Australian Immigration Daily News

The TOEFL iBT® test score requirements for those who must provide an approved English-language test result to achieve Migration Agent registration have been revised. 

The revision, which took effect 1 January 2018, brings the TOEFL® test requirements for migration agents into line with score equivalences used across the Department of Home Affairs.

The new TOEFL iBT requirements are an overall score of 94 and minimum section scores of:

1.            Processing Times 

Home Affairs published latest processing times for subclass 482 visas.   Based on the October 2018 processing times frames, 75% of all 482 applications are processed in: 

• 49 days – Short Term Stream
• 38 days – Medium Term Stream
• 22 days – Labour Agreement Stream
• 38 days – Sponsorship
• Nominations – 35 days 

Processing times are updated regularly and are published on Department of Home Affairs website. 

Migration Agents will be particularly interested in this latest circulation from Jason Clare in the Commonwealth Parliament of Australia's House of Reps:

A Bill for an Act to give Australian workers a fair go in trade agreements and to fix the way the Commonwealth negotiates them, and for related purposes!

The bill will improve the way that the Australian Government negotiates trade agreements by prohibiting the inclusion of clauses that undermine the temporary skilled migration system and the protection of public services and allow foreign corporations to sue the Australian Government. It will also increase independent assessment and scrutiny of trade agreements.

Engineers Australia (EA) is the designated authority for assessing skills and competencies related to engineering occupations in Australia.  Migration Agents are able to lodge Skills Assessments with Engineers Australia on behalf of their clients.  From October 2018, Engineers Australia rolled out a number of new features designed to assist agents with skills assessment process.  The Portal which can be accessed by Migration Agents is now more intuitive to navigate and more user friendly. As registered users, Migration Agents will have access to all previous functions as well as new functions rolled out in October 2018.  

The online portal has another user friendly feature which includes the ability to add a secondary agent to an application.  To add a new agent, you will need to select the Add Agent button from the lead agent tools page. Before an agent can be added they will need to have a valid EA ID number and an account with Engineers Australia (which can be created for free). You will then need to search for the person you wish to add as an agent by their EA ID number and date of birth, and then selecting the Find Person button. 

Lead agents can transfer an application from a registered agent with their agency to another registered agent within their agency using the marked button. During this process you will be asked to provide the Application ID you wish to transfer and the agent you wish to transfer this application to. 

1. Skill Select – More Invitations to be issued today 

Home Affairs issues invitations in relation to Skilled (General) subclass 189 as well as Skilled Regional subclass 489 visas once per month. Current invitation round is expected to be conducted today.  Accordingly, applicants who have submitted their expression of interest are encouraged to check their skill select account.  Based on invitation rounds issued in September, approximately 2490 subclass 189 invitations as well as 10 subclass 489 invitation are expected to be issued today.  Minimum test score for subclass 189 visa is 70 points.  The minimum test score for subclass 489 visa is 80 points.  Certain occupations such as Accountants attract a higher minimum test score.   

For full details visit: 

https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/WorkinginAustralia/Pages/11-september-2018-invitation-round.aspx