Australian Immigration Daily News

The Australian Computer Society has today announced changes to the graduate skills assessment application process to align with changes implemented by the Department of Immigration and Border Protection (DIBP).

The ACS is choosing to implement the changes effective from January 15, 2014, which will provide certainty to those studying courses that are scheduled for completion in the final months of 2013.

The implementation of the ACS graduate application changes will ensure applicants are being assessed in line with the Migration Amendment (Skills Assessment) Regulation 2013 changes announced by the Department of Immigration and Border Protection to take effect on Oct 28, 2013.

The ACS is committed to providing a robust assessment service that accurately identifies an applicant’s ICT skills and their compatibility with the skills that the Australian Government has identified as being in shortage.  To aid clarity and enhance consistency, the ACS has reviewed the current suitability criteria for applicants with an Australian study component in their skills assessment.

The following changes will come into effect on Jan 15, 2014:

·       The ACS Temporary Graduate – 485 skills assessment will clearly state that it is specifically for the purpose of applying for a subclass 485 visa application.  Applicants with an Australian study component that are applying for a subclass 485 visa will be assessed on the Australian qualification only, based on the completion of the relevant Australian Bachelor degree or higher.

·       Applicants with an Australian study component that wish to apply for permanent residency will require either 1 year of relevant work experience or completion of an ACS Professional Year Program to receive a suitable skills assessment which can be used for general migration purposes. 

·       The ACS Post Australian Study skills assessment is intended to support graduates in applying for permanent residency under the General Skilled Migration or Employer Nomination Scheme after completing an Australian study component.

·       The Australian study component is taken into consideration because of the value of studying in Australia and the exposure to Australian culture and language, which in turn places applicants in a better position to be employed in their nominated occupation.

·       The work experience or professional year program is assessed for suitability of the full skills assessment and the applicant is considered skilled from the completion date of the relevant Australian degree.  The Post Australian Study skills assessment can be used for migration purposes in general.

I am not sure whether other Migration Alliance members received this email today from the DIBP.  What immediately made me laugh was that this very email reflects poor service standards.  The email was not sent by a person it would seem.  Just another case of people in the DIBP not properly identifying themselves.  Usually what we get is a case officer signing off with only their first name and their position number.  Eg 'Tiffany PN:00000'  Now we just have a blank space with no name.  I have copied my response email to DIBP below.  I would like to suggest that other migration agents respond to the mailbox provided and specifically request that the Office of the MARA are included within the survey.  We do not want the OMARA removed from the survey or lumped together generally with the DIBP.

Dear Registered Migration Agents

The Department of Immigration and Border Protection will be conducting two research projects from October to December 2013.

The first project that will be conducted is the Client Segmentation research project.

The department has engaged Colmar Brunton to conduct the research to gain a better understanding of our visa clients. Research is being undertaken with people who have recently been granted an Australian visa to understand their experiences of dealing with the department in their visa application journey and their views on how the department can improve its client services.

Colmar Brunton will be conducting in-depth interviews with approximately 30 clients, and online and telephone surveys with approximately 3400 clients.

More details about the Client Segmentation research project can be found in the attached FAQs document.

The second research project the department will be conducting is a Client Satisfaction survey. This research will be conducted by a third party, on behalf of the department and will commence by the end of 2013. The research will focus on measuring client satisfaction across the department’s major service channels. It is envisaged that the department will be surveying visa clients, migrations agents and business sponsors.

More information on the satisfaction survey will be sent to you prior to the survey launch.

If you have any queries about either survey, please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and a team member from the section will answer your query.

Kind regards

Client Experience and Strategic Marketing Section 

Survey-Client-FAQs.pdf

Victims-of-Eddy-Kang-Chinese translation.pdf

Korean-Victims of Eddy Kang translation.pdf

The 'Victims of Eddy Kang Action Group' will be meeting on Wednesday 30 October 2013 at 6pm at the Migration Alliance head office.

The following email has been received today from the Western Australian State Government:

A quick email to let the Migration Alliance know that the 2013-2014 WASMOL will be released and implemented next Monday 28 October.  The news item is now on our website:

http://www.migration.wa.gov.au/skilledmigration/Pages/SkilledMigrationWA.aspx

Please let me know if you need any additional information at this stage.

The ACS Head of Policy and External Affairs Adam Redman has expressed his concern regarding employers abusing the 457 scheme.  Migration Alliance supports the statements made by Mr Redman. 

There are now ongoing daily reports of more and more victims  (read comments) associated with Eddy Kang and Singapore Oil's alleged  "fake 457 scam".   International students in Australia report here their first-hand experience of been tricked into parting with large sums of money for a lucrative position sponsored by an Australian company and obtaining a 457 visa.  

An action group was established last night in Sydney with the first 20 victim members discussing a plan of action to fix their status problems, get their money back and seek justice.  It is reported that migration agents and solicitors may be part of the victims group.  The Office of the MARA's Helen Sun has already received one warning regarding investigation techniques used in relation to one alleged migration agent victim, Mr Ali.  The Office of the MARA has also been accused of sitting on it's hands and doing nothing when reports were made.  A full investigation will determine whether the Office of the MARA even picked up a phone to report the problem to DIAC. 

Given the DIAC and the Office of the MARA are one and the same organisation there really can be no excuse from the Office of the MARA if they indeed, did nothing.  We would like to think that our regulator took reasonable steps to protect consumers and agents when reports were made.  And those reports were definitely made.

If you are a victim and would like to report your story please email us on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .  Details of the next 'Victims of Eddy Kang' meeting will be published shortly.