Migration Strategy: The Labor government announces a blueprint to return migration levels to “normal” pre-COVID levels, focusing on skilled workers and cracking down on foreign students.
Three-tiered Visa System: A new visa stream will be created for employers to bring in migrants with skills in demand, with faster processing times and more flexibility for workers to switch jobs
Points Test Reform: The points test for permanent residence will be revamped to reward skill over perseverance, and a new “talent and innovation” visa will be considered to attract highly talented migrants
Student Visa Tightening: The government will introduce a genuine student test, and curb visa-hopping by students who use the system to access jobs. International students will face higher English-language proficiency requirements, more scrutiny of their visa applications, and a genuine student test that will consider their academic or career progression and the usefulness of their intended study.
Graduate visa 485: backflip on the extra two years of stay for graduates. Graduates who work in highly skilled jobs will be rewarded, in contrast to those who work in low-skilled positions after graduation. This is to address the statistic that more than 50% of 485 visa holders are working in low-skilled positions.
And other recommendations