Change of definition of “member of family unit”
This amendment includes ‘step child’ in the definition of ‘dependent child’
Sets an upper age limit of 23 years for children or step-children who are dependent, unless they are incapacitated for work. This is to bring consistency to the provisions on who can accompany a visa holder as a family member in line with those on who can be sponsored by an existing permanent resident or citizen as a family member – this amendment applies to an application for a visa made on or after 19 November 2016 or a visa granted as a result of such an application. Read more →
Subclass 462 (Work and Holiday) visas
This Schedule permits holders (or former holders) of Subclass 462 (Work and Holiday) visas to apply for a second Subclass 462 (Work and Holiday)visa, if they have carried out work in areas of Australia and of a kind specified by the Minister, for at least three months as the holder of the first Subclass 462 (Work and Holiday) visa.
In line with the Government’s White Paper on Developing Northern Australia, the specified work is intended to be work undertaken in the agriculture, forestry, fisheries, tourism and hospitality industries in the Northern Territory and northern parts of Western Australia and Queensland;
This amendment applies to applications for visas made on or after 19 November 2016
Visa Subclass 457, New Updates
This Schedule reduces the time period that a Subclass 457 (Temporary Work (Skilled) visa holder can remain in Australia after ceasing employment with their current sponsor from 90 days to 60 days.
If 457 holder has not found a new sponsor within 60 days of ceasing that employment, they will be in breach of their visa condition 8107 and their visa may be cancelled.
This amendment applies to 457 visas granted on or after 19 November 2016
Industrial Action by DIBP Staff
Protected industrial action will commence today, and will continue intermittently until Friday, 26 June 2015. During this period, airports, client service centres, ports, container examination facilities and visa processes may be affected.
The protected industrial action is being undertaken by Community and Public Sector Union members employed with the Department of Immigration and Border Protection and the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service (ACBPS).
Real estate purchases by foreigners
Immigration numbers are too high, straining Sydney and Melbourne’s infrastructure and pushing up house prices beyond the reach of average Australians, former NSW Labor premier Bob Carr recently told The Australian.
“If you jam more people into Sydney, then they will get spikes in land and housing prices. We are stoking demand,’’ he said.
Backlog of priority applications concerning
Thousands of skilled migrants living in Australia want to know why their valid applications for permanent residency have not been touched for several years.Those people at the very bottom of the skilled migration queue are classified as “priority five”.