Australian Immigration Daily News

Migration Alliance has received the following email from the Department of Home Affairs:

Please see the link below to the Skilled Visa Newsletter for September 2020. 

https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/what-we-do/skilled-migration-program/skilled-visa-newsletters/september-2020

The Migration Amendment (COVID-19 Concessions) Regulations 2020 (the COVID-19 Concessions Regulations) amend the Migration Regulations 1994 (the Migration Regulations) to assist certain temporary and provisional visa holders, including individuals who are on a pathway to permanent residence, who have been disadvantaged by the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, such as border closures, restrictions imposed on businesses and the general economic downturn.

Schedule 1 to the COVID-19 Concessions Regulations amends the Migration Regulations in six Parts.

Part 1 – COVID-19 concession period inserts concession period as a defined term in the Migration Regulations. The initial concession period begins on 1 February 2020 and continues until a date determined by the Minister in a legislative instrument. Additional concession periods can be specified as required, to begin immediately after the end of the initial concession period or at a later date. The duration of a concession period may vary for different purposes.

The Biosecurity (Human Biosecurity Emergency) (Human Coronavirus with Pandemic Potential) (Overseas Travel Ban Emergency Requirements) Amendment (No. 1) Determination 2020 (the Amendment Determination) amends the Biosecurity (Human Biosecurity Emergency) (Human Coronavirus with Pandemic Potential) (Overseas Travel Ban Emergency Requirements) Determination 2020 (the Determination) to:
- make a technical amendment to put beyond doubt that there is a requirement imposed on the operator of an aircraft or vessel to ensure that the aircraft or vessel does not leave Australian territory with an Australian citizen or permanent resident on board;
- expand the decision-making authority to grant exemptions; and,
- make other minor technical amendments to remove reference to the commencement date of the Determination and to clarify that only an Act can declare an instrument not to be a legislative instrument.

Source: HUNT-Travel-ban-emergency-requirements.pdf and HUNT-travel-ban-emergency-requirements-Explanatory-Statement.pdf

Source: Benchmark

Fed Govt should promote migration as a key plank of the post-COVID-19 economic recovery - Paper Attached

The labour market after COVID-19 brings together expert views on the critical issues shaping the jobs market, including for women, the long-term unemployed and young people, and the role of wage subsidies, immigration, training and industrial relations.

The paper calls on the Federal Government to extend the JobKeeper and JobSeeker payments to temporary migrants such as students and those on skilled work visas, as other countries have done with their own pandemic payments.

The report finds Australia can benefit from expected tighter restrictions on migration in other countries, by encouraging migration by highly skilled workers.

“This crisis will have long-lasting impacts on migration policy across the world and in Australia,” CEDA Chief Economist, Jarrod Ball said.

Source: Migration-must-be-central-to-Australias-post-COVID-economic-recovery.pdf