Australian Immigration Daily News

Assistant Minister for Customs, Community Safety and Multicultural Affairs, Jason Wood, said he had been working closely with the migration advice industry to ensure it can support the integrity of Australia’s migration program.

“The establishment of the Code provides better oversight of registered migration agents without increasing regulatory burden,” Assistant Minister Wood said.

“We will also implement a range of regulatory measures, including improving the registration process to become an agent, strengthening the powers available to the Office of the Migration Agents Registration Authority (OMARA) when assessing registration applications, and enhancing penalties for illegal operators providing unlawful advice.”

Source: Reform-measures-in-the-migration-advice-industry.pdf

Minister for the Pacific and International Development, Senator the Hon Zed Seselja said with close to 23,000 Pacific and Timor-Leste workers now in Australia, labour mobility has been a lifeline for Australian businesses and for labour sending countries during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The improvements that come into effect today will make it easier for employers to continue accessing the labour they need while enhancing benefits and protections for workers,” Minister Seselja said.

“Workers are the backbone of the PALM scheme, and their wellbeing is of central importance to Australia and participating Pacific and Timor-Leste governments,” said Minister Seselja.

“A review into worker welfare and the chance to consult widely on a revised Deed of Agreement will help to improve conditions and protections for workers, while identifying opportunities to reduce red tape for employers.”

Source: New-era-for-Pacific-Labour-starts-today.pdf

Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs Alex Hawke said the Australian Government is committed to the success of Townsville and the North Queensland region. “This agreement responds to regional economic challenges by opening the door to attract and settle more skilled workers into the region,” Minister Hawke said.

The Townsville DAMA covers 195 occupations across a broad range of sectors including manufacturing, health care and social assistance, transport, and professional, scientific and technical services. Federal Member for Herbert Phillip Thompson said with the Townsville DAMA now in place, the diverse range of industries covered would be able to grow even more, making Townsville a key regional destination.

Source: Townsville-economic-prosperity----DAMA.pdf

Purpose

Section 85 of the Migration Act provides that the Minister may, by legislative instrument, determine the maximum number of visas of a specified class, or of specified classes, (excluding temporary protection visas or safe haven enterprise visas) that may be granted in a specified financial year.

The purpose of the instrument is to determine the maximum number of visas that may be granted for certain classes of visas in the 2021-2022 financial year between 1 July 2021 and 30 June 2022 (inclusive). The instrument covers the following visa classes (with item numbers referring to items in Schedule 1 to the Migration Regulations 1994 (the Migration Regulations)).... see attachment below.

Source: LIN22006.pdf and LIN22006-Explanatory-Statement.pdf

Purpose

The purpose of the instrument is to update the approved form, place and manner (“the arrangements”) requirements for making an application for a Temporary Work (International Relations) (Class GD) visa (Class GD visa) in the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility stream (PALM stream). The Subclass 403 (Temporary Work (International Relations)) visa (subclass 403 visa) is the only subclass for the Class GD visa and now has six streams: the Australian Agricultural Worker stream, Domestic Worker (Diplomatic or Consular) stream, Foreign Government Agency stream, Government Agreement stream, PALM stream and Privileges and Immunities stream.

As announced by the Government on 14 September 2021, the PALM stream opens to new applications on 4 April 2022. This stream serves as a combination of and replacement of the Pacific Labour Scheme stream and Seasonal Worker Program stream, previously under the subclass 403 visa. As a result, visa applicants for the PALM stream will be able to apply using a single streamlined application, which offers more flexibility and less red tape.

Other than removal of the Pacific Labour Scheme stream and Seasonal Worker Program stream, there is no change to the arrangements specified in LIN 22/009 for other streams of subclass 403 visas.

Further information about the enabling provisions is provided in the explanatory statement to LIN 22/009.

Source: LIN22036.pdf and LIN22036-Explanatory-Statement.pdf