Official Immigration Symposium looks ahead to immigration policy priorities for FY 2021-22; new agri

The National Migration Conference 2021, the official immigration symposium in Australia 2021, was held recently. This meeting reviewed the immigration policy in the 20-21 fiscal year, and took stock of and discussed the immigration situation in the 2021-22 fiscal year and which visas will be prioritized in Australia in the post-epidemic era.

executive summary

The skilled immigrant quota for fiscal year 2021-22 remains largely unchanged at 79,600;

The BIIP business immigration quota remains at 13,500;

Priority processing visa categories, PMSOL list increased to 44 occupation categories;

Preferential policies in the era of epidemic;

The new agricultural visa, launched on September 30, will be carried out in two steps.

The skilled immigrant quota for this fiscal year is basically unchanged

The skilled immigrant quota for the 2021-22 fiscal year remains largely unchanged at a total of 79,600, which will be adjusted internally according to the situation:

The current quota for BIIP business immigration is 13,500;

The current quota for employer sponsorships is 22,000;

The current quota for independent skilled immigrants is 6,500;

11,200 in remote areas (state-sponsored, employer-sponsored);

The current quota for state immigration is 11,200;

The current quota for Global Talent is 15,000;

The current quota of Distinguished Talent is 200.

BIIP business immigration quota is ample

Australia's business investment immigration program is very successful, and currently, among high net worth immigrants, Australia is one of their favorite immigration countries. The quota for investment immigration has increased significantly from 6,682 in 2019/20 to 13,500 in 2020/21, and will remain at 13,500 in 2021/22.

Priority visa category

In the 2021-22 financial year, the Australian Government will continue its previous policy of focusing on prioritizing the types of visas that will help the Australian economy recover, create jobs and invest.

Business Innovation and Investment Program (BIIP);

Global Talent Initiative (GTI);

Employer Sponsorship Scheme.

* Visa processing focuses on onshore applicants and key occupation applicants.

In response to the labour shortage during Covid19 and to help Australia recover from the impact of the outbreak as quickly as possible, the Australian Government has introduced the PMSOL list. There are currently a total of 44 occupations on the PMSOL list and are subject to change as needed. If you are applying for 482/494/186/187 and the position is on the PMSOL list, your visa will be given priority.

Preferential policies in the era of epidemic

Affected by the new crown epidemic, the Australian government launched the following preferential policies on September 19, 2020:

Business Innovation and Investment Program (BIIP) applicants

Assistance in meeting application requirements, specific periods of stay required by visa standards, specific levels of business and investment activity.

Temporary Skilled-Regional (887) visa applicants

Assistance with local residency and employment requirements.

The Australian Government rolls out the COVID-19 Pandemic Visa:

Ensure visa holders maintain legal status, reduce vulnerability and adhere to hygiene measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the community;

Provide a visa pathway for temporary visa holders in Australia to help them stay and work in Australia in key sectors that are in the public interest;

A visa pathway for temporary visa holders who are unable to leave Australia and have no other option to extend their stay.

Key sectors include agriculture, food processing, health care, aged care. Disability care, child care, travel and hospitality.

408 Epidemic Visa This visa is mainly to help stranded people in Australia affected by the epidemic to continue to stay in Australia legally, or to provide legal work visas to practitioners in critical fields.

New agricultural visas to start on September 30

The Australian Agriculture visa "Agricultural Work Visa" is the federal government's upcoming introduction of a specialized agricultural visa to help fill the labor shortage in the agriculture, fishing and forestry sectors caused by the new crown epidemic; the new visa will be implemented on September 30, Eligible workers will be able to apply for Australian permanent residency.

Agricultural visas are currently implemented in two steps:

The first stage:

Only a small number of employers are invited to participate in the program, and more employers can apply to join after March next year. Depending on the border situation and the national epidemic prevention situation, the first small batch of agricultural workers will arrive between December 2021 and March 2022, and a small number of accredited PALM employers can recruit.

second stage:

From April 2022, the number of employers participating in agricultural visas will steadily increase, the number of workers recruited will increase, and the number of participating countries will increase.