Newsletter 134
Approved Destination Status stream Visitor Visas – China
Visitor Visa Applications from Citizens of the People’s Republic of China) specifies provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions in Mainland China as specified areas for the purposes of Subclass 600 Visitor Visas in Approved Destination Status stream.
This has commenced from 17th March 2023
State and Territories Updates
Skilled Nominated (subclass 190) visa
- Nominations – 1269 of 2000 places used
- Nomination applications not yet decided – 119
- Invitations issued but not yet accepted – 200
Oldest application yet to be processed – lodged 27 January 2023
Skilled Work Regional (subclass 491) visa
- Nominations – 1109 of 2250 places used
- Nomination applications not yet decided – 232
- Invitations issued but not yet accepted – 244
Oldest application yet to be processed – lodged 3 March 2023
Northern Territory
Changes offshore nomination criteria
The main adjustments are:
- fewer years of job experience are needed (one year down from 3 years for most occupations)
- The Priority Occupations Stream has been expanded with new professions (now 198 occupations)
- extending the Family Support Stream to allow regional temporary residents (subclass 489, 491 and 494) and people with bridging visas who have applied for regional permanent residents (subclass 887 and 191) to support relatives who are nominating themselves.
National Alliance for Regionalisation
Organizations will join together on 21st March for the launch of the National Alliance for Regionalisation.
The Regionalization Ambition 2032 – a Framework to Rebalance the Nation, which was just released, will be significantly aided by this Alliance, which will form a group of championing, nation-building voices committed to assisting in the Rebalance of the Nation and generating momentum and progress through cooperative action on the 20 targets outlined in this report.
Productivity Commission Report released
On March 17, 2023, the Productivity Commission’s 5-year Productivity Inquiry delivered its final report.
The Report outlines a thorough reform strategy that focuses on 5 major themes:
- developing a staff that is flexible
- Leveraging data, digital technologies and diffusion
- enhancing economic competitiveness and dynamism
- delivering government services effectively
- net zero emissions at the lowest possible cost.
5 Year Productivity Inquiry: Advancing Prosperity – the full report is available on the Productivity Commission’s website.
VETASSESS – Webinar: Thursday 30 March with sessions at 1.00, 2.40 and 4.10pm AEDT.
Delivering stability for our regions
By streamlining and spending $36 million on visa processing, the government has reduced the backlog of 887 visas, which grant permanent residency to those who have lived and worked in remote Australia.
Less than 400 887 visas were granted in the final three months of the previous Liberal Government, leaving more than 18,000 to be processed as of June.
The biggest number of 887 visas ever issued in a single month—887—was awarded in February by this Administration, ending a decade of neglect. This was made possible by the addition of 582 staff members who are currently working on visa processing.
The Government has also increased the amount of regional skilled visas available by three times to 34,000 for this year in order to solve severe labour shortages in our areas.
As part of its efforts to ensure our regions’ economies remain stable, the government has been processing about 5.5 million visa applications since taking office.
700 Indian students face deportation from Canada as visa papers found fake
A Jalandhar-based consultant who has been sending students to Canada for the past ten years, such frauds involve a number of different elements, from forging college offer letters to giving students forged fee payment receipts when they apply for visas because those are only granted once the fee has been paid to the colleges.
Subclass 151 Former Resident applications – change lodgment address
This amendment came into effect on 4 March 2023.
Pacific Engagement Visa debate
The discussion was put on hold to resume later.
Twenty top occupations in demand
The latest Labour Market Update report provides the list of the top 20 occupations in demand nationally this quarter.
Few of the occupations are:
- Registered Nurses
- Software and Applications Programmers
- Aged and Disabled Carers
- Child Carers
- Construction Managers
Latest Labour Market list
Australia – India education announcements
Prime Minister of Australia visit to India has bought number of strategic and other announcements regarding the relationship between the two countries.
These include the announcement that Deakin University will set up the first foreign and Australian university campus in India.
The University of Melbourne has also announced that it is launching Bachelor of Science Dual Degrees with major Indian universities to facilitate fast track Masters degrees.
Work Rights Hub for migrants
The Australian Red Cross website was designed with input from over 150 migrant workers and 250 service providers, unions, community organizations and academia.
The Work Right Hub includes information, tools and services aimed at supporting migrants if they, or someone they know, is experiencing labour exploitation.
The Work Right Hub website includes information on gaining urgent assistance for workers suffering exploitation and modern slavery information.
Granting employment opportunities for refugees
A $7.5 million contribution will be made to Victorian social entrepreneurs that help refugees find jobs.
Eight social companies that provide work possibilities for refugees and humanitarian entrants, including Melbourne’s Space2b, will receive much-needed financial security through to the government’s Economic Routes to Refugee Integration award programme.
Minister Giles visited Space2b in St. Kilda yesterday to make the announcement. During the past five years, Space2b has given 95% of its participants who are refugees sustainable work, including through its on-site café, Flavours of Syria.
This declaration will help disadvantaged people of the community continue living with financial stability in keeping with the Government’s commitment to giving assurance to all Australians, while also fostering social relationships between refugees and their host communities.
India opens up to foreign firms and lawyers
The Bar Council of India (BCI) has voted to allow foreign law firms and lawyers to practise in the country. This decision is “hugely exciting” for international companies who operate in Australia, with some of them already examining their possibilities.
New Regulations
The Bar Council of India (BCI) took action to allow foreign law firms and arbitrators to provide advice in the most populated nation in the world by issuing its Bar Council of India Regulations for Registration and Regulation of Foreign Attorneys and Foreign Law Firms in India on Wednesday (15 March).
Under the recently released rules, it is stated that “the moment has come to take a call on the problem,” according to the Indian legal newspaper Bar and Bench.