Australian Immigration Daily News

Legislative Instrument F2018L00672 - IMMI 18/019 - Fast Track Applicant Class, 2018 sets out the class of persons for the purpose of visa fast tracking.

In paragraph 5(1AA)(b) of the Migration Act:

(1)  A person is a fast track applicant if:

The Government delivered the 2018/19 Budget this month and large focus of the budget remains tightening Australia’s borders and managing net migration intake.  In a joint press release, Hon Minister for Immigration Peter Dutton notes following elements will be a key focus of the Budget expenditure:

• Use of body scanners and advanced X-ray equipment at major and regional Australian airports;
• Deployment of more than 140 additional AFP Counter Terrorist First Response officers at airports and a further 50 officers to provide tactical intelligence and other support;
• Upgrades to inbound air cargo and international mail screening technology;
• Improved training and accreditation of all screening staff at airports;
• $50.1 million in funding to support regional airports to upgrade security. 

"Through these new measures and funding initiatives, the Government is ensuring the Home Affairs Portfolio and security agencies have the tools needed to keep Australia open for business while managing the increasingly complex security environment," Mr Dutton said.  Full statements can be read here:  http://minister.homeaffairs.gov.au/peterdutton/Pages/Budget-2018-Keeping-Australians-Safe.aspx 

As per standard policy the visa application fees are expected to increase on 1 July this year.  Historically speaking, the fees are incremented in line with the Consumer Price Index (CPI). The Home Affairs Report notes that revenue from Visa Application Charges (VAC) is expected to increase to $2,541.7 million in 2018–19, an increase of $394.4 million over the 2017–18 estimates.

Recently, Bondle forayed into Financial Services and the user adoption has been astounding.  A major driver for this has been the ongoing Royal Commission enquiry in the Australian Banking sector, which continues to highlight the importance of client engagement.  Financial advisers are aware of the imminent increase in compliance costs and the need to provide better service to clients.  Our research was recently featured in IFA.com.au and drives home the point that strong bonds with clients help build solid long-term relationships.  Bondle continues to grow globally and we are delighted to be shortlisted for the exclusive Morgan Stanley 2018 CTO Summit in San Francisco.  

We are now keen to leverage global best practices to provide useful insights for migration consultants in Australia.  A common, emerging theme between the two industries (Financial Services & Migration Consulting) is the use of Trust as a source of competitive advantage. However, it is easier said than done. How can a business provide tangible evidence of trust to their clients?  

In this article, we will look at the three elements that will help you fortify the trust your clients have implicitly given you. To state the obvious, a client is approaching you for your technical capabilities as they navigate the complex requirements of acquiring the requisite visa. They trust you and your judgement about their future. It is now up to you build and reinforce that trust at every opportunity you can. 

Migration agents have been asking about the SAF in great detail recently so Ross Ahmadzai, Australian Immigration Lawyer and RMA, will be delivering WK351 Skilling Australians Fund (SAF) 1 CPD point (Category A) webinar at lunch time for 1 hour on 14 June, 2018.  The webinar starts at 12:00pm EST.

The SAF Training Levy was given Royal Assent on 22 May 2018.  The Migration Amendment (Skilling Australians Fund) Act 2018 (“The Act”) formally abolishes sponsorship Training Benchmark A and Training Benchmark B and clarifies provisions relating to employer sponsored labour market testing requirements (LMT). 

The webinar will focus on the implementation of the SAF Levy, the commencement date as well as transitional provisions currently in place.  The interactive webinar will cover practical scenarios to assist migration agents with helping clients to lodge TSS, ENS and RSMS applications under the new Regulations.  The webinar will contain a Q&A session.

Can the anxiety that may be suffered by the sponsor of an applicant for a partner visa be a “compelling reason” to waive Schedule 3 criteria so that an application made onshore in Australia can be granted? 

This is a question that commonly arises in partner visa cases, and it was the subject of a recent decision by Judge Emmett of the Federal Circuit Court, Elhendy v Minister for Immigration & Anor (2018) FCCA 1140 (22 May 2018). 

The circumstances of the case were that the applicant is a citizen of Egypt. He originally entered Australia on a short-stay business visa (subclass 456). When that visa ceased, he remained in Australia for a period of time as an unlawful non-citizen, until he applied for a Protection visa.