AU$2,000 Student-visa fee sends Australia’s English-language colleges to 20-year enrolment low
Congo-born resident charged over curfew breach as Australia tightens post-arrival monitoring
Section 501 strike: New Zealander deported after repeat offending in New South Wales
Latest News
South Australia enters caretaker mode, pausing fresh migration-news updates
South Australia entered its pre-election caretaker period on 21 February 2026, freezing public updates on state-nomination news until after the 21 March poll. While processing continues, applicants won’t see fresh invitation-round information for about a month, creating uncertainty for skilled-migration plans linked to Adelaide and regional SA.
Australia May Expand Power to Refuse Passports for IS-Linked Travellers
Opposition Leader Angus Taylor told parliament on 20 February that the Coalition will cooperate with Labor to widen the grounds for refusing or cancelling Australian passports for citizens with Islamic State ties. The push follows an aborted attempt by 34 women and children to leave Syria. If adopted, the change would give Home Affairs broader discretion to block travel documents, increasing compliance burdens for employers with staff in, or transiting through, conflict zones.
New Health-Criteria Instrument Redefines Temporary Visa Classes
On 20 February 2026 the government registered LIN 26/021, replacing an older 2022 notice and formally listing which temporary visa subclasses must satisfy Public Interest Criteria 4005 and 4007 health rules. By standardising assessment periods and removing obsolete subclasses, the change streamlines medical-cost calculations for temporary visa applicants and sponsors.
Virgin Australia Tops On-Time Performance Charts, Boosting Corporate Confidence
BITRE statistics released 20 February show Virgin Australia led the country’s major airlines for on-time departures (82.7 %) and posted a negligible 0.9 % cancellation rate in January 2026. The performance boost strengthens Virgin’s pitch to corporate travel buyers and could influence upcoming preferred-airline contracts.
Updated SkillSelect Checklist Targets EOI Errors in Skilled-Migration Stream
A refreshed EOI checklist published 20 February 2026 by migration agency RACC Australia highlights the documents and evidence now required for competitive SkillSelect submissions under visa subclasses 189, 190 and 491. The guidance aims to reduce invalid EOIs and help employers and skilled candidates avoid costly processing delays.
AFP Arrest Highlights Enforcement of Visa-Curfew Breach Rules
AFP officers arrested a Congo-born visa holder in Perth on 20 February 2026 for allegedly violating residential-curfew conditions attached to his visa. The case highlights the government’s stepped-up enforcement of migration-compliance measures and serves as a warning to sponsors and visa holders about the serious penalties for condition breaches.