I will be spending a lot more of my time on the DIBP Facebook page now, mainly advising the public about the existence of the Office of the MARA and the use of Registered Migration Agents.  

The DIBP provide generic and quite frankly, very poor advice and assistance to the general public via the Facebook page.  I believe the public deserve to know about the existence of RMAs and also the existence of the Office of the MARA.  If the Office of the MARA aren't on there promoting themselves then MA will do it for them, which in turn benefits and promotes the great work we do.

The DIBP Facebook page is where a lot of the latest news and advice to the public is being released.  If Registered Migration Agents have not been to the DIBP Facebook page then I invite you to please go and have a look: https://www.facebook.com/DIBPAustralia

The Coalition Government is set to change regulations to allow pipe construction vessels to use workers on maritime crew visas - so companies will not need to staff a ship with Australians.

Assistant Immigration Minister Michaelia Cash has conceded today the coalition may not be able to repeal the Migration Amendment (Offshore Resources Activity) Act 2013 (or the 'ORA Act') which was pushed through in the dying days of the Labor government that demanded employers on offshore pipe-laying vessels seek to employ Australian workers first.

Instead, the government will try to change the regulations to allow the less onerous martime crew visa to be used for such work.

"I want to see visa service delivery that meets the needs of employers without overburdening them with red tape, while ensuring that migration delivers social and economic strength, prosperity and unity," said Senator Cash to the Western Australian newspaper.

In 2012, the Federal Court ruled that foreign workers on pipe-laying vessels working on the the multibillion-dollar Gorgon gas project were outside the migration zone and did not need Australian work visas. The decision angered the powerful Maritime Union of Australia and last year the Gillard government introduced laws to recognise that anyone taking part in an offshore resources activity needed a visa.

DIBP statistics reported in the Australian indicate that half of Australia’s migrant workers are recruited onshore, with one in every 20 backpackers last year receiving a 457 visa to stay working here for four more years. Unions say that unemployed Australians are being by-passed and have demanded for the expansion of labour market testing.

CFMEU national secretary Michael O’Connor said that employers should be forced to advertise all jobs on job-search websites or in newspapers before hiring migrant workers. “Backpackers are being engaged in the construction industry on semi-skilled labouring work where there would be many ideal candidates locally to do the work,’’ he said.

However, the Master Builders Association said companies preferred local workers, who were much easier to hire. “All labour market testing does is delay the process,’’ MBA spokesman Ben Carter said yesterday. “No building contractor has any incentive to employ foreign labour.’’

Figures released by Scott Morrison at the Transport and Tourism Forum in Canberra earlier this year indicate that on average, each Working Holiday Maker spends A$13,218 during their stay in Australia. Approximately 71 per cent of this expenditure occurs in the three interrelated areas of tourism, accommodation and transportation.

The Minister noted that Working Holiday Makers generally tend to spend more than they earn, making a small but important contribution to the creation of Australian jobs. For every 100 Working Holiday Makers who arrive in Australia there is a net gain to the Australian economy of 6.3 full time jobs. This means that the 258,000 Working Holiday arrivals in the last financial year generated more than 16,000 additional Australian jobs.

The following complaint has gone in today:

I would like to make a complaint that the DIBP denies Australian Citizens access to it's e-visa student lodgement systems, whilst at the same time allowing non-Australian citizens to access the systems.  This is a restraint of trade and denial of our country's own citizens to a service, whilst prioritising non-citizens.  Citizens experiencing denial of service are Registered Migration Agents, amongst others.

How to make a complaint to the Ombudsman

The Minister’s announcement can be found at:  http://www.minister.immi.gov.au/media/mc/2014/mc214807.htm and the Department’s Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)s regarding the changes including the score requirements are available on this web site:  http://www.immi.gov.au/News/Pages/aelt.aspx  

The incoming regulations will apply to the following visa subclasses:  124, 132, 151, 160, 161, 162, 163, 164, 165, 186, 187, 188, 189, 190, 462, 476, 485, 489, 858, 887, 888, 890, 891, 892, 893.

The introduction of competition for testing options through acceptance of the TOEFL iBT, which is a widely recognised English proficiency test across the globe, will mean your members’ clients can have a choice of English test.