What Is an Expression of Interest (EOI)? Guide for 189, 190, and 491 Applicants
Expression of Interest is the entry point for many highly skilled migrants pursuing Australian permanent or provisional skilled visas. In the EOI skillselect system, your EOI is not the visa application itself. It is the record that tells the Australian Government you want to be considered for a skilled invitation. For 189, 190, 491 applicants […]
Parent Visa Processing Time Guide – Subclass 143, Subclass 103, Subclass 804 & Subclass 870
When looking at the different paths of the timescales of the parent visa application process in Australia, the current situation, as asserted by the now NDIA, is that apart from the large fees, the current timescale means that permanent contributory Parent visas are still much quicker than non-contributory Parent visas, with 15 years for contributory […]
186 Visa Occupation List – Eligible Jobs for Permanent Residency in Australia
The list of occupations for the 186 visa is the key for the Direct Entry Stream. The Direct Entry Stream has changed to the Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL) for eligibility, and subclass 186 uses ANZSCO 2022 for coding of occupations The Temporary Residence Transition stream has different rules, as it does not require a […]
189 Visa Invitation Round – Cut-Off Points, Occupations, and What Comes Next
As of 9 March 2026, the latest official 189 visa invitation round published by the Department of Home Affairs is the 13 November 2025 round. It issued 10,000 invitations, up from 6,887 in the August 2025 round. The official entry threshold for points-tested skilled visas is 65 points, but the real cut-off in the latest […]
DAMA Visa Occupation List Australia – WA, NSW, QLD, SA, Cairns & Victoria
The dama visa occupation list is not one national occupation source. It is a group of regional DAMA occupation sources, each tied to a designated area, its own concessions, and the visa pathways that sit under that agreement. The Department of Home Affairs says DAMAs are two-tier labour agreements that can use the Skills in […]
Cost of Living in Brisbane for International Students, Couples & Family Explained
Brisbane is still by far the cheapest of the biggest cities for most tenants but it isn‘t quite the much cheaper major city some expect. Using the current university cost of living guides and recent rental data, the average monthly costs for a single person in Brisbane range from A$2,200–A$3,800, A$1,660–A$3,545 for students in a […]
Cost of Living in Sydney for International Students, Couples & Family Explained
Sydney is exciting, career-packed, and seriously competitive on rent. In fact, Domain’s latest rental report shows Sydney’s median asking rent hit $800/week for houses and $750/week for units (December 2025 quarter). At Stepping Stones Career Solutions, we see the same pattern: most newcomers budget for tuition or visa costs, then get surprised by housing, transport, […]
English Language Requirements for Subclass 186 Permanent Residency Visa Explained
For most applicants, 186 Visa English Requirements come down to two levels: Competent English for the main applicant and Functional English for any partner or adult family member (18+) included in the application (or a second instalment charge is payable if Functional English can’t be shown). Competent English can be shown via an eligible passport […]
English Language Requirement for Australia’s Temporary Skill Shortage 482 Visa Explained
You’ve found a sponsor, your nomination is lining up, and then the 482 visa english requirements become the “make-or-break” detail. In our day-to-day work at Stepping Stones Career Solutions, we see strong candidates delayed simply because they assumed an “overall” English score was enough, or they didn’t spot an exemption that applied to them. For […]
Understanding The English Language Requirements for Australia’s 485 Visa
You’ve finished your Australian qualification, your employer wants you to start ASAP… then you realise your English test is out of date (or you booked the wrong test type). At Stepping Stones Career Solutions, this is one of the most common “last-minute” issues we fix for 485 applicants. To meet the 485 visa English requirements, […]
