Empowering Skilled Migrants: Temporary Skilled Income Threshold (TSMIT) Raised to $70,000 and New Avenues to Permanent Residency Unveiled
On April 27, 2023, the Minister for Home Affairs, the Hon Clare O’Neil MP, made an announcement regarding the TSMIT and introduced new opportunities for employer-sponsored temporary skilled visa holders to obtain permanent residency.
According to the announcement starting from July 1, 2023, there will be an upward adjustment in the TSMIT from $53,900 to $70,000. As a result, new nomination applications submitted from that date onward will be required to satisfy the updated TSMIT of $70,000 or the annual market salary rate, whichever is greater.
It is important to note that this modification will not impact individuals currently holding visas or nominations lodged prior to July 1, 2023.
Expanded pathways to permanent residence
By the end of 2023, revisions will be made to the Temporary Residence Transition (TRT) stream of the Employer Nomination Scheme SC 186.
Under the amended regulations, all holders of Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) SC 482 visas will be eligible to apply for Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS) visas through sponsorship from their employers. It will be necessary for applicants to maintain employment in the occupation for which they were nominated in their TSS visa(s).
Sponsored visa holders will now qualify for ENS TRT after two years (previously three years) of being sponsored on a TSS visa by their employer. It is important for applicants to fulfil all other nomination and visa prerequisites for the TRT stream of the Employer Nomination Scheme visa.
Furthermore, the limitation on onshore applications for Short Term stream TSS visas has been temporarily eliminated.
Source: https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/news-media/archive/article?itemId=1057
