JJF Migration Consultancy

30/01/2025

From 1st February 2025, significant changes to the fees for the Temporary Graduate (Subclass 485) Visa will take effect in Australia. These changes, outlined in the Migration Amendment (Temporary Graduate Visa Application Charge) Regulations 2024, introduce updated charges for both initial and subsequent visa applications.

Revised Visa Application Charges:

Initial Applications:

Primary Applicant: AUD 2,235 (up from AUD 1,945)

Secondary Applicant (18 and over): AUD 1,115 (up from AUD 975)

Secondary Applicant (under 18): AUD 560 (up from AUD 490)

Subsequent Applications:

Primary Applicant: AUD 880 (up from AUD 765)

Secondary Applicant (18 and over): AUD 440 (up from AUD 385)

Secondary Applicant (under 18): AUD 225 (up from AUD 195)

01/07/2024

Following the post on Work and Holiday Visa for Philippine passport holders.

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The legislation to enable the program started on 1 July 2024. Both countries are now completing the administrative work needed to apply the arrangement in the coming months.

Meaning, visa application cannot be made at this time yet. The department will publish a start date and other details as soon as all arrangements are finalised. This will include advice to Filipino passport holders on how to get a Letter of Concurrence (LoC) from their Government.

I will let you know as soon as possible on the start date. As previously advised, there will only be 200 visas to be issued to Filipinos. For now, you can already put together the documents needed for this visa so when this becomes open for application, all you have to comply is the letter of concurrence from the Philippines agency/office.

You must:
1) have a tertiary qualification from a university, college or training centre, or
2) have completed 2 years of undergraduate university study
3) have at least functional English
4) have at least $5,000 in your account
5) have a letter of concurrence from the government - this requirement will be explained later when the department releases the guidelines

Acceptable documents:
* Transcript of records
* Course certificate
* English certification that you have completed at least 5 years of study where English is the medium of instruction
* personal identification documents (passport, birth cert, marriage cert)

I cannot reply to all your messages so please watch out for any updates on this page. Also, I cannot take all of you on board so if you can do it yourself, I would encourage you to do so.

All the best!!!

25/06/2024

New Work and Holiday Visa for Philippine passport holders.

25/06/2024

Effective 01 July 2024, Philippines is included as a specified country to apply for the Subclass 462 visa allowing Filipino nationals to apply for this visa. This visa lets people 18 to 30 years old (inclusive) have an extended holiday in Australia and work here to help fund their trip. The new pre-application process will introduce ballots for first Work and Holiday (subclass 462) visa applicants.

This new Work and Holiday visa arrangement will allow up to 200 young Filipinos and Australians each year to enjoy a 12-month holiday in each other’s country, during which they may undertake short-term work and study.

For more information on the guidelines and requirements, please contact JJF Migration Consultancy.

13/06/2024

Starting 01 July 2024,the following changes are in effect.

1) visitor visas are not allowed to lodge a student visa onshore

2) graduate visa holders cannot apply for student visas onshore after the graduate visa expiry.

These changes are implemented to ensure the integrity of the Australian migration system.

If you have questions, we are here to guide you.

06/11/2022

FBC SEASON 3 FINALS!
Well done boys! Special mention to the coach, boss Stanly Lauron! ❤️

Team JJF Migration is seeking to grab another back-to-back win tomorrow! 🔥🔥🔥😤😤😤

Xavier Homes and JJF Migration will battle it out for the ultimate title of CHAMPIONS for FBC season 3!! 🏆🏆🏆

Tomorrow is the day! Let’s find out! Come and watch FBC Season 3 Finals tomorrow 10am at La Trobe Sports Stadium and live on the Filipino Ballers Club page. ⛹🏻‍♂️⛹🏻‍♂️⛹🏻‍♂️

We would like to thank our 14 awesome sponsors this season:

TaxSmart Cafe
Amalia' s Lechon Cebu
Enelssie Café & Grill
Pinoy Diner
Xavier Homes
Rosa & Co Fitouts
Mel Auto Care
ExtrordinAir
Northern TILE Distributors P/L
Z32-ni-Bai
Klutch Sports
Pinoy garden
Happy Concrete
ExtrordinAir

07/02/2022

Australia to open international borders to all visa holders on February 21

Mr Morrison has announced Australia’s international border will reopen to all visa holders who have received two doses of the coronavirus vaccine on February 21.

The borders have progressively been opening since mid-December, with international students and family members of citizens and permanent residents the first allowed to return.
The announcement will be welcome news for the tourism sector, which has gone almost two years without any international arrivals.

“Over the next two weeks they’ll get the opportunity both for visitors to be coming and for them to be gearing up to welcome international visitors back to Australia,” Mr Morrison said.

All foreign visitors to Australia will have to provide proof they are double-vaccinated.

State government caps in quarantine for unvaccinated travellers will continue to apply.

https://www.theage.com.au/national/australia-news-live-barnaby-joyce-text-fallout-continues-nation-s-total-covid-19-cases-continue-to-grow-20220207-p59u9d.html?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook&fbclid=IwAR0MgTVtPnJrwqmgGfuiICF7z19kf6IZ9FV7TCaoKw1L2muzTtO4ce8mHS8 =1644205492

The former Nationals leader says the party needs to focus on the next election, the government will return to Parliament this week to debate its religious freedom laws and the aged care industry says private sector support is “inadequate”.

25/11/2021

Visa changes could help 200,000 foreign workers stay longer
Julie Hare and Michael Read
Nov 25, 2021 – 5.00am

A new path to permanent residency for some skilled migrants and moves to make it easier for international students to work after graduation are among a raft of visa changes covering more than 200,000 foreigners that the government hopes will ease skills shortages.

In a bid to address ongoing worker shortages, the government has announced that about 20,000 skilled visa holders who stayed in Australia during the pandemic will be eligible for permanent residency.


Visa changes, alongside borders opening, will help attract international students, says Alan Tudge. Alex Ellinghausen

The main winners from the temporary concession, which affects primary holders of the temporary skill shortage visa and holders of the now-discontinued 457 visa, will be workers employed in the health and hospitality industries, who make up one-fifth of the potential pool of new permanent residents.

Previously, temporary skill shortage visa holders in the “short-term” stream were restricted to a two-year stay in Australia without a pathway to permanent residence.

The measure should provide some modest relief to employers struggling to find workers.

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Job vacancies in the hospitality industry have increased by 87 per cent since the start of the pandemic, according to data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, while openings in the healthcare industry are up by 72 per cent.

Separately, Education Minister Alan Tudge and Immigration Minister Alex Hawke have agreed on changes that will allow 30,000 students whose visas have expired after February 1, 2020 to reapply for a new 485 visa of the same duration as their original one.

Graduates of masters by coursework programs, who numbered 170,000 pre-pandemic, will also be able to stay on to work for three years instead of two and vocational education graduates will be eligible for a two-year temporary visa.

Students will have their time spent studying offshore recognised when applying for a 485 visa.

International education strategy
The government has been under intense pressure from business groups to bring international students back onshore as they provide a large workforce for hospitality and retail jobs.

Immigration Minister Alex Hawke acknowledged that saying: “The changes are targeted to not only support international students but are also a crucial component of our economic recovery and will help us retain and attract skilled workers.”

The changes for students will be announced on Thursday alongside a $37 million mini-rescue package for the education sector, targeting private colleges that have been devastated by the halt in international student enrolments over the past two years.

Measures will include ongoing fee relief to regulators and other federal agencies, extending an exemption of a 25 per cent fee for students accessing government support for student loans, and another $9 million for English-language colleges to develop online courses.

Speaking to the annual Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency on Thursday morning, Education Minister Alan Tudge will say the changes would accelerate the recovery process for universities and colleges in the new academic year.

“This will help ensure the rapid return of international students,” Mr Tudge will say.

“It provides clear incentives for institutions and students and ensures students are not disadvantaged from being prevented from coming to Australia earlier.”

The most recent student data shows that there are 200,000 fewer international students enrolled in August 2021 than two years earlier. The hardest-hit sector is the English-language or ELICOS sector, which has been hit by a 71 per cent decline in enrolments over that time frame.

Mr Tudge is also expected to release the government’s 10-year international education strategy on Thursday afternoon.

Phil Honeywood, chief executive of the International Education Association of Australia, said visa reform was necessary to not only retain existing students but attract new ones.

“In order to excite interest in Australia as a study destination these student visa flexibilities are welcome,” Mr Honeywood said.

“Whether they will be enough to encourage students who are already considering Canada, the UK and US is another question.”

News that fully vaccinated international students can return to NSW, Victoria and the ACT from December 1, alongside visa reform, should help alleviate intense frustration within the international student sector, which was valued at $40 billion in 2019.

However, there are concerns that the delay in reopening borders will have little impact on attracting new students for the 2022 academic year as most would have made decisions about where to study some months ago.

22/10/2021

Update on Hotel Quarantine in Victoria
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Victoria is set to scrap COVID-19 quarantine requirements for international arrivals from next month, bringing it into line with New South Wales.
It's understood arriving travellers would need to be fully immunised and test negative for coronavirus.
It means people arriving in Victoria will not have to quarantine at home or in a hotel.
The change is expected to apply to returning Australians and their immediate family.
The change is likely to come into effect on November 1, the same day it happens in NSW.
At this stage, it's believed the quarantine changes will be officially announced at Friday's COVID-19 media conference.

Victoria is set to scrap COVID-19 quarantine for international arrivals from next month, bringing it into line with New South Wales.

02/10/2021

Some Updates on Australia's International Borders

Australia is set to safely reopen to the world, with international travel to restart for vaccinated Australians from November.
Australians who have had both doses of an Australian-recognised COVID vaccine will be able to leave and return to Australia from November and then quarantine at home for 7 days.

As we reach 80% of Australians aged 16+ fully vaccinated, inbound and outbound travel restrictions will be lifted for fully vaccinated Australians, permanent residents and family members.
Australians will be able to quarantine at home, in states and territories that have signed up to 7 days home quarantine.

As for temporary residents and visitors, please keep updated on this page as to when we can start processing your visa applications.

09/12/2020

The Philippine Consulate Office in Melbourne is now open. One of their services is the NBI application.

Kindly read their advisory on this.

ALL ABOUT NBI CLEARANCE
(The NBI Clearance process explained)
One of the consular services in high demand at this time is the consularization of National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Clearance applications. The obvious reason is the overwhelming volume of visa applications from Filipino tourists stranded in Victoria over the last several months, occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Australian government requires visa applicants aged 17 or over to present, among others, a “police clearance” or “police certificate” from the applicant’s home country and other countries they have lived in for at least 12 months in the past 10 years. The police clearance or certificate is one of the required proofs of “good character.” As we understand it, the NBI Clearance is the acceptable Philippine equivalent of the police clearance or certificate required by Australia.
In answer to the numerous questions we receive on applying for an NBI Clearance, summarized below are the basic things an applicant has to know.
Q. Where do I apply for an NBI Clearance while in Australia?
A. NBI Clearance applicants currently living or staying in Australia have to apply through the nearest Philippine Embassy or Consulate. If you are living in Victoria, you have to do this through the Philippine Consulate General in Melbourne, at its current address, Level 3, 257 Collins Street, Melbourne, Vic 3000.
Q. Is any other person or agency authorized to accept and process NBI Clearance applications abroad?
A. No. NBI has authorized only Philippine Embassies and Consulates to accept and process NBI Clearance applications of persons living or staying abroad. Any other person, agency or entity claiming to have this authority is committing a misrepresentation or engaging in the crime of fixing, and must be reported immediately.
Q. Can I just walk in to apply?
A. No. Due to limited space at the present address of the Consulate, as well as the existing social distancing and density quotient requirements, we do not allow walk-in applicants in order to avoid overcrowding in the premises.
For the time being, applicants are strictly required to book an appointment for their NBI Clearance applications by emailing us at [email protected].
Q. What are the requirements for NBI Clearance processing at the Consulate?
A. The requirements are the following:
1) NBI Form 5 (provided free of charge by the Embassy/Consulate) – blue for Filipino nationals and white for foreign nationals;
2) Two (2) recent 2”x2” photos of the applicant, with white background, and taken within the last three months;
3) Applicant’s valid Philippine passport, original and one photocopy;
4) Processing fee of AUD 45.00, in cash;
5) Self-addressed, stamped Expresspost envelope (for mailing of signed/stamped form to applicant’s address).
Q. What is the procedure for NBI processing at the Consulate?
A. Following is the step-by-step procedure:
1. Applicant books an appointment with Philippine Consulate by email;
2. On the date/time of appointment, applicant submits the requirements, then receives, fills out and signs the Form 5;
3. Consulate staff receives the requirements and issues an official receipt;
4. Consulate staff takes applicant’s fingerprint impressions and attaches photos to the Form;
5. Accomplished Form is consularized (stamped, and signed by Consular Officer), and mailed to applicant’s address.
6. After receipt of the consularized Form from the Consulate, the applicant shall follow the steps for submitting the application to NBI.
Q. I have obtained the NBI Form 5, but it will not be convenient for me to visit the Consulate. What is my option?
A. You may request assistance from local police stations in Victoria for taking your fingerprint impressions. Once this is done, you may submit the accomplished/fingerprinted Form 5 by mail to the Consulate, along with the other requirements. The consularized form will be returned to you by mail, using the Expresspost envelope provided.
Q. Who is responsible for submitting the NBI Clearance Form to NBI?
A. The applicant shall be responsible for submitting the consularized Form to the NBI, either by mailing directly it to NBI, or by sending the same through a relative or representative in the Philippines, who submits the same to the concerned NBI office/unit:
Technology Division
4th Floor, NBI Clearance Building
UN Avenue, Ermita 1000 Manila, Philippines
Q. What are the requirements for submitting the application to NBI?
A. Aside from the consularized Form 5, the following requirements must be submitted:
1. Letter authorizing a representative in the Philippines to apply for the clearance in Manila;
2. Photocopy of Philippine passport; and
3. Money order in the amount of P200.00 or bank draft negotiable in the Philippines, and payable to the Director of NBI.
Q. What happens next?
A. Assuming there are no “hits,” the Clearance is issued, and sent by NBI either directly to the applicant, or through the designated representative or relative.
More detailed procedures are found at the NBI official website, www.nbi.gov.ph.
Q. How long does it take for NBI to process and release the Clearance?
A. According to NBI, the processing time takes a maximum of five (5) days.
Q. I have an existing NBI Clearance issued less than a year ago. Is this still acceptable?
A. Yes. According to the DHA, police certificates are valid for 12 months from the issue date.
The Clearance should cover:
• the time you turned 16 up to the issue date, or
• the whole time you were in the country (which issued the Clearance),
Q. My NBI Clearance was issued in 2015. Should I apply for renewal or issuance of a new Clearance? What is the procedure for renewal?
A. According to NBI, those whose clearances were issued from 2014 onwards may apply for renewal. They do not need to accomplish a new NBI fingerprint card (Form 5), provided there are no changes in their personal data. They can directly apply with NBI by submitting the following requirements:
1. Old NBI Clearance
2. Letter authorizing a representative in the Philippines to apply for the clearance in Manila;
3. Photocopy of Philippine passport; and
4. Money order in the amount of P200.00 or bank draft negotiable in the Philippines and payable to the Director of NBI.
Q. My NBI Clearance issued in 2016 bears my maiden name. I got married in 2017, and now want to secure and NBI Clearance under my married name. Should I apply for renewal or issuance of a new Clearance?
A. Despite the fact that your previous Clearance was issued after 2014, you will need to apply for a new Clearance, not renewal, since there has been a change in your personal data.
Q. I was given by the Department of Home Affairs only 28 days to submit my NBI Clearance. I will not have enough time to comply. What are my options?
A. Some clients have informed the Consulate that, pending receipt of their NBI Clearance, the Department of Home Affairs accepts proof that they have lodged an application, and grants them an extension. The Consulate can assist in providing such proof, which may consist of an approved appointment date or email stating that an application is under process.
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