Ethos Migration Lawyers

06/03/2026

Ongoing disruption in the Middle East is continuing to affect international travel routes relied upon by Australian businesses. While the immediate focus is often on flight logistics, these disruptions can also create unexpected immigration and compliance risks.

Australian migration law does not automatically provide concessions or extensions due to overseas conflict or travel disruption. Where a visa holder intended to depart Australia before their visa expiry but is unable to do so, they must still maintain lawful status.

For organisations with internationally mobile workforces or sponsored visa holders, now is an appropriate time to review visa expiry dates and assess whether any proactive steps may be required.

Ethos Migration Lawyers is closely monitoring developments and is available to provide advice where travel disruption may impact visa status or employer compliance.

https://zurl.co/D4Se8

Ongoing disruption in the Middle East is having flow‑on effects well beyond the immediate conflict zone. Flight cancellations, airspace closures and instability at major transit hubs such as Dubai, Doha and Abu Dhabi are preventing some visa holders in Australia from departing as planned. For Aust...

10/12/2025

A newly released FOI document provides insight into how the Department of Home Affairs might be handling Skilled Independent (subclass 189) invitation rounds. Dated May 2025, this internal policy Meeting Minute describes a reform package for the 189 program and introduces a four-tier occupation structure that prioritises occupations by rank.

The tiers rank occupations by priority and explain many of the outcomes we are now seeing:

Tier 1 – highest value, long training, high scarcity roles
Tier 2 – government priority occupations under Ministerial Directions
Tier 3 – diverse occupations to maintain a broad skills mix
Tier 4 – oversupplied occupations including most ICT and accounting roles

We have observed that recent invitation rounds align closely with this structure, with applications in Tier 1 and Tier 2 receiving faster invites than applicants in Tier 4 occupations.

The document also indicates several broader shifts:

- More frequent and predictable invitation round

- Greater transparency about priorities and timing

- Recalibrated occupation ceilings managed across the entire skilled program

- Earlier identification of priority skills using SkillSelect data

Employer sponsorship, state nomination and alternative skilled pathways are therefore highly important for applicants with low-tier occupations to consider.

Read our article below for more information.

https://zurl.co/f3HUb

A newly released Freedom of Information (FOI) document provides insight into how the Department of Home Affairs might be handling Skilled Independent (subclass 189) invitation rounds. Dated May 2025, this internal policy Meeting Minute describes a reform package for the 189 program and introd...

19/11/2025

Important update for medical practitioners holding SC482 visas
From 29 November 2025, changes to the Employer Nomination Scheme (Subclass 186) TRT stream mean that the two-year qualifying period must be completed with an approved Standard Business Sponsor.

Previously, time worked in your nominated occupation with a non-sponsoring employer could count toward eligibility. This flexibility will no longer apply.

More information here: https://zurl.co/YpJWj

05/11/2025

Employers sponsoring visa holders in Australia must understand their obligations under migration law.

Importantly, sponsorship-related costs cannot be recovered from the sponsored worker.

Our latest article breaks down:

- What costs are considered sponsorship-related
- Why passing these costs on is prohibited
- Practical steps to stay compliant and avoid risk

If you’re an employer or HR professional managing sponsored workers, this is essential reading.

Read here: https://zurl.co/ofHmh

This article provides a clear and practical guide to the requirements surrounding sponsorship costs under Australian migration law. It explains the legal framework, outlines employer obligations, and clarifies what practices are permitted and prohibited when it comes to passing costs to sponsored vi...

21/10/2025

Our latest article breaks down the Skills in Demand (subclass 482) visa, covering everything from eligibility and salary thresholds to business sponsor compliance obligations and the pathway to permanent residency for eligible employees

Read more below

Learn everything you need to know about sponsoring an overseas worker in Australia via the Skills in Demand (subclass 482) visa

09/10/2025

🚨 ACT Nominated Migration Program Updates for 2025–2026

The ACT Government has announced updates to the ACT Nominated Migration Program for the 2025–26 financial year.

Here’s what you need to know:

• The ACT Critical Skills List has been renamed the ACT Migration Occupation List and has now been reduced from 152 to 105 occupations.

• Only occupations on the updated list will be eligible for upcoming invitation rounds.

• PhD invitations will now be issued as part of each invitation round, rather than every 7 days.

• 482/457 pathway clarified with applicants must have worked at least 6 months with their sponsoring ACT employer.

• 491 invitations will be issued before 190 invitations


Applications submitted in response to the September 2025 round remain unaffected.

Read our full breakdown below.

The ACT Government has announced updates to the ACT Nominated Migration Program for the 2025–26 financial year, including a revised occupation list, minor adjustments to the nomination guidelines, and process clarifications for PhD and employer-sponsored applicants. New ACT Migration Occupation Li...

02/10/2025

🚨 Victoria’s 2025–26 Skilled Migration Program is now open!

Victoria has released its initial allocations for the Skilled Nominated (subclass 190) and Skilled Work Regional (subclass 491) visas.

👉 What you need to know:

✔️ 200 places available for subclass 190
✔️ 180 places available for subclass 491
✔️ Existing ROIs remain valid – no need to reapply unless your details have changed
✔️ Highly competitive, so if you haven't submitted your ROI, do so quickly!

Our team has broken down the program, eligibility criteria, and next steps in our latest update.

https://zurl.co/zbVVY

The Victorian government has officially opened its 2025-2026 Skilled Migration Program enabling prospective migrants to submit registrations of interest for the Skilled Nominated (subclass 190) and the Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) (subclass 491) visa programs. Victorian migration program allo...

14/09/2025

Following the High Court’s decision in Davis v Minister for Immigration, Minister Burke has signed three new Ministerial Instructions that change how requests for Ministerial Intervention are to be managed by the Department of Home Affairs.

Read about the changes and how these may impact requests for Ministerial Intervention in our latest article below.

On 4 September 2025, Minister Tony Burke signed three new Ministerial Instructions that change how requests for Ministerial Intervention are to be managed by the Department of Home Affairs. These instructions cover: Why have the guidelines been changed? The new framework follows the High Court’s d...

11/09/2025

Changes to the English test requirements for the Skills in Demand (subclass 482) Visa

Effective from 13 September 2025, any English tests undertaken will need to meet the revised requirements, unless the applicant qualifies for an exemption.

Read more

The Department of Home Affairs has updated the Legislative Instrument for Language Test Requirements relating to the Skills in Demand (subclass 482) visa program, specifically under the Specialist Skills Stream and Core Skills Stream. Effective from 13 September 2025, any English tests undertaken wi...

17/07/2025

The Victorian Government has officially opened its nomination program for the National Innovation Visa (subclass 858), offering opportunities for exceptionally talented individuals to contribute to the state’s innovation agenda and economic growth.

The Victorian Government has officially opened its nomination program for the National Innovation Visa (subclass 858), offering opportunities for exceptionally talented individuals to contribute to the state’s innovation agenda and economic growth. Under the subclass 858 visa, nominations made by ...

26/06/2025

🌍 The South Australian government has opened the state nomination program for the National Innovation Visa (NIV) (subclass 858) for high achieving researchers, entrepreneurs, investor and creative professionals looking to relocate to Australia

South Australia has opened the state nomination program for the National Innovation Visa (NIV) (subclass 858) for high achieving researchers, entrepreneurs, investor and creative professionals. Given that the NIV is an invitation-only permanent visa which require a nomination, eligible applicant’s...