Australian Immigration Daily News

Please be aware that only the DHA has been allocated time at the public hearing for inquiry into review processes associated with visa cancellations. No other witnesses are called.

Representatives of the Department of Home Affairs will discuss visa cancellation processes and review mechanisms when the Joint Standing Committee on Migration holds a public hearing as part of its inquiry into review processes associated with visa cancellations made on criminal grounds.

The inquiry is examining issues including the efficiency of existing review processes as they relate to decisions made under section 501 of the Migration Act; present levels of duplication associated with the merits review process; and the scope of the Administrative Appeals Tribunal’s jurisdiction to review ministerial decisions.

Australian Government is taking the initiative to strengthen the relationship with our Pacific Island neighbours.  An arrangement to commence on 1 July will extend eligibility criteria for subclass 403 visa (Temporary Work International Relations).

The Migration Amendment (Pacific Labour Scheme) Regulations 2018 (the Regulations) aims to implement initiatives promoting Australia’s international policy in relation to employment opportunities and pathways for Pacific Island Countries (PICs) by making changes to Subclass 403 Temporary Work (International Relations) visa (‘Subclass 403’) in order to:

• introduce a new Pacific Labour Scheme (PLS) stream;
• provide for applicants, subject to conditions, to be granted a multi-year, multi-entry visa in the Seasonal Workers Program (SWP) stream; and
• strengthen integrity measures in the PLS and SWP streams by introducing a new condition that allows the visa holder, under limited circumstances, to change their sponsor.

At present, Subclass 403 visa allows applicants to come to Australia on a temporary basis:

Migration Amendment (Visa Application Charges) Regulations 2018: Subsection 504(1) - Migration Act 1958

Subsection 504(1) of the Migration Act provides that the Governor-General may make regulations, not inconsistent with the Migration Act, prescribing matters required or permitted to be prescribed or which are necessary or convenient to be prescribed for carrying out or giving effect to the Migration Act.

In addition, regulations may be made pursuant to the provisions of the Migration Act listed in Attachment A. The purpose of the Migration Amendment (Visa Application Charges) Regulations 2018 (the Regulations) is to amend the Migration Regulations 1994 (the Migration Regulations) to make changes to visa application charges (VACs) for certain visas.

The Department of Home Affairs announced today changes to lodgement procedures for certain types of visitor visa applications.   As part of the new lodgement procedure, it is mandatory that all non-internet based applications made by applicants for a Subclass 600 (Visitor) visa in the Sponsored Family stream must be sent by post or courier to a specified address in Sydney, regardless of the location of the applicant’s sponsor. Under previous (pre- 1 July requirements), applications made by post or courier had to be sent to a specified address in either Sydney or Brisbane, depending on the state in which the applicant’s sponsor was located. 

In addition, post 1 July 2018 requirements for visitor vis applications will require that all non-internet based applications made by applicants in Australia for a Subclass 600 (Visitor) visa in the Tourist stream must be made by post or courier to a specified address in Sydney, instead of Adelaide. 

The new address to post non- internet applications made on or after 1 July will be as follows: 

SERVCORP 101 MILLER STREET, NORTH SYDNEY

OPTIMAL GROWTH  

In 1978 Servcorp was created. A simple start-up, our CEO used a piece of chalk to divide space on a floor in MLC Centre, Sydney. It was here that Servcorp and the concept of shared workspace came into existence – flexible, affordable but most importantly service oriented support for businesses.