Australian Immigration Daily News

From 1 July 2018, applicants wishing to apply for the following visa subclasses will be required to obtain a pass mark of 65 to be eligible to receive an invitation to apply: 

•             Skilled-Independent (Permanent) (Class SI) Subclass 189;

•             Skilled-Nominated (Permanent) (Class SN) Subclass 190; and

Pool and Pass Marks for General Skilled Migration Visas Instrument 2018. 

The Minister for Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs Alan Tudge said our visa programs need to work in our national interest. "Restoring the points test level will help to ensure that Australia continues to attract the best and brightest talent from around the world," Mr Tudge said.

It appears that Home Affairs has been sitting on Citizenship Applications hoping hope against hope that the foreshadowed changes to the Citizenship Act will eventually make its way across the line.

It appears that the backlog is now running at 120,000 unresolved applications. (as at April 2017)

Commencing 1 July 2018, the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) will be introducing new processing arrangements for applicants wishing to make an application for a Bridging Visa E (BVE).  The new form may only be used by applicants who do not have a pending BVE application, as defined in the instrument, this measure will mitigate submission of surplus applications. All other arrangements will remain the same including the ability to make an application for BE in person by visiting the Departmental office. 

Briefly, there are two separate types of BVEs 1) Subclass 050 Bridging (General) and 2) Subclass 051 Bridging (Protection Visa Applicant).  The function that a Subclass 050 BVE provides is to enable unlawful non-citizens to remain in Australia for a temporary period and for a specific purpose (as described in clause 050.212 of Schedule 2). General criteria that must be satisfied by all applicants for Subclass 050 BVEs are specified in clauses 050.211(1) and (2) of Schedule 2. Clause 050.211(1) provides that the applicant for Subclass 050 BVE must be an unlawful non-citizen, or the holder of a previously-issued Subclass 050 BE or the holder of a Subclass 041 (Non-applicant) BVD. 

A BVE is a temporary visa. It allows you to stay in Australia until a specified date, or for a time, or until a specified event happens. 

The Turnbull Government has introduced legislation to reduce the risk that Australian goods and services are tainted by modern slavery.

The Modern Slavery Bill 2018 establishes a Modern Slavery Reporting Requirement that requires over 3,000 large companies and other entities to publish annual public statements on their actions to address modern slavery in their supply chains and operations.

In a world first, the Australian Government will lead by example by publishing an annual statement covering possible modern slavery risks in Commonwealth procurement.