The Department of Jobs and Small Business is responsible for undertaking a regular review of the Short-term Skilled Occupation List (STSOL), the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL) and the Regional Occupation List (ROL).  These occupation lists are used for skilled migration including TSS, ENS and RSMS Visa Categories.  At present, the Department is preparing its finalisation of Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL) to be released on 1 June 2018. 

The traffic bulletin was released today and the following occupations have been flagged for removal on 1 July 2018.

Red—Short Term Skilled Occupation List (STSOL) occupations for possible removal

Class UY no longer aligns with Australia’s economic priorities and will be closed.

The closure of the Class UY visa, which consists of one visa subclass, the Subclass 405 (Investor Retirement) visa, was announced in the 2018-19 Federal Budget, as part of the establishment of a pathway to permanent residence for current holders of the Retirement (Temporary)(Class TQ) visas and the Class UY visa. 

Current visa holders can apply to renew their visas, however the UY class is closed to new applicants from midnight tomorrow.  No more new applications are permitted starting 1 June, 2018.

Legislative Instrument F2018L00672 - IMMI 18/019 - Fast Track Applicant Class, 2018 sets out the class of persons for the purpose of visa fast tracking.

In paragraph 5(1AA)(b) of the Migration Act:

(1)  A person is a fast track applicant if:

The Government delivered the 2018/19 Budget this month and large focus of the budget remains tightening Australia’s borders and managing net migration intake.  In a joint press release, Hon Minister for Immigration Peter Dutton notes following elements will be a key focus of the Budget expenditure:

• Use of body scanners and advanced X-ray equipment at major and regional Australian airports;
• Deployment of more than 140 additional AFP Counter Terrorist First Response officers at airports and a further 50 officers to provide tactical intelligence and other support;
• Upgrades to inbound air cargo and international mail screening technology;
• Improved training and accreditation of all screening staff at airports;
• $50.1 million in funding to support regional airports to upgrade security. 

"Through these new measures and funding initiatives, the Government is ensuring the Home Affairs Portfolio and security agencies have the tools needed to keep Australia open for business while managing the increasingly complex security environment," Mr Dutton said.  Full statements can be read here:  http://minister.homeaffairs.gov.au/peterdutton/Pages/Budget-2018-Keeping-Australians-Safe.aspx 

As per standard policy the visa application fees are expected to increase on 1 July this year.  Historically speaking, the fees are incremented in line with the Consumer Price Index (CPI). The Home Affairs Report notes that revenue from Visa Application Charges (VAC) is expected to increase to $2,541.7 million in 2018–19, an increase of $394.4 million over the 2017–18 estimates.

Recently, Bondle forayed into Financial Services and the user adoption has been astounding.  A major driver for this has been the ongoing Royal Commission enquiry in the Australian Banking sector, which continues to highlight the importance of client engagement.  Financial advisers are aware of the imminent increase in compliance costs and the need to provide better service to clients.  Our research was recently featured in IFA.com.au and drives home the point that strong bonds with clients help build solid long-term relationships.  Bondle continues to grow globally and we are delighted to be shortlisted for the exclusive Morgan Stanley 2018 CTO Summit in San Francisco.  

We are now keen to leverage global best practices to provide useful insights for migration consultants in Australia.  A common, emerging theme between the two industries (Financial Services & Migration Consulting) is the use of Trust as a source of competitive advantage. However, it is easier said than done. How can a business provide tangible evidence of trust to their clients?  

In this article, we will look at the three elements that will help you fortify the trust your clients have implicitly given you. To state the obvious, a client is approaching you for your technical capabilities as they navigate the complex requirements of acquiring the requisite visa. They trust you and your judgement about their future. It is now up to you build and reinforce that trust at every opportunity you can.