With the great relationship, Australia and Hong Kong have always had, Australia has always been one of the top destinations for those who are looking to migrate or get a working visa in a foreign country. Not only that but people of both countries also share a lot of family connections and business ties. For many years our migration agents have been helping people from Hong Kong come to Australia through partner visas as well as business and investors visas.

People from many different countries are looking to migrate to Australia to establish a better career pathway and enjoy what the Australian lifestyle has to offer. Hong Kong is no different since Australia has been a magnet for the most competitive migrants in Hong Kong. Migrants from Hong Kong have also contributed to the economic growth in Australia through their large investments and jobs they create within Australia or by bringing skills where there is a shortage through the various skilled migration programs available. Australia is always working on strengthening the relationship with Hong Kong due to the mutual benefits it brings, and this includes the new measures announced recently regarding students, temporary graduates and skilled workers from Hong Kong who want to migrate to Australia for studying or work.

The updates to the visa arrangements will enable Hong Kong passport holders to obtain permanent residency and remain indefinitely in Australia through a range of opportunities available to eligible potential migrants. This will also help to boost the Australian economy in the post-COVID era by bringing the right skills and companies to Australia and create new jobs for Australians.

The highlights of the changes at a glance:

Current Hong Kong temporary graduate and skilled worker visa holders will be able to stay for 5 additional years with full working rights in Australia, this excludes the time they’ve already spent in Australia and allows them a pathway to permanent residency at the end of that period.

Five-year temporary graduate visas will also be available for current and future Hong Kong students once they finish their studies, with a pathway to permanent residency at the end of that period.

These updates will be in conjunction with the existing arrangement of the newly introduced regional visas, which will continue to apply for these applicants who study and work in regional areas, with a pathway to permanent residency after 3 years. This is to help address skills shortages in regional areas.

The changes to the migration programs come as exciting news for almost 10,000 existing skilled, temporary skilled, recent graduates and student visa holders from Hong Kong in Australia, in addition to a further 2,500 applicants from outside Australia and 1,250 applications currently being processed by migration officers.

If you are looking for immigration advice, talk to the visa experts at Australia Migrate for latest updates regarding immigration processes.