Australian Immigration Daily News

The Australian public is invited to provide their views on the management and composition of the Humanitarian Program (the Program) for 2018-19.

The Australian Government recognises the importance of engaging with the community to ensure continued support for the Program, and each year seeks the views of the Australian public on the Program.

The Government also consults with:
- state and territory governments and Commonwealth agencies and
- peak refugee and humanitarian organisations.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees provides a submission to the Government on global resettlement needs for the program year.

Australia's capacity to facilitate the successful entry and settlement of humanitarian entrants into our society is also considered in planning the Program. The Government seeks expert advice to manage risks to the Australian community.

This paper provides background information to inform written submissions. It includes an overview of the international context in which the Program operates and information on its key features.

Discussion paper:

Discussion-Paper---Australias-humanitarian-program.pdf

MIGRATION (IMMI 18/064: PLACES AND CURRENCIES FOR PAYMENT OF FEES) INSTRUMENT 2018 (FED)

This instrument operates to specify, under paragraphs 5.36(1)(a) and 5.36(1)(b) of the Migration Regulations 1994 (Regulations), in relation to the payment of a fee, as defined in subregulation 5.36(4) of the Regulations (other than a visa application charge (VAC) payment to which subsection 5.36(3A) of the Regulations applies), the places and corresponding currencies in which those fee payments must be made.

See: https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/F2018L00889

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Migration (IMMI 18/063: Payment of Visa Application Charges and Fees in Foreign Currencies) Instrument 2018

Migration (IMMI 18/063: Payment of Visa Application Charges and Fees in Foreign Currencies) Instrument 2018: This instrument operates for the purposes of paragraph 5.36(1A)(a) of the Migration Regulations 1994 (Regulations), for the Minister to specify foreign currencies, their ISO codes and their relevant exchange rates in relation to the Australian Dollar.

The instrument is used to assist in the working out of the amount of payment of a fee, as defined in subregulation 5.36(4) of the Regulations (other than a visa application charge (VAC) payment to which subregulation 5.36(3A) of the Regulations applies) under regulation 5.36 of the Regulations.

A disallowance motion which was moved by Senator McKim has been agreed to in the Senate.  The Senate divided and there was a majority vote of one (1) in favour of the disallowance motion.

The motion says that removing the concessional application fees for Australian citizenship for migrant pensioners, widows, veterans and some others is not appropriate.  Those in favour of the disallowance motion stated that removing the concessional fees was unfair, unnecessary and mean-spirited.

Source: Senate-Concessional-Fees-for-Australian-Citizenship-motion.PDF

The instrument operates to specify the approved forms and the place and manner for making an application for the following classes of visa:

a) Investor Retirement (Class UY) visa;
b) Retirement (Temporary) (Class TQ) visa;
c) Temporary Work (Short Stay Specialist) (Class GA) visa;
d) Temporary Work (International Relations) (Class GD) visa;
e) Temporary Activity (Class GG) visa; and
f) Training (Class GF) visa.

The purpose of the instrument is to specify, for a person making an application for a Temporary Work (International Relations) (Class GD) visa and that person is seeking to satisfy the criteria in the Pacific Labour Scheme stream, that:

a) the application must be made as an internet application; or
b) if authorised by an officer of the Department, the application may be made by lodging a Form 1403 in accordance with the directions in the email, by the end of the following day after the date that the authorising email was sent.