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The Administrative Review Tribunal Amendment Rules (No. 1) 2025 introduce important changes to the Administrative Review Tribunal Rules 2024, effective from 19 December 2025. These updates aim to streamline Tribunal processes and ensure a more efficient and flexible administrative framework. Key Updates Include: The amendments enable the President of the Tribunal to authorise registrars and staff members of the Tribunal to exercise or perform additional powers or functions. This change aims to enhance the Tribunal’s ability to efficiently progress matters before they are heard by a Tribunal member. Consistent with the provisions of Division 4 of Part 11 of the ART Act, the rules now stipulate that limitations on the exercise of certain powers or functions, which may be authorised for members and registrars, will be imposed by the President in the authorising instrument rather than being prescribed in the ART Rules. The amendments introduce provisions for additional decisions for which an application fee is not payable. This change is a result of the Aged Care Act 2024, which came into effect on 1 November 2025.

Migration stack update – 12 December 2025 This update reflects the amendments to the Migration Regulations 1994 by the Migration Amendment (2025 Measures No. 1) Regulations 2025. Additionally, updates were made to the following Migration Policy and Procedural Instructions: Migration stack update 16 December 2025 This update reflects the amendments made on 13 December 2025 to the Migration Regulations 1994 by the Counter-Terrorism Legislation Amendment (State Sponsors of Terrorism) Regulations 2025 (F2025L01544) and amendments made on 16 December 2025 by Schedule 1 of the Home Affairs Legislation Amendment (2025 Measures No. 2) Act 2025 and the Migration Amendment (Personal Identifiers) Regulations 2025. Migration stack update 19 December 2025 This update includes changes to the following Migration Policy and Procedural Instructions: Citizenship stack update 16 December 2025 This update reflects the amendments made on 16 December 2025 to the Citizenship Act 2007 by Schedule 1 of the Home Affairs Legislation Amendment (2025 Measures No. 2) Act 2025. Citizenship stack update 17 December 2025 This update reflects the amendments made on 17 December 2025 to the Australian Citizenship Regulation 2016 by Schedule 1 of the Australian Citizenship Amendment (Notices of Citizenship) Regulations 2025. Citizenship stack update 19 December 2025 This update includes changes to the following Citizenship Policies and Procedures:

The Counter-Terrorism Legislation Amendment (State Sponsors of Terrorism) Regulations 2025 introduce an important update to the Migration Regulations 1994, effective from 13 December 2025. The new regulations amend visa condition 8556, which now requires visa holders to refrain from associating or communicating with any foreign state entity that is prescribed by regulations under the Criminal Code as a state sponsor of terrorism. This amended visa condition applies only to visas granted on or after 13 December 2025. Visa holders granted visas before this date are not subject to this new condition. Click here: Counter-Terrorism Legislation Amendment (State Sponsors of Terrorism) Regulations 2025

From 1 January 2026, VETASSESS Pathway 1 applicants will be required to complete and submit a Language, Literacy, Numeracy, and Digital Skills (LLND) assessment as part of their Documentary Evidence Assessment application. This new requirement applies to applicants in trade occupations who do not currently hold an Australian qualification or occupational licence. The LLND assessment will help ensure that applicants possess the necessary skills to meet the demands of the Australian workforce. To submit the LLND assessment, applicants must: In addition, VETASSESS will release updated video guides for each occupation, effective 1 January 2026. Before preparing video evidence, please ensure that you download the latest version of the relevant video guide from the official VETASSESS website to meet the updated requirements. For more information click here

The Department of Home Affairs has announced an important update regarding the Australian Citizenship Amendment (Notices of Citizenship) Regulations 2025. This change is particularly relevant for individuals navigating the citizenship process, as it outlines key amendments to the procedural requirements for notices issued under the Australian Citizenship Act 2007. The newly introduced regulations, commenced on 17 December 2025, amend the Australian Citizenship Regulation 2016, focusing on the form and content of notices provided to individuals seeking citizenship. This update is part of ongoing efforts to ensure that the Australian citizenship process remains efficient, transparent, and in line with evolving legal and administrative standards. Under these amendments, applicants can expect a more streamlined process, ensuring that notices related to citizenship are clear and consistent with current requirements. While this update does not directly impact eligibility or fees, it reinforces the government’s commitment to maintaining the integrity and clarity of the Australian citizenship process. For individuals currently in the process of applying for citizenship or legal practitioners assisting clients, it’s crucial to stay informed about these updates to ensure compliance and facilitate smooth processing. Click here: Australian Citizenship Amendment (Notices of Citizenship) Regulations 2025

The Tasmanian government has implemented minor adjustments to its skilled migration program settings. These changes aim to improve clarity and ensure that the program aligns with the region’s economic needs. These adjustments will not affect any existing Registrations of Interest (ROIs), and the new criteria will apply only to new ROIs submitted after the changes. Key Changes: Subclass 491 Tasmanian Skilled Employment Pathway Orange-plus Attribute Update: The score for the employment-related attribute has been increased from 30 to 35 points. This change aims to better recognize longer-term employment in roles that are relevant to the skills assessment. Updated Criteria: Orange Attribute Update: To avoid confusion with the Orange-plus attribute, the criteria for the Orange attribute have been amended. Updated Criteria: Impact: Subclass 190 and 491 Tasmanian Skilled Graduate Pathways Orange-plus Attribute – Graduate Program Offer: The requirement for the graduate program offer has been updated to remove the restriction on whether the program has commenced. Updated Criteria: Subclass 190 Tasmanian Established Resident Pathway Minimum Requirements Clarification: The wording for the business operation requirement has been updated for clarity. Updated Criteria: Click here: Subclass 491 Tasmanian Skilled Employment Pathway Subclass 190 Tasmanian Established Resident Pathway Subclass 190 and 491 Tasmanian Skilled Graduate Pathways

The Department of Home Affairs has expanded the Australian Immi App to an additional 19 countries, bringing the total number of supported locations to 34. This expansion, effective from 24 November 2025. The eligible applicants from the following countries can now use the Australian Immi App: Algeria, Bahrain, Colombia, Egypt, Fiji, France, Greece, Hong Kong (SAR of the People’s Republic of China), Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand (third‑country nationals), Oman, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Qatar, Samoa, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Africa, South Korea, Thailand, Tonga, Türkiye, Tuvalu, United Arab Emirates, and Vanuatu. Key Features of the Immi App Expansion: A final rollout to all remaining countries participating in Australia’s biometric collection program is scheduled for early 2026, further expanding access to the Immi App and enhancing global access to Australia’s visa system. For more information click here

The Department of Home Affairs has issued a correction regarding the police clearance requirement for Partner visa applicants. This This update provides important information for registered migration agents and legal practitioners who have clients who hold a Partner (provisional) (subclass 309) or Partner (temporary) (subclass 820) visa or have applied for these visas. Applicants are now required to provide a new police clearance if they have been outside of Australia for more than 2 months. This applies regardless of whether the applicant has previously submitted a police clearance, ensuring that all applicants meet current eligibility criteria for processing. The updated requirement helps ensure the integrity of the visa process and maintains compliance with Australian immigration policies.

The Migration Amendment (2025 Measures No. 1) Regulations 2025 introduce important changes to the Migration Regulations 1994, aiming to protect temporary visa holders, modernise penalties, and enhance community safety while addressing recent court decisions to maintain a fair and transparent migration system. These amendments, effective from 12 December 2025, reflect the government’s ongoing efforts to improve Australia’s migration system and ensure fairness and safety in the community. Key Amendments: Part 1 — Prohibited Employers Employers convicted of intentionally underpaying a temporary migrant worker under section 327A of the Fair Work Act 2009 will face a migrant worker sanction. This will prevent them from sponsoring temporary workers under the Migration Act, protecting workers from exploitation. Part 2 — Personal Information Disclosure This amendment allows for the collection and use of personal information by authorities to inform decisions on issuing certificates to individuals affected by the Love v Commonwealth; Thoms v Commonwealth (2020) decision and assess the possibility of offering permanent stay. Part 3 — Modernising Penalties for Infringement Notices Penalties for offences under sections 229 and 230 of the Migration Act will now be based on penalty units rather than specific dollar amounts, aligning penalties with future increases in the value of a penalty unit under the Crimes Act 1914. Part 4 — Strengthening BVR Management Changes to the management of Bridging Visa Remain (BVR) holders, especially for New Zealand YQ cohort (NZYQ), include: Click here: Migration Amendment (2025 Measures No. 1) Regulations 2025

On 2 December 2025, OMARA issued a reminder to all Registered Migration Agent (RMA) members that Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) is now compulsory for accessing the OMARA Portal. The full OMARA message is set out below for your reference:  Dear Registered Migration Agent The new sign-in system which supports Multi-factor Authentication (MFA) has now been operational for over a month. Thank you to those who have already migrated to the new sign-in system and set up MFA. If you haven’t yet set up MFA For those that have yet to set up MFA, we ask you to log into your account on the OMARA portal and set up MFA as soon as possible.  We also strongly encourage you to review the advice below prior to logging into your OMARA Portal account to set up MFA.  Prior to attempting to migrate your account, please ensure you have:1.            Watched the demonstration – Sign-Up and Sign-In Guide Videos · OMARA Self-Service Portal 2.            Read the relevant user guide for migrating – RMA User Guide – Existing users migrating to the new sign-in multi-factor authentication system.  A short FAQ can also be accessed on our website here. To ensure you don’t create a new account instead of migrating your exiting account, please follow the instructions provided. This includes logging in as normal to commence your account migration. Do not attempt to sign-in, this could cause un-necessary delays as we will need to lodge a ticket with our IT team to delete your duplicate account.For ease of reference, attached is a summary of steps to be followed in migrating your account.