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Australia remains one of the most sought-after destinations for international education. With rising application volumes has come increased scrutiny. The Department of Home Affairs recently published data on their decisions shows about 20 to 25% refusal rate across all visa lodgements. About 50% of the refusals proceed to Administrative Review Tribunal (ART). If your student visa has been refused and you’re now waiting for a decision at the ART, you’re not alone. More than 50

Earlier this month Opposition Leader Angus Taylor announced the Coalition’s immigration policy that focuses on reducing overall migration levels, implementing strict ‘Australian values’ tests, and increasing security vetting. The Coalition is the Liberal-National Coalition an alliance of conservative and centre-right political parties namely the Australian Liberal Party and the National Party of Australia. Key aspects of the Coalition policy include mandatory social media che

Congratulations to Dessie Hristova and Assent Migration Lawyers for being recognised in the Best Lawyers Edition 2027 , published today for professional performance in Australian Immigration Law. Being included in Best Lawyers is particularly meaningful because it is based on peer review and recognition within the legal profession and is trusted, unbiased benchmark for excellence, reflecting high esteem within the Immigration Law practice area in Australia. We thank our cli

It is commonly known that visa applications lodged by overseas nationals who are in Australia are subject to criteria listed in Schedule 3 of the Migration Regulations 1994. The purpose of Schedule 3 is to uphold an expectation of the Australian migration system that overseas nationals should at all times remain lawfully in Australia and ensure they apply for a new visa while they still hold a valid substantive which has not expired. In practice, Schedule 3 is triggered in ci

At Assent Migration Lawyers, we closely monitor updates from the Department of Home Affairs to ensure our clients are well-prepared and positioned for success. The April 2026 Partner Processing update from the Department of Home Affairs reinforces several important themes that are directly impacting how Partner visa applications are assessed. Getting it right from the start One of the key findings from the Department’s recent review is that many applications are being lodged

Australia’s federal government has been switly and quietly changing visa regulations. The latest change introduced legislation to temporarily ban some passport holders from countries impacted by war conflict from coming to Australia. The change appears to have been sparked by the war in the Middle East as it has raised concerns about increase in asylum seeker claims. Officials from the Home Affairs Department drafted the new legislation late last week and it was introduced to

​​​The Australian Government is updating Training (subclass 407) visa application requirements to ensure the program supports genuine skills development as intended. From 11 March 2026, in addition to other validity requirements, all new applicants for a Training visa will need to wait for the following before they can make a valid Training visa application: their sponsor must be approved as a temporary activities sponsor , and their sponsor must have an approved Training vis

The Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold (TSMIT) sets the minimum annual salary that must be offered to certain sponsored visa holders. From 1 July 2026, the TSMIT will increase to $79,499. This change is significant for employers who sponsor overseas workers under Australia’s Skills in Demand program and Employer Nomination Scheme and links to the broader obligation to ensure equivalent terms and conditions of employment between Australian and overseas employees. All

The Australian Government has a practice to revise their charges in about February and July each year as part of the management of the Australian immigration policy. However, last years changes seem modest in comparison to the change that happened over the weekend as the government doubled the cost of the Temporary Graduate visa subclass 485 charges from $2300 to $4600. The were no announcements made to the industry or otherwise in respect of the proposed changes in the appl

Valentine’s Day is a special time to celebrate love, but for couples where one partner is a foreign citizen, the journey to live together permanently in Australia can be complex. Australia offers several Partner visa options that allow couples to unite and build their life here. Understanding the visa pathways, eligibility requirements, and how to prepare a strong application can make the process smoother and increase the chances of success. Australia provides different Partn

Scrutiny on international student visas was tightened with Ministerial Direction 115. The Minister has signed off on 7 November, and it came into effect on 14 November 2025 which superseded Ministerial Direction 111. The new Direction 115 introduced changes to the priority categories 1 to 3. The new classification shifted India from Evidence Level 2 to Evidence Level 3 under the new Simplified Student Visa framework. Nepal, Bangladesh and Bhutan were already in that group. In

It has been a remarkable year for Assent Migration Lawyers and our small team. We continued to deliver on our reputation as a leading Australian migration law practice, earning recognition as Best Boutique Immigration Law Firm by APAC Insider and maintaining our track record of excellence. Expertise and Industry Engagement The director of the practice, Dessie Hristova, was recognized as one of Australia’s leading immigration lawyers in Best Lawyers . This recognition reflec

The Importance of Registration with the ATO Many employers are unaware of their responsibility to register with the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) if they employ working holiday visa (WHV) employees. Failing to register can lead to penalties from the ATO. WHV holders are able to lodge tax returns, making it essential for employers to understand their obligations. Who Needs to Register? Employers must register with the ATO if they are employing or plan to employ workers wit

A new Ministerial Direction has come into effect on 14 November this year which the government hopes will “s trengthen and balance distribution of international students across education providers in regional and metropolitan locations ”. Ministerial Direction 115 replaces Ministerial Direction 111 to support the 2026 National Planning Level for international student places and related policy measures announced in August 2025. In a statement by the Hon Julian Hill MP Assistan

The Australian Department of Home Affairs announced over their facebook page that the next invitations round will be held on 13 November 2025. Potential applicants are given last opportunity to review their Expressions of Interests and ensure that all of their information and supporting documents are up to date.

Over the past 20 months we have experienced long processing times across the board for all visa programs. There will be further processing delays at Home Affairs due to changes in the program management forecasting, increase in the number of visa applications received in most visa programs and no funding available in the budget to engage and train more staff members in the processing of the increased number of visa applications. Therefore, unless the number of applications is

Victoria’s skilled migration program is now open to applicants in Victoria and overseas. Program allocation The Australian Government’s...

Australia’s population has grown at around one to two percent a year, generally. There were exceptions due to economic and other...

Today the Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke confirmed that the 2025 - 2026 migration numbers will remain the same as the previous year...

We are proud to announce that Assent Migration Lawyers has won the Best Boutique Immigration Law Firm again in 2025, that makes it three...