Passenger card may be required

The new instrument specifies two circumstances in which a clearance officer may require a person who has provided an Australian Travel Declaration to provide a completed incoming passenger card

“Deregulation” Bill (not just deregulation) introduced in the Senate

The "Deregulation" Bill passed the House of Reps on 12 Feb 2020 and was introduced and read a first time in the Senate on 13 Feb 2020. On 28 November 2019, the Senate referred the provisions of the Bill to the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee for inquiry and report by 18 March 2020. As a result, it is unlikely that the Senate will debate the Bill before 23 March 2020, which is the first sitting day following the report's deadline. We discuss in this article that the Deregulation Bill is not just about the deregulation of lawyers, but also includes other important changes.

Digital passenger declaration

The new regulations "amend the Customs Regulation 2015(Customs Regulation) and the Migration Regulations 1994 (Migration Regulations) to facilitate the introduction of a digital passenger declaration (DPD), for use by travellers on a voluntary basis... The DPD may also be used to provide COVID-19 vaccination information and related declarations, which is the information that can currently be provided using the Australia Travel Declaration"

VACs and fees in foreign currencies

"The purpose of the instrument is to specify the exchange rates and foreign currencies used to make payments of certain fees, for paragraph 5.36(1A)(a) of the Regulations, from 1 July 2022.  The instrument also repeals..."

Income threshold & exemptions for subclass 189

The new instrument specifies: the minimum amount of taxable income for an income year that a primary applicant for a subclass 189 visa in the New Zealand stream must meet; the circumstances under which an applicant for a subclass 189 visa is a member of a class of applicants exempt from the minimum amount of taxable income specified and the evidence required for the class.

Regulations on giving documents

"The amendments made to the Migration Regulations by the Regulations are technical amendments which are consequential to those made by the Amendment Act. They clarify the operation of the relevant regulations and thereby provide transparency and predictability in the operation of the legislation."

An instrument: new eligible sponsor for subclass 408

"The purpose of the instrument is to remove the reference to special purpose visas (SPVs) granted to a person on the grounds that they are a crew member, or a spouse, de-facto partner or dependant of a crew member, of a non-military ship. These grounds have no longer been available for the granting of SPVs since 1 January 2008. The reference is therefore redundant".

New CPD requirements for RMAs

"The purpose of the instrument is to specify certain matters relating to the Continuing Professional Development (CPD) requirements for registered migration agents and CPD providers..."

MARA fees

The new Regulations "set out the charge payable when an individual lodges an application for registration as [an RMA] or when an existing [RMA] lodges an application for repeat registration with the [MARA]"

Australia travel declaration

The new legislation supports "the trial of the Australia Travel Declaration (ATD) as a digital version of the passenger card, also known as the ‘incoming passenger card’"