The Department received more than 100 public nominations for membership.

The Department assessed each nomination in accordance with the following assessment criteria:

• Experience and expertise in, or understanding of, the provision of immigration assistance in Australia
• Demonstrated capacity to work collaboratively with government, business or the community
• Understanding of the Migration Act 1958 and the Migration Agents Regulations 1998.

The Assistant Minister has appointed the following experts to the Advisory Group, for a maximum term of 12 months:

Source: https://benchmarkinc.com.au/web/

Invitation round results for 21 October 2020 published 

The invitation Round results for 21 October 2020 invitation rounds are now published. No invitations were issued for pro-rata occupations. Occupation ceilings are also updated as per latest invitation round results. You can view the updated occupation ceilings here: https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/working-in-australia/skillselect/occupation-ceilings 

 Number of Invitations issued

Schedule 1 to this instrument determines the class of Category A identification documents for the purpose of section 5AA of the regulations.

Note: If a document of the class determined in Schedule 1 cannot be verified electronically by AusCheck for the purpose of a background check, subparagraph 5(1)(m)(ia) of the regulations provides that AusCheck can use details of one or more of the applicants Category B identification documents or Category C identification documents to verify electronically the individual’s identity for the purposes of a background check.

Source: AusCheck-Cat-A-docs-detemination-2020.pdf

The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) visa data-matching program has been operating since 2009.

This protocol consolidates the existing visa data-matching programs:
o October 2015 to 2016–17 financial years program (gazetted 4 August 2015)
o 2017–18 to 2019–20 financial years program (gazetted 18 December 2017).

This protocol outlines the ATO's intention to continue collecting data on visas granted in the period 2020–21 to 2022–23 financial years.

For this program the ATO collects information from the Department of Home Affairs (Home Affairs) on active and newly granted visas. The data is matched against the ATO's records to ensure visa holders, visa sponsors and migration agents are meeting their tax and superannuation obligations.

 Source: AT0-and-Dept-Home-Affairs-data-matching-2020.pdf