Australia granted more than planned Partner visas in 2020-21 Program Year

As per the 2020-21 program year report by the Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs, Australian immigration department processed 72,000 partner visas, i.e. more than the planned for the year.

This is something exceptional, considering the fact that there was immense pandemic caused chaos in this period. Australia’s partner visa is the great visa option for couples seeking to reunite. Find out more details about this report.

Grant of Partner Visa is the highlight of2020-21 Program Year

Among the significant number of partner visas issued in last program year, the DHA primarily granted onshore subclass 820 – Partner visa and the subclass 801 visa, while the relationship in question is deemed a long-term relationship. As per the ministry, the amount of partner visas granted is the biggest in over 25 years.

Australia’s popular provisional/permanent visas

Here is the list of few popular provisional/permanent visas are:

• Subclass 820 – Partner visa/Subclass 801 – Partner visa,
• Subclass 309 – Partner visa/Subclass 100 – Partner visa,
• Subclass 188 - Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) visa/Subclass 888 - Business Innovation and Investment (Permanent) visa,
• Subclass 489 - Skilled - Regional (Provisional) visa/Subclass 887 - Skilled – Regional visa,
• Subclass 491 – Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa/Subclass 191 – Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) visa,
• Subclass 494 – Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) visa/Subclass 191 – Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) visa, and
• Subclass 173 - Contributory Parent (Provisional) visa/Subclass 143 - Contributory Parent visa.

Also read- Key pathways to apply for immigration to Australia from India

Allocation of more overall visas in 2020-21

In 2020-21, the Department of Home Affairs (DHA), Australia granted 52 more visas than the total allocated visas, i.e. 160,000with the majority going to candidates already onshore. Although, the count of visas is not much, however, it shows that there is no factual way of regulating visa applications without explicit changes to the regulations for the specific visa. Total visa grant improved from 140,366 places delivered in 2019-20.

In previous program year, for skilled visas, the focus of the DHA was on supporting Australia's response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Hence, it planned to enable Australian employers to hire the workers required to maintain their businesses and drive country’s recovery from the global pandemic.

As per Alex Hawke, the Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs the program exceeded expectations, despite challenges posed by the pandemic. 

The minister added, “Australia's well managed migration program delivers outcomes that support economic recovery, create jobs, and protect the safety and security of Australians,".

“Delivering a full program of 160,052 places meant drawing on the pool of onshore applicants due to global COVID-19 restrictions. This has been very successful given the difficult circumstances this year."

The focus of the Migration Program in 2021-22 shall continue to be on visa options that help Australia's economic reverberation and stabilise net overseas migration. As per Minister Hawke, “We will continue to give priority to skilled visas that drive economic growth, job creation and investment in Australia,".

If you wish to apply for PR visa, skilled visa, study visa, family sponsored visa, etc. in Australia, you may get in touch with Visas Avenue for trusted assistance and support. You may call VA Australia Migration expert on Toll-Free No. 78-18-000-777 or you can drop us an e-mail at info@visasavenue.com.

- Rajneesh Kumar