The 1st July each year tends to be the time that the Department of Immigration implements major changes to the migration portfolio. It coincides with the renewal of the migration program, whereby the numbers of places available are reset, and the processing of capped or queued visa applications begin once more. The 1st July 2014, however has not seen the standard predictable changes take place. Increases in the 457 minimum salary (TSMIT) did not occur, adjustments in the GSM program weren’t seen and there was no ‘real’ change to the 2014-2015 migration program planning levels as we have seen in previous years. Given we are in the first year of a first term of government, we are seeing a number of reviews taking place such as the 457 review, and the significant investor visa review; which we believe are influencing the timing of any major changes that may be around the corner. The purpose of this update is to inform our clients of any significant changes that have taken or are about to take effect. We believe that changes of higher impact to businesses and investor-related applicants will be implemented later in the year, at which time we will release further updates to the market. As always, we hope this update is useful and encourage you to contact us if you have any questions.