188/888 visas: SIV in sight amid reports of rorting, potential increase from $5 million?

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188/888 visas: SIV in sight amid reports of rorting, potential increase from $5 million?

A review of Australia’s Business Innovation and Investment Program is ongoing, however, Significant Investor visas, which is a passive investment stream under the Subclass 188/888 – Business Innovation and Investment visa has come under fire with recent reports of integrity concerns and an alleged Ponzi scheme run through the current complying investment framework. The review suggests the $5 million minimum may be increased.

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WHM visas: Critical COVID-19 work anywhere in Australia after 31 January 2020 accepted as specified work

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WHM visas: Critical COVID-19 work anywhere in Australia after 31 January 2020 accepted as specified work

From today, any application for a second or third Working Holiday Maker visa, Subclass 417 – Working Holiday visa and Subclass 462 – Work and Holiday visa, where an applicant has undertaken critical COVID-19 work in the healthcare and medical sectors in any postcode in Australia after 31 January 2020 will count towards specified work. What is defined as critical COVID-19 work is open to interpretation.

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COVID-19: Hundreds of thousands stranded Australian temporary visa holders and the lucky few allowed to enter

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COVID-19: Hundreds of thousands stranded Australian temporary visa holders and the lucky few allowed to enter

Of the 5.1 million temporary visas holders outside Australia as of 31 May 2020, roughly 255,000 temporary residents including 25,000 temporary sponsored workers or their family members were stuck overseas. As only 10,000 travel exemptions were granted up to 22 June 2020, most of which were for transiting passengers, it is an unfortunate situation that many temporary visa holders may see their visas expire without being able to return to Australia.

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Australian citizenship test results are in: 86% pass rate, 14% fail rate; 200,000 granted citizenship in 2019-20

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Australian citizenship test results are in: 86% pass rate, 14% fail rate; 200,000 granted citizenship in 2019-20

The coronavirus pandemic did not stop the administration of more Australian citizenship tests in 2019-20 than 2018-19. The fail rate for the citizenship test was over 3 per cent higher in 2019-20 at 15.6 per cent. Last year also saw a record number of people conferred citizenship with more than 200,000 people becoming Australian citizens by conferral.

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