Australian Immigration Daily News

The purpose of the instrument is to specify that certain former Subclass 600 (Visitor) visa (Subclass 600 visa) holders can apply for a new Subclass 600 visa with a nil visa application charge (VAC) where their travel to or stay in Australia (or both) has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Under subparagraph 1236(2)(a)(iv) of Schedule 1 to the Migration Regulations, the Minister may specify a class of persons who are applicants with a nil VAC amount for Visitor (Class FA) visas, which includes Subclass 600 visas. The instrument specifies that nil VAC is payable for applicants for a Subclass 600 visa in the Tourist, Sponsored Family, Business Visitor and Approved Destination streams, where those applicants meet criteria specified in the instrument. Applicants in the Frequent Traveller stream are excluded from this measure. This is because an application in the Frequent Traveller stream is excluded under paragraph 1236(2)(a) of Schedule 1 to the Migration Regulations, which provides the instrument making power.

Source: LIN21021.pdf

and

Following cases of migration fraud committed by people posing as migration agents, Govt urging consumers who require immigration assistance to check agent is registered

In the last month, a 52–year-old man was charged with 23 migration fraud related offences in Queensland, and a 38-year-old Western Australian woman was sentenced to six and a half years jail for extensive migration fraud.

Assistant Minister for Customs, Community Safety and Multicultural Affairs the Hon Jason Wood, said anyone requiring immigration assistance should be extremely careful to avoid unlawful operators pretending to be registered migration agents.

“Only registered migration agents can legally give immigration assistance in Australia," Assistant Minister Wood said.

“Consumers seeking advice from those not listed with the OMARA risk being provided incorrect information, or being charged thousands of dollars for a fake service and no visa outcome."

Source: Migration-Fraud.pdf

The amendments made by Schedule 1 to the Amendment Regulations implement measures to enable visa grants to some Family stream visa applicants who are located in Australia, but who would be otherwise required to be outside Australia at the time of visa grant.  The visa subclasses are:

- Child (Permanent) (subclass 101) visa;

- Adoption (Permanent) (subclass 102) visa;

- Prospective Marriage (Temporary) (subclass 300) visa;

- Partner (Temporary) (subclass 309) visa; and

- Dependent Child (Temporary) (subclass 445) visa.

COVID-19 related travel restrictions and practical limitations have meant that applicants who applied for one of the above subclasses outside Australia, and have since travelled to Australia, face significant difficulties in departing Australia to be granted a visa outside Australia.

They would also face difficulties returning to Australia.  These amendments address the negative impact of COVID-19 travel restrictions by providing the ability to grant a visa to applicants for the above mentioned visa subclasses who are in Australia. The amendments will enable an applicant for any of the above mentioned subclasses who is located in Australia at any time during the COVID-19 ‘concession period’, and who is in Australia at the time of visa grant, to be granted the visa in Australia, without having to travel outside Australia. 

The COVID-19 ‘concession period’ is described in subregulation 1.15N(1) of the Migration Regulations as the period commencing on 1February 2020 and ending on a day specified by the Minister by legislative instrument. As at the date of commencement of these amendments, no instrument has been made to specify a day when the concession period ends.

INFORMATION WEBINAR – Program updates explained

• 4pm – 5pm Tuesday, 23 February 2021 https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/4279813139503055630
  As places are limited - please only register if you have not attended any previous related webinar. 
  There will be opportunities to ask Migration Tasmania Officers questions during the webinar.

Here is the link to view the recorded webinar from Tuesday, 9 February 2021.
https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/recording/7010721847072116488

Source: https://www.migration.tas.gov.au/news/2020-2021_program_year_update