There have been some significant changes to Australian student visas in recent months, with a focus on ensuring genuine students and managing financial capacity. Here's a breakdown:

• Increased Financial Requirements: Effective May 10, 2024, the minimum financial requirement for student visas jumped to AUD $29,710. This aims to ensure students have sufficient funds to support themselves during their studies. [IDP Education - Latest Australia Visa News]
• Genuine Student Requirement: Introduced in March 2024, the "Genuine Student" requirement replaces the previous "Genuine Temporary Entrant" (GTE) requirement. This emphasizes the applicant's genuine intention to study in Australia and discourages those seeking to use student visas for other purposes. The Department of Home Affairs asks specific questions to assess this during the application process. [IDP Education - Latest Australia Visa News]
• English Language Requirements: In March 2023, the English language requirement for student visas increased to a minimum score of 6.0 on the International English Language Testing System (IELTS).
• Restrictions on Concurrent Enrollments: Since September 2023, international students can no longer enroll in two courses simultaneously within the first six months of their primary program. This aims to prevent students from using additional courses to extend their stay in Australia.

There have been a few key changes to Australian skilled visas in 2024:

• Increase in Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold (TSMIT): On May 28, 2024, the TSMIT increased to $73,150 per year. This means applicants for certain skilled visas will need to demonstrate a higher minimum salary. Australian Government Department of Home Affairs news archive
• New Skills in Demand visa announced: The Australian Government plans to introduce a new Skills in Demand visa to replace the current Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) visa (subclass 482). This new visa will have three streams: Specialist Skills, Core Skills, and Essential Skills. The Specialist Skills pathway will target highly-skilled migrants with guaranteed annual earnings of at least AUD 135,000. The Core Skills pathway is for occupations on a new list of in-demand occupations. Details on the Essential Skills pathway are still under development. The new visa will offer a streamlined application process, longer validity periods for job advertisements, and increased employee mobility for visa holders. Visa Envoy Upcoming Immigration Changes [invalid URL removed]
• Changes to Subclass 485 Visa: The minimum age requirement for the Subclass 485 Temporary Graduate visa is now 50 years old. Additionally, the two-year extension for this visa has ended.
• Changes to Skilled Work Regional Visa (Subclass 491): The required employment duration in regional areas under the NSW Government's Pathway 1 of the Subclass 491 visa has been reduced from 12 months to 6 months.

For the most up-to-date information on Australian skilled visas, it is recommended to visit the official Australian Government Department of Home Affairs website or consult a registered migration agent.