Newsletter 104

Tasmanian State Nomination Program

Migration Tasmania continues to process applications lodged in 2021-22. All applications lodged in the 2021-22 year will be processed against the 2021-22-year nomination criteria.

Tasmania is currently awaiting confirmation from the Australian Government on our nomination allocation for the 2022-23 program year. Once the allocation is received the 2022-23 Tasmanian Skilled Migration State Nomination Program will open with some different requirements and processes.

Migration Tasmania has released further information about its new Skilled Migration requirements and procedures on its website. Migration Tasmania has also updated information on priority attributes for its SC 491 and SC 190 applications.

Ukrainian Visa Update

The stay offer for Ukrainians was extended till 31 July 2022. This is a two-step process which involves issuing a Humanitarian Stay (Temporary) SC 449 visa followed by a Temporary (Humanitarian Concern) SC 786 visa. For more information visit the Department’s website.

VETASSESS- Technical Interviews And Processing Time

From Monday, July 25, all technical interviews for trade occupation had resumed at approved VETASSESS venues. This does not affect the arrangements for interviews that have already been booked. VETASSESS has ‘extended processing times’ for some trade and professional applications. These are expected to be temporary while they manage increased applications and COVID-related staffing issues.

Workforce Australia – How To Download Evidence Of Advertising?

To see the number of days an advertisement has been posted –

  • Go to the advertisement, open it,
  • Click on the hyperlink of the advertiser and this will display the number of days the advert has been posted/displayed,
  • Which can then be used to demonstrate that LMT has been undertaken correctly.

Regarding the concerns of the default advertising period of 32 days on this platforms, applicants are advised to address this 28/32 days issue in submission

SC 482 Nomination Transfers – ImmiAccount Responses

The applicants were previously advised that subclass 482 nomination transfer should occur within 7-10 days, if the online form is completed correctly. The answer to the following two questions are required to be ‘yes’ to trigger the online system to prioritise these applications:

  • Does the nominee already hold a primary subclass 457 or 482 visa?
  • Is this nomination being lodged to facilitate the 457 or 482 visa holder changing employer only?

The Department has found that a proportion of applications are not being flagged as these questions have been incorrectly answered or because of other user errors. Applications for nomination transfer subject to an RFI cannot be assessed until the period stated in the RFI for response has occurred, unless timely responses are supplied. Some cases will also require further assessment where the Department has flagged concerns about the case.

NAATI CCL Test – Validity For Points

The Department has advised that the validity of NAATI CCL test results for the award of Sch 6D points is three years.

Applicants are advised when using these test results for EOIs that the test result remains valid for the award of points at the time the applicant is also invited to apply for a visa.

Professional Support – Escalating Cases To The Department

The Professional Support team is being increasingly asked to escalate applicants cases to the Department where these have been in process for significant lengths of time. Processing delays currently exist across the whole migration program. If a case is still within the advertised service standards, the Department will not consider or prioritise these cases unless there are compelling reasons to do so. While the Professional Support team will always consider cases where there are sufficiently compelling or urgent reasons for escalation to the Department, other cases that fall within the service standard will not be escalated, as these will simply not be considered by the processing sections.

Faster Visa Processing

The Department is taking steps to speed up visa processing. These include:

  • Officers previously focused on travel exemptions have been redirected to visa processing, with nearly 140 new staff in visa processing roles since May 2022.
  • A further a surge capacity to work overtime, drawn from across the Department and the Australian Border Force has been established.

Processing will prioritise key offshore caseloads, temporary skilled, student and visitor to ensure more people can travel to Australia and contribute to economic growth, and assist with labour shortages.

Online Lodgement – BVA, BVB And BVC

From 1st August 2022 there will be expansion of online lodgement options for BVA, BVB or BVC visa applicants and removes options for in‑person and postal lodgement of paper applications. A new online portal has been developed by the Department for applicants who cannot make application for these Bridging Visas through ImmiAccount. From 1 August 2022 all applicants applying for a Bridging A, B or C visa in Australia must lodge their application online either through ImmiAccount or the webform on the Department’s website. Paper applications will no longer be accepted as a valid method of lodgement from this date. Website and application form updates will be deployed as of 1 August 2022 to support these changes and will be available on the website.

Further Visa Support For Ukrainians

Additional support will be available to Ukrainians and their families who chose to apply for a Bridging E visa or a Protection visa. Depending on the type of visa sought and granted, this may include eligibility to receive Medicare, work rights or eligibility to apply for work rights, publicly funded schooling for children, and access to free translating and interpreting services.

LMT And Pre-Dated Employment Contracts

Applicants are advised to take care with the dating of employment contracts supplied for applications requiring LMT. Several applicants have recently had nominations refused for applicants who had been previously working for the sponsor, even though LMT was undertaken correctly.

Applicants are advised to ensure:

  • contracts are dated after LMT has been completed where the applicant is already employed by the sponsor
  • a new or amended version of their contract dated after LMT has been completed is uploaded with the application.

Queensland SOL

A Queensland Skilled Occupation List (QSOL) for offshore applicants will be published when Migration Queensland formally opens its 2022-23 program. Offshore applications currently remain closed. Further information is available on the Migration Queensland website.

ImmiAccount System Errors – Legacy 457 Workers; ITO Exemptions And TSS Nominations

ImmiAccount is not accepting age concession for ‘legacy 457 workers’ for SC 186 applications. This is expected to be rectified by temporary fix on 6 August 2022. Any applicant wishing to lodge an age concession application before that date should contact Technical Support through the ImmiAccount Portal.

ImmiAccount also had errors in the online lodgement forms for ITO exemption for SC 482 nominations and four year visa periods. This issue has been resolved and applicants should attempt to relodge those applications.

FNQ DAMA- Facebook Group

The Cairns Chamber of Commerce has just launched a Facebook Group called FNQ DAMA Jobs Forum. The Chamber has often received queries from employers and jobseekers about how to connect, and this forum is seen as a way to facilitate this while the Chamber still remains at “arm’s length”.

Three New Bills Of Interest For Members Were Introduced Or Debated This Week In Parliament.

  • Ending Indefinite and Arbitrary Immigration Detention Bill 2022.
  • Jobs and Skills Australia (National Skills Commissioner Repeal) Bill 2022
  • Australian Human Rights Commission Legislation Amendment (Selection and Appointment) Bill 2022

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