TEMPORARY CLOSURE OF NEW ZEALAND SUBCLASS 189 VISA

The regulations have been changed to allow for the more efficient processing of the current caseload, and the stream has been temporarily closed to new applications.

From 10 December 2022 until 1 July 2023, applications cannot be submitted due to the temporary closure.

Because of the close ties between the two countries, there will be a brief halt on new applications while the government explores potential migration and citizenship paths for New Zealanders living in Australia.

The following streamlining measures are established in recognition of the long-term residency, employment, and contribution of this group of New Zealanders to Australia’s economic recovery during the COVID-19 pandemic. Among them is the elimination of the prerequisites for the New Zealand stream on-hand candidates, specifically:

• a period of residence in Australia

• the income threshold

• health, given the access New Zealand citizens already in Australia have to Medicare.

Skills Assessing Authorities – Update
HOLIDAY CLOSURE

AUSTRALIA COMPUTING SOCIETY

From Friday, December 23, 2022, until Monday, January 16, 2023, the ACS Skills office will be closed.

Any new applications submitted after Sunday, December 4, 2022, won’t be evaluated* until January 31, 2023. *Evaluated does not mean finalised; usual processing times still apply.

ENGINEERS AUSTRALIA

Engineers Australia will be closed from 26 December 2022 to 6 January 2023 inclusive. Assessment applications lodged between 5 December 2022 and 31 January 2023 may experience a service delay, including Fast Track applications.

TRADE RECOGNITION AUSTRALIA

Trades Recognition Australia will be closed for the Christmas and New Year Period. The Trades Recognition Australia Enquiry Line will close at 4pm on Thursday 22 December 2022 and will reopen at 10am on Tuesday 3 January 2023. All enquiries during this time can be emailed to TRAEnquiries@dewr.gov.au

VETASSESS

Head office will close for the end-of-year break, with the last working day being December 21, and the office reopening on January 4, 2023. Skills Assessment applications can be lodged but, the payments will be processed when their offices reopen.

AUSTRADE NOMINATIONS – Subclass 888 APPLICANTS

As applicants are aware, Austrade no longer recommends candidates for Subclass 188 business skills visas.

As long as Austrade sponsored the applicant for a provisional SC 188 visa, Austrade will continue to support SC 888 petitions.

Queries about the SC 888 applications can be sent to investorvisas@austrade.gov.au.

SKILLED & BUSINESS MIGRATION OFFICE UPDATE

The Skilled & Business Migration office will be closed for the holidays starting at 3 p.m. on Friday, December 23, 2022. The office will reopen on January 9, 2023 at 9 a.m.

Applications for state nomination may still be filed throughout the closure, but any online inquiries must be made by Friday, December 16, at 5 p.m. in order to receive a response before the office closes.

FLEXIBILITY IN CITIZENSHIP CEREMONY FOR 2023

In order to reduce red tape and enable councils to host citizenship ceremonies on or near Australia Day, the Australian Government has today announced a modification to the Australian Citizenship Ceremonies Regulations.

For the first time in more than five years, there were less than 100,000 applications on hand as of December 9, 2022.

HOW NEW DEFAMATION LAWS WILL CHANGE THE GAME

New defamation reforms, which would cover social media and search engines, have been agreed to in principle by all nine attorneys-general across the country. Here’s what such reform means.

At their final meeting for 2022, Australia’s nine attorneys-general endorsed, in principle, reforms to modernize the nation’s defamation laws on search engines and social media platforms.

The Standing Council of Attorneys-General agreed to enact amendments in each jurisdiction to address the extent to which internet intermediaries are liable for reputation-damaging material published by third-party users online, in new reforms which would commence from 1 January 2024.

ADMINISTRATIVE APPEAL TRIBUNAL (AAT) TO BE ABOLISHED

The Albanese Government is abolishing the Administrative Appeals Tribunal, which he says “once commanded universal respect”, citing “a disgraceful exhibition of cronyism” by the former government in appointments made over the last decade.

Matters currently before the AAT will be unaffected, the A-G stressed, noting that they will continue to be heard as the reforms progress.

Finally, Federal Court Justice Susan Kenny has been appointed as the acting president of the AAT, with a transparent and merit-based selection process to be undertaken in due course.

Mr Dreyfus thanked Justice Berma Collier for her service as acting president in recent weeks.

Our Lawyer Gagandeep Singh Mirankot served as a Judge in Moot Court conducted by Faculty of Law at Monash University- Proud Moment (We thanks Monash University for this recognition and opportunity)