Hello, and welcome to the February edition of Immigration News!
So far this year we have had almost 100 successful visa outcomes, plus many more nomination approvals. We have also had several great outcomes at the MRT, and successfully challenged a departmental decision that saved the applicant thousands of dollars in fees and costs, not to mention the stress and anxiety that accompanies a visa refusal. It is important to remember the Department is not always right when it makes a decision, case officers can and do sometimes make mistakes.
If you were not already aware March in Adelaide is referred to as Mad March with so many fantastic activities happening around town, the Fringe, The Adelaide Festival, the Clipsal 500, Adelaide Cup, WOMADelaide, the Cricket World Cup, the start of the AFL preseason, the start of the netball season and so much more. It also marks the end of many student visas.
The 15th of March is a universal date in which many student visas will expire and visa-holders will need to make an important decision about their futures. To extend a student visa or to apply for a 485 graduate temporary visa, or to apply for a 457 or a permanent employer-sponsored visa. No mater what you are planning to do one this is extremely important, do not forget to lodge a new application, and do not leave your application to the last minute.
Every year (hopefully not this year) we meet with many international students who forget to lodge a visa before the 15th of March, or they apply for the wrong type of visa, or they make critical mistakes that results in an application being returned as invalid. We also see many students or graduates who lodge visa applications that are later refused as they contain incorrect information or the applicant is not eligible for the visa which has been applied for.
Many international students pay a minimum of approximately $100,000 to live and study in Australia over a number of years, and as such it is vitally important that they are aware of their visa options and what opportunities are available to them. Many students will be able to navigate this process on their own, however, many others can’t, or they are starting their career or so busy working to pay of student loans that they don’t have the time to research and apply for a visa on their own.
At Migration Solutions we have assisted thousands of international students apply for student visa extensions, temporary graduate visas, skill assessments, spouse visas and temporary or permanent employer-sponsored visa applications.
If you are unsure about what visa options are available to you or if you would like to discuss your visa options and opportunities to obtain PR in Australia, please do not hesitate to contact my office to arrange a time to discuss your options. Even if you are still studying, a meeting to make sure you are on the right pathway to PR is a good idea and can potentially save you a lot of time and money.
There has been a lot of changes to immigration this month, none more than the removal of the 2 year post qualification work experience requirement for V.E.T. (Trade) graduates. This change will assist thousands of students and local employers – which is great news for our local economy.
In this newsletter you will find an interview with the CEO of Study Adelaide, Karyn Kent, about the importance of international studnents, a response from myself to a recent article written by InDaily columnist Malcolm King regarding South Australia’s skilled migration program, and as always, all the latest in immigration news.
All the best and enjoy Mad March.
Mark Glazbrook
