The AAT has asked Migration Alliance to distribute the following message:

The Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) will be operating at limited capacity over the Christmas and New Year period. 

Many of our offices will close from 5.00pm on Thursday, 24 December 2015 and will reopen at 8.30am on Monday, 4 January 2016.  We will not be scheduling conferences or hearings during this period.

From 1st January 2016, Engineers Australia will be accepting the TOEFL iBT® test as an alternative English Language Test to meet the English language competency element of the Migration Skills Assessment.

Engineers Australia represents one of the largest professions in Australia. In 2014-15, telecommunications engineers were the second largest employment group who gained permanent residence.

Migration Alliance will be holding a Christmas Party in MELBOURNE on Wednesday 2nd December.

Venue:  Kri Kri

Address:  37 - 41 Little Bourke Street, Melbourne

Date:  Wednesday 2nd December

From early December 2015, changes will be made to visa requirements for the subclass 457 visa. The Department of Immigration and Border Protection announced that those applying for the Temporary Work (Skilled) Visa (Subclass 457) will be required to fulfill a number of new obligations in order to be granted the right to work in the country for an approved business for up to four years.  It is anticipated that this change will shed light on some otherwise confusing aspects of the visa process for new immigrants applying to the program.

Under these new regulations, holders of the 457 visa must obtain compulsory licensing or registration within 90 days of arriving in Australia or within the same time frame if they are already in the country when their visa is granted. Holders of the 457 visa must also commence work within 90 days of arriving in Australia or within 90 days of being granted a visa if already in Australia at the time the application was made.

For the requirements on ComLaw see here: https://www.comlaw.gov.au/Details/F2015L01808