A week of strikes are planned by immigration staff beginning at international airports in Cairns, Perth and Darwin. Walk-offs are also scheduled in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane from Monday.

The Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU) national secretary Nadine Flood told the ABC that staff were protesting a Federal Government bargaining policy, which she said would affect allowances compensating workers for weeks at sea, firearms, fitness and working conditions.

"Immigration and Border Force workers are facing the loss of up to $8000 a year from their take-home pay under the Federal Government's draconian bargaining policy," she said.

"These hard-working men and women undertake important, difficult and sometimes dangerous jobs on behalf of their community.

"The Government and the department have had more than a year to sit down with the union and work out a fair deal that protects the rights, conditions and take home pay of these hardworking people.

Below is a fascinating story of migration to Australia involving height, health, racism and a vaudeville performer.

https://www.destinationaustralia.gov.au/site/stories.php?task=detail&id=148

The writer came across the story when preparing material for the Facebook page of the apartment block in which he lives at Kings Cross.

The MIA Board has appointed the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) as the Returning Officer for this year's elections. The MIA has previously used the AEC to hold its elections until they were able to hold their elections online.  In their recent newsletter they say:

"This MIA election will be returning to the postal vote system under the management of the AEC Returning Officer."

The MIA have provided the a schedule of events for this year's elections, which is outlined in the table below.

Why the 'United Profession' Ticket?

Migration Alliance has a membership of just over 4200 RMAs.  There are approximately 5200 RMAs in the profession.  Migration Alliance and the MIA therefore have a huge number of members in common.  We call these overlapping members.  

Migration Alliance proposes to promote and endorse joint MIA / MA members on a 'unity' ticket.  By this we would like to see a unified profession, where members of the MIA board, who are both MIA and MA members, find a way to bring the two organisations together, and to work collaboratively in the best interest of the whole profession.

We believe that this can be done by supporting joint MIA/MA members onto State President and committee positions and hence, onto the MIA national executive.  That way, we have representatives on the MIA board who can advocate and agitate for the profession as a whole.

Melbourne Cup Party

Migration Alliance and Expat Advisors Community

Welcome to the Victorian Government's Agent Alert for migration agents and representatives.

In this edition:

• Changes to the Victorian State Nomination Occupation Lists
• Assessment processing times
• SkillSelect changes – lodge directly with Victoria
• Business Migration Updates
  • Demonstrating economic benefit for Victorian business visa nomination
  • Significant Investor visa nomination application form update
  • Export business activity and economic benefit to Victoria
  • Additional business or investment activity requirements for Business Investor visa
  • Change of business activity.

  Changes to the Victorian State Nomination Occupation list

  ...