Australian Immigration Daily News

Migration Alliance was represented by Mayanne Young, Michael Jeremy and me this morning at the last NSW Client Reference Group (CRG) meeting for 2013.The meeting was held at 9:30am-12:00pm in the DIBP Conference Room, Level 5, Tower C, 300 Elizabeth Street, Sydney.

The following are the notes I took from the meeting:

Welcome - Chair - Kruno Kukoc - NSW State Director, Director of Refugee and Humanitarian and Family Visas - DIBP

This news is just in from the ACS:

Like all organisations ACS has had to confront rising costs in providing services. While we have been focussed on finding ways to resist passing these costs on, you will see that the 2014 Fees Schedule includes an increase in a range of areas including membership subscriptions and skilled migration assessment services.

The ACS continues to invest in upgrading its technological infrastructure, staffing levels and training, in order to provide an improved assessment service with higher levels of quality and communication with applicants, migration agents and stakeholders.

The following has been received:

Dear Registered Migration Agents

India’s highest court has ruled that homosexual sex is illegal, and punishable by life in prison. 

Does this mean we are set to see a flock of refugee applications to Australia?

Section 377 - ‘‘Unnatural offences’’ - states that ‘‘carnal intercourse against the order of nature with any man, woman, or animal’’ shall be punishable by life imprisonment.

The Sydney Morning Herald reports: http://www.smh.com.au/world/gay-sex-ruled-illegal-by-indias-highest-court-20131211-hv5b7.html#ixzz2nDoc1hNw

Migration Alliance members might be able to comment on the email I received this morning, below:

'Hi Liana,
There seems to be an error on DIBP's website regarding subclass 888 visa.
According to the website (in innovation stream):
"You must be able to show that you (or your partner, or you and your partner together) have:

    had an ownership interest and a direct and continuous management role in an actively operating main business (or main businesses) in Australia that had an annual turnover of at least AUD300,000 for the two years immediately before you apply)"

However, when I went through legislation today, I noticed that 888.25 says that:
(5) The main business in Australia, or main businesses in Australia, of the applicant, the applicant’s spouse or de facto partner, or the applicant and his or her spouse or de facto partner together, had an annual turnover of at least AUD300 000 in the 12 months immediately before the application was made.
 
Please see the parts that I have highlighted and if you think the info on their website is wrong (as I do), please let them know.'