The South Australia government has announced that the Department of Home Affairs has allocated a “limited number of interim allocation places” to the state for its General Skilled and Business Migration Program for the year 2020-21.
After months of remaining in suspension due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Australia’s general skilled migration is likely to witness some activity ahead of the full nomination allocations as part of the Budget process in October.
Immigration SA has received a limited number of places for its general skilled and business programs to assist the state’s economic and public health recovery amid the ongoing health crisis.
Highlights:
Immigration SA has advised that the applications will be prioritised in line with the following criteria:
High-quality applications within the Business Innovation and Investment Program.
Applicants critical to supporting the state’s response to the COVID19 pandemic, including individuals providing critical or specialist medical services, critical skills required to maintain the supply of essential goods and services; or delivering services in sectors critical to Australia’s economic recovery.
Early consideration of onshore applications that satisfy the above criteria.
The SA government on its website has stated that the applications for the said visa programs are expected to open towards the end of this month.
Melbourne-based migration agent Navjot Kailay, however, says it’s premature to comment on who can apply and how the applications will be processed at this stage.
“I think it will be too soon to advise anything to those keen on applying for SA state programs as the state is yet to issue any guidelines or criteria for who can apply for those limited places,” says Mr Kailay.
Limited return of skilled migration?
The General Skilled Migration Program (GSM) is aimed at skilled workers in particular occupations willing to migrate to Australia to improve the country’s workforce, and also to meet the changing needs of businesses within the states and territories.
Every year all jurisdictions receive quotas from the government, based on which the states and territories nominate skilled and business migrants for Skilled Nominated Subclass 190 and the Skilled Regional Sponsored Subclass 491 visa categories.
In July earlier this year, States and territories across Australia had announced that their nomination program will remain temporarily suspended while they await the federal government’s allocation of state nomination places for the program year 2020-21.
‘COVID-19 pandemic to have a significant influence on the shape of Australia’s Migration Program’
In a statement to SBS Punjabi, a spokesperson for the Department of Home Affairs today said that migration continues to make substantial contributions to Australia’s economic prosperity, national well-being and social cohesion.
“The government is closely monitoring migration and visa settings to ensure they are consistent with public health measures, are flexible and do not displace job opportunities for Australians so that Australia can deal with the immediate and post-recovery impacts of COVID-19,” said the spokesperson.
The Department further stated that the ongoing impacts of the pandemic worldwide – medically, socially, and economically will have a “significant influence on the shape of Australia’s Migration Program going forward.”
The Australian Government is considering how best to shape the Migration Program into the future to drive economic growth and support job creation.”
The State and Territory programs continue to be a part of the Migration Program. The Department will work with the state and territories in line with these considerations: Department of Home Affairs
‘Restrictive and prohibitive approach’
Mark Glazbrook, the CEO of an Adelaide-based migration consultancy says there is a general consensus that other states and territories have also received a “very small” allocation of places for their skilled and business visa programs.
“It seems what the federal government is doing is that they are being very restrictive and prohibitive about who is going to be able to apply for visas in response to COVID-19. While this approach will also provide the Department with an opportunity to reduce or clear its backlog of unprocessed applications, it appears to indicate that the quotas of the 2020/2021 program are set to be cut significantly,” he says.
It is imperative to point out that while SA has declared it has received some interim allocation places, other states maintain that they have not yet received any nomination quotas.
Mr Glazbrook, however, adds while the limited resumption of skilled migration is good news for some onshore applicants who satisfy the criteria, there are many who will fall through the cracks.
“Whilst this is very good news for some onshore applicants, it still leaves many, many people who ordinarily would have been eligible to apply for a skilled migration visa unable to make an application,” he adds.
Disclaimer: This content is for general information purposes only, and should not be used as a substitute for consultation with professional advisors.
Source: IANS