09 Jan Visa Refusals Are On The Rise, and Here Is The Proof

The results of visa refusals from a request made by a peer in September under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 have been released, and it shows that visa refusal rates have increased again over the past 3 financial years. These figures place further emphasis on spending the right time, effort, and money into ensuring your application has the best chance for success. If you are asking yourself “will my visa be refused?” then read below the key visa lodgement and refusal figures for the main visa types:

GENERAL SKILLED MIGRATION (189, 190, 489):

Lodged GSM applications:

Refused GSM applications:

GSM visas are typically an area which applicants try to cut corners and costs by not using a migration agent. Even though most of the battle is getting an invitation to apply for the visa after successful expression of interest (EOI), as the above statistics show, don’t be fooled into thinking you are guaranteed the visa.

EMPLOYER NOMINATED VISAS (457, 186, 187):

Lodged 457 applications:

Refused 457 applications:

Lodged 186 applications:

Refused 186 applications:

Lodged 187 applications:

Refused 187 applications:

Do I need to upload all documents at time of visa application? The safest answer is Yes. Case Officers have become increasingly frustrated with incomplete applications, with employers and agents either forgetting or trying to cut corners in not providing pieces of the puzzle, such as a missing financial document, and incomplete or unsigned lease agreement, non-compliant employment agreement by Fair Work standards, etc. Although all small pieces of the puzzle, Case Officers do not have to request these documents be provided and can refuse on first sighting. Hence the importance of ensuring decision ready applications (particularly now with the new 482 subclass getting approved within days sometimes). Also surprising is the amount of people who, after years on their TR visa, are transitioning to 186TRT Permanent Residency and underestimate the process that is involved, which sadly factors some of the refusals.

PARENT VISAS (103, 173, 143, 804, 884, 864):

Lodged Parent Visa applications:

Refused Parent Visa applications:

Don’t take for granted that your parents are biological to you and thus deserve to come to Australia. Always provide all aspect of the application in a clear and coherent manner and always think how the Case Officer would perceive your application upon assessment.

PARTNER VISAS (300, 820/801, 309/100):

Lodged Partner Visa applications:

Refused Partner Visa applications:

It comes as no surprise that Partner Visas are one that is experiencing less refusal, because the effects of the increased application fee’s (5 years ago, it was only $1735 AUD), increased upwards of $7000+ in January 2015, making Australian partner visa’s one of the highest in the world, double that of the UK and triple of the US. This move was done to deter couples from lodging applications themselves and to spend money on engaging with a migration agent, as the number of unclear or incomplete applications was slowing down case officers to get through their processing times. Don’t risk getting your Onshore Partner Visa 820/801 refused and then have to leave Australia, and likewise if you are Offshore Partner Visa 309/100 it is such a long wait to have your dreams shattered and kept apart from your partner.

VISITOR/TOURIST VISAS (456, 600, 601, 651e, 676, 679, 687):

Lodged Visitor Visa applications: