A lot of migration news coming out of last weeks budget.
- As of 1 July there will be an increase on visas charges for all visas. Business visas 40%, tourist, working holiday and other similar short stay visas 15% and all other visas 6% (this includes partners, parents and children etc). So a partner visa will cost $485.10 more for example.
If possible file your visa application before 1 July to avoid the increase.
- Also on the Departments website contributory parent and contributory aged parent visa processing times are now approx. 12 years for new applications. Looking at the budget this is because of the estimated 52,500 places available in the family program, 40,500 are allocated to partners (this in not capped but an estimate), 8,500 (capped) to parents, 3000 to children (not capped), and other family 500 (capped) places.
With only 8,500 places across all parent visa categories the waiting periods are going to blow out. With only 500 places for other family visa categories those applying for other family visas (other than partners and children) are not going to see a visa any time soon.
- As you all know by now the TSMIT is increasing to $70,000 per annum for all nominations filed on or after 1 July.
