April 2011 brings not only Easter and Anzac Day holidays, but also changes to Student visa assessment levels and a new fraud criterion for the Skilled and Employer Sponsored Migration program. Other recent changes have affected subclass 457 Business (Long Stay), the Employer Nomination Scheme, certain classes of temporary work sponsors and Occupational Trainees. In addition, we look at some interesting statistics for the nationalities of recent settlers in Australia & Queensland.
NOTABLE NEWS
Reduction of certain Student visa assessment levels from 2 April 2011
As of 2 April 2011, there have been reductions in Student visa assessment levels for 38 countries for one or more Student visa subclasses. These changes will only affect new Student visa applications made on or after 2 April 2011.
This means that the minimum evidentiary requirements needed for the grant of a Student visa for these countries and education sectors have been lowered. Students affected by the changes will be required to provide less documentary evidence to support their claims for the grant of a Student visa. This may include evidence of English language proficiency, financial capacity and academic qualifications.
Introduction of Fraud Public Interest Criterion
On 2 April 2011, DIAC introduced a new Fraud Public Interest Criterion (PIC) that has been applied to the following visa subclasses in the Skilled and Employer Sponsored Migration Program: 175, 176, 475, 476, 485, 487, 885, 886, 887, 880, 881, 882, 883, 495, 496, 497, 119, 121, 856, and 857.
All lodged applications for the above visa subclasses that have not been decided or are under review as of 2 April 2011 will be assessed under the Fraud PIC, along with new applications lodged on or after that date.
The purpose of the Fraud PIC is to minimise fraud in visa applications by providing a strong deterrent to those applicants considering submitting false or misleading information. An applicant who is found to have supplied false, misleading or bogus information and/or documentation to DIAC will have their application refused and will be subject to a three year bar which may prevent the grant of a further visa under the above subclasses.
CHANGES & NEW INFORMATION FOR SUBCLASS 457 BUSINESS (LONG STAY)
On 15 February 2011 changes to the subclass 457 visa Eligible Occupation List came into effect. Seven occupations were removed from the list, and a further four were added. Minor changes were also made to English language exemptions for some occupations.
New information booklet available for subclass 457 – Business (Long Stay) visaThere is a new DIAC information booklet (‘Booklet 9’) available for the subclass 457 – Business (Long Stay) visa, which provides details of the requirements of this visa.
CHANGES AFFECTING ENS, TEMPORARY WORK SPONSORS, OCCUPATIONAL TRAINEES
Executive-level salary threshold for Employer Nomination Scheme
On 6 December 2010 the executive-level base salary threshold for the Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS) was increased from $165,000 per annum to $250,000 per annum. Some changes were also made to the Employer Nomination Skilled Occupation List (ENSOL) on that date.
Foreign government agency sponsorship for Temporary Work visa subclasses
As of 2 April 2011 foreign government agencies can be approved as temporary work sponsors for the following visa subclasses: Exchange (subclass 411); Entertainment (subclass 420); Sport (subclass 421); Media and Film Staff (subclass 423); and Occupational Trainee (subclass 442). Australian government agencies will also be able to be approved as temporary work sponsors for the Sport visa (subclass 421).
This means that foreign and Australian government agencies approved as sponsors will be subject to sponsorship obligations and sanctions.
Changes to Occupational Trainee Eligible Occupation List
On 15 February 2011 changes were made to the Occupational Trainee visa Eligible Occupation List. Seven occupations were removed from the list while four were added.
STAND-OUT STATS
Top 5 settler nationalities
According to DIAC’s Settler Arrivals 2009-10 publication, the top five nationalities (by birth) for migrants settling in both Australia and Queensland in that year were: New Zealand, China, India, the United Kingdom and South Africa. On the smaller side of the numbers scale, Queensland was also the residence of choice for 2 Gibraltarians, 3 Belarusians, 4 Mongolians, 5 Batswana, 3 Maltese and 1 Caymanian, amongst others!
In 2009-2010 there were 140,610 settler arrivals in Australia and 24,946 in Queensland, which marks a decrease in numbers from the previous year. However, a spokesman for DIAC said that this figure is expected to rise this year with the larger numbers of skilled migrants in the 2010-2011 migration program announced by the government in the 2010-11 Budget.
OF NOTE....
Immigration Detention Centre Changes
Following recent protests in detention centres, DIAC announced that new streamlined processes have been developed for security checking for refugee claimants so that the checks will be completed much faster. Additional reviewers have also been appointed to support faster and fairer processing of claims.
DIAC stated that it is also in the process of moving eligible families and children into community detention. Length of time in detention, family composition, health status, behaviour and other issues such as risk to the community are taken into account when allocating places in community detention.
We would like to welcome Claire Barton to the Migration Plus team. Claire hails from New Zealand and is an enrolled barrister and solicitor there. She has had extensive experience working with Immigration New Zealand and the New Zealand Citizenship Office. Claire is undertaking special projects for Migration Plus.
QUOTES
Working Life...
"Happiness does not come from doing easy work but from the afterglow of satisfaction that comes after the achievement of a difficult task that demanded our best."
Theodore Isaac Rubin
"All labour that uplifts humanity has dignity and importance and should be undertaken with painstaking excellence."
Martin Luther King, Jr.
"By working faithfully eight hours a day you may eventually get to be boss and work twelve hours a day."
Robert Frost
This newsletter is general information only. Before acting seek appropriate advice relevant to your specific circumstances.
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Chris Dr Christopher R White DBA, MBA, B.Bus, ALGA CA, FCPA,CFP, JP Migration Plus Network Pty Ltd : ABN 45136723987 Education Agent Counsellor F006 Level 15, Cairns Corporate Tower, 15 Lake Street, Cairns Qld 4870 Australia |
Communications: Telephone: 07 4041 2620 Fax: 07 4041 5011 Email: visa@migrationplus.com.au Post: PO Box 1477 Cairns Qld 4870 Australia Skype: vzn6971 |
Helping YOU, Helping OTHERS
Migration Plus adds value to the community in which it works. At least 5% of our profit goes towards our charitable fund Step Up and Reach Out which assists selected young people from around the world who choose to improve their position in life through education and learning. Particular emphasis is given to those at potential risk and those who will assist other young people in a variety of ways eg: teaching and mentoring, and thereby improve their lives and that of others. Assistance is given to young people who choose to step up and reach out in return for a commitment that they will help others in some way in the future. This accords with our philosophy of putting a little back to the global community in an outreach of commitment. Our partners and clients are of course invited to contribute to this gift deductible fund.
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Helping You, Helping OTHERS
Migration Plus adds value to the community in which it works. At least 5% of our profit goes towards our charitable fund Step Up and Reach Out which assists selected young people from around the world who choose to improve their position in life through education and learning. Particular emphasis is given to those at potential risk and those who will assist other young people in a variety of ways eg: teaching and mentoring, and thereby improve their lives and that of others. Assistance is given to young people who choose to step up and reach out in return for a commitment that they will help others in some way in the future. This accords with our philosophy of putting a little back to the global community in an outreach of commitment. Our partners and clients are of course invited to contribute to this gift deductible fund.
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