EMAIL TO NSW STATE GOVERNMENT

Hi XXXXXXX (name witheld for privacy reasons)

RMAs are not satisfied with the response provided by NSW Government. 

The following was sent to the Independent Review of the Office of the MARA by Migration Alliance:

The attached newspaper report that finds that independent directors who do not understand the specifics of an industry have caused companies to destroy $60billion of shareholder value.

Debunking-the-myths-of-board-independence.pdf

Overseas student enrolments in Australian educational institutions have surged 10%  year-to-date May 2014. This growth rate is over twice the average growth rate in the last ten years with there now being 404,909 enrolments by full-fee paying international students in Australia on a student visa, according to the Monthly Summary of International Student Enrolment Data from the Department of Education.

Notably, the VET sector saw a year-to-date 13% increase in commencements after a 5.9% increase in enrollments.

The report notes that the Vocational Education and Training (VET) accounted for 23.6% of total enrolments and 27.0% of total commencements. Enrolments and commencements in VET increased by 5.9% and 18.0% respectively on YTD May 2013. India had the largest share of total enrolments (18.6%) and of total commencements (16.2%). China accounted for the next largest share of enrolments with 9.9%, followed by the Republic of Korea (7.8%) and Thailand (7.0%).

“The boost spells good news for the sector considering a recent Students and Courses report released by the state-owned National Centre for Vocational Education Research revealed that overseas visa holders studying onshore in 2013 dropped 1.7% year-on-year at TAFE and government providers, multi-sector HE institutions, community providers and private providers,” states a report by Professionals in International Education

Overseas visa students studying onshore in VET fell from 208,300 in 2009 to just 135,200 in 2013 despite continuing to represent one-quarter of all student visa holders in Australia.

Fund managers are making more trips to China to drum up the SIV program to Chinese multi-millionaires, with some reports stating that at least 30 fund managers have jumped into the business of luring China's wealthy to Australia using a SIV program.

The Associated Press reports that the flow of money into Australia could reach as much A$10 billion a year. “More than 1,000 people, almost all from China, have applied so far, and more are expected after Canada cancelled a similar program in February amid a flood of applications. The number also may be boosted by a government review to hasten approvals. More than 60 funds have been started to capture the money, including by the largest banks in Australia” the report notes.

"These are not your usual equity or private-equity type of investors," said Bill Fuggle, a partner at Baker & McKenzie in Sydney who advises immigrants on the process and asset managers on compliance with visa rules. "Fund managers need to visit China and convince them of investing not just for a visa, but in turn to preserve their wealth and improve their lifestyle."

The pace of visa approvals has stepped up since the Liberal-National coalition government was elected in September, with 282 granted in the 12 months through June, compared with just four in the program's first seven months.

The report notes that the investment inflows from people with approved visas as well as those expected from 610 people on the waiting list totaled A$4.5 billion as of the end of June. About 39 percent of that money went into managed funds as of March, according to data from the office of Michaelia Cash, assistant minister for immigration and border protection.

Migration Alliance has received the following information from TRA:

From 1 July 2014, DIBP has introduced a requirement that skills assessments used to apply for certain skilled visas may not be older than three years from the date of issue.  This is to ensure that the skills held by an applicant are still current at the time of visa application. TRA is seeking further information from DIBP on its policy amendment, which is reflected in Schedules 2 and 13 of the Migration Regulations 1994, including an estimate of the numbers of clients it anticipates will be affected by the change.

TRA is currently examining, as a priority, the implications of the policy for those with a skills assessment issued more than three years ago. This is a complex process.  As you are aware, TRA has changed its programs over time to improve its assessment processes and evidence requirements to ensure it is assessing the skills of applicants against current industry standards (for example, in all our current programs, applicants need an AQF or comparable qualification at the required level in their occupation). Someone who met the criteria under an old program may not meet the criteria of the current program for a specified country and occupation.

TRA is unable simply to re-issue a skills assessment outcome letter with a revised date. To satisfy DIBP requirements, it must establish the currency of the skills held and as noted above, this can be more than just checking a person has recently worked in an occupation. TRA is currently looking at whether it can streamline processes for those with a TRA skills assessment that is no longer accepted by DIBP. When a policy response has been developed, this information will be posted on the TRA website. Until that time, visa applicants with a previous assessment that is no longer accepted by DIBP must apply for a new skills assessment under the program now applicable.