In an effort to showcase the northern area of NSW to RMAs, and to encourage the growth of regional migration applications to the area, LTA has put on a CPD workshop event from Byron to Nimbin.

A luxury coach has been hired, complete with personal lighting for each chair and bathroom facilities and a microphone to take RMAs from Byron Bay Beach Hotel to Nimbin.  Nimbin is a city in the Northern Rivers area, which is in the State of NSW. 

Representatives from Northern Rivers Regional government will make their way from Lismore to Nimbin today to speak with agents as a part of the workshop.

A recently introduced government instrument indicates that the department of immigration has an agreement in place with ‘agents’ in China for the purposes of lodging internet applications. On the face of it, the instrument gives recognition to unregistered practice in China because it fails to make the distinction between registered and unregistered practitioners in its wording. It would be good to know if any readers here are aware of (or party to) this agreement and if the agreement includes unregistered practitioners.

The recently introduced instrument IMMI 14/104 makes internet applications compulsory for certain types of tourist visa applications from China. Particularly, the instrument states as follows,

“that form 1419 (Internet) must be used by persons applying for a Subclass 600 (Visitor) visa who:

(a)        hold a passport issued by a country specified in column 1 of Schedule A and subject to the conditions (if any) specified in column 2 of Schedule A; and

You know the feeling don't you?

You are at home with your jim-jams on.  It's Sunday night at 8pm and there's a knock at the door.  You peek through the peep-hole and it's your pesky neighbour who wants to come in and chat.

You decide that discretion is the better part of valour so you crouch behind the door pretending not to be at home.

Last night was a huge success with over 400 people turning up to the Australia-Korea Political and Business Forum at Le Montage, Lilyfield.  Migration Alliance hosted a table at the event and our member agents were able to meet Scott Morrison MP in a relaxed setting.   Above are some RMAs with Scott Morrison out on the deck before dinner.  Migration Alliance supports a multicultural Australia.

Tony Min RMA and Scott Morrison MP (Immigration Minister) outside on the deck having pre-dinner drinks before the Korea-Aiustralia political and business forum Gala dinner.

A Work and Holiday Arrangement was concluded alongside the China-Australia FTA (ChAFTA)which will allow 5,000 Chinese Work and Holiday Makers into Australia annually, according to the office of Trade Minister, Andrew Robb.

It is important to note that Australia and China have only signed an intention to enter a free-trade agreement. To be effective the agreement must pass the scrutiny of the Australia’s parliamentary system (and any further scrutiny by the Chinese government). So the final form of any ChAFTA could be very different from what is currently being touted. The intended outcomes are set out here: http://dfat.gov.au/fta/chafta/fact-sheets/key-outcomes.html

Labour, the Greens and the unions have launched attacks on the agreement with particular concerns over provisions that aim to allow Chinese companies to import labour into Australia.

According to The Australian, under the free-trade deal, Chinese workers would gain entry through a new mechanism called an ‘investment facilitation arrangement’ or IFAs.

The government said the IFAs would operate on a similar basis to enterprise ¬migration agreements yet do not require labour market testing.