The Migration Amendment (Status of Forces Agreement – Fiji and Timor-Leste) Regulations 2023 (the Regulations) amends the Migration Regulations 1994 (the Migration Regulations) to prescribe Fijian and Timor-Leste armed forces, civilian component personnel and their dependants, coming under the Reciprocal Access Agreement between Australia and Fiji and Australia and Timor-Leste respectively, for the purposes of being taken to be granted a SPV.

The Reciprocal Access Agreements relating to the cooperation between Australia and Fiji and Australia and Timor-Leste, also known as a Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA), were signed on 20 October 2022, and 7 September 2022, respectively. Under Article 24 of the Fiji Agreement and Article 5 the Timor-Leste Agreement, the SOFAs enter into force on the date on which the Parties exchange diplomatic notes informing each other that their respective internal procedures necessary to give effect to the Agreements have been completed.

Source: Migration-Amendment-Status-of-Forces-Agreement-Fiji-and-Timor-Leste-Regs-2023.pdf and

Migration-Amendment-Status-of-Forces-Agreement-Fiji-and-Timor-Leste-Regs-2023-Explanatory-Statement.pdf