As per the recent immigration rules, Australia’s main focus areas are on skilled migration, changes in temporary work visas, and an increase in the number of international students. The main changes impacted visa durations, requirements, and pathways for a few visa categories. As of March 2025, Australia introduced a new points-based system, new visas called Skills in Demand and National Innovation Visa, replacing the old ones called Temporary Skill Shortage Visa and Global Talent Visa. The reason behind the changes is to prioritize skilled workers who can contribute directly to the economy and make the immigration process easier and faster for immigrants.
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Top 5 immigration updates in Australia
- ANZSCO was recently replaced with OSCA in Australia for job classification
The Australia Bureau of Statistics issued the Occupation Standard Classification for Australia (OSCA) codes. This replaced the Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO). OSCA mainly aims to showcase the evolution of the Australian labor market.
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Australia replaces ANZSCO with OSCA for job classification
- New work visa rules for Subclass 400
Australia's Department of Home Affairs recently announced changes in the policies of Subclass 400. As per the new changes, the Home Affairs Department will closely scrutinize visa applications for Subclass 400. The main aim is to ensure that the visa is not being used as an alternative for a Subclass 482 visa. The Department also discontinued the flexibility of multiple applications over 12 months.
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Australia announces new work visa rules for Subclass 400. Find out if you can apply.
- Australia has issued a new visa ballot process for Indians for the work and holiday program.
A pre-application visa process was launched by the Australian government for the Work and Holiday visa program. This new visa process will include a ballot system for the selection of skilled professionals. It will be more effective for high-demand workers in China, India, and Vietnam. An amount of AUD 25 has to be paid by the applicants for registration.
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- In 2025, Australia is about to welcome 270,000 international students
Australia’s federal government announced a cap of 270,000 international students for study programs. The cap will focus on higher education and vocational courses in Australia. Some English language students, post-graduate students, and school students will be exempted from the cap.
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Australia is welcoming 270,000 international students in 2025
- Replacement of TSS visa and Global Talent visa
On December 6, 2024, the Australian government replaced the Global Talent Visa with the National Innovation Visa. The aim is to better align immigration policies and attract more talented migrants to drive innovation and economic growth. On December 7, 2024, the Temporary Skill Shortage visa was also replaced by the Skills in Demand visa. The main aim behind the replacement is to address labor market needs and streamline pathways for skilled professionals.
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