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Skilled Visas

Victoria’s 2020-21 skilled visa nomination program (subclass 190 and 491)

2 September 2020

From Victoria’s Skilled and Business Migration Program (DJPR):

“We will be opening Victoria’s 2020-21 Victorian skilled visa nomination program (subclass 190 and 491) on Tuesday 8 September, 2020.

We will also be changing the way we select applicants to apply for Victorian visa nomination, with a new process that will focus on talent and contribution to Victoria’s economic recovery, as well as information in your Expression of Interest (EOI). This change aims to be responsive to challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic, with a focus on the state’s economic recovery.

The skilled visa nomination program up until 5 October 2020

As we only have a very limited number of visa nomination places available until after the Federal Budget is delivered on 6 October 2020, Victoria will initially run a shorter and more targeted interim skilled visa nomination program (subclass 190 and 491) until 5 October 2020.

For this interim period, we will only select applicants to apply for Victorian visa nomination if their Registration of Interest demonstrates they are working in health or medical research and contributing to Victoria’s economic recovery and/or health response.

Here’s some important information to help you prepare.

Registration of Interest for Victorian State Visa Nomination

To be considered for Victorian visa nomination, you must submit a Registration of Interest for Victorian State Visa Nomination.  Applicants who register their interest may then be selected to apply for Victorian visa nomination.
As a pre-requisite for submitting your Registration of Interest for Victorian State Visa Nomination, please either make or update your valid Expression of Interest (EOI) on the Department of Home Affairs’ SkillSelect website.  The information you provide will help us determine whether you are selected to apply for Victorian visa nomination.

  • You must submit your Registration of Interest by 5pm AEST, 21 September.

To be eligible to submit your Registration of Interest (ROI) for Victorian visa nomination (subclass 190 and 491) you must:

  • be currently living in Victoria, and
  • be currently employed in Victoria (minimum six months), and
  • work in a highly skilled occupation in health or medical research, which supports Victoria’s economic recovery and/or health response

We will then select the best candidates to apply for Victorian visa nomination.

Further information about the 2020-21 Victorian skilled visa nomination program

  • With limited nomination places available, the program is highly selective and targeted.
  • We will closely monitor Victoria’s visa nomination program to ensure it is consistent with public health measures, is flexible and does not displace Victorian job seekers, so that Victoria can effectively respond to the immediate and subsequent impacts of coronavirus (COVID-19).
  • You can find more detailed information about the subclass 190 and subclass 491 nomination criteria on our website.
  • We will provide further information following advice from the Department of Home Affairs after 6 October.
  • Please continue to check our website for the latest news.

Please note, a Registration of Interest is not an application for Victorian visa nomination.  We will only contact you again if you are selected to apply for Victorian visa nomination. There are no set timeframes for when you may be selected.”

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    Telephone and Video Consultations Now Available

    We understand that in these uncertain times it may be difficult for clients to attend our office for a consultation about their visa queries. That’s why we have now introduced the option for video consultations with our clients via Zoom, Skype, or any video platform of your choice.

    It’s a really simple process. Call our office as you normally would do on (03) 9640 0600 to make an appointment. From there, we will contact you via email with links to the online platform we’ll use to have our appointment.

    We are here to help our clients in any way we can.

    Contact Us

    • Level 8, 179 Queen Street Melbourne VIC 3000
    • (03) 9640 0600
    • (03) 9640 0611
    • jkotsifas@jklegal.com.au

     
    Book an Appointment

    You can now book your own appointments online and we also offer the option of a telephone or video interview if you do not wish to come to our office.

    For the immediate short term, given the COVID – 19 outbreak and the need to minimize close contact, we ask clients to book a telephone or video appointments.

    Temporary Visa Holders and Bridging Visa B Holders Stranded Overseas

    There are many temporary visa holders and Bridging Visa B holders that travelled overseas prior to the travel and re-entry restrictions came into force and these people are now stuck overseas and cannot return to Australia. Many have jobs and families to return to as well as ongoing studies.

    The Australian Government has announced that from 21:00hrs on 20 March 2020 only Australian citizens, residents and immediate family members can travel to Australia. “Residents” has been interpreted to mean “permanent residents”.

    The advice from the department so far, is that holders of BVB’s or any other visas which have or will expire will need to apply for another visa to re enter Australia. There is no consideration being given to extending these visas to enable people to return to Australia. Consequently, anyone caught up in this situation will need to lodge a Visitor visa but it remains to be seen how the department will handle such applications once the travel restrictions to Australia have been eased.

    We are here to help anyone caught up in this unfortunate situation.

    Update for Visa Holders

    The following programs have been made available for workers in Victoria who are unable to access other forms of Victorian Government and Commonwealth Government income support:

    Support for job seekers The Victorian Government has established the Working for Victoria initiative to help jobseekers find new opportunities. Temporary migrants who have Australian working rights are eligible and encouraged to register. For further information or to register, please visit https://www.vic.gov.au/workingforvictoria. The Migrant Workers Centre can also assist to address problems encountered at workplaces and provide advice on migrant workers’ rights and available supports. The Migrant Workers Centre is staffed from 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday and can be contacted by 03 9659 3516.

    Extreme Hardship Support Program

    The Extreme Hardship Support program is providing emergency financial assistance, information and referrals to people who cannot access Commonwealth income support or the International Student Emergency Relief Fund. It assists the most vulnerable temporary and provisional visa holders, including undocumented migrants, who have no or very limited savings, income and community support. People experiencing financial hardship can apply via the Red Cross website. More information is available at: https://www.dhhs.vic.gov.au/financial-support-coronavirus-covid-19#extreme-hardship-support-program.

    Support for international students

    The Victorian Government has announced a $45 million International Student Emergency Relief Fund for international students facing financial hardship because of coronavirus. For more information, please visit Study Melbourne’s website: https://www.studymelbourne.vic.gov.au/help-and-support/support-for-students-coronavirus/international-student-emergency-relief-fund

    Coronavirus (COVID-19) rent relief grant

    We have also worked to ensure that renters in Victoria, including students and temporary visa holders, are able to maintain safe, secure and stable accommodation. This includes rules that protect renters from eviction as a result of financial hardship and a one-off rental relief payment for eligible households. There are no citizenship or permanent residency requirements for applicants. For more information about the relief fund and other dedicated support, please visit: https://www.housing.vic.gov.au/help-renting/rentrelief.

    Emergency Relief Packages, Test Isolation Payments, Pandemic Leave Disaster payment

    Community members in self isolation or quarantine without family or networks can access free Emergency Relief Packages. Further support is also available to people who are unable to work or care for themselves while they wait for a test result, or isolate or quarantine through Test Isolation Payments and the Pandemic Leave Disaster payment. Enquiries about eligibility for a package or access to the payments can be directed to the Victorian Government’s coronavirus (COVID-19) hotline on 1800 675 398.

    Support for COVID medical advice or treatment

    For all people in Victoria who need to seek medical advice or treatment for symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19) and do not have adequate insurance coverage, Victorian hospitals will waive the costs of treatment. These arrangements have been put in place to ensure that everyone can access Victoria’s healthcare system, including visitors, international students or temporary visa holders who fall ill in Australia and are not eligible for Medicare. This is in addition to the $59.4 million Mental Health and Wellbeing Response package, which will ensure that people, including temporary and provisional visa holders, can access critical mental health services. For details of this new arrangement, please visit www.dhhs.vic.gov.au.

    There are a number of other government and non-government supports available including food relief, housing, healthcare and cash support. The Australian Red Cross website has information on the wide range of supports available to temporary residents. More information is available at: https://www.redcross.org.au/get-help/help-for-migrants-in-transition.

    The Live in Melbourne website also provides a helpful summary of the types of support available from the Victorian Government: https://liveinmelbourne.vic.gov.au/news-events/news/2020/government-assistance-for-temporary-and-provisional-visa-holders-coronavirus-covid-19.

    Note: Clients should be aware that there are other law firms with similar names to ours and lawyers with very similar names to "John Kotsifas". These firms and lawyers are in no way professionally related with John Andrew Kotsifas our principal lawyer and in no way associated with our firm JK Legal Barristers & Solicitors. Other lawyers with similar names which are NOT associated with our firm include John James Kotsifas, John Kotsifas & Associates, JK Law, J&K Legal, JamesKLegal, JK Lawyers & Co.

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