As from 1 September 2015, the Australian government will no longer issue any visa labels. All visa will be issued and recorded electronically. All visa records are stored on a central database in Australia which enables online checking of visa details by visa holders, registered Australian organisations and airline staff. Your passport and visa
On 1 July 2015, the Migration Review Tribunal (MRT), Refugee Review Tribunal (RRT) and Social Security Appeals Tribunal (SSAT) merged with the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT). This move is the most significant re-organisation since the AAT’s inception in 1976. Whilst the MRT is likely to maintain its non-adversarial hearings, it is expected that administrative
Urban- Regional planners, Dentists, and Dental Specialists are removed from the updated Skilled Occupation List (SOL) as of 1 July 2015. Panel-beaters and Cabinet-makers have been added. The number of application invitations for Accountants may be reduced for the new Immigration year (July 2015 to June 2016). The SOL was updated via legislative instrument IMMI
Defacto couples do not necessarily have to live together in order to meet the Migration definition of a partner couple. Defacto couples living apart may be able to meet the migration partner criteria as defined by section 5CB of the Migration Act. The full federal court, in SZOXP v MIBP [2015] FCAFC 69, found that
It appears that many of the old subclass 886 applications have started re-processing. This is very welcome news for those applicants that have had their permanent residency applications on hold by the Immigration Department for more than five years. It has been grossly unfair for the Department to keep these unfortunate applicants in limbo for
As from 1 July 2015, the Immigration department will be known as Australian Boarder Force. The legislation to effect this change was passed by Parliament on 14 May 2015. The new department combines the Department of Immigration and Border Protection and the Australian Customs. It will have a greater focus on law-enforcement, data analysis, and
The Assistant Minister for Immigration has reported the following statements with respect to cracking down on worker exploitation: A Darwin-based company has been fined over $175,000 for breaching sponsorship obligations under the subclass 457 visa programme. Choong Enterprises Pty Ltd were found to have breached their sponsor obligations under the Migration Act. The court found that
From 1 July 2015, the Department of Immigration will increase offshore partner visa application fees by approximately $2250. The fee increase is part of the recent Government’s revenue raising moves. It is therefore advisable that suitably qualified applications that meet the legal criteria, be lodged before 1 July 2015.
Instrument IMMI 15 / 062, commencing 18 April 2015 provides that Immigration have lowered the minimum English language test scores for the Skilled – Recognised Graduate (subclass 476) and Temporary Graduate (subclass 485) visas. Applicants now only require an IELTS with an overall score of at least 6, with none of the four test components
Select Legislative Instrument No. 34, 2015 specifies that as from 18 April 2015, the Department will be able to set the required level of English skill (IELTS or equivalent) lower than the current Competent English skill. it is likely that some individual test components may be acceptable at less than 6. This will greatly enhance