Visa law, explained by the people who lodge it.
Rule changes, thresholds, evidence and the mistakes behind refusals, for the 482, the 186 and partner visas. Written by our lawyers, not a content agency.
What we track
- Government chargesvisa application charges and levieseach July
- Income thresholdsindexed annuallyCSIT, SSIT
- Occupation listsCore Skills Occupation List456 codes
- Processing timesas the Department publishes themmonthly
-
What $11,710 Buys: The Partner Visa Queue the Minister Described
The Minister explained why partner visas take years. A Budget planning level caps places while demand rises. What that means for your money and your plans.
Read -
Check the Code, Then the Family Rule: How Directions 121 and 122 Order Your Application
Directions 121 and 122 reordered skilled visa processing on 19 September 2026. Check your ANZSCO code, then the offshore family rule, before you lodge.
Read -
Marriage Is Not a Reason: The 8503 Waiver Test and Your Partner Visa
Home Affairs lists marriage to an Australian as not a reason to waive condition 8503. What that means for couples before the visitor visa rules change.
Read -
Character Decision Before or After 31 October? Direction 123 Changes the Maths
Ministerial Direction 123 replaces Direction 110 on 31 October 2026. Ties to Australia drop a tier, business impact goes, and the risk test falls to might.
Read -
The South West DAMA Closes on 30 October: What You Keep and Where You Go Next
The South West DAMA closes to new applications on 30 October 2026. What Bunbury employers keep, what to lodge before then, and where to go after.
Read -
Pilbara DAMA: The Worker Lives in Town, and the 186 Waits Three Years
The Pilbara DAMA excludes FIFO roles and has no direct 186 entry. The $350 fee, concessions, time limits and a worked cost example, checked 18 Sep 2026.
Read -
Your File Went to VACCU: What the Silence Means and What to Send Before They Ask
VACCU referral in 2026: what the character unit checks, why files go quiet for months, and the documents to send before the natural justice letter arrives.
Read -
Lodge Before the Instrument Lands: Your Decision After Burke’s Speech
Burke's 17 September 2026 overhaul: student family ban, no further stay on visitor visas, 45,000 backpacker ballot places. What to lodge before the start date.
Read -
Goldfields DAMA: Work Back From 31 December Before You Advertise
The Goldfields DAMA and its free council endorsement both run to 31 December 2026. See the advertising and endorsement clocks Kalgoorlie employers face.
Read -
WA Has Five DAMAs: Check the Regional One First
Western Australia runs five DAMAs. Check your regional agreement before the state-wide WA DAMA, or you apply to the wrong endorsement body.
Read -
The Tick Box That Ends More Partner Visas Than the Conviction Behind It
A conviction rarely refuses a partner visa; a wrong answer about it can. The 12 month line, the Form 1023 fix, Direction 110 and the $11,710 charge in 2026.
Read -
Adelaide’s Tech DAMA Buys Age, Not a Salary Discount
The Adelaide City DAMA lifts the age limit to 55 and cuts experience to one year for Australian graduates. It does not cut the $79,423 income threshold.
Read
Reading about your own situation?
A consultation with a migration lawyer turns an article into a plan: your pathway, your dates, your costs, in writing.