’s federal government has handed down its 2026-27 budget with the following announcements related to the migration portfolio:
Migration Planning Levels
Australia’s permanent migration intake will remain capped at 185,000 places. More than 70 per cent of permanent visas will be allocated to skilled migrants, while priority will increasingly be given to applicants already living in Australia.
The net overseas migration (NOM) is now expected to remain higher than previously forecast. Treasury revised NOM forecasts upward from 260,000 to 295,000 in 2025–26, and from 225,000 to 245,000 in 2026–27. The government says this is largely due to fewer temporary migrants leaving Australia and an increase in New Zealand citizens relocating to Australia to take advantage of strong labour market conditions.
Although NOM fell 44 per cent to 310,000 in 2024–25, it remains above the pre-pandemic average of around 230,000.
Reforms to points tested Skilled Migration
The government also announced reforms to the skilled migration points test – the first since 2012 – aimed at better selecting migrants with stronger education, skills and younger age profiles.
To address labour shortages, particularly in construction and electrical trades, the government will allocate $85.2 million to the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations to primarily spend on faster skills assessments and licensing recognition for Trades Recognition Australia. The measures are expected to help up to 4,000 additional skilled trades workers enter the workforce annually and reduce workforce entry delays by up to six months.
Working Holiday makers
Changes have been announced to expand the use of ballot systems in the Working Holiday Maker program to better manage visa numbers and provide a “fairer allocation”.
Compliance
The budget also includes integrity and compliance measures across the migration system. Funding will be directed toward tighter scrutiny of student visa applications, and improved workplace protections for migrant workers.
The Australian Border Force will also receive funding to strengthens laws against antisemitism, violent extremism and hate by implementing new visa refusal and cancellation grounds, and character test provisions under the Migration Act 1958.
The post Australian Federal Budget 2026-27: Immigration Impacts first appeared on Ajuria Lawyers – Leaders in Immigration.
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A number of our team members are attending the Law Council of Australia Immigration Law Conference 2026 in Brisbane this week, where we have received an update from the Department of Home Affairs and the Administrative Review Tribunal on current migration trends and processing pressures.
Department of Home Affairs Update
Key insights include:
On Permanent Residence application through the Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS):
Administrative Review Tribunal Update
We also received an update from the Administrative Review Tribunal (ART), which highlighted a significant increase in appeals relating to the Subclass 407 (Training) visa, with lodgements rising by approximately 591%.
This sharp increase appears to be linked to recent changes to the 407 visa program, which came into effect earlier this month. These changes now prevent the lodgement of 407 visa applications without an approved sponsor and nomination in place, tightening eligibility requirements and impacting application strategies.
What this means
These updates reinforce the continued high demand across the migration program, particularly in visitor and employer-sponsored pathways, alongside increasing pressure on processing times and review mechanisms.
The surge in 407-related appeals also signals practical impacts of recent regulatory changes, highlighting the importance of ensuring applications are correctly structured prior to lodgement.
We will continue to monitor developments and share further insights from the conference.
If you would like to discuss how these updates may affect your business or visa strategy, please feel free to contact our team.
Ajuria Lawyers
The post Ajuria Lawyers – some updates from the Immigration Law Conference Update (Brisbane 2026) first appeared on Ajuria Lawyers – Leaders in Immigration.
The post Webinar Recording – 1 July 2026 Immigration Update first appeared on Ajuria Lawyers – Leaders in Immigration.