A new notice is now on the NSW State Government website for the next application intake for the 190 visa.

Information includes that:

• NSW intake will open on 22 October with 1,000 places available
• Revised NSW Skilled Occupation List (excluding Accountants and the majority of ICT workers for the October 2014 intake)

NSW is hoping that the numbers are less than last time and the intake is more moderated. 

DIBPs service standard promise for partner visa processing is about 6 months for applications deemed low risk and up to 12 months or more for those who do not submit convincing applications and thus deemed high risk. Some RMAs have reported that the partner visa processing times are however much longer than what is promised and seem to be getting worse.

With partner visas, applicants are generally processed according to their risk levels. They are flagged as potentially high-risk where they are offshore applications from ‘high risk' countries as determined by DIBP; where the couples age differential is relatively large; where the relationship is under 3 years; and of course where the applications are unconvincing.

The onus is on the applicants to convince the decision-maker with compelling evidence that there is a ‘genuine relationship’.

"I have heard it said many applications prepared by the couple without professional guidance/assistance are manifestly inadequate and lead to refusals. This alone is often why a later professionally prepared appeal is successful… Perhaps the increase in refusals is due to an increase in couples preparing their own applications and I suggest this may well be driven by the increase in Partner Visa Fees,” says Robyn Oyeniyi, a prominent human rights campaigner and author of the book, Love versus Goliath on her website.

RMAs have also recently reported that processing times for Partner are going well beyond DIBPs promised standards. There have been suggestions that DIBP is “intentionally staggering visa grants across the program year, so as not to exhaust their entire allocation within the first few months,” according to RMA Mark Glazbrook in his website.

The department of immigration has appointed a new secretary who started his career in the department of defence and went on to develop strategic defence policies in recent years after having roles in foreign affairs and intelligence over a career spanning some 27-years.

Both the Prime Minister and Immigration Minister have emphasised that Michael Pezzullo’s defence and intelligence experience are essential for the department given its increasing focus on border protection.

Michael Pezzullo, the current CEO of the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service and former labour foreign minister, Gareth Evan’s staffer, will take over the office of the secretary of the Department of Immigration and Border Protection, from October 13.

"He has extensive experience in the public sector, predominantly in the Department of Defence in strategic policy and intelligence roles," Prime Minister Abbott said in a statement.

Mr Pezzullo will replace Martin Bowles, who was recently appointed Health Department secretary. Martin Bowles held the appointment as the DIBP secretary for about a year.

'Having worked closely with Mr Pezzullo in delivering the government's border protection reforms, and more recently on enforcing increased national security measures at the border, I welcome today's announcement,' said Mr Morrison in a statement.

MR Pezzullo joined the Department of Defence as a graduate in 1987. In 1992 he transferred to the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, where he worked in the International Division. In 1993 he joined the staff of then Labour Foreign Minister, Gareth Evans QC, and remained in Parliament House until December 2001. In February 2002, he re-joined the Department of Defence, and in 2006 was promoted to the position of Deputy Secretary Strategy in that department. Between February 2008 and May 2009 he led the Defence White Paper team and was principal author of the 2009 Defence White Paper.

The following is an email being sent out by the DIBP:

For-Official-Use-Only

Dear Ms XXXX,

The Migration Alliance recently received a complaint from a first-year RMA facing the dilemma of losing registration because of the inability to meet the PRP-CPD requirement due to the lack of alternative providers.

First year RMAs are required to attend a Practice Ready Program (PRP) in their first year of registration in order for them to renew their registration. However, the OMARA has only approved 2 providers, MIA and Fragomen. Strangely, Fragomen offers the PRP in-house only thus leaving MIA with a monopoly. For some reason the MIA seems unable to keep up with the demand for the course suggesting perhaps that it is oblivious to the growth of the industry or incapable of supporting the growth. This is certainly another issue for current review of the OMARA to consider.

In a desperate plea for an additional grace period, the RMA has written to the OMARA stating:

“I have been trying for a while now to book for a PRP course which is a prerequisite for the first year registrants to renew their registration. Unfortunately, I was told that there is only one PRP provider in Sydney, which is MIA. All MIA PRP courses have been booked out for a while. They said that they can only have a limited number of students, and so they are not able to offer me a place before next year.  My MARA registration is due for renewal [in early] 2015… If I am not able to complete this PRP on time for my registration renewal, may I request to kindly grant me reprieve until the first PRP course is available in the new year”