It has been confirmed that from 1 July 2024, the following will apply:
English levels:
-
Unless you hold a passport from Canada, New Zealand, Ireland, UK, or USA you must provide a suitable English test taken in the 12 months before applying
-
The required English level has increased slightly IELTS 6.5 overall and at least 5.5 in each component or other test equivalent.
-
Hong Kong or British National Overseas* passport holders can apply under the old rules of a 6.0 overall with a minimum of 5 in each of the 4 parts
Age:
-
You must be under 35 years of age, unless:
-
you hold a Hong Kong or British National Overseas* passport, or
-
you have completed a Doctorate (PhD) or Masters by Research, in which case you can be up to 50 years of age.
A British National Overseas passport is not a UK passport. If you hold a UK passport you must be under 35 years of age to apply
Eligible Study:
-
You must still meet the Australia study requirement.
-
You must complete a Bachelor degree or higher qualification, including Graduate Certificate, Graduate Diploma, Masters, or Doctorate
Validity Periods:
Depend on the level of qualification you completed, and the passport held.
-
Doctorate (PhD): 3 years
-
Masters by Research: 3 years
-
Masters by Course Work: 2 years
-
Bachelor degree: 2 years
-
Hong Kong and British National Overseas* passport holders: 5 years.
Indian passport holders:
-
Bachelor degree (including honours) – up to 2 years
-
Bachelor degree (with first class honours in STEM, including ICT) – up to 3 years
-
Masters (coursework, extended and research) – up to 3 years
-
Doctorate (PhD) – up to 4 years.
Important:
- You need a skills assessment
-
You will need to meet all other requirements
The changes are wordy and confusing. If you need help understanding, contact a registered migration agent for advice.