The Australian Department of Home Affairs has introduced a new rule requiring skilled visa applicants to lodge their permanent residence applications within six months of nomination approval. This rule applies to the Direct Entry stream of the Subclass 186 Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS), a main pathway for skilled foreign workers to gain permanent residence through a local employer. The six-month deadline means applicants must act quickly to gather required documentation.
To be eligible for the visa, applicants must satisfy six conditions. Firstly, their occupation must be on Australia's Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL), which recognizes jobs in demand. Secondly, most applicants need at least three years of relevant experience in their nominated occupation. However, those exempt from a skills assessment are excused from this requirement. A positive skills assessment is generally required, confirming the applicant's qualifications for the role.
An Australian business that is lawfully and actively operating must formally nominate the worker. After nomination approval, the six-month countdown to lodge the visa application begins. The Department of Home Affairs noted that the visa cannot be granted if there is unresolved adverse information about the sponsoring employer, if the nomination is withdrawn, or if the job position no longer exists. In some cases, applicants may be entitled to a refund of the visa application charge.
Applicants must also meet other requirements, including being under 45 years old at the time of application, though exemptions apply in certain circumstances. Additionally, applicants must demonstrate at least a "competent" level of English before the visa can be granted. Dependants aged 18 or older when the main application was lodged must show at least "functional" English, and those who cannot meet this standard will be charged an additional visa application fee.
The Department of Home Affairs has indicated that income thresholds tied to skilled visas will rise in line with adjustments to Australia's Average Weekly Ordinary Time Earnings. However, further details on the new figures were not provided. This change aims to ensure that skilled visa holders meet certain income requirements.
This new rule has significant implications for Ghanaians eyeing permanent residence in Australia through employer sponsorship. Skilled work migration remains a sought-after route abroad for many Ghanaian professionals, and Australia's employer sponsorship scheme is a key pathway to permanent settlement. Ghanaian applicants nominated by an Australian employer must move quickly to gather documentation for skills assessments, English tests, and other requirements once nomination is approved.
The Department of Home Affairs has not given a specific date for when the revised income thresholds tied to the skilled visa income requirement will take effect. No further timeline changes to the Subclass 186 Direct Entry stream conditions have been announced. This development is part of a series of migration-policy updates that Ghanaians pursuing work or study abroad continue to watch closely.
Key points
- The Australian Department of Home Affairs requires skilled visa applicants to lodge their permanent residence applications within six months of nomination approval.
- Applicants must satisfy six conditions, including occupation, work experience, skills, age, English ability, and employer nomination status.
- The new rule has significant implications for Ghanaians eyeing permanent residence in Australia through employer sponsorship.
