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New ‘Charging for a Migration Outcome’ laws have been introduced to prevent abuse of the work visa system by creating criminal and civil penalties for persons seeking to give or receive an improper benefit in return for visa sponsorship. While the vast majority of Australian businesses who use the sponsored
A raft of minor changes to the 457 visa program have recently been introduced following recommendations from the independent panel’s report, Robust New Foundations. While more substantial changes have been foreshadowed for the financial year 2015-16 a number of these changes appear problematic due to opposition in parliament and the
What has changed? The Migration Regulations have been amended to allow sponsors 28 days in which to make notifications to the Department. The change will increase the timeframe in which employers must notify the Department of relevant events under the Sponsorship Obligations from 10 days to 28 days. What does
Summary There were several significant immigration events in March, in particular the Federal government’s response to the earlier Independent 457 Integrity Report, Robust New Foundations. The Senate’s surprise establishment of a new 457 visa inquiry and the Federal government’s referral of permanent migration to the Productivity Commission which has the
The Federal Government has announced a review of visa charges by the Productivity Commission. The scope of the review will be wide-reaching and examine the overall benefits and costs of migration. The review is intended to identify future options for migrant intake, minimise administrative costs and improve the budget. The
The Federal government has released its response to the independent review into the 457 visa programme, Robust New Foundations. While the Department has made an initial announcement outlining some of the changes to the programme the full details of the reforms are yet to be released. The government’s response supports the
Workcover NSW is reminding businesses to ensure that 457 visa holder staff are covered by appropriate Workers Compensation insurance policies. A recent investigation by Workcover found a Taiwanese company was employing staff without appropriate compensation insurance. Failure to comply with obligations can result in employers being liable to cover the
An Adelaide mobile phone business face penalties of up to $25,000 after failing to issue payslips to a 457 visa holder after instruction from the Fair Work Ombudsman (‘FWO’). The business reportedly refused to pay infringement notices issued by the FWO who will now take legal action. The audit arose
Concerns are being raised about the impact of requiring applicants for the Significant Investor Visa to allocate a minimum of $1 million to venture capital funds. The move has been supported by the local start-up industry but the impact of the changes on the number of SIV applicants will not
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