Occupation list shuffle: 36 more GSM occupations; GPs sent to the country, new caveats

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Occupation list shuffle: 36 more GSM occupations; GPs sent to the country, new caveats

Major changes to the occupations lists for GSM visas and temporary and permanent employer sponsored visas come into effect today. This includes 36 occupations now eligible to compete for an invitation for a Subclass 189 – Skilled—Independent visa or a Subclass 489 – Skilled—Regional (Provisional) visa sponsored by an eligible relative. New caveats have been added to the Subclass 482 – Temporary Skill Shortage visas, Subclass 186 – Employer Nomination Scheme visa, and Subclass 187 – Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme visa occupation lists, including that General Practitioners will require a certificate to be nominated, which will see many required to work in regional or rural areas.

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Data matching for 457 and TSS visa on its way

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Data matching for 457 and TSS visa on its way

The Department of Home Affairs and the Australian Tax Office will begin sharing data on some 280,000 primary Subclass 457 – Temporary Work (Skilled) visa and the Subclass 482 – Temporary Skill Shortage visa holders between 1 July 2015 to 30 June 2018. This will be to ensure both business sponsors and visa holders are or were complying with their sponsor obligations and visa conditions. Inconsistencies may well be investigated.

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PR carrot for semi-skilled workers under DAMAs, extended to south-west Victoria

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PR carrot for semi-skilled workers under DAMAs, extended to south-west Victoria

Announcements made this week will see the renewal of the Designated Area Migration Agreement (DAMA) in the Northern Territory and a DAMA in south west Victoria, with more being considered. However, the bigger reveal is that these two DAMAs will come with it a pathway to a permanent visa, which is a significant development as semi-skilled workers have not been a feature of Australia’s skilled migration program for many years.

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Business sponsor shame list to begin 13 December 2018; Powers to request tax file numbers; Clarity on review rights for refused sponsored visas

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Business sponsor shame list to begin 13 December 2018; Powers to request tax file numbers; Clarity on review rights for refused sponsored visas

New regulations will come into force on 13 December 2018 that will see the Minister of Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs publish a list of sanctioned business sponsors, what obligation they breached, and the sanction they received.

The Secretary of the Department of Home Affairs will be able to request from visa applicants, sponsors, and nominators, tax file numbers of visa holders and former visa holders for many temporary and permanent skilled visas. The ramifications of this may see more visas refused and cancelled.

Lastly, amendments have been made to give more certainty to sponsored or nominated workers whose visa applications are refused to seek review at the Administrative Appeals Tribunal.

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