LMT exemption: PACER Plus treaty
The Pacific Agreement on Closer Economic Relations Plus (PACER Plus) came into force on 13 December 2020. As a result, a legislative instrument based on the PACER Plus exempting individuals from Labour Market Testing requirements has commenced on the same day.
ETA changes for Taiwan passport holders
"The purpose of the instrument is to include an additional condition for passports issued by the authorities of Taiwan"
Deregulation: OMARA fee “refund” is possible
The OMARA has recently informed practitioners that it will not be able to refund registration (or repeat registration) application charges for legal practitioners who will no longer be regulated by the OMARA. Although the OMARA is not itself able to offer refunds, we carried out research for our readers and found a piece of legislation which gives the Commonwealth government the discretion to make payments to individuals in certain circumstances, which in the case of OMARA fees could effectively work as a refund. We also discuss the government's policies on such circumstances and how to make a "refund" request.
Temporary Sponsored Parent visa: minimum income
It is expected that applications for the new Temporary Sponsored Parent visa subclass will be available on 17 April 2019; sponsors will need to have a taxable income of at least $83,454.80
BV: new instrument
The purpose of the new instrument commencing on 26 May 2020 concerning bridging visas is to amend a drafting error in the repealed instrument
SAF for new Subclass 494 (Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional)) visa
'Nominations would incur a charge of AUD 5000 or, for businesses with an annual turnover of less than AUD 10 million, a charge of AUD 3000'
Student visas: English tests & evidence exemptions
The new instrument amends "the definition of eligible pathway program and to specify by way of a Schedule, the list of registered courses that are an eligible pathway program"
Disclosure of information to prescribed bodies
"The purpose of this instrument is to specify the prescribed bodies to which authorised officers may disclose identifying information under regulation 5.34D of the Migration Regulations"
Subclass 870 (Parent): sponsorship application issues
With respect, we have identified 8 issues in the sponsorship application form, which does not accurately reflect the new legislation in some aspects and might lead to unwarranted sponsorship refusals; given the success of our webinars on this new parent visa, we will be running those CPD webinars again
Partial commencement: Regulation of RMAs
Just announced: 3 schedules of the Migration Amendment (Regulation of Migration Agents) Act 2020 will commence in just a few days...