A Ministerial Direction from the government has re-confirmed accredited sponsor applications will be given top priority. This directive will be effective immediately and on-going.
Planning to migrate can be an exciting time. There are a number of reasons for migrating and a great many visa options to suit the migration needs of most people. While there are many visa options available, it’s important to remember that they all differ in their requirements and their application lead times. Visas can take anywhere from months or even years to obtain.
Peter Dutton made headlines last week when it was revealed that the federal police had raided the Department of Home Affairs. The raid was the result of leaked documents pertaining to Mr Dutton’s intervention in granting visas to European au pairs.
The political events of the last couple of weeks have not only resulted in Australia having a new Prime Minister but also a number of changes in the new Prime Minister’s cabinet. One of the changes Prime Minister Scott Morrison has made is the appointment of David Coleman to the role of Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs Minister.
Registered Migration Agent, Jia has a strong and varied legal background. Prior to entering the field of migration, Jia worked in property law and commercial litigation. While she enjoyed working in these fields, she wanted to work more with people and make a difference in their lives. Four years ago, she took a bold leap into immigration law and has not looked back since.
It’s now harder than ever to become an Australian citizen. We live in a great country so it’s not surprising that many people want to make Australia their permanent home.
While we don’t want to let just anyone into Australia, how stringent should we be on permanent residents wanting citizenship?
There has been a great deal in the media about Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton and his character test. In effect since late 2014, the character test has the potential to block aspirations of being an Australian citizen.
Earlier this week, the government confirmed its plans to commence the Skilling Australians Fund. Commencing on 12th August 2018, the Act relates to the ‘nomination training contribution charge’.
Put simply, employers nominating to bring foreign workers into Australia for temporary or permanent skilled work visas will be hit with a nomination fee. Employers will be asked to pay a fee for each year they expect the visa entrant to be working in Australia. These fees will significantly increase the cost of nominating foreign workers and are required to be paid in full when the application is lodged.
As with any visa, there are a myriad of tests and paperwork to be completed. While it is important that proper relationship screenings take place to determine the legitimacy of the relationship, how strict should visa laws be when it comes to applicants having to update their relationship status?
Sherry joins the Visa Solutions Australia team as a Senior Migration Agent. She brings with her almost 10 years of professional migration experience.
Personalised assistance and consulting service for Australian Immigration services for both individual and businesses.
