ISCAH Migration
Newsletter
(Copyright 2005)
Edition Number 84
20th June 2005
Hi everyone
Welcome to the latest edition
of our free newsletter provided to keep you up to date with any immigration
changes that we know of for Australian visas.
If you want to subscribe to
this list (in case this is a complimentary copy), receive backcopies or
unsubscribe, please drop me an email to newsletter@iscah.com
Gee, Freo Dockers. I went to
the game yesterday and cannot believe how bad we played. I think that loss may
make it very difficult to make the finals. That will be a great disappointment
as it the most open season in years. Anyone can beat anyone if they make the
finals, even the top side lost to the bottom side a few weeks ago and could
easily have lost 6 or 7 games in close finishes.
I know the guys are trying hard but they lack all confidence now and the two week break may help them. We won’t ever give up but we have made it very hard now. At least the supporters can laugh and we had a good time with the group around us at the game.
On to the main stuff ..
1) Details of the New
Retirement Visa from 1st July 2005
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OFFICIAL details of the
new retiree visa have been issued by DIMIA today and they are slightly
different to what the South Australian government had on their website. In
particular the $8000 per person for future nursing costs is payable for each
renewal. The new visa category is as follows ..
The proposed visa targets retired business and
professional people with significant assets
who are seeking to spend some of their
retirement years in Australia and who will benefit
Australia through major investment.
The visa will require holders to be financially
self sufficient
so that their presence in Australia will be at
no cost to the Australian taxpayer.
The Investor Retirement visa will replace the
current temporary Retirement visa (subclass
410), although people currently holding a
temporary Retirement visa will continue to be
able to make an application for a temporary
Retirement visa.
The Investor Retirement visa is being
introduced following consultations with the State and
Territory Governments. The visa provides
incentives to encourage persons to settle in
regional/low growth areas in those States and
Territories that offer sponsorship.
In agreement with State and Territory
governments, a two-tiered approach has been
developed which will require applicants to nominate
at time of sponsorship whether they
intend to settle in a regional/low growth or a
non-regional/non-low growth area.
The definition of regional and low growth that
will be used for the Investor Retirement visa will
be the same as that used for the Skilled
Independent Regional Visa (SIR). Their place of
intended settlement will determine the level of
funds required to satisfy the financial
criterion. In line with the two-tier approach,
reduced thresholds will apply for the required
Designated Investment (DI), establishment costs
and income stream for those intending to
live in regional or low growth areas.
More specifically, the visa will have the
following characteristics:
- for the first or initial visa
application, main applicant would be 55 years or older
(spouse could be under 55 years of age);
- for the initial and all subsequent visa
applications, payment of a second visa
application charge of $8,000 per person per
visa application to offset the possible
cost of some applicants accessing aged
care/nursing home services at a future time
(not refundable, regardless of whether care is
utilised during the life of the visa);
- for the initial and all subsequent visa
applications main applicant to be sponsored
by a State/Territory Government with
sponsorship being maintained for the entire
period of the applicant's stay in Australia;
- for the initial and all subsequent visa
applications, main applicant to make a
minimum designated investment (DI) (depending
on whether they nominate a
regional/low growth area or a
non-regional/non-low growth area)in a State or
Territory Treasury bond of:
(a) A$750,000 for the initial visa, if the main
applicant has indicated
to the State or Territory Government sponsor
that they are going to live in
a non-regional or non-low growth area; or
(b) A$500,000 for the initial visa, if the main
applicant has indicated
to the State or Territory Government sponsor
that they are going to live in
a regional or low growth area; or
(c) A$500,000 for a second or further visa, if
the main applicant has
indicated to the State or Territory Government
sponsor that they are
going to live in a non-regional or non-low
growth area; or
(d) A$250,000 for a second or further visa, if
the main applicant has
indicated to the State or Territory Government
sponsor that they are
going to live in a regional or low growth area;
- in addition to the DI, and for grant of the
initial visa only, main applicant to provide
evidence of assets that can be used to
establish a lifestyle in Australia, with those
assets allowed to be combined with those of the
spouse, of a minimum of:
* A$750,000 if the main applicant has indicated
to the State or
Territory Government sponsor that they are
going to live in a
non-regional or non-low growth area; or
* A$500,000 if the main applicant has indicated
to the State or
Territory Government sponsor that they are
going to live in a
regional or low growth area;
- for the initial and all subsequent visa
applications, the main applicant to provide
evidence of an annual income stream, with that
income stream allowed to be
combined with income stream of their spouse, of
a minimum of;
* $65,000 if the main applicant has
indicated to the State or
Territory Government sponsor that they will
live in a
non-regional or non-low growth area; or
* $50,000 if the main applicant has
indicated to the State or
Territory Government sponsor that they will
live in a regional
or low growth area.
- for the initial and all subsequent visa
applications, each applicant to provide
evidence that they hold a private health
insurance package that meets the
Department of Health and Ageing guidelines
(that is, the package provides cover
equivalent to that provided to under Medicare)
throughout their period of stay in
Australia;
- each applicant to have limited work rights of
20 hours per week, to allow visa
holders to pursue activities such as volunteer
work or investment management
without breaching visa conditions;
- each applicant to meet full migration
health and character criteria for the first or
initial visa only and to satisfy streamlined
health and character for further visa
applications;
- each applicant must have no dependants
other than a spouse; and
- initial maximum period of stay would be
4 years, renewable if applicant continues to
meet criteria, for an additional 4 years.
Sponsorships from State/Territory Governments
are to be obtained on a new
form, 1249.
If your application is approved, you will be given a visa
that will allow multiple travel in and out of Australia Sydney, Brisbane, Perth
and Melbourne for 4 years. Before your visa expires, you may apply
for a further stay of 4 years, however, you must satisfy the criteria for this
further visa, (see second application criteria above)
Designated investments are offered by the SA Government
Finance Authority Corporation.
The Corporation guarantees repayment of principal on maturity.
A health insurance package is adequate if it provides cover
that is equivalent to the cover provided under Medicare in
Australia. Medicare is administered by the Health Insurance
Commission in Australia and they can be contacted by telephone in Australia
132011 or at their website www.hic.gov.au.
Information and advice on the purchase of houses or property
in Australia is available from the Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB). You
should contact FIRB before you make arrangements to purchase property as
failure to do so may incur a penalty. The FIRB can be contacted by
telephone (02) 6263 3795, facsmile (02) 6263 2940 or at their website
www.firb.gov.au.
2) Processing Times
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Just a little unofficial feedback
on processing time as we are currently experiencing them (as opposed to the
official lists put out by DIMIA)
Subclass 136 - Three to Six months
Subclass 138 - Three to Six months
Subclass 880 - Two to Seven months
Subclass 457 - One to Eight weeks
TRA assessments – Two to
Three months
3) Assistance with employment
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We do not ever recommend
services of companies but are happy to provide details of some businesses that
may assist you in moving to Australia, for which we receive no financial
benefits.
As such here is a few
paragraphs from such a business ..
SOUTH AFRICAN ENGINEERS SEEKING OPPORTUNITIES IN AUSTRALIA
John Masters,
JSM Appointments (June 2005)
An
acute shortage of engineering skills in Australia has prompted many companies
to embark on recruitment campaigns abroad. Countries with similar industries
are preferred targets, but generally have skills shortages for the same
reasons. South Africa has been identified as a potential source of suitably
qualified and experienced candidates who for various reasons are likely to
pursue alternative employment opportunities in Australia.
JSM
Appointments is a Perth based human resources consulting firm specialising in
the selection and referral of local and international engineering skills for
Australian companies in the mining, energy and power industry. During recent
recruitment campaigns in South Africa we have been successful in attracting
high calibre engineering professionals. Following an overwhelming response to
our enquiries we have established a broad network of qualified and experienced
engineering candidates seeking employment opportunities in Australia. Companies
searching for overseas engineering skills suitable for the following roles
should contact John Masters at johnm@jsmappointments.com
·
Maintenance
Improvement Specialists (Mining and Mineral Process Plant)
·
Maintenance
Shutdown Managers and Superintendents as well as Site Managers (Mining and
Mineral Process Plant, Base Metals, Coal and Petro-Chemical)
·
Civil
Engineers (Mining, (Structural), Infrastructure and Water / Waste)
·
Electrical
Protection Technicians
·
Electrical
Design Engineers (Transmission and Substations).
4) Estonia join Working Holiday Visa (417)
program
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Estonia have joined the working
holiday visa program taking the total number of countries to 19 who have
reciprocal agreements with Australia.
The Working Holiday Program provides
opportunities for people between 18 and 30 to holiday in Australia and to
supplement their travel funds through incidental employment. The visa allows a
stay of up to 12 months from the date of first entry to Australia, regardless
of whether or not you spend the whole time in Australia.
You are allowed to do any kind of work
of a temporary or casual nature, but work for more than three months with any
one employer is not permitted.
From 1 November 2005, Working Holiday
Makers who have worked as a seasonal worker in
regional Australia for a minimum of three months while on their first
working holiday visa, will be eligible to apply for a second Working Holiday
visa and stay for a further 12 months.
Australia has reciprocal Working
Holiday maker arrangements in effect with the United Kingdom, Canada, the
Netherlands, Japan, Republic of Ireland, Republic of Korea, Malta, Germany,
Denmark, Sweden, Norway, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) of
the People's Republic of China, Finland, the Republic of Cyprus, France, and
Italy, Belgium, Estonia and Taiwan.
5) Rise in Fees
----------------------
Please be aware that on the 1st
July 2005 the fees for visa applications will rise. We do not have all the fees
but are aware that the following fees will rise ..
Skilled Migration Rise
from $1845 to $1935
Temporary Visas Rise
from $170 to $180
Other fee increases will be
available in the next newsletter. If you want to know a specific fee in the
meantime please email us at newsletter@iscah.com.
Just a short newsletter this
week folks. The next newsletter will be on Monday 18th July.
Keep well
Steven O’Neil
Iscah Migration