The twelve-month pilot of a Global Talent Scheme for tech-focused visas will be continued past its looming finish date as the federal government conducts a review of the scheme’s effectiveness. The Global Talent Scheme was launched in July last year in an effort to placate an irate tech sector following the shock scrapping of the 457 visa in 2017. The scheme, which sits under the Temporary Skills Shortage visa class, provides visas for “highly skilled and specialised positions that can’t be filled by Australian workers”. Under the GTS, Australian businesses can get access to fast-tracked four year visas with a pathway to permanent residency. It is split into two streams, one for established businesses with annual turnover of more than $4 million, and a specialised startup stream. The scheme was launched by the federal government as a 12-month pilot which will come to an end at the start of July. The Department of Home Affairs (DOHA) confirmed to InnovationAus.com that it would conduct a review of the scheme once it is completed in two weeks, and that the scheme would continue while this review takes place. According to DOHA – “The Australian government continues to be committed to attracting talent to fill skills needs in our economy,”. “The department’s goal remains to provide businesses, including Australian startups, with a streamlined process to sponsor overseas workers with cutting-edge skills, where there are no suitable Australians available.” The GTS got off to a slow start, and was delayed by the political turmoil in Canberra late last year. It took until October for the first company – Queensland-based SafetyCulture – to be approved under the scheme, while the first under the startup stream wasn’t approved until March this year. Fourteen companies have now qualified for the GTS and can access the fast-tracked visas, with four of these under the startup stream. Other large, non-tech companies have also taken advantage of the GTS, including Rio Tinto and Coles. The GTS was widely welcomed by the tech and startup sectors, which regularly raise concerns over the skills gap in Australia and access to talent. It is hoped that it would be extended and refined to meet some of the issues that have prevented wider uptake, especially with the costs associated with issuing a visa. Under the current scheme, businesses accessing the GTS have to pay a government fee along with the Skilling Australia Fund levy, which is an upfront cost of $1200 per year for each year the visa is running. A four year visa for a small startup could cost up to $7,575 for an individual, and more if they are bringing a partner or children. The federal government formed an Industry Advisory Group to support the pilot of the Global Talent Scheme, with members including StartupAus, the Australian Information Industry Association and Innovation and Science Australia. While the future of the scheme is unclear, all companies that have already been accredited for the GTS will be able to access the fast-tracked TSS visas for five years after they were approved. Business Migration Program reaches quota for the 2018/19 financial year
Agents are required to re-register with the OMARA on an annual basis. Repeat registration applicants who submit their application and pay the application charge before their current registration expires will automatically continue to be registered and may continue to provide immigration assistance until a decision is made on the application. This is the effect of section 300 of the Migration Act 1958 (the Act) – Automatic Continuation of registration. It usually takes around four weeks for the OMARA to process a repeat application for registration as a migration agent, however processing times may increase during peak periods. If you submit your repeat registration application before your registration expires, you can continue to provide immigration assistance while we process your application. However, if you submit your application after your registration expires, section 280 of the Act prevents you from providing immigration assistance until such time as we have approved your application.
A Chinese father has stopped taking the medication that controls his hepatitis B in a last-ditch bid to keep him and his family in Australia. Paul*, who wishes to remain anonymous, has lived in Sydney since 2012 when he moved with his wife and young children on a student visa. His children have received most of their education in Australia and speak English as their primary language. Paul later began teaching and applied for an employer-sponsored visa (subclass 186) that would allow him and his family to remain in the country permanently. But last year he found out he had failed the government’s migration health requirementbecause he has hepatitis – and it was deemed his healthcare would cost the taxpayer too much. The government’s immigration health criteria dictates that an applicant for Australian residency must be free from a disease or condition which “would be likely to require health care or community services” that would “result in a significant cost to the Australian community”. Currently the “significant cost threshold” sits at $40,000. After failing the health requirement, Paul has stopped taking the antiviral medication he had been taking since 2006, believing its cost is what stopped him pass the health requirement. He is now waiting for the results of medical tests, which hopefully will show his liver is functioning normally without medication, in the hope it will lead to the medical officer overturning their original decision. The Department of Home Affairs (DOHA) spokesperson said there had been no changes to the health requirement that would increase the number of visa applicants failing the test. Chronic viral infections, such as hepatitis B, are considered a disability under both Australian law and international conventions. In Australia, laws dealing with migration are exempt from anti-discrimination law, which prohibits discrimination against people on the basis of their disability. According to DOHA, a specific medical condition alone does not mean someone will fail to meet the health requirement. The DOHA spokesperson said they do not comment on individual cases, but do not support individuals ceasing medication without consulting a health professional. *Name has been changed
16 June marks the start of Refugee Week until 22 June, and coincides with international events to mark World Refugee Day on 20 June. Every year Refugee Week is celebrated around the country, providing the opportunity to acknowledge the success of refugees and humanitarian entrants in Australian society. The theme for Refugee Week this year is Courage, Determination and Resilience. Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs David Coleman said Refugee Week is an opportunity to recognise the people who come to Australia through the Humanitarian Programme. This year Australian Humanitarian Programme will offer 18,750 places to people in need. The Minister said that Australia will continue to run an orderly Humanitarian Programme, increase the proportion of the Programme allocated to women and children who are fleeing violence, and ensure that it is sufficiently diverse to react to evolving humanitarian issues.
New pre-apprenticeship program for Karratha students in 2020. An initiative between the McGowan Government and the Western Australian resources sector will enable Karratha students to complete a pre-apprenticeship course from 2020, with the opportunity for future employment in the mining sector. From next year, year 11 students from Karratha Senior High School will be able to obtain a Certificate II pre-apprenticeship qualification in Electrotechnology Electrician or Engineering Mechanical Trade at North Regional TAFE. The two-year program will require Karratha Senior High School students to attend TAFE on a full-time basis during Term 4 of Year 11 and Term 1 of Year 12. The program will meet the requirements of the Western Australian Certificate of Education. The Premier said these trades will address local industry needs and encourage the employment of apprentices by local employers, and bridge the gap between training and employment. This new program is part of the Pilbara Collaboration Charter, an initiative between the State Government and the Chamber of Minerals and Energy of Western Australia and collaboration partners BHP, Chevron Australia, CITIC Pacific Mining, Fortescue Metals Group, Rio Tinto, Roy Hill, Woodside and Yara Pilbara, which was developed in response to the Premier’s request for industry and Government to work together to deliver further social and economic benefits to the Pilbara region. These resources companies have committed to interview the students who complete these pre-apprenticeship courses with North Regional TAFE.
Premier Mark McGowan and Education and Training Minister Sue Ellery today announced two ground-breaking automation courses will commence at South Metropolitan TAFE’s Munster campus from Semester 2, 2019. This is the first achievement of the Resource Industry Collaboration between the McGowan Government, South Metropolitan TAFE and Rio Tinto, with Rio Tinto contributing $2 million towards the new training program. The Collaboration includes Rio Tinto and other major employers, such as FMG, BHP and Komatsu, representatives from TAFE WA, Scitech and The University of Western Australia, and was created by the McGowan Government in 2018 to build the skills and capabilities of the Western Australian workforce. The new automation courses will position WA workers to take full advantage of the many exciting opportunities automation is expected to deliver to the industry and economy. The two new courses are: Working Effectively in an Automation Workplace — this micro-credential course offers a skill set that trade qualified workers and apprentices can use to improve or upgrade their skills in automation to meet future workforce and industry needs; and the Certificate II in Autonomous Workplace Operations — to be delivered as a pilot VET course for secondary students from Cecil Andrews College, Gilmore College, Baldivis Secondary College and Karratha Senior High School.
There will be a temporary closure of General Skilled Migration on Monday 24 June 2019 and will re-open in the first week of July. Any incomplete application from 9am on 24 June will be deleted. Immigration SA will be closing the General Skilled Migration (GSM) state nomination 190/489 application system from 9am on Monday 24 June and will re-open in the first week of July (the date and time will be confirmed at the start of July), to complete system updates for the new program year. If an application 190/489 has been commenced they need to be submitted and paid for prior to the system being closed. From 9am on 24 June, incomplete application will be deleted, this includes applications that have been “saved but not submitted” and applications that have been “submitted but are still awaiting payment”.
The department of Home Affairs has announced that a 5.4 percent Visa Application Charges (VAC) increase in fees will apply to applications made on or after 1 July 2019 on most visa subclasses. Visa Type Current Fee From 1 July 2019 Student $575 $606 General Skilled Migration $3,755 $3,958 Graduate Temporary Subclass 485 $1,535 $1,618 Partner $7,160 $7,547 Parent (Contributory) first instalment $340 to $3,855 $358 to $4,063 TSS-STSOL $1,175 $1,238 TSS-MLTSSL $2,455 $2,587 ENS/RSMS $3,755 $3,958 Business Migration $4,975 $4,975 Significant Investor Visa (SIV) $7,310 $7,705
The Australian government is under increasing pressure to resettle refugees on Manus Island and Nauru, with Minister Peter Dutton speaking to Insiders about his future plans. Department of Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton has stated that he is determined to find new homes for the approximately 800 people left in Australian detention centres offshore. The Sydney Morning Herald reports that the US has rejected around 300 refugees from Australia-US transfer deal, but 591 have already left for the US. Originally, the Trump administration had said that 1250 people would be resettled in the US under the deal made between then leaders Malcolm Turnbull and Barack Obama, but Minister Dutton was sceptical that this number would be reached. This is expected to be a hot topic of debate when Parliament begins sitting again.
Stories of foreign backpackers on working holiday visas being threatened with sexual assault have been reported by the ABC. There are fears that without more stringent measures in place to ensure compliance, upcoming visa changes will lead to increased exploitation and abuse of holidaymakers in regional and remote Australia. New working holiday visa changes are set to be implemented next month, which will allow workers to stay a third year in exchange for six months extra farm work. However, in light of recent horror stories being reported of terrible living conditions, sexual assault and restrictions of movement on young, often female workers, there are calls for more regulation on employers. Experts say that by extending the visa for an extra year will only leave more workers liable to abuse by farm and fruit-picking employers, without enough oversight of employment and living conditions.