New English Requirement for Permanent Partner Visas

English Language Requirement for Permanent Partner Visas

As part of the Australia’s Federal Budget for 2020-21, the Government has announced new English requirements for both the applicants & permanent resident sponsors in the permanent (2nd stage) stage of the partner visas program. The objectives for this new requirement are to maximise employment prospects for partner visa holders and to enhance social cohesion. New migrants are generally vulnerable to family violence and other exploitation. Having basic English skills could also ensure they know how and where to seek assistance.

Specific details for the English language requirements has yet to be announced. Below is a brief summary compiled from the Official media release & news article:

• These changes apply to the permanent stage of the partner visa, including: Subclass 801 visa Partner (Permanent) or Subclass 100 visa Partner (Migrant) ;
• These changes require both the permanent partner visa applicants and the visa sponsors who are still permanent residents of Australia to demonstrate functional level English or to demonstrate reasonable efforts being made to learn English (e.g. completion of 500 hours of free English language classes through the Adult Migrant English Program (AMEP)) prior to applying for the Subclass 801 or Subclass 100 visa;
• Sponsors who hold Australian citizenship are exempted from the new requirement;
• The English language requirement will NOT be instituted for the first stage of partner visa application: Subclass 820 visa Partner (Temporary) or Subclass 309 visa Partner (Provisional) ;
• These new requirements are expected to come into effect from mid-to-late 2021. Applications lodged before these new requirements come into effect will NOT be impacted.

If you are planning to apply for a Partner Visa, please have a read of the latest Partner Visa Checklist.

Changes to Australian Values Statement

Visa applicants usually need to agree to or sign the Australian Values Statement when making visa applications.

Changes to the Australian Value statement for both the temporary & permanent visa will come into effect from 30 October 2020. This will be implemented through instrument “LIN 20/166: Australian Values Statement for Public Interest Criteria 4019“.

Values Statement for most permanent visas applications, including permanent partner visa (Subclass 801 & 100), will incorporate the following from 30 October 2020:

• I undertake to make reasonable efforts to learn the English language, if it is not my native language.
• I understand that, if in the future I meet the legal qualifications for becoming an Australian citizen and my application is approved, I will need to pledge my loyalty to Australia and its people.

This renewed statement reflects the new English language requirement for permanent partner visas.

If you wish to understand more about the newly proposed changes to the Australian partner visa program, please contact our registered migration agents at Ausdirect Migration.