Consolidation of Pacific Labour Mobility into the Subclass 403 PALM Stream

Policy effect

Amends the Migration Regulations 1994 to repeal the separate Seasonal Worker Program and Pacific Labour Scheme streams under the Subclass 403 (Temporary Work (International Relations)) visa and consolidates them into a single Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) stream for short- and long-term workers from participating Pacific Island nations and Timor-Leste.

Official source excerpt

Quoted verbatim from the official source below. Ellipses indicate omitted text.

(Pacific Australia Labour Mobility) Regulations 2022 3 OPC65767 - B Part 2—Pacific Australia Labour Mobility stream Migration Regulations 1994 2 After paragraph 2.56(bab) Insert: (bac) the Subclass 403 (Temporary Work (International Relations)) visa in the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility stream; 3 Paragraph 1234(3)(b) of Schedule 1 Omit “(c), (caa) and (cac)”, substitute “(cac) and (cae)”. 4 Paragraphs 1234(3)(c), (ca), (caa) and (cab) of Schedule 1 Repeal the paragraphs. 5 After paragraph 1234(3)(cad) of Schedule 1 Insert: (cae) If: (i) an applicant is seeking to satisfy the criteria for a … 29”. 11 Subdivisions 403.26 and 403.27 of Schedule 2 Repeal the Subdivisions. 12 At the end of Division 403.2 of Schedule 2 Add: 403.29—Criteria for the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility stream Note: These criteria are only for applicants being assessed against the primary criteria for a Subclass 403 visa in the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility stream. 403.291 Each of the following applies: (a) the applicant is participating, as a worker, in the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility scheme administered by Foreign Affairs; (b) an approved sponsor has agreed to be the sponsor of the applicant and the sponsor is: (i) a temporary activities sponsor; and (ii) participating, as an employer, in the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility scheme administered by Foreign Affairs; (c) the sponsor has not withdrawn the sponsor’s agreement to be the sponsor of the applicant; (d) the sponsor has not ceased to be the sponsor of the applicant; (e) either: (i) there is no adverse information known to Immigration about the sponsor or a person associated with the sponsor; or (ii) it is reasonable to disregard any adverse information known to Immigration about the sponsor or a person associated with the sponsor; (f) the applicant: (i) is seeking to enter Australia for the purposes of the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility scheme administered by Foreign Affairs; or (ii) is in Australia and holds, or the last substantive visa held by the applicant was, a Subclass 403 visa in the Pacific Australia LabourAuthorised Version F2022L00270 registered 04/03/2022 Amendments Schedule 1 Pacific Australia Labour Mobility stream Part 2 Migration Amendment (Pacific Australia Labour Mobility) Regulations 2022 5 OPC65767 - B Mobility stream, the Seasonal Worker Program stream or the Pacific Labour Scheme stream; (g) …

Review method

Two separate automated exact-claim source reviews

Other Australia changes operative in 2022

• 2022-02-21Expansion of Subclass 408 COVID-19 Pandemic Event Visa work rights across all economic sectors
• 2022-03-05Hong Kong permanent-residence stream opened under Subclass 189
• 2022-03-05Hong Kong regional permanent-residence stream opened under Subclass 191
• 2022-03-05Subclass 445 grant-location flexibility extended beyond the COVID concession
• 2022-03-05Working Holiday Maker (Subclasses 417 and 462) COVID-19 Replacement Concessions
• 2022-07-01Subclass 186 Age Exemption for Legacy 457 Workers (LIN 22/047)
• 2022-10-01Repeal of the Australian Agriculture Worker Stream
• 2022-12-10Migration Amendment (Subclass 189 Visas—New Zealand Stream) Regulations 2022