On 1 July 2015, the border control functions of the Department of Immigration and Border Protection (DIBP) and the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service (Customs) will merge to establish a single, integrated border agency called the Australian Border Force (ABF). The consolidation of these two border protection services was one of several efficiency measures
SmartGate Trial for US Travellers Arriving in Australia
In a joint media release earlier this month, Chris Bowen – Australia’s Minister for Immigration and the Hon Jason Clare – Minister for Home Affairs, Minister for Justice and Minister for Defence Materiel announced a trial that would incorporate US travelers in Australia’s automated border processing system, called SmartGate. SmartGate is a system which allows
“Significant Cost Threshold” to be Increased
According to a recent statement by the Minister for Immigration & Citizenship, the Australian government have proposed to make changes to the Significant Cost Threshold in order to make migration fairer for people with disabilities. The government will still employ rigorous health screening procedures in order to protect public health, however from 1 July the
Illegal Immigrants in Australia Face Tougher Laws
Australia’s government will be releasing new laws which are designed to crack down on illegal immigrants in Australia. It’s crucial that forces are put into place to deter and to reduce illegal work practices which are used by employers and labour suppliers to gain a competitive advantage. On the 3rd August 2012 Chris Bowen MP
Australian Government Meets Immigration Targets for 2011/2012
It was recently reported that the Australian Government has met it’s immigration targets for the year 2011 to 2012, which reached a total of 185,000 migrants. India, China and the United Kingdom where the top three sources for immigration, with a joint total of 43.2 per cent. With Australia currently experiencing vast skills shortages, the
Migration Fraud – Don’t Become A Statistic
Prospective migrants invest a good deal of time, money, and energy into converting their dream of a new life abroad into reality. Unfortunately for some, they will fall victim to one of many scams infiltrating the migration advice industry. Migration Fraud is big business for fraudsters, who usually only have one of two objectives –
How Much Will A Migration Agent Charge?
Migration agent fees while not set, are expected to be reasonable. What is reasonable will depend on factors, such as: the complexity of the application the level of service required by a client the going market rate The Office of the MARA collects average fee data from registered migration agents each year and then publishes
Appointing A Visa Service Advisor
A visa service advisor operating in the migration advice profession in Australia, who charges a fee to provide immigration advice and/or assistance, is known as a Migration Agent. There is a legal requirement in Australia for ALL Migration Agents to be registered with the regulating body – Office of the Migration Agents Registration Authority (Office