Legislative Updates

Timor Sea Maritime Boundaries Treaty Consequential Amendments Bill 2018

"... The purpose of this amendment is to strengthen the assessment of the student’s intention to genuinely study in Australia and more effectively identify any non-genuine international students seeking to enter Australia for purposes other than study ..."

"The purpose of this instrument is to amend LIN 21/019 to implement Subclass 462 visa arrangements agreed to by the Australian Government and the Government of ..."

The new Bill seeks to amend the Migration Act 1958 (Cth) to strengthen the character test in section 501 by "providing a new specific and objective ground to consider visa refusal or cancellation where a non-citizen has been convicted of certain serious offences against Australian or foreign laws involving violence against a person (including murder, kidnapping and aggravated burglary), non-consensual sexual acts, breaching of an apprehended violence order (or similar) or weapons"

Migration (LIN 18/215: Class of Persons eligible for a nil visa application charge for Class GG visa and Subclass 408 (Temporary Activity) visa) Instrument 2018

'This bill seeks to amend the Migration Act 1958 to require the temporary transfer to Australia of transitory persons on Manus Island or Nauru, and their families, if they are assessed by two or more treating doctors as requiring medical treatment'

Starting on 13 Dec 2018, the Minister will be required to publish personal details of non-compliant sponsors, with retrospective effect from 18 March 2015

New LIN 19/149: 'For the purposes of paragraph 2.87CD(1)(b) [of the Migration Regulations 1994], the specified manner in which an approved family sponsor is to give details to Immigration of events mentioned in subregulation 2.87CD(2), is through the sponsor’s online ImmiAccount'

The purpose of the instrument is to support a new online process that will allow New Zealand visa applicants to complete a digital version of Form 15 (the incoming passenger card) and to request an appointment to visit a Departmental office and lodge their visa application in person

"The purpose of this instrument is to specify that the visa application charge is nil for applicants for a ..."