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IMMIGRATION NEWS - July 2008 |
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Immigration news
Immigration detainees 'to go free'
July 29, 2008 ” MOST of the 380 people detained in immigration centres in Australia could be released into the community within a year under Rudd government plans to significantly water down the nation's hardline mandatory detention regime.
Under plans expected to be unveiled today by Immigration Minister Chris Evans, the mandatory detention policy will be maintained but eased, with a new emphasis on detaining only those who pose a risk to the community. …..”
Labor unveils new risk-based detention policy
Tuesday 29 July 2008 ” The Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Senator Chris Evans, today announced a suite of reforms to Australia’s immigration detention system.
Senator Evans said that under Labor’s reforms, detention in immigration detention centres will only be used as a last resort and for the shortest practicable time.
The Government will retain mandatory detention to support the integrity of Australia’s immigration program.
Senator Evans said the Government’s new policy will see the Department of Immigration and Citizenship take a risk-based approach to detention.
‘A person who poses no danger to the community will be able to remain in the community while their visa status is resolved,’ Senator Evans said. …..”
Australian aid for international humanitarian projects
Friday 25 July 2008 “The Rudd Government has approved $6.45 million for international aid projects to help housands of people who have fled war, persecution or political strife in their troubled homelands.
The Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Senator Chris Evans, said the funding will contribute to humanitarian projects assisting displaced persons in Iraq, Syria, Nepal, Bangladesh, Thailand, Africa and Pakistan.
The funding is provided under the Australian Government’s Displaced Persons Program for projects administered by the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and Austcare...."
More skilled migrants in Australia
July 22, 2008 ”More than 110,000 visas were granted under the temporary skilled migration program last year, a 27 per cent increase on the previous year.Almost a quarter of the temporary workers came from Britain.Immigration Minister Chris Evans said 110,570 visas were granted to temporary skilled workers and their dependants in 2007-08, up from 87,310 in 2006-07…..”
WA needs more permanent …
“Federal immigration minister Chris Evans has called for West Australian employers to make more use of the permanent migration scheme rather than rely on temporary workers to help plug labour shortages.
Senator Evans said the skills and labour situation in WA was made worse by the mining boom "sucking" people out of occupations which did not traditionally suffer from worker shortages.” July 17, 2008
Working holiday extension a boon for backpackers and employers
“The Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Senator Chris Evans, today announced a measure to further expand the working holiday visa program in Australia.
‘From today, working holiday visa holders who have worked in the construction industry in regional Australia for at least three months will be eligible to apply for a second working holiday visa,’ Senator Evans said.
‘Extending this concession to construction will help this booming industry by encouraging people on working holidays to undertake short-term construction work in regional Australia.’
Until now, second working holiday visas have only been available to those who have worked for a primary producer in regional Australia for at least three months.
This initiative has helped thousands of farmers across Australia, with almost 12 000 second working holiday visas expected to be granted in 2007-08.”
Tuesday 1 July 2008
New Centres of Excellence to process temporary work visas
Applications for temporary skilled (457) visas will be processed faster and more efficiently at three new dedicated Centres of Excellence now up and running in Perth, Sydney and Melbourne, the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Senator Chris Evans, said today.
The centres were established on July 1 to deal with the increasing demand for overseas workers by Australian companies to meet skills shortages. More than 100 000 subclass 457 visas were granted in 2007-08.
The 457 visa enables employers to employ skilled overseas workers to fill nominated positions in Australia on a temporary basis for a period of between three months and four years. Friday 11 July 2008.
Ministerial intervention powers under review
"The Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Senator Chris Evans today released an independent report into the appropriate use of ministerial intervention powers to make decisions in individual cases.
Senator Evans said he commissioned the report to restore integrity and transparency in the system of ministerial intervention after concerns were raised about the process.
‘While the minister has the personal power under the Migration Act to grant, refuse and cancel visas, those decisions are non-compellable, non-reviewable and non-delegable,’ Senator Evans said.
‘The Minister for Immigration is the only minister to have such powers.
‘Under the Act, the minister is able to delegate most of those decisions to the department where they are reviewable by tribunals and the courts.’"
9 July 2008
457 News - Immigration news June 2008.
“Senator Evans says he will introduce laws in September for tougher penalties for employers who are in breach of their obligations under the 457 visa scheme.”
News - Media Statement - 30th June 2008 - Immigration news.
“The Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Senator Chris Evans, will introduce new laws to help prevent the exploitation of temporary skilled foreign workers and ensure the wages and conditions of Australian workers are not undercut.”
Discussion Paper Business (Long Stay) Subclass 457 and related temporary visa reforms.
“The Minister intends to introduce a Bill to amend the Migration Act 1958 (‘the Act’) to reform the sponsorship regime for Subclass 457 and a range of other temporary visas that include work rights. This bill and associated regulation presents the opportunity to clarify sponsor obligations and provide further fair and transparent mechanisms to help deal with the particular vulnerability of temporary workers from overseas.
The reforms in the Bill will focus on four main areas:
.Redefining sponsorship obligations for Subclass 457 and establishing a
sponsorship obligations framework for a range of other subclasses;
.Expanding powers to monitor and investigate possible non-compliance
with those obligations;
.Enhancing measures to address identified breaches of obligations; and
.Improving information sharing between government agencies at all levels.”
Bill - Discussion Paper Business (Long Stay) Subclass 457 and related temporary visa reforms.
Minimum Salary Level increase for 457 visa holders Friday, 23 May 2008
“The Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Senator Chris Evans, today announced that Minimum Salary Levels (MSLs) for temporary skilled overseas workers will increase by 3.8 per cent from 1 August 2008.
The increase is part of a package of reforms outlined in the Budget designed to improve the integrity of the temporary skilled migration (457 visa) program.
'Minimum Salary Levels for temporary skilled migrant workers have been frozen for more than two years and previous increases applied only to new entrants,' Senator Evans said.
'This increase will apply to new temporary skilled migrants coming to work in Australia as well as those already in the workforce who are subject to an MSL.
'The 3.8 per cent increase is based on the Australian Bureau of Statistics all employees earnings increase for November 2006 – November 2007.” see MSL
Migrants add to skills crisis: study
“LESS than a third of people from non-English speaking countries who migrate to Australia on skilled workers' visas are gaining work in their fields and many of them are adding to the skills crisis they were brought in to solve, a study has found.’ News
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