Plain-English summaries of visa policy updates, skills assessment changes, and immigration news relevant to skilled professionals in Melbourne and Australia. Updated as changes are announced.
The Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) visa was officially replaced by the Skills in Demand (SID) visa subclass 482 on 7 December 2024. The Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL) now applies to both the 482 and 186 Direct Entry stream. Here is what changed for our clients and what stayed the same.
Our MARA-registered migration agent partner at Insight Idea walks through the key changes to employer sponsorship requirements, occupation list updates, and what applicants currently in the queue need to know.
When two applicants have the same SkillSelect points score, the tie-breaker is the date they first reached that score. Here is how to use this rule to your advantage.
Source: Department of Home Affairs — SkillSelect Invitation Rounds
From 2026, the Department of Home Affairs moved to quarterly SkillSelect invitation rounds for the 189 and 491 visa. The change affects how you should time your EOI submission and when to update your profile.
