Australia Outlaws Education Agent Commissions on On-shore Student Transfers
ABS Wage Data Sets Stage for July Rise in Employer-Sponsored Visa Salary Floors
Fair Work Ombudsman Sues Sydney Restaurateur for A$162k Migrant Wage Theft
Latest News
Tasmania Issues 64 Invitations in Final February Skilled Migration Round
Tasmania’s 26 February 2026 state-nomination draw invited 64 skilled migrants—40 under Subclass 190 and 24 under Subclass 491—with relatively modest points cut-offs. Significant nomination places remain, but backlogs mean swift, well-documented applications are essential for those seeking Australian PR via Tasmania.
Home Affairs Launches Employer Webinar on Pacific Engagement Visa and PALM Scheme
The Department of Home Affairs is holding a free, employer-focused webinar—publicised on 26 February 2026—covering the new Pacific Engagement Visa and the expanded PALM scheme. With PEV ballots opening soon, the session is a key opportunity for regional businesses to understand hiring rules and compliance requirements for Pacific workers.
UK fully enforces Electronic Travel Authorisation – Australians now need digital clearance before boarding
• From 25 February 2026 the UK requires an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) for all visa-free visitors, including Australians. • Airlines will refuse boarding without a valid digital permit, creating a new compliance step for business and leisure travel. • Travel managers urge Australian firms to update profiles and workflows; failure to secure an ETA could invalidate insurance and derail trips. • The change exemplifies a wider shift to pre-departure risk screening that corporates must embed in mobility policies.
Dual UK–Australian citizens must now travel on a British passport – Home Office ends long-standing leniency
• From 25 February 2026 British dual nationals can no longer enter the UK on a foreign passport plus ETA; they **must** show a UK passport or Certificate of Entitlement. • The clamp-down affects thousands of Australia-based executives with UK citizenship and could trigger costly boarding refusals. • Mobility teams should audit employee nationality data and remind travellers to renew dormant UK passports well in advance. • The episode highlights increasing carrier liability and the need for precise document compliance in a digitised border world.
Sydney doctor reveals ‘passport drop’ mission as push grows to repatriate 34 Australians from Syria
• ABC revealed Dr Jamal Rifi secretly delivered new Australian passports to 34 IS-linked women and children in Syria, aiming to help them return. • The disclosure triggered fresh partisan clashes over security versus humanitarian obligations; the government says it has offered only routine consular help. • Al-Roj camp’s impending closure adds urgency; legal tools such as Temporary Exclusion Orders may control any returnees. • For employers and mobility planners, the case underscores the inviolability of citizenship entry rights and the HR implications of high-profile repatriations.
Australian Border Force cancels student visa at Adelaide Airport after alleged child-abuse material discovery
• ABF officers at Adelaide Airport cancelled a Chinese student’s visa on 25 February 2026 after allegedly finding 21 child-abuse videos on his phone. • The man was fined and deported the same day under Migration Act character provisions; no court proceedings were initiated in Australia. • The case shows ABF’s willingness to exercise device search powers and underscores reputational risks for the international-education sector. • Education providers and mobility coordinators should brief incoming students on Australia’s strict content laws and border-search regime.