Australian Immigration Daily News

The Invitation Round took place on 06 October 2020. Invitations were issued as follows: 

457 / 482 visa holders: 14 invitations

• 190 nomination: 7 invitations
• 491 nomination: 7 invitations 

Matrix nominating Critical occupations: 91 invitations 

Recent announcement by the Northern Territory government confirmed plans to assist some 70 students flying from the island city-state to arrive in the country in this month.

The initiative comes from the regional government is working with Charles Darwin University on the project, with flights priced at around AUD$2,500.

“We have a lot of international students here. Over the last four years, we grew international student numbers from just over 1,000 to 2,500 … I don’t think we could get 2,500 in,” NT chief minister Michael Gunner told ABC Radio Darwin.

The following information has been released by the Government of Victoria in relation to State Sponsored Migration:

The Department of Home Affairs has now confirmed that we can continue to use our interim allocation places beyond 5 October.

The Department of Home Affairs updated their information in relation to travel exemptions for APEC card holders.

Travellers are exempt from travel restrictions, and can leave Australia without applying for an exemption if they are:

• ordinarily resident in a country other than Australia
• an airline, maritime crew or associated safety worker
• a New Zealand citizen holding a Special Category (subclass 444) visa
• engaged in the day-to-day conduct of outbound freight
• associated with essential work at Australian offshore facilities
• travelling on official government business, including members of the Australian Defence Force.

If a traveller holds an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Business Travel Card (ABTC) they are not automatically exempt. Such individuals can apply for an exemption and provide evidence to support any relevant claims to travel claims.

The purpose of the instrument is to specify the approved activities for detainees in immigration detention. This ensures that those detainees who participate in the approved activities will not be considered to be performing work in breach of paragraph 235(3) of the Act.

Paragraph 235(3) of the Act provides that an unlawful non-citizen who performs work in Australia, whether for reward or otherwise, commits an offence. However, paragraph 235(7)(a) of the Act provides that ‘work’ for the purposes of section 235 of the Act does not include a voluntary activity performed by a detainee in immigration detention, if that activity is of a kind approved in writing by the Secretary. Further, paragraph 245AF(a) of the Act provides that no offence is committed where a person in immigration detention engages voluntarily in an activity of a kind approved in writing by the Secretary.

The purpose of the instrument is to specify the approved activities for detainees in immigration detention. This ensures that those detainees who participate in the approved activities will not be considered to be performing work in breach of paragraph 235(3) of the Act.