Australian Immigration Daily News

There are two updates today for Migration Alliance members, the first about skills assessments and the second about Manus Island:

1. ENS skills assessment changes  - the DIAC have released changes to acceptable skills assessments on their website (from 28 October 2013).  To read more please click here.

Changes to Acceptable Skills Assessments for Employer Nomination Scheme and Regional Skilled Migration Scheme visas – 28 October 2013

Migration Alliance members, DIBP and I am sure the Office of the MARA might not be surprised to learn that RMAs have had just about enough of the Office of the MARA.  

The red tape that they have wrapped us all up in over the last couple of years has become oppressive to say the least.  The Office of the MARA have, to all intents and purposes, stifled the profession just like the unions sought to stifle the 457 visa programme with their red tape.

What has become obvious to RMAs is that the Office of the MARA have become a law unto themselves.

Richard Marles is the new Immigration Minister and Matt Thistlewaite is the new parliamentary Secretary for Immigration.  Interesting times.  I have been informed that Richard will be very interesting.  A man of pedigree and someone who might be a future leader of the Labor party.

Here is a better image of the Labor Ministry. 

Migration Alliance members will be extremley pleased with the following news in The Australian today:

The Coalition has vowed to remove "union red tape" on 457 visas as business steps up its demands for the turn-around of Labor's  baseless stomping on the scheme designed to bring overseas skilled workers to Australia.  Annabel Hepworth writes:

In a closed-door speech yesterday, Australian Mines and Metals Association chief executive Steve Knott advocated the dumping of Labor's "pre-election, last-minute, politically driven, ill-considered, unnecessary and cumbersome" labour market testing requirements for 457 visas.

The testing requirements were introduced by the Rudd government amid claims of "widespread employer rorting" and require companies to demonstrate that they have tried for four months to recruit Australians before nominating a foreign worker for a 457 visa.

The Minister for Immigration and Border Protection, Scott Morrison, said last night: "We strongly opposed these measures in opposition and will be consulting on how best to cut union red tape on 457s, while maintaining legitimate protections that support the integrity of the scheme.

Read more here

Following the publication of the Singapore Oil / Mr Kang article I have been inundated with telephone calls from concerned people who tell me that the issues surrounding Singpore Oil and Mr Kang have been canvassed at the Office of the MARA by a variety of complainants both consumers and practitioners over at least the last 12 months.

If that is correct and the Office of the MARA has been in the know concerning these allegations then the question needs to be asked what steps have the OMARA taken to protect the consumer?

The Office of the MARA's job is simple.  They only have two jobs.  One is to regulate RMAs.  The other is to protect consumers.  What is the problem?