Australian Immigration Daily News

As businesses continue to navigate through COVID19 pandemic, the drop the in the overall revenue has resulted in being unable to meet Caveat requirements in certain instances.

For example, nominated occupation of Accountant General requires the business for the purpose of 186 and 482 visa to demonstrate annual turnover of at least $1M.

In certain instances, it is possible for an associated entity to provide a letter of support to the main business.  The same does not apply to Caveats.  Below is a response from the Policy Section:

Recent FOI released by the Department of Home Affairs shows the number of on-shore vs offshore GSM visa grants.

For the month ended 30/06/2020, the Department of Home Affairs granted 1024 Subclass 189 visas.  Note, this data also includes grant of visas to secondary applicants.

By contrast, for the same period there were 32 off-shore subclass 189 grants.  The data includes primary and secondary visa grants.

Home Affairs announced flexibility with the arrangements pertaining subclass 485 visa.

As part of the response to COVID 19 Pandemic, the Department have changed the requirements for a Temporary Graduate (subclass 485) visa for those who have been impacted by COVID-19:

• online study undertaken outside Australia as a result of COVID-19 travel restrictions will count towards the Australian Study Requirement for existing and new student visa holders

This change is available now.

The instrument operates to authorise a class of persons who are able to receive the Pledge of Commitment for Australian citizenship (pledge of commitment). Schedule 1 of the Act establishes the form in which a pledge must be undertaken. Subsection 26(1) of the Act requires a person to make a pledge of commitment to Australia before they become an Australian citizen, unless they meet the requirements set out in paragraphs 26(1)(a) to (c) of the Act.

Source: LIN20084.pdf and LIN20084-Explanatory-Statement.pdf

The Office of the MARA have sent the following email for distribution to RMAS:

Please see the following information from Immigration Programs Division. 

On 2 September 2020, the Acting Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs, the Hon Alan Tudge MP, and the Minister for Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business, Senator the Hon Michaelia Cash, announced the introduction of a new priority skills list and strengthened labour market testing requirements.