Migration Choice Pty Ltd

𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗨𝗽𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲 — 𝗧𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗹 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗖𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗩𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝗩𝗶𝘀𝗮 𝗛𝗼𝗹𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀

The Migration (Arrival Control) Determination 2026 (LIN 26/040) commenced on 26 March 2026 and will remain in force for 6 months. Under this determination, certain 𝗼𝗳𝗳𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗩𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗼𝗿 (𝘀𝘂𝗯𝗰𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘀 𝟲𝟬𝟬) 𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗮 𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝗻 𝗜𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗽𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 will have their visa temporarily cease to be in effect, unless an exemption applies.

This measure applies where the person:

• was outside Australia when the determination commenced on 26 March 2026
• holds a Visitor (subclass 600) visa, and
• is recorded by the Department as having used a passport issued by the Islamic Republic of Iran when applying for that visa.

Importantly, this does not affect all Iranian temporary visa holders. At this stage, it applies only to the specific group described above. It also does not apply to Iranian Visitor visa holders who were already in Australia when the determination commenced.

𝗘𝘅𝗲𝗺𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀

The determination does not apply to the following Visitor visa holders with Iranian passports:

• the spouse, de facto partner, or dependent child of an Australian citizen, Australian permanent visa holder, or an Australian resident who is not subject to a time limitation (such as a New Zealand citizen)
• the parent of a child under 18 who is in Australia
• a person who was in Australia when the determination commenced
• a person who holds a Permitted Travel Certificate (PTC) that is in force.

The Department has also stated that affected travellers may request a 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗹 𝗖𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗲 through its secure online portal, and that requests will be considered on a case-by-case basis in limited circumstances.

A request for a PTC can be made here:
https://acdchecks.homeaffairs.gov.au/tep

𝗦𝘂𝗯𝗰𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘀 𝟭𝟴𝟵 𝗦𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗩𝗶𝘀𝗮 — 𝗡𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱 𝗜𝗻𝘃𝗶𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗥𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱

The Department of Home Affairs has released the results of the November invitation round: https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/working-in-australia/skillselect/invitation-rounds

Health professionals, construction trade workers, and teachers remain among the most frequently invited occupations.

𝗤𝘂𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝗢𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 𝗢𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗬𝗲𝗮𝗿

Time flies! The 2025 financial year has ended and now the 2026 FY has started.

Looking back, employer sponsored visas (482/186/494/400/DAMA) absolutely dominated our caseload, due to the recent shift of migration directions and policies. This is like over 10 years ago when everyone was trying to apply for the 457 visa and the 187 RSMS visa.

Skilled migration visas (189/190/491) have been very challenging though. All the state nominations we received were mostly for health professionals (dentist, nurse, pharmacist) or people working in the outer regional areas. Some applicants had to wait for a couple of years to get an invitation, while others are still waiting.

Unfortunately the situation may remain the same in the 2026 FY. Finding an employer for sponsorship may be the key to getting your permanent residency. Speaking of 2026, it will mark my 𝟮𝟬𝘁𝗵 𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝗿𝘆 as a migration agent. Time does fly!

Cheers
Harry

𝗘𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗲𝗿 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗼𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗩𝗶𝘀𝗮𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗱𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝟭 𝗝𝘂𝗹𝘆 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱

From 1 July 2025, the income thresholds will be increased by 4.6% -

The Core Skills Income Threshold (CSIT) will increase from AUD73,150 to 𝗔𝗨𝗗𝟳𝟲,𝟱𝟭𝟱. This will impact nomination applications for the Core Skills stream of the Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482) and the Employer Nomination Scheme visa (subclass 186).

The Specialist Skills Income Threshold (SSIT) will increase from AUD135,000 to 𝗔𝗨𝗗𝟭𝟰𝟭,𝟮𝟭𝟬. This will impact nomination applications for the Specialist Skills stream of the Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482).

The Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold (TSMIT) used for the Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional visa (subclass 494) and the Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (RSMS) (subclass 187) will increase from AUD73,150 to 𝗔𝗨𝗗𝟳𝟲,𝟱𝟭𝟱. This is in line with the CSIT and subject to approval of relevant legislation.

New nomination applications from 1 July 2025 must meet the new relevant income threshold or the annual market salary rate, whichever is higher.

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗹𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝘅𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗮 𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗻𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗹𝗼𝗱𝗴𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝟭 𝗝𝘂𝗹𝘆 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱.​

Source: Department of Home Affairs