(Copyright
2007)
Edition
Number 108
Monday 18th
June 2007
Hiya
readers
Welcome to
another edition of our newsletter that covers the latest news we know of about
It is a
free publication that is subscribed to by around 2500 people each month. If you
want backcopies, wish to go on the subscription list
(if this is a one off copy with an answer to your visa enquiry) or wish to
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Hit and
miss again from my football team the Fremantle Dockers, win at home, lose away
pattern was continued with a loss in a game we dominated for most of Saturday
night. At least we will go ok next week (we have a week off
!)
As you
would know from the last newsletter there is a major overall of the Skilled
Points Test structure from 1st September that will affect ALL
skilled applications lodged after this date. We have the latest news here plus
any other bits and pieces we think you maybe interested in …
Contents
1)
Confirmation of Assurance of Support
2)
Removal of Regulation 2.27B – Change of Occupations
3) New
Two year study Rule for Australian graduates
4) New
Fees from 1st July 2007
5)
Duration of the new 18 month visa for Student Graduates (subclass 485)
6)
Movement of SIR visa holders between states
7) IELTS
(English Test) results to last for two years
8)
Investment of $100,000 for 5 extra points in
9) New
Citizenship Test Questions
10)
Latest Processing information from
1)
Confirmation of Assurance of Support
The Skilled
categories that require an Australian relative to sponsor and therefore an
Assurance of Support (and associated bond payments) will have this requirement
REMOVED after 1st September 2007 for new visa applicants.
Also
existing visa applicants under subclasses 138, 139, 881, 882 and 496 will have
this requirement removed if their application has not been finalised by 1st
January 2008.
(Source:
DIAC)
2)
Removal of Regulation 2.27B – Change of Occupations
This
regulation in short allowed DIAC to change a person’s “nominated” occupation if
they believe that the person’s real occupation for which they had all their
work experience in, was in fact a licenced/registered
occupation. That is if a person tried to be skills assessed for a lesser or
easier occupation to avoid having to go through stringent registration
requirements (ie doctor, lawyer, teacher etc) DIAC
could make them change their occupation back to one of these registered
occupations after the application was lodged.
This often
resulted in a refused application as the visa applicant was unable to meet this
harder skills assessment, hence the reason for trying to avoid it. This was
always a little tricky to try and avoid the case officer doing this. However
from 1st September this will no longer happen and case officers will
not change visa applicants occupation during the visa
process. In short good news.
(Source:
DIAC)
Also
unofficially this change has already occurred prior to September 1st
2007, and case officers are no longer using this regulation to make people
change to a more difficult occupation.
3) New
Two year study Rule for Australian graduates
This rule
will become much clearer from 1st September. The new rule will state
From 1
September 2007, to meet the two year study requirement, applicants will have to
complete one or more degrees, diplomas or trade qualifications for award by an
Australian educational institute as a result of a course or courses:
Course
duration will be calculated from the date classes begin to the date all academic
requirements have been met for that qualification.
These changes are beneficial because they give students more
flexibility. Students will not be penalised for
changing education providers. They will also be able to count study undertaken
online towards meeting the two year study requirement, if they were in
Two
important points here are :
1)
That
study at previous institutions in
2)
That
you must do a FULL two years of study to meet the rule. For example an
accounting masters listed as a 16 units two year course by CRICOS, for which
the student gains one exemption from overseas study, CANNOT meet the new two
year rule. This is irrespective of how many semesters undertaken, or how many
units per semester. This is a significant change from the old rule !!
(Source:
DIAC)
4) New
Fees from 1st July 2007
There will
as usual be price rises from 1st July for visa applications. It is
expected that permanent visas will rise to $2060 and temporary visas to $190.
This is likely to be the costs for the permanent visas from 1st
September as well. The new 485 (18 month visa) we expect to cost $190 at this
stage.
(Source : DIAC)
5)
Duration of the new 18 month visa for Student Graduates (subclass 485)
The period
of this 18 month visa will not start until the visa is granted. Hence if you
don’t lodge it until maybe 4 months after completing study, and then DIAC take
around 4 months to process, in effect it is a process that allows you to stay
maybe over 2 years in total.
The
requirements for this visa are :
• hold an eligible student visa or have held an eligible student visa in the past six months
• have met the two-year study requirement in the past six months
• nominate a 50 or 60 point occupation from the Skilled Occupation List
• have applied to have their skills assessed for their nominated skilled occupation
and
• have competent English, or vocational English in the case of an applicant who has
applied to have their skills assessed in a trade qualification. (or booked IELTS test)
(Source:
DIAC)
6)
Movement of SIR visa holders between states
Whilst it
is not encouraged, it is expected that as there will be no requirement for sponsorship
at the permanent visa stage for SIR visa holders (and the new 475/487 regional
visa), movement between states (but still in regional areas) on this visa will
be much easier. More details of this will become available around September I
expect.
7) IELTS
(English Test) results to last for two years
In the past
IELTS would last for one year, with the possibility (at case officers
discretion) of being able to be used for a period of two years for a visa
application. However from 1st September the policy will be that the
results will be valid for a set two year period.
(Source:
DIAC)
8)
Investment of $100,000 for 5 extra points in
Whilst it
is still possible to gain 5 extra points for investing $100,000 in government
bonds for 12 months for all skilled applications lodged before 1st
September 2007, from the 30th June 2007 this will not be accepted by
the Western Australian State Government.
That is
because the authority in
This does
not mean if you are in WA or choosing WA to migrate to that you can not gain
those extra points. It just means that you will need to send your investment to
one of the other states of
(Source:
DIAC)
9) New
Citizenship Test Questions
Citizenship applicants need 60% to pass
The Age (Melbourne), May 29, 2007
http://www.theage.com.au/news/NATIONAL/Citizenship-applicants-need-60-to-pass/2007/05/29/1180205247781.html
Applicants for Australian citizenship would need to score at least 60 per cent
to pass an exam under legislation being introduced in federal parliament on
Wednesday.
Applicants' correct answers must include three mandatory questions on the
responsibilities and privileges of citizenship, says a paper presented to the
coalition party room.
There would be no limit on the number of times a person can take the test.
Would-be citizens get 45 minutes to answer 20 multiple-choice questions on the
nation's history, geography, culture and traditions drawn randomly from a
larger group of questions.
The questions will be derived from the contents of a resource book made
available to applicants, the paper says.
People assessed as having less than basic English
reading skills will be given 90 minutes and talked through the test.
However, applicants must satisfy authorities that they have a basic grasp of
English.
Under 18s, those over 60 and people with mental or physical incapacity would
not need to take the exam.
(Source: Age Newspaper,
10)
Latest Processing information from
As of 8 June 2007 the ASPC admin section is processing as follows:
Onshore Applications: receipting applications received on 5 June 2007 and
acknowledging applications received on 5 June 2007.
Offshore Applications: receipting applications received on 28 May 2007 and
acknowledging applications received on 26 March 2007.
Applicants and representatives who have not authorised
e-mail communication
will not receive separate advice that the ASPC has received and receipted
an application and will receive the standard acknowledgement letter and
receipt details in due course.
Please note that any delay in acknowledging an application
does not affect
the date on which a valid application is recorded as having been received
and does not delay processing of the application.
Once an application has been acknowledged a case
officer is appointed to
assess each application as soon as possible, however, the ASPC receives a
large number of applications and you will not be contacted immediately.
Processing and Allocation Information - For the week of 12 June 2007
Applications lodged on or before the dates shown below have been allocated
to case officers for further processing.
ONSHORE APPLICATIONS
Student/Graduate
Paper based applications: 8 January 2007 (subclass 880), 20
December 2006
(subclass 881) and 22 December 2006 (subclass 882)
E-lodged (on-line) applications: 2 January 2007 (subclass 880) and 22
December 2006 (subclass 881) and 29 December 2006 (subclass 882)
Skilled Independent Regional (Provisional) (SIR VISA)
Paper based applications: 22 December 2006
E-lodged (on-line) applications: 12 January 2007
New Zealand
All applications: 4 October 2006 (all subclasses)
OFFSHORE APPLICATIONS
All paper based applications for Classes BN, BQ, BR, UX and UZ (subclasses
134, 136, 137, 138, 139, 495 and 496)
Priority Applications: 14 September 2006*
Non-Priority Applications: 31 August 2006
*this data includes paper based SIR applications which
are processed as
part of the priority caseload
Skilled Independent Regional (Provisional) (eSIR visa
applications)
E-lodged (on-line) applications: 05 February 2007
(Source:
DIAC)
Okay folks
that is all for another month. See you all on Monday 16th July and
keep good.
Cheers
Steven
O’Neil