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Preparing a visa application yourself can be a sensible choice. It can also become difficult when an occupation, document or deadline does not line up with the current rules. The right choice depends on your circumstances, the visa pathway and the work involved. This guide explains what a Registered Migration Agent does, where self-prepared applications can run into trouble, and how to check an adviser’s registration. What is a Registered Migration Agent? A Registered Migration Agent (RMA) is registered with Australia’s Office of the Migration Agents Registration Authority, known as OMARA. A person providing immigration assistance as a migration agent must be registered. Australian legal practitioners may also provide immigration assistance in connection with their legal practice. Limited exemptions apply in some situations. The word “consultant” is not a protected credential. A title alone does not confirm that someone is qualified or authorised to provide immigration assistance. Before engaging a migration agent, check their details using the official OMARA website. You can also read the...

Hiring a skilled worker from overseas can help fill a genuine vacancy. But with the Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV), the order of the steps matters. A missed requirement can delay recruitment or leave a worker unable to take up a role as planned. Here’s a clear guide for New Zealand employers and workers. It covers the process, employer obligations, job checks, location rules and a recent English-language change. Always confirm current requirements with Immigration New Zealand (INZ). The AEWV process: three steps, in the right order For a standard AEWV, the main steps are: Employer accreditation. The employer applies to INZ and must receive approval. Job check. Once accreditation is approved, the employer applies for approval of the specific role. Worker’s visa application. After the job check is approved, the employer can invite an eligible worker to apply for an AEWV. The order is important. Accreditation must be approved before the employer lodges a job check. Planning recruitment or preparing paperwork early can...

Reviewed by Skillage Nimbus | MARN 2217972 | IAA 202503676 Choosing a Parent visa is a family decision and a financial one. The right pathway depends on eligibility, budget, the need for permanent residence and how long your family can wait. The central trade-off is clear: the lower-cost permanent option has a much longer queue. Contributory options cost more and may move through the queue sooner. A temporary visa can allow extended family time, but it does not provide permanent residence. Start with the main requirements Most permanent parent visa pathways require an eligible child who is settled in Australia and is an Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen. The sponsor must meet the relevant requirements. Depending on the visa, an income requirement may apply to a sponsor or to a person providing an Assurance of Support. Permanent parent visa applicants generally need to meet the balance-of-family test. Broadly, this looks at where the parent’s children and stepchildren live, and how many...

Direction 117 changed the processing priority for Partner visa applications from 25 July 2026. Onshore applications now sit in a higher priority category than offshore applications. That is a change to the queue. It is not a promise of a faster decision for any individual couple. The practical response is clear: understand which pathway fits your circumstances, prepare a complete application and keep your relationship evidence up to date. What changed under Direction 117? Ministerial Direction 117 took effect on 25 July 2026, replacing Ministerial Direction 102. It directs decision-makers on the order for considering family-stream visa applications under sections 47 and 51 of the Migration Act 1958, covering Partner, Parent, Child and Carer visa applications. Under the new priorities, the highest priority goes to family visa applications made while the applicant is in Australia, where the visa can also be granted onshore. Applications made offshore, or where the applicant must be offshore at the time of grant, sit in a lower priority category. Within...

A temporary sponsored role can be a first step towards permanent residence. For some workers, the pathway runs from a Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482) to an Employer Nomination Scheme visa (subclass 186). You may still see the older term “TSS visa 482” used online. The current visa is called the Skills in Demand visa. Moving from a temporary visa to permanent residency is not automatic. The worker, employer, role and nomination must all meet the requirements for the relevant pathway. How the 482-to-186 pathway works The subclass 482 is a temporary employer-sponsored visa. It allows an eligible worker to work in a nominated role for an approved sponsor, subject to visa conditions. The subclass 186 visa is a permanent visa. The employer nominates the worker for a qualifying position, and the worker applies for the visa. Each application is assessed against its own criteria. A 482 holder most commonly considers the Temporary Residence Transition (TRT) stream. But it is not the only option....

The subclass 190 visa offers eligible skilled workers a pathway to Australian permanent residency through state or territory nomination. It is points-tested, and each jurisdiction selects applicants under its own program settings. There is no single national nomination list or state process. Your best next step depends on your occupation, evidence, circumstances and preferred destination. What is the subclass 190 visa? The Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190) is a permanent visa. You need a state or territory government to nominate you before Home Affairs can invite you to apply. State nomination contributes points to your SkillSelect score. It does not guarantee an invitation or a visa grant. Home Affairs assesses the visa application separately. Applicants generally need a suitable skills assessment, an eligible occupation, the required English level and a points score that meets the applicable threshold. Other requirements apply. Check the current Home Affairs subclass 190 requirements before acting. Nomination also comes with a commitment to live and work in the nominating state or territory....

First, the status matters On 11 October 2026, New Zealand First announced a proposal to abolish the Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) and replace it with a shortage-led “Skilled Work Visa”. This is an opposition-party policy proposal made during election campaigning. It is not law. Nothing has changed for current AEWV holders or applicants because of the announcement. Detailed rules and timing have not been published. The proposal was reported by RNZ on 11 October 2026. It is not a change announced by Immigration New Zealand (INZ). Proposal disclaimer: This article describes an announced political proposal, not a change to New Zealand immigration law. The detail and timing are unconfirmed. The proposal summary is based on the party’s announcement as reported by RNZ. Verify current visa requirements and any changes directly on immigration.govt.nz before making a visa, employment or recruitment decision. How the AEWV works today The AEWV is New Zealand’s main temporary work visa for people hired by accredited employers. It follows a three-step process: Employer...

New Zealand has changed how it selects Expressions of Interest (EOIs) for the Parent Resident Visa. Since 5 October 2026, valid EOIs have been placed in one pool. Around 90% are selected in submission-date order. Around 10% are selected by random ballot. The first selection under the new model is scheduled for 10 November 2026. The annual cap remains 2,500 visa approvals in principle. Here’s what changed, what existing EOI holders need to know, and what families should check before taking their next step. How the hybrid selection model works An EOI is the first step in the Parent Resident Visa process. It is not a visa application or a guarantee of an invitation. Under the new model, Immigration New Zealand (INZ) selects EOIs from one pool in two ways: Around 90% are selected in submission-date order, with earlier EOIs selected first. Around 10% are selected through a random ballot. INZ says selections are expected to happen four times a year. On each selection date, it selects EOIs...

NSW has opened its 2026–27 Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190) state nomination program. The NSW Skills List has also been updated for the new program year. A first invitation round is reported as expected in the week commencing 19 October 2026. However, the NSW Government’s subclass 190 page says invitation rounds have no predetermined or publicly announced dates. Treat the reported week as an expectation, not a confirmed round date. The NSW subclass 491 pathway remains closed to new applicants for now. For skilled migrants considering a NSW state nomination, the subclass 190 is currently the only NSW-nominated pathway open. What’s confirmed for 2026–27 NSW has published an updated Skills List for the subclass 190. The list is organised by ANZSCO unit groups. Having an occupation in a listed group is not enough by itself: the occupation must also be eligible for the visa under the relevant Home Affairs skilled occupation list. NSW nomination is competitive and invitation-based. You cannot apply directly for nomination. NSW...

Reports say a Subclass 189 Skilled Independent invitation round took place on 15 October 2026. Scores are reported to range from 65 to 95 across occupations. There is an important caveat. When checked, the Department of Home Affairs’ SkillSelect invitation rounds page showed the 4 June 2026 round as its current published result. It did not show an official 15 October result. The reported score range should therefore be treated as provisional, not as a confirmed Department-wide cutoff. That distinction matters. A reported score from one occupation does not tell every EOI holder where they stand. What the reported result means The reported 65–95 range suggests invitation scores may have differed substantially between occupations. It does not mean every occupation had invitations at every score in that range. It also does not establish a single minimum score for the round. A score at the lower end in one occupation cannot be used to estimate the cutoff for another. Home Affairs explains that SkillSelect ranks EOIs by...