(Copyright
2007)
Edition
Number 112
Monday 15th
October 2007
Hiya
everyone
Welcome to
our latest update on all the news about obtaining visas for
Football
season is finished over here and not sure I will get enough time to play
cricket so no small talk this week L
On to the newsletter ..
This
months contents :
1)
Update on Trades Assessments based just on work experience
2)
Sponsorship for Regional Migration into
3)
New Australian “Values” Statement
4)
New DIAC Forms from 15th October 2007
5)
Labour Agreements now compulsory for on-hire industry for 457 visas
6)
What countries do people migrate from ?
7)
8) Correction to Citizenship Link from last
month
1)
Update on Trades Assessments based just on work experience
On the 1st
September the TRA withdrew the avenue of trades people being skills assessed
(an essential step for most skilled permanent visas) if based just on them
having work experience. Those people with formal and informal apprenticeships
were not affected but those trades people who ONLY had work experience lost
their way of being skills assessed.
This was done
on the basis of the TRA having great difficulties overcoming the presentation
of incorrect and fraudulent work evidence documents from many TRA applicants.
So until they can work out a way of resolving this problem, this method
(pathway D) of assessment will be temporarily suspended.
At present
we believe a new process may be in place by December 2007.
(Source:
TRA/MIA)
2)
Sponsorship for Regional Migration into
From the 1st
September there were several changes to the requirements for the regional 3
year visa (475 and 487) and state sponsored permanent visas (176 and 886).
The
preferred location of many of the applicants for the 3 year regional visas was
This will
severely limit the number of student graduates from states outside of
Given that
the student has the seemingly more attractive option of obtaining an 18 months
visa, working the same 12 months in their own area/city of
(Source:
South Australian state government and Iscah comment)
3)
New Australian “Values” Statement
The Australian
government believes that new residents should be encouraged to learn as much as
they can about their new country, its heritage, language, customs, values and
way of life and to apply for Australian citizenship when they become eligible.
Australian Values Statement
From 15 October
2007, all applicants aged 18 years and over are required to sign a values
statement when applying for selected visas. The statement requires applicants
to confirm that they will respect the Australian way of life and obey the laws
of
Who does it apply to?
For most visa
applicants the Australian Values Statement is included in the application form.
There are two different values statements. The statement applicants will be
required to sign depends on the visa they are applying for.
All provisional,
permanent and a small number of temporary visa applicants are required to have
read or had explained to them information provided by the Australian government
before signing the values statement. This information is contained in the Life in
Australia book.
For all other
temporary visa applicants the Australian Values Statement is included in the
general declaration section of their application form.
People currently
outside
There is a small
group of visas that do not require the Australian Values Statement. This group
includes and is not limited to:
- Visitor visas
-
(Source:
DIAC)
4)
New DIAC Forms from 15th October 2007
DIAC have
revised a substantial number of forms to incorporate the new Australia Values
statements. This makes a great deal of them essential to be used. If you do not
use them you may have to provide an extra form at a later date in your visa
process.
The list
of essential and non essential forms are here ..
Forms and booklets with essential changes —
15 October 2007
Forms and booklets 26, 40, 40SP, 47A, 47BT, 47BU, 47CH, 47ES, 47OF, 47PA, 47SP, 47SV, 48 (and other language
versions of this form), 80, 147, 148, 157A, 157G, 157P, 160, 456, 842, 918, 971i, 993i, 994i (and other language
versions of this form), 1002,
1040, 1066, 1127,
1129,
1131,
1150, 1208, 1227, 1235, 1238, 1257 and 1276.
Forms and booklets with non essential
changes - 15 October 2007
Only minor changes have been made to the text or
construction of these forms.
Forms and booklets 118, 119, 128, 132, 886, 913, 929, 956, 983i, 1000, 1025i, 1119,
1126i, 1128,
1130,
1132,
1133,
1215i and 1263
(Source:
DIAC)
5)
Labour Agreements now compulsory for on-hire industry for 457 visas
Under regulations from last week, on-hire companies that seek to sponsor overseas skilled workers will only be permitted to do so through labour agreement arrangements.
Minster for Immigration and Citizenship, Kevin Andrews, said the specific labour agreement for the on-hire industry recognised the unique employer/employer relationship in this sector.
‘The labour agreement provides a pathway to recruit overseas skilled workers where standard visa arrangements do not meet industry needs and access to overseas skilled workers is demonstrably in Australia’s interests.’
The changes recognise the importance of the on-hire industry’s capacity to readily supply workers to fill gaps in other businesses where an Australian worker is not available.
The on-hire labour agreement mandates for the training of
Australian workers and sets the skill level and salary for overseas workers,
further strengthening the integrity of
‘Amendments to the Migration Regulations will assist on-hire companies to transition from standard 457 visa arrangements to the labour agreement framework, which better provides for the needs of their industry and the Australian Government's strong commitment to ensuring the ongoing integrity of the 457 programme’ the Minister said.
All applications made on or after 1 October 2007 will be considered under the new framework. This change will not affect subclass 457 visa holders in the on-hire industry while they remain on their current visa.
(Source:
DIAC)
6)
What countries do people migrate from ?
Kiwis overtake Poms to lead Aussie migration stakes. The
Kiwis are coming. For the first time,
Arrivals from
The former leaders in the permanent settler stakes, the
Together,
The next largest pools of settlers reflected an emerging trend, with
Settlers are defined in the new Immigration Department publication, Settler
Arrivals 1996-97 to 2006-07
It also includes
The report shows that
Where once New Zealanders flocked to Bondi, the new figures show there is a new
mecca: NSW attracted just 5240, while
By contrast, Chinese, Indians and Filipinos favoured NSW, followed by
'The Howard Government believes that it is essential new migrants bring skills
to contribute to the work force and a commitment to integrate into the
community,' said Minister for Immigration Kevin Andrews.
'Our migration program is focused on skilled migration to ensure that new
arrivals can join the work force and integrate quickly into Australian
society.'
(Source: The Age Newspaper)
7)
As of 9 October 2007 the ASPC admin section is processing as
follows:
Onshore Applications: receipting applications received on 5 October 2007
and acknowledging applications received on 5 October 2007.
Offshore Applications: receipting applications received on 23 July 2007 and
acknowledging applications received on 28 June 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 9 October 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: 12 April 2007
(subclass 880), 2 March 2007
(subclass 881) and 6 March 2007 (subclass 882)
E-lodged (on-line) applications: 21 June 2007 (subclass 880) and 30 June
2007 (subclass 881) and 30 June 2007 (subclass 882)
Skilled Independent Regional (Provisional) (SIR VISA)
Paper based applications: 31 July 2007
E-lodged (on-line) applications: 13 March 2007
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: 15 December 2006
Non-Priority Applications: 8 December 2006
Skilled Independent Regional (Provisional) (eSIR visa applications)
E-lodged (on-line) applications: 7 April 2007
(Source: DIAC)
8) Correction to Citizenship Link from last
month
Thanks to those people who kept me up to date on this link and that it was not working. It seemed DIAC put it up a couple of times and then could not decide where it was best to be located as they moved to a final version of this document. Latest link is here :
http://www.citizenship.gov.au/test/resource-booklet/citz-booklet-full-ver.pdf
Okay folks, that is all for another month. Next newsletter is on Monday 19th November. Keep well.
Regards
Steven O’Neil
Iscah Migration