immigrationagency

Have you have been refused the exemption to travel overseas or to enter Australia?

Fri, 07 May 2021 05:28:28 GMT

Many Australian Citizens and Permanent resident have been refused the exemption to travel overseas or to enter Australia.

We have had a lot of success getting approvals for our clients.

TAKE A LOOK

Review received April 2021 by Christiner Riedl

Positive: Professionalism

If anyone can - John can!

As a dual citizen of Australia and a European country I learned only shortly before my departure from Australia that I need a travel exemption.
The Government site is very vague and nobody could give me a definite answer.
Most people I asked told me I had no chance to depart.
I met John in his office and he explored tirelessly all channels of possibilities to get an exemption.
And against all the odds - in a matter of a few days after lodging the statutory declaration John notified me that the travel exemption was granted!
I am very grateful to John and his assistant Louka and his the rest of his team: THANK YOU

Specialty Food Supervisor begins work under new migration scheme

Thu, 19 Dec 2019 05:28:28 GMT

A Vietnamese restaurant is the first Far North Queensland business to be granted streamlined access to overseas workers under the region’s new Designated Area Migration Agreement (DAMA).

For occupations where there are skills shortages, the agreement makes it easier to bring in migrant labour than the skilled visa program.

Pho Street Cairns has employed a restaurant supervisor under the scheme.

“This is a red letter day for our city and our region,” said Member for Leichhardt, Warren Entsch.

“Without the DAMA it’s been impossible to meet the needs of our local businesses.

“What the new restaurant supervisor has provided here is totally legitimate, authentic Vietnamese cuisine and we’re going to see this across the whole stretch, particularly in the hospitality area.”

Part owner of the restaurant, Hui Mai, said he hadn’t had success in finding a local to fill the position, despite a long search for an Australian-based candidate.

“We’ve got a few applicants but none of them have had the experience of running a restaurant and also being able to communicate our cuisine so applicants from Australia haven’t been able to fill the requirements of the job, they haven’t been what we’re looking for,” he said.

“Obviously from the way we cook it, to the way we prepare it, the way we serve it is different from western culture.”

There are 70 positions on the FNQ DAMA occupation list , with everything from motor mechanics to child care workers, agricultural technicians, dental assistants and boat builders included.

One of the key features of the scheme is that it offers opportunities for permanent residency.

“The 482 visas are not a pathway to residence in this country and when you’ve got people here with a skill set you need the last thing you want to do is keep turning them over,” Mr Entsch said.

“This allows employers to retain skilled staff over the long term.”

John Young from Immigration Agency said Pho Street Cairns’ successful application will be the first of many.

“I’ve been doing this for 30 years and I can tell you that up here in the Far North there are lots of shortages that people don’t recognise, that people don’t see,” he said.

“I think this is great for the Far North.”

SOURCE: Tropic Now

Jason Wood MP promotes the Registered Migration Agent profession

Wed, 28 Aug 2019 05:28:28 GMT

Over the weekend, the Assistant Minister for Customs, Community Safety and Multicultural Affairs (which also includes the Office of the MARA), the Hon Jason Wood MP promoted the Registered Migration Agent Profession.

Mr Wood's precise words were:

“To avoid being scammed, you can check the Register of Migration Agents, published on the OMARA website, to receive the protections of an OMARA registered Migration Agent,” Mr Wood said.

“There are Australian registered migration agents working all around the world in countries such as India, the United Kingdom, China and New Zealand, just to name a few.” “These agents are subject to the same Code of Conduct, professional development and regulations as registered migration agents based in Australia.”

New DAMA Agreement

Tue, 25 Jun 2019 05:28:28 GMT

The NEW five-year DAMA agreement will assist a range of industries including tourism, hospitality, agriculture, shipping and health, helping to drive economic growth and fill critical employment gaps. DAMA will cover the Cassowary Coast, Tablelands, Mareeba, Cairns and the Douglas Shire. The Commonwealth Government has acknowledged skill shortages in Far North Queensland and support the decision to include agriculture in the occupations list.

This is fantastic outcome for small businesses across the region. The EXPECTED concessions are in the following areas.: English Language, more occupations not on ANZSCO, Income threshold reductions.

For further information, please follow the link below:

https://www.warrenentsch.com.au/new-designated-area-migration-agreement-to-benefit-far-north-queensland-businesses/

New visa classes 491 and 494 commencing November 2019

Wed, 24 Apr 2019 04:03:08 GMT

The Subclass 491 Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) and Subclass 494 Skilled Employer Sponsored visas will be introduced from 16 November 2019.

These are points tested skilled assessment migration visa’s which requires either employer or state government nomination, or sponsorship by an eligible family member who is settled in a designated regional area.

The validity period for either visa is five years.

Holders of either visa will be work in a nominated position within any designated regional area.

Condition 8579 will be imposed on both visas to enforce the government’s intention that that visa holders live, work and study only in regional areas and, if employer sponsored, only in the nominated position.

A new permanent visa, the Subclass 191 Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) visa will be introduced in November 2022. To meet the requirements of the permanent visa, applicants must have held a subclass 491 or 494 visa for at least 3 years, have complied with the conditions on that visa and have met minimum taxable income requirements.

The Subclass 187 (Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme) Visa and the Subclass 489 (Skilled Regional (Provisional)) Visa (subclass 489) will close to new applicants from 16 November 2019 . Transitional arrangements will be put in place for applications which have been lodged and are undecided at that time.

New points test thresholds for both the subclass 489 and 491 visas are:

15 points for nomination by a State or Territory government agency or sponsorship by a family member residing in regional Australia, to live and work in regional Australia;

10 points for a skilled spouse or de facto partner;

10 points for certain Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics qualifications;

5 points for a spouse or de facto partner with ‘competent English’; and

10 points for applicants without a spouse or de facto partner.

Australia's Annual Immigration Intake Slashed

Tue, 12 Feb 2019 04:03:08 GMT

Australia’s annual immigration intake has remained at the centre of political discussion with Prime Minister Scott Morrison indicating it could be slashed, and more opportunities opening up for migrants in regional Australia.

Low-Skilled Migrants get a Pathway to Australian Permanent Residency

Mon, 11 Feb 2019 04:03:08 GMT

Immigration took centre stage in Australia’s political discourse for the better part of 2017 with much discussion around Australia’s annual permanent intake and the question of how to deal with growing overcrowding in Melbourne and Sydney.

A proposal was put forward to send migrants to regional and rural Australia for a set number of years before granting them permanent residency at a time when many regions are crying out for more migrants.

Low-skilled migrants with limited English get a pathway to Australian permanent residency

The Federal Government also signed two special agreements, Designated Area Migration Agreements with the Northern Territory and the Great Southern Coast of Victoria, offering a pathway to permanent residency to semi-skilled migrants with limited English.

Agreements could be Signed to Address Labour Needs

Sun, 10 Feb 2019 04:03:08 GMT

Immigration Minister David Coleman said agreements could be signed with more regions to address the labour needs of these areas – something he said was his priority right after he took charge of his portfolio last year. We are hoping that Cairns – Far North Queensland will be the next area included in this scheme.

The Designated Area Migration Agreements that will lower the skills, language and income requirements and let semi-skilled migrant workers access a pathway to permanent migration comes in the wake of a vociferous demand for a standalone agriculture visa to meet a growing demand for farm workers. For more information click here.

New Temporary Parent Visa to be Made Available

Sat, 09 Feb 2019 04:03:08 GMT

New Temporary Parent visa to be made available

A new temporary sponsored parent visa that will allow parents of migrants to stay in Australia for a period of up to five years will be made available during the first half of 2019. The visa was promised in June 2016, during the run-up to the last federal election but had been delayed as the legislation it was linked to couldn’t be passed until November last year.

Under the new visa, parents of migrants would be able to choose between a three-year visa that comes at a cost of $5,000 and a five-year visa with a $10,000 fee. There will be an opportunity for a single renewal with the number of visas subject to an annual cap of 15,000.

Sponsoring children of visa holders will have to ensure their parents have health insurance and do not incur any healthcare debt. They will act as financial guarantors and are legally required to any debt to taxpayers as a result of a medical emergency.

Migrant couples can sponsor only one set of parents for this visa.

Partner Visas — New Sponsorship Framework

Fri, 08 Feb 2019 04:03:08 GMT

New sponsorship framework for sponsored family visas – PARTNER VISAS

The Federal Parliament passed the Migration Amendments (Family Violence and Other Measures) Bill 2016 with Government’s amendments and it was subsequently passed by the lower house the same day on 28th November 2018, paving the way for a new sponsorship framework for sponsored family visas. This law will commence sometime in 2019.

The new sponsorship framework creates a two-step application process that involves an assessment of the sponsors, and once approved then only a visa application can be lodged.

This arrangement is primarily aimed at safeguarding vulnerable family members, particularly children and married partners from their violent sponsors.

This two-stage process will mean more waiting time for applicants waiting for their partner visas.

The new legislation also means additional scrutiny of the sponsoring partner as the Bill also provides for sharing of personal information between a range of parties associated with the family visa program.

The sponsorship framework will be applied initially to family sponsors under the new Temporary Sponsored Parent Visa arrangement to be introduced in early 2019.

The intention is for this to be progressively expanded to other Family visas, such as the Partner visa, subject to required legislative and systems changes.

Temporary Activity Visa Holders can Stay in Australia for Three Years

Thu, 07 Feb 2019 04:03:08 GMT

The Federal Government endorsed-Subclass 408 (Temporary Activity) visa will allow visa holders to stay in Australia for three years along with their families.

The state government will give priority to businesses related to the defence and space, cyber security, big data, digital and blockchain, food, wine and AgTech, health and medical technology, robotics, media and film industries. However, applicants with business plans related to other industries can also apply.

The special visa program will continue for three years, until November 2021.

Cutting Australia's Permanent Immigration Intake

Wed, 06 Feb 2019 04:03:08 GMT

Australia’s annual permanent immigration intake has been capped at 190,000 and has remained at the level since 2011. However, the actual intake last year fell to just over 162,000 for the first time since 2007 with a cut in the family and skilled visas.

Old Australian Citizenship Laws Still Apply

Tue, 05 Feb 2019 03:44:30 GMT

Australian citizenship Laws did not go through the SENATE. Therefore, the old laws still apply

The Federal Government has been trying to pass some changes to the Australian Citizenship law through the parliament that would make Australian permanent residents wait four years and pass an English language test before they can apply for citizenship. These changes were retrospectively applied after the announcement in April 2017.

However, these changes are opposed by opposition Labor, the Greens and some crossbench senators, making it difficult for the government to pass the legislation through the Senate. The law, when first time brought in Senate, was struck off the notice paper after the Greens moved against it.

The Immigration Department revoked the changes and started processing applications according to the current law and said it intended to pass the proposed changes by July 2018. However, the reworked legislation wasn't brought before parliament and in August 2018, the Government listed it among the legislation intended for discussion and passage during the Spring sitting of parliament. However, it was never brought for discussion.

In order to pass the changes through the Senate, the Government would need the support of crossbench senators some of whom have expressed strong opposition to some key elements of the law. Read more about the proposed changes in Australian citizenship law.