Australia/United Kingdom: New Immigration Pathways for UK Citizens

Update – March 27, 2024: In line with the Australia-United Kingdom Free Trade Agreement (A-UKFTA) mentioned below, the Department of Home Affairs recently clarified the coverage of UK nationals and permanent residents who are eligible to apply for the four-year Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) Subclass 482 Visa. Applicants falling under one of three categories (intra-corporate transferees, independent executives and contractual service provider) benefit from the longer TSS visa duration of four years, when initially applying under the short-term stream that is generally granted for only two years. Those who are unable to meet the conditions for the first two categories will be covered by the third category, contractual service provider, which is intended to capture all remaining UK nationals and permanent residents.  

October 11, 2023: As previously announced to clients via a local newsflash in Australia, further to the Australia-United Kingdom Free Trade Agreement, the Australian government launched the Innovation and Early Careers Skills Exchange Pilot (IECSEP) on September 25, 2023. This initiative introduces two streamlined mobility pathways for UK citizens. The Early Careers Skills stream allows UK citizens between the ages of 21-45 to undertake placements in Australia for up to one year relevant to their field of work. The Innovation stream provides opportunities for UK citizens who have demonstrated innovation in areas like artificial intelligence, financial technology and renewable energy to work in Australia for up to three years. The IECSEP program will offer 1,000 places in its first year and 2,000 in its second year. The current round will close November 20, 2023 or earlier if these numbers are exhausted. Participants will be unable to bring family members as part of the program and will be required to remain with their employers while participating in the IECSEP. The application process requires an initial endorsement from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade followed by a visa application, and promises a swift and efficient experience for applicants. For the Subclass 403 visa application, processing times range from as quick as two days for 25% of applications to up to 24 days for 90% of applications.