Category Archives: AES Information

Business Innovation and Investment Program pass mark points reduction postponed

The announced 1 July 2015 reduction in the pass mark for the points test for the Business Innovation and Investment Program visas, from 65 points to 50, has been postponed by the Department pending further consultation and stakeholder engagement.

The Joint Standing Committee on Migration recently reported the outcomes of its inquiry into the BIIP. One of the items identified by the Committee for further examination by the Department was the points test. In light of this recommendation, the Department will undertake further examination of the appropriateness of the current points test threshold.

The Department will also examine the effect of other changes to the application rate for the BIIP, including reforms to the Significant Investor stream, and the reinstatement of role swapping for the Investor and Business Innovation streams, which came into effect on 1 July 2015.

The Department will be seeking stakeholder views on the points test, including the pass mark, and other aspects of its operation over the coming months. Any initial feedback or views on the appropriateness or otherwise of the current points test are welcomed by the end of July 2015.

Occupation ceilings 2015-16 points based visas

The occupation ceilings for invitations for points based skilled visas in the 2015-16 general skilled migration programme have been released. There have been some minor increases in the ceilings for 22 occupations and minor decreases for 13 occupations.

The largest increases were for Metal Fitters and Machinists with an extra 1254 (18%) and Plumbers with an extra 666 (15%) places.

Panel beaters and Cabinetmakers were added to the list for the first time.

The largest decreases were for Accountants down 2953 (54%) places and Registered Nurses which decreased by 1170 places, although this only accounted for an 8% decrease for that occupation.

Dentists were removed from the list

Due to high levels of demand, three occupation groups will be subject to pro rata arrangements to ensure availability of invitations across the programme year:

• ICT Business and System Analysts
• Software and Applications Programmers
• Accountants

Dates for invitation rounds and the 2015-16 Occupational Ceilings are published on the Department’s website http://www.border.gov.au/Trav/Work/Skil#tab-content-2

Source: MIA

Nurses, teachers and engineers targeted for removal from skills list?

The first review of skills list in three years began last week, with calls to remove specific skills from the Consolidated Skills Occupation List (CSOL).

Australian Council of Trade Unions president Ged Kearney who is the only union representative on the Ministerial Advisory Council on Skilled Migration (MACSM) told The Australian that the list did not look at shortages.

“There is no rhyme nor reason for why particular occupations are on the list, and many, such as nurses, teachers, engineers and a number of trades occupations, should be removed,” she said.

MACSM advises the government on visa and policy settings to optimise the contribution of skilled migration to Australia’s productivity and economy. In effect, it determines the occupations on the skills list by advising the government which to add and which to remove.

Opposing Ms Kearney’s view was Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry director Jenny Lambert, who said the CSOL list should not be shortened as it allowed for business and regional differences.

“The list needs to be responsive,” she said.

Ms Lambert said the CSOL review needed to take an evidence-based approach that examined the locations and professions with high uptakes of 457s.

“Just changing the list doesn’t do anything,” she said.

“It’s critically important that MACSM doesn’t look to make CSOL some sort of shortages list.”

Ms Lambert said the mobility of the Australian workforce was definitely an issue that contributed to the need for 457 visas.

Strong ties to family and friends, and the size of Australia, made mobility a “formidable” problem, she said.

“One of the most significant myths is that skilled trades are at risk,” she said.

Ms Lambert said that most of the people granted a 457 visa were professionals.

She said rather than migrants taking jobs from Australians, a well-balanced migration program generated jobs.

“If you start fiddling with the occupations of the CSOL, you will lose … responsiveness to individual businesses and regions.”

The MACSM panel had a major overhaul recently with three union leaders dumped from the panel leaving only the ACTU head to lead the union charge.

The Australian Industry Group chief executive Innes Willox is the panel’s chair. He warned that past discussions on 457 workers were destructive and there is a need to move on:

“We need to shift the debate,” he said. “We had a rabid debate through 2012-13 on the whole issue of skilled migration and we need to shift the agenda a bit to have a holistic view around skilled migration’s role in the overall skills mix, how it fits in with the training agenda and what the needs of business are, both in the short and long term,” he said.

Source: Migration Alliance

Investing in Australia’s future – Changes to business and investment migration

The Business Innovation and Investment Programme (BIIP) was created to attract high quality investors and entrepreneurs to Australia. It currently includes the Investor visa, the Business Innovation visa, and the Significant Investor visa (SIV). From 1 July 2015 it will also include the Premium Investor visa (PIV).

On 15 May 2015, the Minister for Trade and Investment, the Hon Andrew Robb AO MP and Assistant Minister for Immigration and Border Protection, Senator the Honourable Michaelia Cash announced the new complying investment framework for the SIV and PIV. In order to be granted a SIV or a PIV, an applicant will need to make an investment that complies with the complying investment framework.

The framework is designed to encourage investment in innovative Australian ideas and emerging companies. You can view the media release http://www.minister.immi.gov.au/michaeliacash/2015/Pages/significant-and-premium-investor-visas.aspx and details on the new framework https://www.austrade.gov.au/invest/significant-investor-visa-and-premium-investor-visa-programmes

Along with the new complying investment framework, the government intends to make a number of changes to the BIIP from 1 July 2015.

New flexible residency arrangements will be introduced for the SIV. From 1 July 2015, eligibility for the permanent SIV will require either the primary applicant to reside in Australia for 40 days per year OR the secondary applicant (spouse or de facto partner) to reside in Australia for 180 days per year. This residency requirement will be per year and will be calculated cumulatively over the period of the provisional visa. For example, 160 days over four years for a primary applicant or 720 days over four years for the secondary applicant (spouse or de facto partner).

Also from 1 July 2015, Austrade will become an eligible nominator for the SIV, in addition to State and Territory governments. Austrade will also be the sole nominator for the PIV.

Aside from changes to the SIV and the PIV, there are two changes that apply only to the Investor and Business Innovation streams. These are:

1. The reintroduction of role swapping, which will allow a secondary applicant to apply to fulfil the primary criteria for the permanent visa on behalf of the primary applicant
2. The reduction of the pass mark for the points test from 65 to 50 points.

Source: DIBP

Will Australia allow a 6-year post study visa?

It’s time to review post study work arrangements in Australia as the US Senate considers a proposal to extend post-study work rights in the US to up to six years for science-based international students. If the Senate approves the proposal, then Australia’s ability to attract quality students could be devastated, according to a report in The Australian.

International student numbers are at a high in Australia with the low Australian dollar and the streamlined visa processing system. But post study work arrangements for students remain limited and could become a key difference to students shopping for an overseas education.

If approved, the US plans would allow students with science, technology, engineering and maths degrees to stay in the US for three years if they hold a bachelors degree and another three years if they have a postgraduate qualification.

“If this policy takes off, it will seriously hinder and even undermine Australia’s capacity to recruit good quality student,” Phil Honeywood, executive director of the International Education Association of Australia told The Australian.

“Every time Australia thinks it’s hit the sweet spot on international education enrolments something unexpected seems to happen. No one would have thought the sleeping giant of the (US) market would have awakened so quickly to its potential.”

Speaking to The Australian, Mr Rahul Gandhi, an education consultant based in Ahmedabad, India, said such a change would dramatically change the flow if Indian students.

“The Indian (student) market is driven by the post-study work opportunities in the destination country. For an Indian family an overseas degree is a huge investment. There are many who mortgage their homes and take out a loan from the bank to send their kids overseas. Hence, return on investment does matter and post-study work is indeed the driving force for taking a decision to study in that country.

“Within six years the student can easily recover that investment in education and will also have suitable work experience to venture on their own back in their home country or to apply for residency (in) an overseas country.”

Mr Gandhi said about 225,000 Indians went overseas each year for study, with 85,000 going to the US and 30,000 to Australia.

“This proposal … will certainly give the American university an edge in recruiting students from India,” he said.

Source: Migration Alliance

Simplified International Student Visa Framework (SSVF)

A simplified international student visa framework (SSVF) has been announced jointly today by the Assistant Minister for Immigration and Border Protection Senator Cash and the Minister for Education and Training Senator Pyne. The new system will come into place after June 2016.

The SSVF will replace both the Streamlined Visa Processing (SVP)arrangements and the current Assessment Level Framework and will apply to all international students.

It will lay out a student’s financial and English language evidentiary requirements based on two things: the immigration profile of the student’s country of citizenship and of their education provider.

The improved approach to the administration of student visas as part of the SSVF will have clear benefits. The overall integrity of the student visa programme will be maintained, and the improved regulatory arrangements will avoid placing unnecessary burden or cost on education providers.

A working group with international education sector stakeholders is being formed to guide implementation of the new framework on the expiry of SVP arrangements on 30 June 2016.

Source: Migration Institute of Australia

Attention All Accounting Student!! NEW CRITERIA!

Attention All Accounting Student!! Effective from 1 July 2015, migration assessment criteria of Accounting and External Auditors will be changed! If your application is to be received on or after 1 July 2015, whether it’s for a Skills Assessment or Review application, you will be assessed against NEW CRITERIA!

For those who have already received a positive outcome for a Full-Skills Assessment, CONGRATULATIONS! – No matter you have started the EOI or PR visa application or not, you can relax and maybe have a drink, as long as your assessment outcome is still under its validity.

BUT – WHAT IF YOU HAVE NOT YET RECEIVED A POSITIVE SKILLS ASSESSMENT OUTCOME?? You may be a fresh graduate, a Subclass 485 visa holder – to put into simple terms, if the core knowledge areas you have completed do not satisfy the NEW criteria, then you have to catch up the “relevant subjects” before the completion of your PY or obtaining IELTS score of 7 in each band.

THE GOOD NEWS IS – such changes to the assessment criteria indicate that Accounting might still well be on the SOL for the next financial year – so don’t panic, contact AES right now, and we will make things happen:

• If you are not sure whether you have completed all the core knowledge areas under the NEW criteria, simply drop by AES, our professional consultants will do the checking for you ON THE SPOT;
• If you have recently completed PY or obtained IELTS score of 7 in each band, call AES, we will prepare & submit the Full Skills Assessment application right away for you;
• If you cannot make the application before 30 June 2015, don’t worry, contact AES for a FREE initial consultation, our professional team will help you to catch up the “missing subjects” via the QUICKEST & MOST ECONOMICAL pathway!

Please see below detail articles

Changes to Migration Assessments – Accountants and External Auditors

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