Australian Immigration Daily News

Schedule 1 to this instrument determines the class of Category A identification documents for the purpose of section 5AA of the regulations.

Note: If a document of the class determined in Schedule 1 cannot be verified electronically by AusCheck for the purpose of a background check, subparagraph 5(1)(m)(ia) of the regulations provides that AusCheck can use details of one or more of the applicants Category B identification documents or Category C identification documents to verify electronically the individual’s identity for the purposes of a background check.

Source: AusCheck-Cat-A-docs-detemination-2020.pdf

The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) visa data-matching program has been operating since 2009.

This protocol consolidates the existing visa data-matching programs:
o October 2015 to 2016–17 financial years program (gazetted 4 August 2015)
o 2017–18 to 2019–20 financial years program (gazetted 18 December 2017).

This protocol outlines the ATO's intention to continue collecting data on visas granted in the period 2020–21 to 2022–23 financial years.

For this program the ATO collects information from the Department of Home Affairs (Home Affairs) on active and newly granted visas. The data is matched against the ATO's records to ensure visa holders, visa sponsors and migration agents are meeting their tax and superannuation obligations.

 Source: AT0-and-Dept-Home-Affairs-data-matching-2020.pdf

This instrument repeals and replaces the Australian Values Statement for Public Criterion 4019 – 2016/113 (IMMI 16/113) and updates the language of the values statement for all visa subclasses specified to better reflect the values that are important to Australian society.
Some or all of this item commenced on 30/10/2020

https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/F2020L01305

The Trades Recognition Service (TRS) will close on 1 December 2020 due to low demand and no new applications will be accepted from this date.  

TRA Skills assessments will continue to be available to people who have gained their skills outside a formal apprenticeship pathway through the Offshore Skills Assessment Program available in Australia and selected overseas locations.  

Australian citizens are not eligible to apply for skills assessments under any TRA Programs including TRS.  

DAMA Occupations list: The first annual review has been conducted for DAMA. Several new occupations have been added to the DAMA occupation list of South Australia. The new occupations will focus on the critical sectors such as health care, manufacturing, high-tech sectors, agribusiness and food production. Full DAMA list is available here.

Concessions and PR Pathways: There are additional English language and age concessions available for the applicants. Permanent visa is also eligible for the English language and age concessions. There has been changes to the work experience requirements, making it easy for the international graduates to meet the eligibility requirement. All DAMA occupations listed will now offer a permanent residency pathway either through the Temporary Skill Shortage visa or the Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional visa.  

Skills Assessing Authority: The South Australian Government has been approved to act as a skills assessing authority for occupations that require a skills assessment that currently has no alternative skills assessment authority.