Australian Immigration Daily News

Fraud within the Visa and Citizenship Programmes is a high risk for the Department. People may present bogus documents, conceal information or provide false or misleading information where they would otherwise fail to meet the criteria for a visa. They may commit fraud to facilitate people smuggling, human trafficking, drug trafficking or terrorist operations.

Public interest criterion (PIC) 4020 is intended to significantly increase the level of integrity in visa applications by providing a strong disincentive to those considering giving, or causing to be given, a bogus document or information that is false or misleading in a material particular. It also requires applicants to satisfy the delegate as to their identity.

PIC 4020 is one of the Public Interest Criteria in Schedule 4 of the Migration Regulations 1994 (the Regulations). Where PIC 4020 is among the criteria for grant of a visa, unless the requirement to satisfy PIC 4020 is waived under PIC 4020(4), it must be met in order for the visa to be granted. Failure to satisfy PIC 4020 is grounds for visa refusal not for visa cancellation.

Department of Home Affairs has released latest information to assist specific industries as well as employers hit by the ongoing pandemic.  As we continue to climb out of the lockdown, certain concessions are nonetheless required in order to ensure that the roadmap to recovery.

Agricultural sector:

Home Affairs and the Border force will apply flexible arrangements to allow critical workers, including Seasonal Worker Programme and Pacific Labour Scheme participants and Working Holiday Makers, to extend their stay in Australia:

As States are continuing to administer migration programs despite the impact of COVID-19.  The State of Tasmania has confirmed that a degree of flexibility will be applied to applicants genuinely affected by COVID-19 employment stand-downs before or after meeting the mandatory 6 month full-time employment.

This means that each application will be considered on its merits and also the industry sector, depending on whether the sector is critical to the needs of Tasmania.

Tasmania will consider the main factors when issuing nomination:

The Director of the Office of the MARA has sent the following message to Migration Alliance today:

"Further to my message to you on Friday 29 May 2020, the Practice Guide for representing clients at the Administrative Appeals Tribunal has been updated to include reference to the Tribunal’s practice direction on COVID-19 measures. 

The updated version is available on the OMARA website at https://www.mara.gov.au/media/685812/Guideline_for_representing_clients_at_the_AAT.pdf "

Dear friends,

These are the last words of George Floyd, a 46-year-old man who died as a US police officer pinned him down, kneeling on his neck for seven minutes, until he suffocated:

"It's my face man
I didn't do nothing serious man
please
please
please I can't breathe
please man
please somebody
please man
I can't breathe
I can't breathe
please
(inaudible)
man can't breathe, my face
just get up
I can't breathe
please (inaudible)
I can't breathe sh*t
I will
I can't move
mama
mama
I can't
my knee
my nuts
I'm through
I'm through
I'm claustrophobic
my stomach hurt
my neck hurts
everything hurts
some water or something
please
please
I can't breathe officer
don't kill me
they gon' kill me man
come on man
I cannot breathe
I cannot breathe
they gon' kill me
they gon kill me
I can't breathe
I can't breathe
please sir
please
please
please I can't breathe"

Then his eyes shut and the pleas stop. George Floyd was pronounced dead shortly after.

Right now, we have a choice. This can just be one more tragic death at the hands of US police -- or the moment for change.

We are a movement of more than 60 million people -- when we all speak up, we are deafening. So let's raise our voices to join everyone calling for an end to these racist killings, and push those in power to do the same.

Sign this open letter with one click, and when it's massive, Avaaz will publish it in major US newspapers and websites around the world. Let it be an anthem to end the killing and honour all those we've already lost.

As people of the world, we grieve the senseless loss of another life at the hands of US police.

We stand in community with everyone who is hurting.

These brutal killings must end. Each is a wound to the heart of our humanity and a shameful, indelible mark on that great flag of the United States of America.

Racism thrives in the company of silence -- so we will not stay quiet. Racism is a problem that belongs to us all. It is our fight.

But we will not allow that fight to become hatred, for then we are no wiser than those whose hearts we seek to change. In the words of Dr. Martin Luther King: "Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that."

It is in this spirit that we call on all those in power to act NOW, and hold President Trump and US state and local governments accountable to:

• Ensure all officers involved in the killing of George Floyd face legal due process,
• Expel and prosecute officers for even one instance of excessive force or the failure to prevent it,
• Ensure every police killing is independently and transparently investigated.

We pledge to do our part, meeting the fear, anger, and ignorance of racism with all the hope, love, and strength of our humanity.

Rest in Power, George Floyd.
It will not be in vain.