Update: 4.04pm 22 September 2015 the MIA Survey, after this report below, is now closed.

The MIA is running a survey regarding engagement with the DIBP.  If readers would like to have their say then please complete the MIA survey, but please be warned that the survey results will be skewed.  

Both agents and members of the public should be aware that the survey results will be inaccurate as the survey is open to the public and is not restricted to RMA members of the MIA.  Migration Alliance will ensure that the DIBP is made aware of this, as it is important that they are not provided with inaccurate data from the migration profession.  We need information which comes from our profession to be accurate and a true reflection of our needs.

Partnering with Migration Alliance, our national SIV road show continues with Brisbane on Wednesday 7^th October. The event will showcase NAB’s integrated banking and investment solutions to meet the needs of your Significant Investor Visa clients.

Speakers include Greg McKean from QLD Trade and Investment, NAB’s SIV Concierge team of migrant banking and wealth professionals, and a local venture capital manager.

You will also meet investment specialists from NAB Asset Management and JB Were who make up NAB’s SIV Complying portfolio blends covering Australian small companies, corporate fixed interest and property securities.

A 7-Eleven whistle-blower has described the billion dollar franchise as having been “built on something not much different from slavery.” The reality is that the convenience store chain will get away with its systematic abuse whereby it underpaid thousands of workers if staff are not offered visa protection for speaking out, notes a report on the ABC.

Last month, the ABC's Four Corners program revealed “widespread exploitation of 7-Eleven staff, including underpaying them and forcing them to work longer hours than they are permitted under visa conditions. Thousands of workers have been exploited in what is being described as one of Australia's biggest employment scandals.

“The majority of the chain's workers are foreign students on restricted visas and only allowed to work 20 hours per week, but the investigation found… more than two thirds of 7-Eleven's 225 Australian stores had payroll compliance issues, with claims many franchisees would face financial ruin if staff were paid correctly,” noted the report.

7-Eleven chairman, Russell Withers has denied that there is widespread wage rorting and claims,  'relatively few' franchisees are at fault. An independent panel led by former Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) boss Allan Fels has been set up by the company to help staff recover their wages. Anyone who has been affected by this can contact the panel on 1800 619 802 or online at www.7elevenindependentpanel.deloitte.com.au.

Labor has urged the Government to give amnesty to students forced to breach visa rules. But Giri Sivaraman from law firm Maurice Blackburn, told the ABC that many are not coming forward, with overseas students concerned they would lose their visas if they admitted to working too many hours. Some reports allege that many workers were paid $10 an hour before tax – well below the award rate of $24 per hour.

Schedule 4020 of the Migration Regulations is a provision that should terrify every migration agent.

Below are two recent decisions from the Federal Circuit Court- both applicants failed in their appeals.

Below is an extract from the first judgement:

The AAT has asked Migration Alliance to distribute the following message:

From 1 October 2015, the Administrative Appeals Tribunal will only accept applications for review made to the Migration and Refugee Division on M1, M2 and R1 paper forms with design date 07/15, or those generated by the online lodgement system.

This means application forms with a design date before 07/15 are not approved forms and any applications for review made on these forms may not be valid.