It was inevitable that COVID-19 would have a rippling effect on Australian Immigration.  With most of the workforce moving to a digital age (or working from home), or worse, being stood down or terminated, this leaves a question as to whether there is any room for Skilled Migration amidst the crisis.

Claims from various sources predict that migration numbers will fall sharply over the coming 12 months and that migration to Australia would have a bleak outlook.  Whilst there are certain merits to such claims (for example, the fact that the migration intake is being reduced) majority of States and Territories are still open for business. 

Why?

THE NEGATIVES OF CATEGORY B ACTIVITIES

NEGATIVE NUMBER ONE: CATEGORY B TAKES LONGER TO COMPLETE

The thing about CPD points is this:  Category B points require agents to spend more time to achieve 1 CPD point.   Instead of spending 1 hour to achieve 1 CPD point as is the case with Category A activities, Category B points require an agent to spend 1.5 hours to get one CPD point.  That means if an agent is going to do 5 Category B points, then they are going to spend 7.5 hours to achieve 5 CPD points.   Not very attractive.  In comparison if an agent does 5 Category A points then it would only take them 5 hours to get 5 CPD points.

As far back as May 2014 we covered a story on the best 'professional library' service for Migration Agents.

We are prompted to give our opinion on which professional library service we still think is best and most reliable for RMAs in 2020.   An email came in yesterday from a RMA, which has caused us to write another article on LexisNexis v LegendCOM professional library for RMAs. 

The winner for the most reliable service is still the DIBP's own government product, in our opinion is still LegendCOM.   It's also less expensive and more functional.  They also provide free training from time to time and a free help desk.  LegendCOM is produced on a cost-recovery basis only.

The Migration Agent Activity Report has been published on the OMARA website:

https://www.mara.gov.au/media/682329/MAAR_Jul_Dec_2019_Web.pdf

Migration Alliance has received correspondence from the AAT's Deputy President, Migration & Refugee Division Head, regarding the new COVID-19 Special Measures Practice Direction.

For more information: https://www.aat.gov.au/landing-pages/practice-directions-guides-and-guidelines/covid-19-special-measures-practice-direction-migra