Australian Immigration Daily News

MARA CPD Requirements
The legal requirements for RMA annual re-registration

To renew your registration as a migration agent under the Migration Act, you must complete CPD activities worth a combined total of at least 10 points in the 12 months before you apply to re-register, unless you are the holder of an Australian legal practising certificate. Effective 1 January 2018, migration CPD points breakdown is as follows:

This graph has been produced by LTA and is copyright.

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China overtook New Zealand as the leading source of visitors to Australia in 2018, according to new data released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

In 2018, people from China made 1.43 million short-term visits to Australia, up 6 per cent on 2017. ABS Director of Migration Statistics, Myles Burleigh, said Australia was an increasingly popular destination for Chinese residents.

“We have seen extremely strong growth in visits from China in recent times. In 2008, there were 353,000 visitors from China, so the number has more than tripled in the last 10 years", Mr Burleigh said.

This instrument specifies the requirements of making an application for a Work and Holiday (Temporary) (Class US) visa. This instrument expands the online lodgement channel to additional countries for applicants applying for their first Work and Holiday (Temporary) (Class US) visa.

This instrument repeals the Migration (IMMI 18/102: Arrangements for Work and Holiday and Working Holiday Visa Applications) Instrument 2018. 

Item was amended
https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/F2018L01576

The report published on Monday 11 February by ANAO indicates alarming inefficiency levels when it comes to processing citizenship applications.  The report originated as a result of the Office of the Commonwealth, the Refugee Council as well as several Members of Parliament expressing their interest in time it is taking to process citizenship applications.

The time to process citizenship application has prior to announcement of the proposed changes in April 2017 was 4 to 6 weeks.  As many may recall, the Department of Home Affairs placed processing of Citizenship applications on hold following this announcement and resumed processing the applications upon defeat of the draconian legislation which included proposal to increase English language efficiency for migrants, increase residency requirement as a permanent resident to four years as well as other character and security provisions.

Several complaints were also received from the general public expressing their concerns in relation to current processing times which is in excess of 12 months.