What changed · the register
Rules move. We date every change.
Each entry has the date it took effect (or was announced), its status and a source. Where a change is announced but not yet law, we say so. Always check the official page before you act.
Canada: Express Entry points for high-wage occupations
Announced in October 2026 to start on 3 November 2026: new ranking points for Canadian work experience or a qualifying job offer in high-wage occupations, with no labour market impact assessment needed for a qualifying offer.
Source: IRCC
Publication of approved work sponsor details
A new law in force from 8 October 2026 allows the Department to publish prescribed information about approved work sponsors, such as the kind of sponsor, name, ABN and number of nominations, once regulations prescribe it. It never allows personal identifiers to be published.
Source: Federal Register of Legislation
Student visas: onshore applications and family members
Most temporary visa holders, including most Student visa holders, can no longer lodge a Student or Student Guardian visa application in Australia. Most Student visa applicants can no longer include family members, and family cannot be added after grant. Exemptions include some students staying up to 12 more months with the same provider, PhD and school students, and DFAT or Defence sponsored students. Applications lodged before 2 October 2026 follow the old rules.
Source: Department of Home Affairs
New processing order for skilled visas
Two new Ministerial Directions (numbers 121 and 122) set the processing order for Skills in Demand and for permanent and provisional skilled visas. Construction, healthcare, teaching, agriculture, aquaculture, fishing, resources, law enforcement and defence occupations come first, then onshore applicants.
Source: Department of Home Affairs
Points test redesign announced
The Minister said the points test has been redone. No new table, pass mark or start date has been published. The current points table and 65 point pass mark still apply.
Source: Department of Home Affairs and the 2026-27 Budget
UK: earned settlement not yet law
The Home Secretary said the revised earned settlement policy will be published before the end of 2026. No rules have been laid. Current five-year settlement routes remain.
Source: UK Parliament, Home Affairs Committee
New Zealand: Skilled Migrant Category changes
More points for New Zealand qualifications and recent New Zealand work, and new Trades and Technician and Skilled Work Experience pathways.
Source: Immigration New Zealand
New processing order for family visas
A new Ministerial Direction (number 117) for family visas gives the highest priority to applications made in Australia for visas that can be granted in Australia.
Source: Department of Home Affairs
Visa application charges rise
Most visa application charges rose by about 25 per cent. Examples for the main applicant: Student A$2,500; Skills in Demand A$4,015; subclasses 186 and 494 A$6,140; Temporary Graduate A$5,750; citizenship by conferral A$595.
Source: Study Australia and the Visa Pricing Estimator
New income thresholds
For nominations lodged from 1 July 2026: Core Skills income threshold A$79,423 (also used for subclass 186 and, as the temporary skilled migration income threshold, for subclass 494), and Specialist Skills income threshold A$146,576.
Source: Department of Home Affairs
Higher penalties for unregistered immigration assistance
The Commonwealth penalty unit rose to A$364. Giving immigration assistance while not registered can now attract an infringement notice of 12 penalty units (A$4,368) as an alternative to prosecution. Charging a fee for it while unregistered remains an offence with a maximum of 10 years' imprisonment.
Source: Federal Register of Legislation and ASIC penalty units
2026-27 Migration Program
185,000 permanent places, unchanged from 2025-26. Employer Sponsored 58,040; State and Territory Nominated 35,500; Skilled Independent 21,090; Regional 14,110 (down from 33,000); Partner 41,500; Parent 7,060.
Source: Department of Home Affairs
Migration Agents Regulations 2026
New Regulations replaced the Migration Agents Regulations 1998. The OMARA register now shows each agent's website address, mailing address and email. Each year an agent's professional development must include one point of Ethics and one point of Code of Conduct training. Professional indemnity insurance of at least A$250,000 is required. The Code of Conduct itself received only minor consequential amendments.
Source: OMARA
Ban on onshore transfer commissions
Education agents can no longer be paid commissions for moving students already in Australia from one provider to another.
Source: TEQSA
Arrival control determinations
The Minister, with the written agreement of the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, can stop specified groups of temporary visa holders who are outside Australia from travelling here for up to six months. Permanent visa holders and people already in Australia are exempt.
Source: Federal Register of Legislation
USA: wage-weighted H-1B selection
H-1B cap registrations at higher wage levels now receive more entries in the selection.
Source: USCIS
Canada: 2026 Express Entry categories
Categories continue for French, healthcare and social services, trades, STEM and education, with new categories for physicians, researchers and senior managers with Canadian experience, transport and military recruits.
Source: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada
USA: entry restrictions by nationality
Full suspension of entry for nationals of 19 countries and partial restrictions for 20 more.
Source: Congressional Research Service
Offshore Student visa processing order
For applications lodged from 14 November 2025, a new Ministerial Direction (number 115) sets the processing order for offshore Student visa applications by each provider's share of its allocation.
Source: Department of Home Affairs
Accepted English tests
C1 Advanced, CELPIP General, IELTS Academic and General Training, LanguageCert Academic, MET, OET, PTE Academic and TOEFL iBT, taken at a secure test centre. At-home tests are not accepted. Tests taken on or before 6 August 2025 may be usable until 6 August 2028 depending on the visa.
Source: Department of Home Affairs
UK: Skilled Worker changes
Degree-level roles, a general salary threshold of £41,700 plus the going rate, and the end of overseas recruitment for care workers.
Source: UK Government
Skills in Demand visa starts
The Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482) began, with Specialist Skills, Core Skills and Labour Agreement streams and a one-year work experience requirement. The National Innovation visa (subclass 858) also began in December 2024, by invitation only.
Source: Department of Home Affairs
Business innovation and investment visas closed
The Business Innovation and Investment Program closed permanently to new applications.
Source: Department of Home Affairs
Temporary Graduate visa changes
New stream names (Post-Higher Education Work and Post-Vocational Education Work), a maximum age of 35 for most applicants, and new stay periods.
Source: Department of Home Affairs
Employer compliance offences
New offences for coercing or pressuring temporary visa holders into breaching their work conditions, employer prohibition notices, and a public list of prohibited employers.
Source: Department of Home Affairs
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General information only, not advice about your situation. Entries are added when a change is made or announced. Updated 21 October 2026.