Hiring professional exam sitters to help them pass the English test have helped several take advantage of Australia’s slow immigration and appeals process to remain in Australia for up to 5 years.

Details of the racket were revealed in a series of decisions by Australia’s Migration Review Tribunal, according to a report in the Courier Mail. It states that two dozen foreigners have been caught hiring professional exam sitters to help get them Australian residency, in a lucrative visa racket and 17 more have been found to have changed their scores to turn a fail into a pass.

Modest/Competent use of the English language is a minimum requirement for many visas to Australia.

According to the Courier Mail, the migrants were nabbed when photos taken of the professional exam sitters who took the English test didn’t match the passport photos of the cheaters.

Ombudsman says : "Your employer may choose to pay you using cash, cheque, money or postal order, or through electronic funds transfer into your bank account."

UNCLASSIFIED

Article by David Chin

Here are some highlights from our recent research on Chinese high net worth investors and the Significant Investor Visa (SIV) industry:

The tribunals are moving towards introducing email as a primary means of communication for all case related correspondence. From 13 October 2014, a single registry email address will be used for all case related communications between the tribunals, applicants and their representatives.

All valid email addresses provided to the tribunals for the purpose of current reviews will shortly be sent an email. The email will ask them to confirm that this is the email address that they wish to use as their primary means of communication with the tribunals.

Representatives who choose to communicate with the tribunals by email will receive all correspondence relating to their application via their nominated email address. A representative may contact the tribunals to update their email address at any time.

Australian unions have lambasted the Victorian government after it emerged that one of the companies building the controversial $6.8bn East West Link road has advertised a position that will help bring in overseas workers, according to The Guardian

Spanish firm Acciona, one of the East West Link contractors, posted a job advertisement for an immigration adviser on several Australian job boards, including Seek, prior to the project’s contract being signed.

“The person in the role will “collect required documentation” and lodge 457 visas for overseas staff members to work on the project, for a “busy” six-month period … the role will be based at Southbank in Melbourne and will provide “high quality immigration services and advice to the business”…” notes the report .

The state government has said the project will create 3,700 jobs and provide new apprenticeships for local workers. Ministers have also stressed that raw materials, such as steel, will be sourced locally.

Denis Napthine, the Victorian premier, said there were requirements in the East West Link contract for construction firms to use local materials and labour. However, some elements, such as the tunnel boring machine, will have to be sourced from overseas.

“I am unaware whether there is sufficient local expertise to man and operate that tunnel boring machine,” Napthine told Fairfax.