As Parliament prepares for its final sittings of the year, two important bills Migration Amendment (Strengthening Sponsorship and Nomination Processes) Bill 2024 and Administrative Review Tribunal and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2025 are set to be discussed and possibly voted on during the upcoming sessions.
The Parliamentary Sitting Periods for the remainder of the year are scheduled as follows: from 27 October to 6 November 2025, and again from 24 to 27 November 2025, before Parliament rises for the year.
Migration Amendment (Strengthening Sponsorship and Nomination Processes) Bill 2024
This bill focuses on updating the Subclass 482 Skills in Demand (SID) visa program. Key changes include:
- Introducing income thresholds for the Core Skills and Specialist Skills streams, with provisions for ongoing indexation.
- Extending the labour market testing (LMT) validity period from four months to six months.
Administrative Review Tribunal and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2025
This bill has drawn significant attention, particularly in relation to student visa refusals. It proposes that applicants whose student visas are denied will only be able to have their refusal reviewed “on the papers.” Additionally, this may set a precedent for similar changes to other temporary visa applications in the future.
- The bill has been referred to the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee, which is expected to deliver a report by 24 November 2025.
- The Migration Institute of Australia (MIA) has already submitted feedback as part of the Committee’s inquiry.
Click here: Submissions received by the Committee