Temporary concessions to permanent residence pathway for certain employer sponsored visa holders

The Department of Home Affairs (DoHA) introduced changes to the transitional pathway to permanent residence for some employer-sponsored visa holders from 1 July 2022. These extremely generous regulatory changes are earmarked to be repealed after two years, so those who can take advantage of the new rules should do so as soon as possible. The current repeal date is 30 June 2024.

Australia's strong demand for labour and the reduced number of visa holders onshore due to the pandemic and border lockdowns has resulted in these drastic measures being implemented.

Despite the re-written Regulations not containing any end date, the Department of Home Affairs is publicizing the intention for the concessions to be available for a set period of 2 years. It will be interesting to see what happens with this stance closer to June 2024.