ImmiAccount system outage from 7 pm on 30 June, credit card and PayPal surcharge increases from 1 July 2020

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ImmiAccount system outage from 7 pm on 30 June, credit card and PayPal surcharge increases from 1 July 2020

ImmiAccount and other major online services provided by the Department of Home Affairs will be down for scheduled maintenance from 7 pm (AEST) 30 June 2020 until 9 am (AEST) 1 July 2020. While there has been no news on any changes to visa application charges or other migration- and citizenship-related fees, the surcharge for Visa and Mastercard payments and PayPal will increase, with an important warning for any applicant seeking to avoid surcharges altogether by using BPAY.

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AAT caseload overload: On hand migration applications increase 34 per cent to almost 60,000

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AAT caseload overload: On hand migration applications increase 34 per cent to almost 60,000

The Administrative Appeals Tribunal’s (AAT’s) 2018-19 annual report shows the Migration and Refugee Division continues to be weighed down by the number of review applications lodged despite their best efforts in adopting case management strategies and increasing the number of finalised applications. A crucial target they have met is making legally sound decisions, which means the chances of success if a matter is taken to court is much more difficult.

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Bridging visa creep: 49 per cent increase in bridging visa holders in 2 years to over 205,000

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Bridging visa creep: 49 per cent increase in bridging visa holders in 2 years to over 205,000

A recent Freedom of Information (FOI) request shows that the number of bridging visa holders in Australia has increased by 49 per cent in two years. This may have important implications to any claims made of restraining permanent visa grant numbers, however, this is not as straightforward as it may appear.

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Labour agreements: A small but growing part of Australia’s skilled migration program

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Labour agreements: A small but growing part of Australia’s skilled migration program

A recent Freedom of Information (FOI) request provides keen insights into labour agreements up to July 2018, including processing times, popularity, and its use compared to the standard business sponsor regime for Subclass 482 – Temporary Skill Shortage visas and the Subclass 186 – Employer Nomination Scheme visa under either the Temporary Residence Transition stream or the Direct Entry stream.

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