Australian Immigration Daily News

TEMPORARY PROTECTION VISA NOW IN EFFECT 

On 18 October 2013, Scott Morrison, the Minister for Immigration & Border Protection, issued a  Ministerial Direction to officially re-instate Temporary Protection Visas (TPVs). 

The reintroduction of TPVs was an election undertaking by the Coalition prior to the election as part of  the suite of changes to ‘take sugar off the table’ for irregular maritime arrivals (IMAs). 

There are two updates today for Migration Alliance members, the first about skills assessments and the second about Manus Island:

1. ENS skills assessment changes  - the DIAC have released changes to acceptable skills assessments on their website (from 28 October 2013).  To read more please click here.

Changes to Acceptable Skills Assessments for Employer Nomination Scheme and Regional Skilled Migration Scheme visas – 28 October 2013

Migration Alliance members, DIBP and I am sure the Office of the MARA might not be surprised to learn that RMAs have had just about enough of the Office of the MARA.  

The red tape that they have wrapped us all up in over the last couple of years has become oppressive to say the least.  The Office of the MARA have, to all intents and purposes, stifled the profession just like the unions sought to stifle the 457 visa programme with their red tape.

What has become obvious to RMAs is that the Office of the MARA have become a law unto themselves.

Richard Marles is the new Immigration Minister and Matt Thistlewaite is the new parliamentary Secretary for Immigration.  Interesting times.  I have been informed that Richard will be very interesting.  A man of pedigree and someone who might be a future leader of the Labor party.

Here is a better image of the Labor Ministry. 

Migration Alliance members will be extremley pleased with the following news in The Australian today:

The Coalition has vowed to remove "union red tape" on 457 visas as business steps up its demands for the turn-around of Labor's  baseless stomping on the scheme designed to bring overseas skilled workers to Australia.  Annabel Hepworth writes:

In a closed-door speech yesterday, Australian Mines and Metals Association chief executive Steve Knott advocated the dumping of Labor's "pre-election, last-minute, politically driven, ill-considered, unnecessary and cumbersome" labour market testing requirements for 457 visas.

The testing requirements were introduced by the Rudd government amid claims of "widespread employer rorting" and require companies to demonstrate that they have tried for four months to recruit Australians before nominating a foreign worker for a 457 visa.

The Minister for Immigration and Border Protection, Scott Morrison, said last night: "We strongly opposed these measures in opposition and will be consulting on how best to cut union red tape on 457s, while maintaining legitimate protections that support the integrity of the scheme.

Read more here