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.
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
*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
The changes are wordy and confusing. If you need help understanding, contact a registered migration agent for advice www.avie.com.au