WORK VISA Lawyers

19/06/2026

🇦🇺⚽ Australia won its first World Cup match with a memorable victory over Turkey.

🥅 The opening goal came from 20-year-old Nestory Irankunda, who was born in a refugee camp in Tanzania to Burundian parents before his family settled in Australia.

After growing up in Adelaide and developing his football here, he is now scoring for the Socceroos on the world stage.

Nestory is not alone. Players such as Mohamed Touré and Awer Mabil also arrived in Australia as refugees and have gone on to represent our country at the highest level. 🌏💚💛

This is about more than football.

🤝 It is a reminder of what can happen when people are given safety, support and opportunity.

Like many workplaces and teams across Australia, multicultural teams achieve great things.

💪 Stories like Nestory’s show the strength of Australia — diverse, hardworking and full of talent.

👏 Congratulations to Nestory Irankunda, Connor Metcalfe, Patrick Beach and the entire Socceroos squad on a fantastic first match.

19/06/2026

What country do you think will win the FIFA World Cup 2026? ⚽🏆

To celebrate the World Cup, we are doing an office sweep at Work Visa Lawyers! 🌎

Our team members are randomly picking countries, and we will see who comes out on top.

We have almost 20 team members from more than 10 different countries, and together we speak more than 10 languages.

We love working in a multicultural team, and the World Cup is a great reminder of how sport brings people from all around the world together. 🌍

As an immigration law firm, we also love how multicultural Australia is and the opportunities it gives people from different backgrounds to live, work and build their future here. 🇦🇺❤️

👇 Comment below and tell us which country you think will win!

Diversity Migration Australia Football Soccer

19/06/2026

Top 15 Occupations Getting Employer-Sponsored Temporary Skilled Visas 🙌🇦🇺

The latest Department of Home Affairs data shows which occupations received the highest number of employer-sponsored temporary skilled visa grants in 2024–25.

👨‍🍳 Chef was the clear leader, with 6,361 visa grants in 2024–25. This is a big increase from 2,279 grants in 2023–24 — almost 180% growth.

🍳 Cook also increased strongly, from 670 grants in 2023–24 to 1,554 grants in 2024–25. This may show that more hospitality workers are using employer-sponsored visa pathways, especially because state nomination invitations for occupations like chefs and cooks can be limited and very competitive.

Other occupations that featured strongly included:
🚗 Motor Mechanic
🩺 Resident Medical Officer
👩‍⚕️ Registered Nurse (Aged Care)
👥 Personal Care Assistant
💻 Software Engineer
📊 ICT Business Analyst

📌 Note: “Specified in Labour Agreement” is not one occupation. It covers non-ANZSCO roles processed under Home Affairs code 070499.

This shows continued demand in areas such as:
✅ Hospitality
✅ Health and aged care
✅ Trades
✅ Engineering
✅ IT and professional occupations

📌 Data period: 2023–24 and 2024–25 financial years
📌 Data cut-off: Grants to 30 June 2025
📌 Source: Department of Home Affairs Pivot Table: Temporary Resident (Skilled) visas granted to 30 June 2025, accessed 14 November 2025 from data.gov.au. Also referenced in the 2025 Skills in Demand Report by Jobs and Skills Australia.

Need help understanding your employer-sponsored visa options? Contact Work Visa Lawyers.

12/06/2026

🌴 Cairns visa pathway for people up to 55?

Are you over 45 and worried that Australian permanent residency may no longer be possible?

The Far North Queensland DAMA may give some workers a more flexible pathway to live and work in regional Queensland.

Under this DAMA, eligible employers in Cairns and Far North Queensland may be able to sponsor overseas workers in more than 200 occupations.

🎥 Watch our video to learn how the Far North Queensland DAMA works and whether it may be relevant to your situation ➡️ https://youtu.be/XwhiEna7OKM?si=rto263B6h0fOb73f

📩 Need help with employer sponsorship or DAMA visas? Contact Work Visa Lawyers.

In this video, we’ll delve into the topic and provide a comprehensi...

12/06/2026

🤔 Understanding the DAMA Visa Pathway in Australia 🇦🇺

Are you a regional employer struggling to find workers? Or a skilled worker looking for employer sponsorship in Australia?

A DAMA, or Designated Area Migration Agreement, may help in some cases.

DAMA is not one single visa. It is a labour agreement pathway that can allow eligible employers in certain regional areas to sponsor overseas workers where standard visa options may not meet local workforce needs.

For skilled workers, some DAMA pathways may offer:

✅ More occupation options
✅ Possible concessions for English, work experience, salary or age
✅ Employer sponsorship opportunities
✅ A possible pathway to permanent residency in some cases
✅ Age concessions up to 55 for some occupations and pathways

However, DAMA is not automatic. The employer, region, occupation, visa subclass and worker’s eligibility all matter.

Common occupations under some DAMA lists may include truck drivers, aged or disabled carers, chefs, cooks, bakers, enrolled nurses, motor mechanics, diesel motor mechanics and carpenters.

Each DAMA region has different rules, so it is important to check the correct occupation list and requirements before making plans.

Read the full guide on our website to learn how DAMA may help employers and skilled workers ➡️ https://www.workvisalawyers.com.au/news/all/understanding-the-dama-visa-pathway-in-australia-a-practical-guide-for-employers-and-skilled-workers.html

Need help with a DAMA or employer sponsored visa? Book a consultation with Work Visa Lawyers.

Learn how the DAMA visa pathway works in Australia, including employer sponsorship, regional occupations, PR options and age concessions up to 55.

11/06/2026

🎉 15 years of helping people build their future in Australia!

This July, Work Visa Lawyers celebrates 15 years of providing clear, practical and professional immigration advice to clients in Australia and around the world.

Founded by Principal Immigration Lawyer Chris Johnston in 2011, our team has grown into one of Australia’s respected migration law firms, helping individuals, families, skilled workers and businesses with many different visa pathways.

From student visas and partner visas to employer-sponsored visas, DAMA, National Innovation Visas, visa refusals and complex appeals, our goal has always been simple:

✅ Explain Australian immigration law in plain English
✅ Give honest and practical advice
✅ Help clients make informed decisions
✅ Support people through important moments in their migration journey

We are also proud to share free immigration updates with a large online community across YouTube, Facebook, TikTok, Instagram and LinkedIn.

Thank you to our clients, followers and team for being part of our journey over the past 15 years. 💙

Read the full blog here: https://www.workvisalawyers.com.au/news/all/15-years-of-success-why-work-visa-lawyers-is-one-of-the-best-immigration-lawyers-in-australia.html

Navigating the Australian immigration system can feel overwhelming. With constant policy updates and strict application rules, having the right professional by your side is essential. This July 2026, Work Visa Lawyers is thrilled to celebrate 15 years of providing expert legal and migration assistan...

05/06/2026

🎉 Exciting news for many skilled visa applicants!

This week, we were very excited to see the 189 invitation round, with invitations for applicants in occupations such as:

👷 Construction trades
👩‍⚕️ Nurses
🤝 Social workers
✅ And many other occupations

The full list of invited occupations and minimum points should be available soon on the Department of Home Affairs website.

State and Territory governments are also finalising invitations for the last places before the financial year ends on 30 June. So this is an important time for many skilled visa applicants in Australia.

Now we want to know… how would you feel if you received your invitation? 👀

Tell us in the comments! 👇

05/06/2026

🇦🇺 Want to learn Australian migration faster?

Australian visa rules can feel confusing, especially when the information keeps changing. But learning migration does not have to be overwhelming.

In this video, Chris Johnston shares 3 simple ways to learn Australian migration faster, including how to understand visa pathways, keep up with important changes, and build your knowledge step by step.

This is helpful for:
✅ visa applicants
✅ international students
✅ employers
✅ anyone interested in Australian migration

🎥 Watch the full video here: https://youtu.be/MNqtfkxea_0?si=1JOzyBXa6Y7OqeE5

What part of Australian migration do you find the hardest to understand? Let us know in the comments 👇

In this video, we’ll delve into the topic and provide a comprehensi...

04/06/2026

🌏 Regional migration is not just about visas — it is about people, businesses, families and the future of regional Australia.

In his latest article, Chris Johnston - Principal Lawyer, Educator & Founder of Work Visa Lawyers shares key takeaways from the MIA Regional Migration Conference 2026 on the Gold Coast.

One clear message from the conference was that targeted regional visas are becoming more important for Australia’s future.

The strong growth in DAMA activity shows that regional employers need practical visa pathways to fill real skill shortages in their local areas.

Across the states and territories discussed at the conference, DAMA activity included:

✅ 2,831 labour agreements
✅ 5,069 visa grants

These numbers represent more than visa statistics. They show regional businesses finding workers, communities being supported, and local industries continuing to grow.

Regional Australia needs skilled workers in health, education, construction, agriculture, mining, tourism, infrastructure and many other essential sectors.

Chris’ key takeaway is clear: the future of regional migration should include more targeted regional visa pathways that are designed around real local needs.

Read Chris Johnston’s full article here: https://www.workvisalawyers.com.au/news/all/mia-regional-migration-conference-2026-key-takeaways-from-the-gold-coast.html

Chris Johnston shares key takeaways from the MIA Regional Migration Conference 2026, including regional visas, DAMAs, 491 and 494 visa issues, workforce shortages and the future of regional migration in Australia.

02/06/2026

🚨 Salary thresholds for employer-sponsored visas are increasing from 1 July 2026! 🚨

If you’re planning to lodge a nomination for a Subclass 482 or Subclass 186 visa, now is the time to act.

📈 The Core Skills Income Threshold (CSIT) is increasing from $76,515 to $79,499.

📈 The Specialist Skills Income Threshold (SSIT) is increasing from $141,210 to $146,717.

The 482 and 186 visas remain some of the most valuable pathways for skilled workers and Australian employers. ✅

Need help with your application? We assist both employers and visa applicants through the entire process.

📩 Send us a message today and let’s get your application lodged before the increase takes effect.