Australian Immigration Daily News

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.

The following announcement is on the BSMQ website:

The BSMQ business and skilled program is NOW OPEN.  We are open from Tuesday 29 September 2020 until Monday 5 October 2020. Please note, only decision-ready applications in a COVID-19 priority area will be considered.

Due to the limited nomination allocation and processing timeframe:

About Business and Investor Visas

Business Innovation and Investor Program subclass 188/888 visa

This visa is designed for individuals to establish a business in Tasmania, manage a new or existing business, or invest in Tasmania, this visa allows applicants to apply for a Business Innovation and Investor program visa, subclass 188. This is a two-stage visa program which provides a pathway to permanent residency on a subclass 888 visa.