News

In the context of Australia’s economic downturn the Immigration Department has announced that they will be taking a new approach to the 457 visa program to ensure that these visas are used to fill gaps in Australian jobs and not to replace them during times of increasing unemployment.

As a result of the global financial crisis Immigration Department processing of certain General Skilled Migration visas has slowed down dramatically.

The Immigration Department has responded to economic conditions in Australia by re-ordering processing of certain general skilled migration (GSM) visas.

The Minister for Immigration, the Hon. Chris Evans, has released draft amendments to the Migration Regulations which significantly affect the obligations owed by 457 temporary business visa sponsors to their employees and DIAC.   

Our firm successfully represented a Migration Review Tribunal (“MRT”)

In January 2009, the Department of Immigration announced new priority processing for general skilled migration applications.