ACS Skills Assessment Updates
The Australian Computer Society (ACS) is the skills assessing body for IT roles on the Department of Home Affairs’ skilled occupation list such as ICT Business Analyst, Multimedia Specialist, ICT Security Specialist, ICT Support Engineer, and more, spread across the Medium to Long Term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL) and Short-term Skilled Occupation List. On 15 […]
Genuine Student FAQs
One of the main reasons why Student Visas get refused is when Immigration Case Officers are of the view that the applicants cannot satisfy the Genuine Temporary Entrant (GTE) criterion. The GTE criterion focuses on how the visa applicants can demonstrate that they do not have intentions of staying in Australia permanently based on key […]
FAQs: Divorce for Filipino migrants
Some Filipino migrants assume that they are not eligible to file a divorce in Australia because they were married in the Philippines and because divorce is still not available there. Some also believe that divorce is not accessible to those who are on a temporary visa. This article intends to provide answers to common questions […]
Steps to take when your visa gets refused or cancelled
In the last few months, there is an increasing number of temporary visa applications getting refused under the Visitor visa (subclass 600) and Student visa (subclass 500). Visa cancellations also occur as the Department of Home Affairs has the power to cancel visas if there are grounds to do so. This article intends to give […]
Simple mistakes that can lead to visa refusal
Applying for Australian visas may seem easy as information on the criteria and application process are publicly available. However, it is important to understand that sometimes visa applicants may unknowingly commit errors which may compromise their getting a favourable decision on their application. This article intends to discuss common mistakes that visa applicants make that […]
Work Visa Updates from 25th November 2023
Changes to the Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS) 186 visa Temporary Residence Transition (TRT) stream, and the Temporary Skills Shortage (TSS) 482 visa had been implemented on 25 November 2023. These legislation updates are expected to provide better and faster access to permanent residency for current and future TSS 482 visa holders. This article intends to […]
A Decade in Business: Recipe for Success
I have been writing for the Philippine Times since 2016 and my articles are mostly about migration legislation updates, Australian visa FAQs, and migrants’ success stories. For this edition, I decided to share something special. On 21 October 2023, we celebrated a huge milestone, the 10 th anniversary of my business. I felt so blessed […]
Accessing information about your visa or appeal application
In most cases, applicants who avail themselves of migration assistance from their service provider are given documents pertaining to their visa or appeal application. This can include the submitted application form, visa/appeal payment receipt, and any correspondence with the authority where the application was lodged. However, there are instances where the service provider does not […]
Tips on getting ready for skilled visa state nomination
On the 24th of August 2023, the Department of Home Affairs published the visa category and state allocations for the Permanent Migration Program for this financial year (2023-2024). Although the total allocation for this financial year at 190,000 is just 5,000 places lower than the previous year, on-hand and undecided Permanent Resident (PR) visa applications […]
408 Covid Stream Visa Cessation
On the 31st of August 2023, the Department of Home Affairs announced that the 408 Covid Stream visa will be completely closed by February 2024. Its closure comes in two stages. The first stage of its cessation process was abrupt, which gave eligible applicants only two days (31st of August on the day of the […]