18 Sep 2026
The section 48 bar - what it stops, and the visas you can still apply for
If a visa has been refused or cancelled while you are in Australia, section 48 can stop you applying for almost anything else onshore.…
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Migration law commentary
Legal archives
Practical analysis of the legislative shifts, tribunal reforms and fee changes reshaping Australian migration - written for people making real decisions.
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18 Sep 2026
Condition 8503 - the no further stay rule, and how a waiver actually works
Condition 8503 stops you applying for almost any other visa while you are in Australia. Unlike the section 48 bar it can be waived…
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17 Sep 2026
Tony Burke’s 2026 migration changes explained: students lose family visas, working holiday cut 84%
Announced 17 September 2026. Not yet in force. Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke set these changes out in an address to the National Press…
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11 Sep 2026
Judicial review of a migration decision: 35 days, jurisdictional error and the costs risk
Judicial review is not a second appeal. The court cannot decide whether you should get the visa, only whether the decision was made according…
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11 Sep 2026
Health waivers: when failing the health requirement is not the end
Failing the health requirement ends some applications and not others. The difference is which public interest criterion attaches to your subclass, and whether the…
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11 Sep 2026
The health requirement: what the significant cost threshold actually measures
Almost every permanent visa applicant is assessed against a single number - the significant cost threshold, currently $86,000. Here is what that figure covers,…
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03 Jul 2026
Partner visas in 2026: $11,710 and one chance to get it right
The partner visa application charge is now $11,710, and the Department expects applications to be decision-ready at lodgement - typically with a single request…
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02 Jul 2026
New skilled salary thresholds: CSIT $79,423 and SSIT $146,576 explained for employers
From 1 July 2026 the Core Skills Income Threshold rises to $79,423 and the Specialist Skills Income Threshold to $146,576. What sponsoring employers must…
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01 Jul 2026
Partner visa processing times and how to avoid delays in 2026
Partner visas are measured in months, not weeks - and most delays are self-inflicted. Here is what drives partner visa processing times in 2026…
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In depth
Featured legal analysis
Family & Partner
Partner Visa Evidence: What Actually Moves the Needle in 2026
The four pillars of a genuine and continuing relationship, and why decision-ready lodgement now decides partner applications.
Read the analysis → Skilled MigrationSkills Assessments in 2026: New Occupation Lists, Old Pitfalls
How to read the skilled occupation lists, avoid the common assessment traps, and keep a valid assessment through the invitation window.
Read the analysis → Tribunal & ReviewTribunal Reforms: Reading the Early Patterns at the ART
What the Administrative Review Tribunal’s paper-based reviews and 2026 Practice Directions mean for anyone facing a refusal.
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Recent legal updates.
01 Jul 2026
Australian visa fees jumped up to 25% on 1 July 2026: the complete new fee table
Most Australian visa application charges rose by around 25% on 1 July 2026 - far beyond normal indexation. Here is the complete old-versus-new fee…
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01 Jul 2026
485 graduate visa fees doubled, then rose again: strategy for 2026 graduates
The Temporary Graduate (485) visa charge went from $2,300 to $4,600 on 1 March 2026, then to $5,750 on 1 July. What it means…
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25 Jun 2026
Victoria & NSW state nomination 2026-27: opening dates, allocations and how to be decision-ready
The national State and Territory Nominated allocation rises to 35,500 for 2026-27, but state-by-state numbers are not yet published. What Melbourne and Sydney candidates…
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24 Jun 2026
Your visa was refused - what to do next
A visa refusal is not always the end. Here are your options - merits review, a fresh application, judicial review or ministerial intervention -…
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24 Jun 2026
Onshore vs offshore partner visa: 820/801 vs 309/100
The choice between an onshore 820/801 and an offshore 309/100 partner visa comes down to where you are, whether you can stay, and how…
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19 Jun 2026
Employer Nomination Scheme (Subclass 186): your pathway to PR
The subclass 186 Employer Nomination Scheme is a direct route to permanent residence for sponsored workers. A plain-English guide to the Direct Entry and…
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18 Jun 2026
National Innovation visa mid-2026 report: 146 invitations from 1,815 EOIs - how to be in the 8%
The latest National Innovation visa figures show 146 invitations issued from 1,815 expressions of interest in a single quarter. What the numbers reveal about…
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12 Jun 2026
The Skills in Demand (Subclass 482) visa: a complete employer guide
A plain-English guide for Australian employers to the Skills in Demand (subclass 482) visa - the three streams, the CSIT and SSIT salary thresholds,…
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11 Jun 2026
The 2027 points test rewrite: what’s actually proposed (and what’s still rumour)
The Government has committed to rewriting the skilled migration points test for 2027 - the first ground-up redesign since 2012. Here is what is…
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