Newsletter 107

CITIZENSHIP CEREMONY RECORD

Citizenship ceremony was hosted by the Brisbane City Council this week, welcoming over 5,000 people across two citizenship ceremonies on 16th and 17th August. More than 2,500 people were invited to become new citizens at each ceremony placing them among the largest Australian citizenship ceremonies on record.

Citizens from more than 144 diverse backgrounds, including Egypt, Brazil, Vietnam, China, Syria and Kenya, have taken part in the ceremonies this week.

For more information about Australian citizenship visit Immigration and citizenship.

ADDITIONAL $550,000 SUPPORT FOR THE UKRAINIAN- AUSTRALIAN COMMUNITY

The Australian Government previously provided funding of $450,00 to the Australian Federation of Ukrainian Organisations. The Australian Government will provide additional funding of $550,000 to Ukrainian and other community organisations to support Ukrainian nationals in Australia.

This is as a part of the Australian Government’s ongoing commitment to support displaced Ukrainians and their immediate family members.

STATES AND TERRITORY UPDATE

After receiving interim allocations for the 2022-23 migration program year, some states and territories are continuing to update and open various programs. Members are advised to check the relevant state or territory website for the most up to date information.

PARTNER VISA CONCESSIONS

There has been amendment to the relationship cessation provisions for SC 309 partner visa applicants and holders, who were granted their visas in Australia under the COVID-19 concessions.

These subclass 309 visa applicants and holders continue to be eligible to granted the SC 100 visa in the following circumstances:

• the applicant’s sponsor has died, or
• the relationship between the applicant and the sponsor has ceased and either or both of the following apply:
  • the applicant or a member of the family unit has suffered domestic and family violence (DFV) committed by the sponsoring partner, and/or
  • the applicant and sponsor share custody, formal maintenance obligations or access rights to at least one child.

This amendment also allows SC 309 applicants who were able to travel to Australia under these COVID-19 concessions and may have been onshore for significant periods of time, to be eligible for grant of the combined SC 309/100 visas, under these circumstances.

COMMUNITY SUPPORT PROGRAM- HUMANITARIAN VISA

The Community Support Program (CSP) allows community groups and individuals to propose and support applicants for entry to Australia under the Humanitarian Program, Subclass 202 visa. The Supporters can propose eligible applicants, fund the applicant’s visa process and settlement in Australia, and enter into an Assurance of Support (AoS) agreement. Amendments have been made to the CSP stream regulations to:

• reduce the VAC for the primary applicants
• reduce the VAC for secondary applicants to NIL
• provide that the AoS for applicants up to the age of 15 and those close to pension age becomes discretionary rather than mandatory.

While these amendments were announced to commence from 1 July 2022, delays in the amending legislation have required transitional arrangements for those applicants who lodged from 1 July to that date. Applications made:

• prior to 1 July 2022 will continue to pay the higher VAC
• on or after 1 July 2022 and until 18 August 2022 – first VAC $3,005, second VAC, $4,755 (total $7,760) and secondary applicants Nil VAC
• on or after 19 August 2022 – first VAC $490, second VAC $7,270 (total $7,760) and secondary applicants Nil VAC.

AUSTRALIA STUDY RULE- ONLINE/OFFLINE

The Australian Department is taking an flexible approach towards the Australia Study Rule (ASR) for those student visa applicant/holders who were unable to enter Australia due to COVID-19 restrictions and who continued to study online while offshore.

International student who applied for a Student visa and commenced their study online while overseas (due to not having a visa to come to Australia) and continued their study online overseas after they were granted a Student visa (because they could not come to Australia due to COVID), the full period of their study will be counted towards the ASR.

The registered course or courses will still need to be completed in a total of at least 16 calendar months; and as a result of least 2 academic years study; and all instruction must be in English.

JOBS AND SKILLS SUMMIT ISSUES PAPER

Treasury this week released the Jobs and Skills Summit Issues Paper which will be used to inform the Summit discussions. The issues to be addressed are broad ranging and cover five themes:

• maintaining full employment and growing productivity
• boosting job security and wages
• lifting participation and reducing barriers to employment
• delivering a high-quality labour force through skills, training and migration
• maximising opportunities in the industries of the future.

The Jobs and Skills Summit Issues Paper is available here.

ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEST PROVIDERS- EOI

Applicants may be interested to know that the Department of Home Affairs is inviting Expressions of Interest (EOI) by providers to be considered for the selection of English language tests for Australian visas. This EOI process is open to providers of English language tests in Australia and outside Australia.

ACT BUSINESS RESEARCH SURVEY

This is for applicants with business clients in ACT, there is a current business research survey being conducted by the CT Government and University of Canberra, which has been launched ahead of the national skills summit to better understand the workforce challenges facing that city.

The survey is available here or on the ACT Business Hub website and will be open until 11.59pm on Friday 26 August 2022.

The ACT Government’s skills and workforce strategy ‘Skilled to Succeed‘ is also available on that website.

STATES AND TERRITORIES UPDATE

WESTERN AUSTRALIA

Migration Western Australia has made a significant temporary changes to its skilled state nomination program criteria, including:

• new occupations added to the eligible lists
• waiving the $200 application fee
• halving the requirement to have an employment contract from 12 months to six months
• reducing requirements for applicants to demonstrate sufficient funds
• removing additional English requirements for professional and manager occupations, and
• reducing work experience requirements for the 2022-23 program year.

Further information is available on the Migration WA website.

SOUTH AUSTRALIA

SA Skilled and Business Migration has now opened its skilled migration program, with a revised skilled occupation list. The 2022-23 Skilled Migration Program will prioritise nominations for skilled migrants:

• with backgrounds in in-demand industries, such as Health, ICT, Education, Engineering, Agribusiness and Trades, or
• who can bring their skills to growing sectors such as Hi-Tech / Digital, Health and Life Sciences, Green Energy, Defence, Space and Cyber Security.

Further information is available on the Migration SA website.

FNQ DAMA

The variation to the FNQ DAMA will commence in October-November 2022 and an updated version of the FNQ occupations, concessions list and information guides are available on the Cairns Chamber of Commerce website.

INVITATION ROUNDS SUBCLASS 189 SKILLED INDEPENDENT VISA- WARNING

An unscheduled round of SC 189 invitations has occurred as the Department attempts to address the backlog in processing.

Many invitees have been caught out with expired English test and skills assessments and are unable to take up the invitations.

Applicants should ensure that the details and documentation are kept up to date in the Skillselect system to avoid this disappointing situation.

FAIR WORK OMBUDSMAN

Fair Work Ombudsman August Newsletter has been released. The newsletter contains updates on minimum wages increases on 1 July 2022 that may affect visa holders and other helpful industry and wages information.