The following advice has been released from David Stewart, Program Director, General Skilled Migration, DIAC South Australia:

“I want to decrease the time taken from allocation of a GSM visa application to a case officer and finalisation of the application”.

To help achieve this, DIAC would like to invite some applicants who do not yet have case officers allocated but are expected to have case officers allocated in coming months to commence obtaining and providing standard documentation that may not have been provided with their application or has expired.

Click here to read information on which applicants DIAC suggest "front end load" their applications in this way. Similar information will be included in the next update to the auto response from gsm.processing@immi.gov.au , which provides details of what applications have been allocated to case officers.

This is not a request for information and in any cases where this information is not provided prior to allocation; the case officer will take this up after allocation. Similarly any questions regarding such applications should wait until a case officer is allocated and contacts the agent / applicant.

Contact your RMA for more information. 

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Premier Kristina Keneally yesterday announced the NSW Government will increase the number of migrants that it nominates to live and work in the State each year – and has expanded the number of skilled professions to 138.

The Premier's office said the SMP is with the Commonwealth for "formal agreement". The official Plan is expected to be released within the coming days.

“This is about attracting the world’s best and brightest to NSW,” Ms Keneally said.

“It is about matching up the needs of the State to the Federal Government’s immigration policies.”

New skills include biochemists and scientists and for rural and regional NSW: trade teachers, pharmacists, toolmakers and fitters as well as cabinet makers.

NSW will increase the Federal immigration skilled migrants intake by 15 per cent to 1750 under the State Migration Plan.

“The State Migration Plan allows the Government to nominate skilled migrants in occupations where demand cannot be met locally,” Ms Keneally said.

The State Migration Plan gives NSW the flexibility to nominate skilled migrants in a broader range of occupations than those currently offered on the Skilled Occupation List and will further strengthen the economy.

Since March 2009, more than 182,000 jobs have been created in NSW and the expansion of the NSW State Migration Plan will continue to help strengthen the economy.  

The expansion of the Migration Plan is yet another example of NSW supporting the many benefits a multicultural society brings to the economy, education system and community life.

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A Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) team will visit regions of Far North Queensland affected by Cyclone Yasi in the coming days, as part of its regional outreach program.

Officers will travel to regions including Tully and Innisfail to provide support to temporary visa holders, including overseas workers and tourists who may be concerned about their immigration status.

“If people in the affected areas hold a visa which is about to expire, or work for a business which has been affected, the department urges them to contact DIAC as soon as possible to discuss their options,” a departmental spokesman said.

“DIAC officers will be on the ground in affected areas shortly to assist these people.”

Officers will also meet with local farmers and businesses to discuss potential sources of labour, such as working holiday makers, as they start the massive clean-up and rebuilding effort.

“Working holiday makers are an ideal option for Far North Queensland landholders who are seeking an immediately accessible labour force on properties affected by Cyclone Yasi,” the spokesman said.

“Many overseas workers in Queensland showed a keen interest to assist in the clean-up in regions of the state devastated by the recent floods, and DIAC is equally keen to assist the victims and volunteers as they cope with yet another natural disaster.”

Working holiday makers may also wish to volunteer in the clean-up and rebuilding and DIAC officers will be on hand to provide advice and information to ensure visa holders undertake volunteer work in a manner that is consistent with their visa conditions.

Construction work following a natural disaster, whether it is paid or unpaid, can be counted as part of the specified work in a regional area of Australia that visa holders need to complete to apply for a Second Working Holiday visa.

 

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