Migration Amendment (Australia Tuvalu Falepili Union Treaty Visa) Regulations 2025 https://www.legislation.gov.au/F2025L00183/latest/text

The Australia-Tuvalu Falepili Union treaty (the treaty) was signed on 9 November 2023 and entered into force on 28 August 2024. The treaty responds to Tuvalu’s request for Australia to help safeguard the future of Tuvalu and aims to create a partnership for enhanced collaboration. Use of the Tuvalu term ‘falepili’ embodies the values underpinning the deeper partnership, including good neighbourliness, care and mutual respect. Australia and Tuvalu entered into the treaty freely and cognisant of the significance of their shared achievement.

Article 3 of the treaty provides for a ‘special human mobility pathway’ for eligible citizens of Tuvalu to live temporarily or indefinitely, work without restriction and study in Australia.

The purpose of the Migration Amendment (Australia Tuvalu Falepili Union Treaty Visa) Regulations 2025 (the Regulations) is to amend the Migration Regulations 1994 (the Migration Regulations) to implement the commitment in Article 3 of the treaty, by establishing the new Treaty stream in the Subclass 192 (Pacific Engagement) visa. The Regulations create two streams in the Subclass 192 (Pacific Engagement) visa – the Pacific Engagement stream and the Treaty stream.

Migration (Subclass 192 (Pacific Engagement) Visa Pre application Process—Treaty Stream) Determination 2025 https://www.legislation.gov.au/F2025L00249/latest/text

The purpose of the instrument is to make a determination to specify eligibility and other rules in relation to conducting visa pre-application processes for the random selection of registered participants seeking to apply for a permanent Subclass 192 (Pacific Engagement) visa in the Treaty stream (Treaty stream visa). Persons aged 18 and over, who are citizens of Tuvalu, may register as participants in a visa pre-application process. Selected participants will be able to apply for a Treaty stream visa. The instrument supports amendments made by the Migration Amendment (Australia Tuvalu Falepili Union Treaty Visa) Regulations 2025, which established two streams within the Subclass 192 (Pacific Engagement) visa. This instrument relates to visa pre-application processes for the Treaty stream only. At this time, only citizens of Tuvalu will be eligible for registration in a visa pre-application process for this visa stream.

Migration (Subclass 192 (Pacific Engagement) Visa Pre-application Process—Pacific Engagement Stream) Determination 2025 https://www.legislation.gov.au/F2025L00248/latest/text

The purpose of the instrument is to make a determination to specify eligibility and other rules in relation to conducting visa pre-application processes for the random selection of registered participants seeking to apply for a permanent Subclass 192 (Pacific Engagement) visa in the Pacific Engagement stream (Pacific Engagement stream visa). Persons aged 18 to 45 who are citizens of Pacific island countries or Timor-Leste may register as participants in a visa pre-application process. Selected participants will be able to apply for a Pacific Engagement stream visa. The instrument repeals the previous instrument, LIN 24/011, but retains the same policy settings that existed in LIN 24/011. The instrument supports amendments made by the Migration Amendment (Australia Tuvalu Falepili Union Treaty Visa) Regulations 2025, which established two streams within the Subclass 192 (Pacific Engagement) visa. This instrument relates to visa pre-application processes for the Pacific Engagement stream only.

LIN 25/025 Migration (English Language Requirements for Subclass 192 (Pacific Engagement) Visa—Pacific Engagement Stream) Instrument 2025 https://www.legislation.gov.au/F2025L00250/latest/text

The instrument specifies, for the purposes of clause 192.223 of Schedule 2 to the Migration Regulations, English language test requirements that an applicant (or, if making a combined application with the applicant, the applicant’s spouse or de facto partner) may be required to satisfy for the grant of a Subclass 192 (Pacific Engagement) visa in the Pacific Engagement stream (Pacific Engagement stream visa).

 Migration Amendment (Differential Student Visa Application Charge) Regulations 2025 https://www.legislation.gov.au/F2025L00185/latest/text

The purpose of the Migration Amendment (Differential Student Visa Application Charge) Regulations 2025 (the Regulations) is to amend the Migration Regulations to repeal existing partial refund provisions and reduce the VAC payable for an application for a Subclass 500 (Student) and Subclass 590 (Student Guardian) visa for applicants seeking to satisfy the primary criteria in Schedule 2 to the Migration Regulations for the grant of the visa and who are holders of a valid passport issued by a specified country in the Pacific or Timor-Leste. The Regulations also operate to provide a reduced VAC for secondary applicants who make a combined application with the primary applicant, or are a member of the family unit of a person who both holds a Student (Temporary) (Class TU) visa granted on the basis of satisfying the primary criteria for that visa, and a valid passport issued by a country specified.

Migration Amendment (Substituted Subclass 600 Visa Exemptions) Regulations 2025 https://www.legislation.gov.au/F2025L00317/latest/text

The Migration Amendment (Substituted Subclass 600 Visa Exemptions) Regulations 2025 (the Amending Regulations) amend Schedule 1 to the Migration Regulations to provide that an applicant for a Class DG, BP or UU Aged Parent visa must be either:

• an “aged parent” (as defined in regulation 1.03); or
• the holder of a substituted Subclass 600 visa at the time of application.

The amendments made by the Amending Regulations apply from the commencement of the Migration Amendment (Family Violence and Other Measures) Regulations 2024 on 17 December 2024. This operates to ensure that holders of a substituted Subclass 600 visa continue to be eligible to apply for an Aged Parent visa in Australia on and from 17 December 2024, whether or not they also met the definition of “aged parent” at the time of application, so that they may make a valid visa application (Schedule 1) and then be considered against Schedule 2 criteria, include where there are certain concessional arrangements prescribed in Schedule 2 for the Subclass 804, 864 and 884 visas for substituted Subclass 600 visa holders (including in relation to age requirements).