Austraia Immigration scam targets migrants

Scamwatch is warning consumers to be aware of calls from scammers claiming to be from the 'Department of Immigration' threatening you with deportation and demanding money.
The ACCC and the Department of Immigration and Border Protection (DIBP) have been getting reports of scammers claiming to be government officials. The scammers call migrants and temporary visa holders and threaten them with deportation supposedly because of problems with their immigration paperwork or visa status.
Scammers are demanding up-front fees of around $1,000 to resubmit forms. These scam phone calls appear to be targeting people from India and Pakistan. The ACCC has received 150 reports of this scam since February with more than $35,000 reported lost.
Scammers may try to pressure you by calling repeatedly and harassing you, even threatening to send the police to your house – but if you give your money to a scammer you will never see it again. The DIBP has confirmed that it does not ask for any payment of fines or penalties by telephone.
Be on guard, if you receive a phone call from someone threatening you with deportation and asking you to pay a fee, hang up and do not respond. If in doubt, don’t use any contact details provided by the caller - look up the government department or organisation yourself in the phone book or online and phone or email them.

How these scams work

• you receive a call out of the blue from someone claiming to be from the 'Department of Immigration'
• you may be left a message on your answering machine asking you to ring a number
• the caller will claim that you have issues with your immigration forms or visa status
• the caller will tell you that in order to resolve the matter you will need to pay a fee or fine
• the caller may try to get information from you like your passport details, date of birth or bank information
• the caller may claim the police will come to your door and arrest you if you do not pay the fee or fine immediately
• the caller may even offer to send a taxi to your house to take you to the nearest post office to make a payment via wire transfer or other electronic payment method
• if you send any money via wire transfer, you will never see it again – it’s nearly impossible to recover money sent this way
• if you provide any personal information, the scammer may use it to commit identity theft.

Protect yourself

• if you receive a phone call out of the blue from someone claiming to be from the DIBP telling you that you will be deported unless you pay a fine, hang up
• if you have any doubts about the identity of any caller who claims to represent a government department, contact the department directly. Don’t rely on numbers, email addresses or websites provided by the caller – find them through an independent source such as a phone book or online search
• never send any money via wire transfer to anyone you do not know or trust
• never give your personal information or bank account details over the phone unless you made the call and the phone number came from a trusted source. If you think you have provided your details to a scammer, contact your bank or financial institution immediately.

Report

You can report immigration fraud matters to the Department of Immigration and Border Protection through their Immigration Dob-In Service(link is external).
You can report scams to the ACCC via the Scamwatch report a scam page or by calling 1300 795 995.

More information

Stay one step ahead of scammers, follow @Scamwatch_gov(link is external) on Twitter.

Immigration cancels 11,000 visas of non-genuine students

Immigration authorities have cancelled almost 11,000 visas of non-genuine students in the year ending June, an increase of more than a third compared with the previous corresponding period.

The Department of Immigration and Border Protection cancelled 10,949 student visas between the start of July last year and the end of June this year, compared with 8018 in the previous year and 8930 in the year ending June 2013.

The new figures come as the government puts the finishing touches on its streamlined visa-processing framework, with a working group of international education sector stakeholders holding its last meeting last week. The government is hopeful of implementing the scheme, which will reduce the number of student visa subclasses from eight to two, by the middle of next year.

“The SSVF (simplified student visa framework) will mean a broader, simpler, fairer framework for both international students and Australian education providers,” Assistant Minister for Immigration and Border Protection Michaelia Cash writes inThe Australian today. “It will benefit Australia’s international education sector through reduced red tape, a visa framework that is simpler to navigate and a more targeted approach to immigration integrity.”

The visa cancellation figures, obtained by the HES, show Chinese students had the biggest number of student visa cancella­tions, with 1793 cancelled in the past 12 months. More than 1160 South Korean students had their visas cancelled, followed in number by India, Vietnam and Thailand. The total number of student visas issued rose by 2 per cent, from 292,060 to 299,540.

The changed student visa framework will include country risk measurements, assigning a rating based on the country of origin of students. This will be combined with a risk rating based on an education provider’s past ­performance.

Phil Honeywood, chief executive of the International Education Association of Australia, said the present system allowed low-quality education providers to misuse the visa streamlining scheme.

“A key reason for ditching the current streamlined visa procedures is that too many low-quality education providers have been gaming the system, and this has meant students have been attracted to enrolling in such providers as an easy visa pathway to Australia,” Mr Honeywood said.

“Fortunately, the Immigration Department has been able to monitor many of these and has been prepared to cancel visas for non-genuine students.

“However, any quality student destination country should be on top of these non-genuine student cases at the application stage rather than after a visa has been issued.

“Because of effective consultation with the sector, we are hopeful that the new SSVF will significantly improve both the ­quality of providers and the checks and balances on genuine student approvals.”

The most recent high-profile case of a college misusing student visas was early last month, when authorities raided the offices of one provider, accusing three Melbourne men of falsely enrolling international students, creating fraudulent documents and not providing appropriate education.

Instead, it is alleged international students were working as contractors for a labour­ hire business owned by the men, while continuing to pay high tuition fees to maintain their enrolment status and student visas.

Several larger providers, including sector heavyweight Navitas, have cancelled contracts with some third-party ­agencies that source international ­students.

Education Minister Christopher Pyne also has moved to push out unscrupulous education agents, announcing a code of ethics and a feasibility study into an industry-led quality framework for agents.

“The quality of the educational services that Australia offers to the rest of the world is an asset that we should protect and enhance,” Mr Pyne said.

“International education is Australia’s fourth largest export industry overall and our largest services export ahead of tourism, so maintaining our strong reputation for quality is important.”

Source: The Australian

All ten fingerprints on your passport

The Cabinet of Ministers has decided that applicants for Sri Lankan passports should provide their biometric data or finger prints.
For this purpose, the Immigration and Emigration Act is to be amended. The move comes on a recommendation from President Mahinda Rajapaksa, who is also the Minister of Defence.

The Ministers forwarded their decision to the Cabinet Sub Committee on Legislation headed by Minister Susil Premajayantha. The Secretary to the Ministry of Defence and Urban Development has been asked to explore the possibility of incorporating a clear definition of “biometric features.”

Acting Immigration and Emigration Controller M.N. Ranasinghe told the Sunday Times, “We are proposing to implement the biometrics in the passport application process from next month. Under these systems, photography studios will be given software which they will use to obtain the photographs in keeping with the required standards. Thereafter the applicants will have to call over at the Immigration head office so that their fingerprints – of all fingers — could be obtained.”

However, Government sources said time was too short for the enforcement of the Australian aided project from next month. This is both in view of the required legislation being passed by Parliament and putting administrative procedures in place.The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) said in a recent statement: “As globalisation has led to large-scale migration, biometrics has become the standard for identity management. High standards at borders are vital to prevent cases of trafficking, smuggling, and other attempts at exploitation.

Source:http://www.sundaytimes.lk/140907/news/all-ten-fingerprints-on-your-passport-116806.html

Applying for U.S. visa? Make note of the changes

Got a question about U.S. visas? The U.S. Embassy in Colombo, in collaboration with The Sunday Times is launching a fortnightly column “Ask the Consul” for all those who want to go the United States. Whether you are a tourist, student, businessman, skilled worker or just hoping to learn more about the Diversity Lottery, an American consular officer will help guide you and dispel any myths about the U.S. visa laws and application procedures.

Watch this space! The Sunday Times and the U.S. Embassy will select the best questions and publish answers starting today, September 7, 2014, and once every two weeks thereafter.

To submit your question, simply email your questions to AskTheConsulSL@state.gov
Starting this week there are important changes to how people will apply for U.S. visas.

1. I’ve heard that there are some changes to the visa application process. How do I apply for a U.S. visa now?

There will be several changes to the visa process beginning today, September 7, 2014. The new, mostly online process is designed to be more convenient and user-friendly and has been implemented at U.S. embassies worldwide.

First, there will be a free telephone helpline that substantially expands available hours for applicants to obtain information regarding visas and the scheduling process. This Call Center service will be provided in English, Sinhala, and Tamil and will be available from Monday-Friday, 8:00am-8:00pm (local time) starting tomorrow, September 8, 2014.

Second, applicants will now pay the application fee before they schedule a visa appointment. Applicants will pay the fee at any DFCC bank location. For your convenience, DFCC has more than 130 locations around Sri Lanka. There is also no additional charge for this service. Finally, after receiving a payment receipt from the bank, applicants will schedule their visa appointments at www.ustraveldocs.com/lk.

2. So how is the new process better?

The new system allows applicants to make their own visa appointments online from home or work, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Through the free Call Center, they can also get their own personalized visa application specialist who can walk applicants through the process.  Again, there is also no fee for scheduling an appointment online. Furthermore, we understand that due to any number of reasons applicants often have to make changes to their travel plans. The new system also allows applicants greater flexibility for rescheduling and cancellations.

Applicant can find information about the new scheduling process, along with a link to the new scheduling website, on the U.S. Embassy website at http://srilanka.usembassy.gov.

3. What if the applicant does not have Internet access?

Although the new visa appointment system is now online, using the Internet has been a part of the U.S. visa process for several years already. The previous visa application process required all applicants to complete the visa application form (called the DS-160 form) online before scheduling their interviews. That part of the process is not changing.  As with previous application procedures, applicants who do not have Internet access can obtain assistance to complete this process from family, friends or from a trusted travel facilitator.

4. I’m considering taking a vacation next year in the United States. Will this change the type of documents I should bring to the interview?

No, the new application procedures will only affect the scheduling of the interview. This change will not impact the interview with the consular officer at the Embassy. Applicants are encouraged to bring documents to the interview that help demonstrate that they are well established in Sri Lanka and that support their intent to return after a short visit to the United States.  Here is a list of documents that may be asked for during the interview:

Previous passports
Bank statements going back six months (Bank letters are of little value)
If applicable, proof of legal status of friends or relatives in the United States
Proof of relationships (birth certificate, marriage certificate, photographs)
Proof of employment and salary slips
If applicant is an employer, EPF for employees
Property deeds

Source:http://www.sundaytimes.lk/140907/plus/applying-for-u-s-visa-make-note-of-the-changes-116185.html

Govt. slow in resuming dual citizenship

Sri Lankan authorities continue to receive a spate of inquiries about the status of dual citizenship, the granting of which was suspended by the Government more than two years ago.  A notice on the official website of the Department of Immigration and Emigration has remained unchanged for many months: “Acceptance of Dual Citizenship applications are temporary [sic] discontinued until further notice”.

The Government has already said it will reintroduce the facility after changes to the relevant laws. The Cabinet has granted its approval but amendments have been a long time coming. Yesterday, Immigration and Emigration Controller General W.A.C. Perera said he had the same answer he did three months ago — that the Legal Draftsman’s Department had directed the proposed amendments to the Attorney General’s Department for observations.

The Sunday Times reliably learns that the AG’s Department has now sent its observations to the Legal Draftsman. While the public are still not privy to what has been suggested, it is widely anticipated that an applicant would have to pay more than he did before for the dual citizenship. New conditions are likely to be introduced.

With the status quo still murky, a large number of Sri Lankan origin people abroad expressed their frustration at not being able to proceed with their applications. Others said they had lodged their documents “a long time ago” and were still waiting. Among this group were aged parents who fretted about not being able to settle their property — that is, transfer it to their “foreign” children — before they passed away. For instance, one 75-year-old public official said he wanted his 40-year-old son (an Australian citizen) to inherit his assets but could do nothing about it. He said he was worried by it.

Interestingly, none of the people interviewed for this article agreed to being named. One person, who wished only to be identified as “a Tamil man from Toronto” said his mother owned land in Mullaitiviu and did not know what to do with it. “I don’t think she can write it off to me since I’m not a citizen,” he said. “I haven’t looked at the legal aspects in depth yet.”

A former Sri Lankan national living in Britain said she was disappointed she could not have dual citizenship and had to apply for a visa each time she visited. She is a Muslim, married to an Englishman. They have a young son. “Selling property or handing it over to children is a problem that my mother is faced with,” she said. “I couldn’t bring my own savings to Britain because I was a resident here. It is very complicated and frustrating.”

“It has also put us off investing in Sri Lanka for fear that it may not be easy to take our investment out when we want to,” she continued. “This was something we considered when my husband took redundancy three years ago.”A Sri Lankan origin mother-of-two in Germany said her father in Sri Lanka could not leave any property to her because her children would not be able to get dual citizenship. She faced an additional problem: “Germany won’t allow dual citizenship either. So I had to turn down my father’s offer of building a house on a prime piece of land in Sri Lanka last year. We were all a bit disappointed and I can’t understand why the Sri Lankan government wants to shut people out.”

“Most of the older people I know already have dual citizenship so they don’t have a problem,” she elaborated. “I think it is people of our generation who are considering settling down in Sri Lanka for retirement and bringing all their foreign currency with them that have the problem because they can’t hand down their property to the children anymore.”A permanent resident of Canada who has retained her Sri Lankan citizenship said her mother — who is now a Canadian passport holder — was frustrated at not being able to request dual citizenship. “She even wrote to President Mahinda Rajapaksa, who is an old friend, but got no response,” she said.

Another Canadian citizen, a Sinhalese, said she was less concerned about property than about her right to choose. Her parents are retired and live in Sri Lanka. “Life is about making choices,” she reflected. “For us to make choices, we must have options.”“I did choose to leave Sri Lanka and start a life elsewhere,” she continued. “When I took up citizenship, I was under the impression that I was entitled to dual citizenship. I did not know that my original citizenship had been revoked the day I took my second citizenship and that I would have to reapply for citizenship.”

“Secondly,” she said, “I did not know that one day I would not be able to do so. It impacts a lot of individuals in various ways, whether it concerns family or property. In my case, I am an only child with aging parents and I would like to be able to go back and take care of them when the time comes. And when they do ‘cross over’, I would like to be able to continue living in my house as a Sri Lankan citizen.”

“If I do choose to leave, I would like to have the option of inheriting what my family has left for me without being penalised for it,” she said. “From a Government standpoint, I understand that it may see the Sri Lankans who left as being of no benefit to the country anymore. Many leave just to be able to provide a better life for the family left back in Sri Lanka.”

But, she said, it was not the Government’s place to take that option away. “They need to give people options, and if it means attaching some conditions to the option so that it is lucrative to the Government, so be it.” A lot of Sri Lankans had fled the country because of the war. This woman said it was now unfair to deprive them of their property rights. “The war meant that there was no light at the end of the tunnel for so many,” she explained. “Their objective was to get out, not to liquidate assets. Now, post-war, the Government has changed policies and left a large population unable to sort out their property matters. It is not right for the Government to extort victims of a war-torn economy, post-war.”

A Sri Lankan origin Tamil living in Australia said she had once been interested in getting dual citizenship but was “quite turned off by it all now, if they are going to make this process so unnecessarily difficult”. “For me, it’s not so much about the handing over of property or investing,” she explained. “It’s purely so I have the option of returning to take care of my parents should the need arise. I have thought about coming back to Sri Lanka and working for a few years, being close to family. Now that seems like a distant dream.” Another woman recently moved back to Sri Lanka with her husband and two children. All are of Sri Lankan origin but now hold British passports. “We have to apply for visas every year,” she said. “My husband’s company gives him a work visa but I have to apply under the ex-Sri Lankan category. And under this category, I cannot work or even volunteer. Very sad.”

The suspension of dual citizenship has also affected investment. A senior corporate sector lawyer said he had clients who wanted to return and invest here but cannot.  It would seem that Immigration and Emigration Department officials would be happiest to see dual citizenship back. According to what they have told some of the sources interviewed here, they get yelled at “by angry, upset, people”. And others in the public sector also get no end of inquiries.

Source:http://www.sundaytimes.lk/140330/news/govt-slow-in-resuming-dual-citizenship-90931.html

Wigneswaran wants dual nationality for diaspora

Northern province Chief Minister C.V.Wigneswaran stressed the need to give 'dual nationality' to members of the diaspora so that they could return to Sri Lanka and participate in post-war rebuilding work.

He made this request on Thursday while addressing the National Conference on Post-war Socio-Economic Development of the Northern and Eastern Provinces.
While being cautious about possible implications of such a move, Mr. Wigneswaran highlighted the importance of a transparent screening process to address any security concerns in such an eventuality.

“The diaspora is a competitive resource we need to capitalise on. They have the technical knowhow and the resources to contribute towards postwar rebuilding. They have the socio-cultural links with their motherland and also genuine interest, which are important ingredients to foster the transfer of knowledge and technical know-how. The government does not have the financial resources and professional technical input or knowledge capital to contribute towards an effective post-war recovery process. We need to adopt strategies that would facilitate the participation of the diaspora and lead to a ‘brain gain’ situation. However, for diaspora professionals to come over and participate in the post-war recovery processes we need to have pragmatic, meaningful structures and modalities in place to ensure their security, safety, motivation and participation. How can we encourage the return of diaspora members when we take steps to prohibit dual nationality (except in the case of a privileged few),” he asked.

However, Mr. Wigneswaran hailed President Mahinda Rajapaksa for having accommodated his request to facilitate the early disbursement of donor money from those living abroad.

“On a positive note, during my recent discussions with the President, in the presence of his Secretary, the Treasury Secretary and the Cabinet Secretary, we discussed the mutual benefits that could be reaped by the Central Government and the Northern Provincial Council by allowing a smooth flow of funds from our brethren abroad, through State organs. One of the difficulties faced by us is the delay in donor monies reaching us. Since valuable foreign currency can flow into the coffers of the State, I said it must ensure the speedy delivery of equivalent local currency to the periphery. The President and his advisors were seemingly very accommodative saying that so long as the donations are approved in advance by the State the passage of the finances to their ultimate destination will be unhindered. This is a positive move and I remain hopeful that we could progress on this front,” he said.Mr. Wigneswaran said a comprehensive needs-assessment of all the sectors was required when dealing with post-war challenges. (Kelum Bandara)

Source:http://www.dailymirror.lk/news/43148-wigneswaran-wants-dual-nationality-for-diaspora.html

Immigration Department data shows number of work visas in Australia continue to climb

THE number of visitors to Australia with work rights continues to soar, despite the nation's worsening job outlook.

New Immigration Department data show that the number of New Zealanders on special visas has risen to 625,000 while there has been a 10 per cent jump in young foreigners on working holidays to almost 180,000, as of December 31 last year.

With the nation's unemployment rate climbing towards 6 per cent, there was a 7.6 per cent spike in numbers for the controversial 457 skilled visa to 170,000.

Student visa numbers rose by 6.4 per cent to 257,000 while there was a 6 per cent jump in the total number of temporary entrants in Australia to 1.82 million, according to the report Temporary Entrants and New Zealand Citizens in Australia.

It revealed that the working holiday program was dominated by youth from the UK, Taiwan, South Korea, Germany and France.

The number one country for the 457 visa was the UK, followed by India, Ireland, Philippines and the US.

Victorian federal Labor MP Kelvin Thomson has criticised the open-ended migration of NZ citizens and aspects of skilled migration, claiming local jobs are under threat.

Mr Thomson recently formed the grassroots lobby group Victoria First, which wants immigration slashed to improve liveability and protect the environment.

Source:http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/immigration-department-data-shows-number-of-work-visas-in-australia-continue-to-climb/story-fni0fit3-1226816936526

Indian student dies in Maribyrnong immigration detention

The man who died in a Melbourne immigration detention centre was an Indian university student whose visa had been cancelled.

The 27-year-old hanged himself in his cell on Thursday night in the Maribyrnong Immigration Detention Centre after overstaying his visa, two independent sources said.

The Indian community responded by saying more care should have been taken of the young man's mental health through the detention centre's duty of care.

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''I would urge Minister Morrison to get the system to review their arrangements in this regards,'' said Yadu Singh, the president of the Indian Australian Association of NSW.

''We feel sad to know about the death of this young man,'' Dr Singh said. ''Our hearts go out to the parents and family members.

''It is well known when people go into a detention centre they are under massive stress.''

In recent years tensions between India and Australia have been inflamed by a series of attacks on Indian students in Melbourne, dating back to 2009.

Immigration Minister Scott Morrison confirmed the man was found unconscious by staff at the centre in Melbourne.

Victoria police said the death was not considered suspicious.

Mr Morrison said the government ''expresses its sympathy to the family and friends of the deceased man and will provide support to the police and other authorities as appropriate to assist with their investigations''.

But the department would not provide figures showing how many international students were detained in detention centres in Australia, and offshore centres including Manus Island and Nauru.

Mental health issues were among the most pressing concerns for people being kept in detention centres, refugee supporters warned.

According to documents obtained by Fairfax Media, the Australian government had to pay nearly $7 million for breaches of duty of care, including mental health claims, of asylum seekers held in detention centres since 1999.

Of the 150 claims lodged for negligence or breach of statutory duty, 102 were closed and had cost the government $6.92 million.

The average amount of money per payout was $45,520, the documents showed.

Louise Newman, a professor of developmental psychiatry at Monash University, said the environment of the detention centres, particularly in Nauru and Manus Island, fostered mental illnesses.

''It is highly predictable,'' Professor Newman said. ''We are setting up the circumstances [that will] lead to an increase in disorders, depression and suicide.''

Human rights lawyer Greg Barns said detention was ''inherently stressful'' and asked if the signs for mental strain were being picked up by centre staff. ''The environment itself is creating the illness,'' he said.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/indian-student-dies-in-maribyrnong-immigration-detention-20140214-32qcd.html#ixzz2tdb7Rkuh

Legal Draftsman dilly dallies over new dual citizenship laws

Sri Lanka’s much awaited new dual citizenship scheme has been held up at the Legal Draftsman’s office for the past one year adversely affecting the Immigration and Emigration office processing applications from expatriates seeking dual citizenship.

Immigration and Emigration Controller Chulananda Perera said they were awaiting approval from the Legal Draftsman’s office from the middle of last year to go ahead with the dual citizenship scheme.

“We need to amend Section 14 of the Immigration Act to accommodate the changes in the new procedure,” he said adding that the Legal Draftsman is yet to put together the draft Amendment for approval.

Following the dawn of peace in the country, the Sri Lankan expatriate community is eagerly waiting to obtain dual citizenship to become partners in the country’s development and make any contribution within their reach but the delay in implementing the new procedure has dampened their enthusiasm.

The draft law had been referred to the Attorney General for his perusal and fine-tuning and was returned within one month to the Immigration office with adjustments to be sent to the Legal Draftsman.

A Sri Lankan holding citizenship of another country will be granted permanent residency for five years before he becomes eligible for dual citizenship under the new scheme.

Details need to be submitted on how he or she obtained the citizenship of the other country and the intention to seek dual citizenship in Sri Lanka to process his application.

The issue of dual citizenship has been suspended since early 2011, in view of the new measures to be adopted to streamline this facility which is misused by some expatriates.

source:http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2013/10/20/new02.asp

457 visas: more than 10,000 are rorting system, says minister

More than 10,000 foreign workers are rorting the 457 visa system, Immigration Minister Brendan O'Connor declared on Sunday.

He released new figures showing the number of 457-visa holders on low incomes had doubled in the past year – the number of people holding "Accommodation and Food services" visas grew by 99 per cent and the number holding "Retail" visas grew by 75 per cent.

The average wage for accommodation and food workers was $55,000, and the average wage for retail workers was $69,000.

"When we see evidence that something is not right with the program - such as spikes in particular sectors that are out of step with growth in those industries - we must take action to stamp out any rorts," he said.

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And for the first time, Mr O'Connor sought to quantify his argument that the system was prone to rorting, saying more than 10,000 people were abusing the scheme.

"Insofar as numbers, I believe that the areas where there's been an illegitimate use of 457s ... is not negligible," Mr O'Connor told Sky News. "I would say it would exceed 10,000."

Mr O'Connor said he he would introduce legislation when Parliament resumes in May to fix the system.

"I've always said there's a combination of reforms; we'd look at administrative, regulatory and legislative," he said.

"I am yet to determine what parts of the reforms would be introduced in legislation but I can assure you we will be looking to legislate."

According to figures released on Sunday, the number of 457 visas had increased by 19 per cent at the end of March compared with the same time last year, although they fell slightly between January and March this year.

Mr O'Connor accused "unscrupulous" employers of hiring foreign workers to avoid training locals.

“The Gillard government believes locals should have the opportunity to get jobs first, with temporary skilled workers employed from overseas only as a last resort,” Mr O'Connor said.

“I am concerned that some unscrupulous employers are seeking to use 457 visas to avoid training local workers – citizens and permanent residents."

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/political-news/457-visas-more-than-10000-are-rorting-system-says-minister-20130428-2imcy.html#ixzz2Rit0IMwW

Foreign workers in fraud crackdown

THE Department of Immigration will hand over the records of one million temporary visa holders to the Australian Tax Office to identify fraud and visa rorts, in a massive data-matching operation.

The exercise will target the holders of 27 temporary visa types including skilled “457 visa” workers, students, backpackers and foreign sports people playing in Australian competitions.

Foreign doctors, film industry professionals, seasonal workers, researchers and employees of foreign government agencies will also have their records scrutinised.

The operation coincides with a Gillard government crackdown on the 457 visa sub-class, which it claims is being rorted by employers to deny Australians jobs.

The exercise will analyse records from three financial years, 2011-12, 2012-13, and 2013-14, with preliminary results expected to be available ahead of the September 14 election.

The operation will red flag individuals and employers who are cheating tax and immigration laws.

The agency hopes to identify “new or widespread fraud” and address “identified risks posed by temporary working visa holders and employer sponsors”.

According to the ATO, the names, addresses and other details of visa holders “will be electronically matched and analysed with certain sections of ATO data holdings to identify potential fraud, and other non-compliance with lodgement and payment obligations under taxation law”.

“The ATO may also provide information to assist the Department of Immigration and Citizenship to maintain the integrity of the student and temporary working visa programs.”

Labor argues, with strong backing from the union movement, that temporary 457 visas are being abused by employers to avoid training Australians.

But it has struggled to come up with hard evidence of widespread rorting of the system, sparking claims it is demonising foreign workers for electoral gain.

Immigration Minister Brendan O'Connor said the data-matching exercise would help protect Australian jobs.

“While this is not a specific crackdown, it is another example of the government working to ensure the integrity of the immigration program and to ensure that locals are not missing out on work opportunities to visitors who do not have the correct work rights,” he said.

Mr O'Connor has previously highlighted a spike in 457 visa approvals, at a time of rising unemployment, as evidence that the system must be overhauled.

He says the fact that the biggest growth in 457 visas has been in Tasmania, South Australia and NSW, rather than the big mining states, is also evidence that the program is not working in the interests of Australian workers.

Tony Abbott has defended the system, accusing the government of attacking the system it has presided over for more than five years to divert attention from its border protection failures.

Source:http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/foreign-workers-in-fraud-crackdown/story-fn59niix-1226629266867

Dual citizenship for expat Sri Lankans hangs in the balance

Sri Lanka’s Department of Immigration & Emigration (DIE) and the office of the Legal Draftsman are at loggerheads over the new amendments to the Dual Citizenship Act.

'Ceylon Today' reported that the two departments are forwarding papers to and fro, between their offices, while having a disagreement as to how the new amendments could be accommodated.

In an interesting twist to the year-long drawn out amendment, it is learnt that the two departments have also lost track as to where the documents are at present.

While the Controller, DIE, Chulananda Perera, said the draft amendment to the Dual Citizenship Act is still with the Legal Draftsman and they are awaiting his observations, the Legal Draftsman, GAS de Silva, said he had sent the observations to the DIE.

Dual Citizenship for Sri Lankans living overseas was suspended on January 28, 2011. While many applicants are anxiously waiting to obtain dual citizenship, the DIE is waiting for the new amendments to the Act so as to proceed with processing the applications.

According to the DIE, the amendments are not feasible to be incorporated into the Citizenship Act. Earlier, dual citizenship was covered under the Citizenship Act. However, the current procedure where applicants are given visas for five years enabling them to live in Sri Lanka during that period, and which period is considered as a term of probation for the applicants, apparently does not fit into the Citizenship Act.

"The new system to grant dual citizenship will initially be akin to granting a visa, and therefore, will not fit into the Citizenship Act," DIE Deputy Controller, Harsha Ilukpitiya said.

"The Legal Draftsman's office has incorporated this amendment under the Citizenship Act, which is not appropriate" he added.

The process explaining the process that has taken over a year to be implemented, while officials tasked to formulate the conditions for dual citizenship continue to shuffle their feet, Ilukpitiya said: "Following the discontinuation of granting dual citizenship in January 2011, a new system to grant dual citizenship to Sri Lankans living overseas was prepared under the guidance of President Mahinda Rajapaksa. The amendments had been carefully vetted by a four-member committee and submitted to the Cabinet on 11 January 2012. The Cabinet granted approval for the new amendments on 12 April 2012, and the preliminary draft which was finalized on 16 July 2012, was sent to the Legal Draftsman's office for approval the next day, through the Ministry of Defence, as is the required protocol."

Source:http://www.emirates247.com/news/sri-lanka/dual-citizenship-for-expat-sri-lankans-hangs-in-the-balance-2013-02-27-1.496602

Julia Gillard faces internal revolt on 457 visas

JULIA Gillard is facing dissent in the cabinet and caucus over her attack on 457 visa rorts, with critics claiming the crackdown is damaging the government's credentials with business.

Internal fears are being raised, including by some Gillard supporters, that the move has subjected Labor to claims of xenophobia and failed to ease anger in western Sydney over the influx of asylum-seekers.

Some MPs, however, are pushing the Prime Minister to go further in policing 457 visas, while others argue she is merely protecting Australian workers.

But the dissenting MPs believe the 457 program is essential for economic growth - in all areas - and needs to be flexible to meet ebbs and flows in the demand for skilled workers.

"It is part of our main migration program," one Labor MP said.

An MP who did not want to be named described the 457 issue as "sinister" and a "throwback to the White Australia policy".

Another said that, while the changes to the regime announced by Immigration Minister Brendan O'Connor were "quite mild", the rhetoric used to deal with it "doesn't sound like Labor".

Trade Minister Craig Emerson said the government's tightening of 457 visa processes was designed to achieve the original intention of the visa category: "that is, to meet temporary skills shortages where genuinely there aren't Australian workers to fill the positions".

After this week pledging the government wanted to "stop foreign workers being put at the front of the queue, with Australian workers at the back", Ms Gillard and Immigration Minister Brendan O'Connor have later in the week cited rorts of the system as the government's reason for toughening the 457 visa regime.

Ms Gillard yesterday defended her stance, saying she was interested in protecting Australian jobs and rejecting claims her message was damaging national harmony or the economy.

"I believe we should only be looking for temporary workers from overseas if there are skills shortages that we cannot fill any other way," Ms Gillard said.

"Mr Abbott believes that temporary workers from overseas should be a mainstay of our migration program; I just don't think that's right."

Ms Gillard said Australia continued to accept migrants who made it permanently their home and became Australian citizens.

"It's been good for our economy; it's been good for our society," she said.

Former prime minister Kevin Rudd, in a speech in Melbourne, said successive generations of migrants from all corners of the world "have made Australia much stronger and richer than we would otherwise have been". "It is worth pondering for a moment where Australia would be today, in terms of both our living standards at home, and our standing in the world, had we simply shut the door after World War II . . . our population stagnating at a little more than 8 million people," he said.

Declaring population policy "fundamental for the future", Mr Rudd said Australia had instead managed to become the 12th largest economy in the world and a member of the G20.

Ms Gillard said the Howard government had not invested enough in skills and training and cited her experience of meeting overseas-trained doctors and nurses in hospitals.

"We need their skills," she said. "When Mr Abbott was minister for health we did not train enough doctors and nurses."

A spokesman for the Opposition Leader said: "The 457 visa program is a demand-driven program. That's why the use of 457s has almost doubled since Julia Gillard became Prime Minister. It would remain a demand-driven program to address skills shortages under a Coalition government."

The number of people training to be doctors, nurses and other health professionals, including psychologists, had increased when Mr Abbott was health minister or had increased since that time because of measures that he announced as health minister.

Labor senator Doug Cameron said the government should look at introducing inspectors, funded by major mining companies to make sure 457 visa conditions, including workplace standards, were being properly adhered to.

Resources Minister Martin Ferguson yesterday stood by his comments in June last year when he said the domestic labour force might not be big enough to meet the peak in construction demand on mining projects, prompting the government to introduce fast-tracked processing of 457 visas and enterprise migration agreements.

Mr Ferguson said his comments were "consistent with Labor's policy of always putting Australian workers first".

"Achieving the potential of our resources industry depends on having the workers needed to deliver on the pipeline of new investment being created, which leads to long-term Australian jobs in the operations phase," he said.

Source:http://www.theaustralian.com.au/

Labor cites 22pc rise in 457 visas as evidence of need for crackdown

• AAP 
• March 09, 2013 4:32PM

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THE federal government moved to shore up its case for a crackdown on 475 visas by releasing figures today showing a 22.4 per cent year-on-year increase in skilled foreign workers under the program.

Immigration Minister Brendan O'Connor said there were more than 105,000 people working in Australia at January 31 on the temporary visas for skilled workers.

“The overall trend is clear - more people are coming in on temporary skilled worker visas. This comes at a time when the unemployment rate is flat, not dropping,” Mr O’Connor said.

The release of the figures follow a week in which Julia Gillard pledged to “stop foreign workers being put at the front of the queue, with Australian workers at the back".

Her comments, made during a discussion about jobs during a visit to western Sydney, led to accusations that she was exploiting foreign worker xenophobia to the Governments vote in the area. The Prime Minister has rejected the charge, arguing that the visa program had been abused at the expense of local workers.

In a statement issued today, Mr O’Connor said that the figures backed the Gillard Government’s plan to close loopholes in the 457 visa program “to ensure that local jobseekers are not disadvantaged by unscrupulous employers bringing in temporary workers from overseas”.

The government plans to restrict the number of workers a business can sponsor on 457 visas, tighten the definition of eligible jobs and toughen up rules to ensure visa-holders are paid market rates, amongst other changes to the program.

Mr O’Connor has previously said rorts were rife in the 457 system, citing more than 100 sanctions against visa holders, and that the presence of visa-holders had pushed down wages in some occupations.

There were 125,070 workers on 457 visas in Australia in the 2011-12 financial year, the largest annual number of the documents handed out under the program so far.

The Australian’s Paul Kelly reported today the 105,325 people working on 457 visas in January was far in excess of the number during the Howard years.

In 2012-13 Labor planned a permanent skilled migration intake of 129, 250 people, he added.

The 457 visa scheme was introduced in 1996 to allow local business to fill skills shortages with overseas workers able to stay for up to four years, bring their families and travel in and out of Australia as often as they want.

Unions have long objected to the scheme but the opposition backs it as an effective means of filling skill shortages with few rorts.

Opposition immigration spokesman Scott Morrison said the figures released today proved nothing other than that Labor had handed out more 457 visas than any other government.

Mr Morrison said the figures jumped from December to January because it was Christmas.

"To suggest there are rorts because more visas have been handed out is like suggesting there is a drought because the sun is shining. One is not evidence of the other,'' he said.

"All I have called for in the wake of the government`s announcement is to produce the report of the inquiry or the investigation conducted by the department that demonstrates the widespread rorting and abuse that the government claims, and that is absent.''

Australian firm offering €100,000 salaries, free flights and visas to experienced Irish electricians

EXPERIENCED Irish electricians are being sought by a leading power distribution company in Australia which is offering a six-figure salary, free flights and a four-year working visa.
The firm wants to hire more than 100 electrical network technicians in Melbourne – and due to a shortage of experienced workers, successful candidates will be offered a four-year working visa by employers.
The Irish-based recruiter would not reveal the name of the power company, but said salaries start at the equivalent of €100,000 with the potential to earn €130,000 with bonus and overtime payments.
Network technicians are specially trained electricians certified to work at heights who build and maintain power grids. Recruiters are looking for those with distribution experience on low voltage power lines.
Included in the rewards package are free flights for successful candidates and their families to Melbourne, employer-sponsored visas and relocation support and benefits.
The type of visa being offered entitles the employee to bring family members – including same-sex partners – to work and study in Australia.
Employees will be based in Melbourne, and a free company van will be provided for work that could take them throughout the state of Victoria.
Expensive
Melbourne is the eighth most expensive city in the world, according to a recent Worldwide Cost of Living survey. Five Australian cities made it into the list of the dearest 20.
CVs should be sent to cv@jobcontax.com for pre-selection. Interviews with shortlisted candidates will be held in Dublin from December 3 to 14.
Job offers will be made within a week of the interview, followed by a four to five-week visa process.

- Mark O'Regan

Source:http://www.independent.ie/national-news/australian-firm-offering-100000-salaries-free-flights-and-visas-to-experienced-irish-electricians-3302991.html

Australia eases visa policy for Pakistani businessmen

LAHORE: The Australian visa requirements for Pakistani businessmen have been relaxed to some extent and the High Commission is working to grant the business community easy access to the Australian market, said the Deputy High Commissioner of Australia, Paul Molloy, at the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) on Wednesday.
“Australia wants to further strengthen its relations with Pakistan and for this purpose it has relaxed visa procedures,” said Molloy. He encouraged Pakistani businessmen to initiate joint ventures with their counterparts in Australia.

Molloy said that Pakistani businessmen should avail Australian expertise in agriculture and livestock as this would help double their output. He further said that Australians had the latest technology in these two fields and with a little effort in this direction, miracles could be achieved.

Speaking on the occasion, LCCI President, Farooq Iftikhar, said that the trade and economic relations between Pakistan and Australia should grow stronger. He said that traditionally, bilateral trade has been heavily in favour of Australia. Both the countries have large markets so market surveys should be conducted to explore potential areas of trade.

Source:http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-3-144259-Australia-eases-visa-policy-for-Pakistani-businessmen

WEALTHY Asian business people are lining up for the federal government's new ''golden ticket'' visa, which waives the usual criteria for skilled migrants - such as an ability to speak English - in exchange for a $5 million investment in Australia.
As Australia's refugee debate rages on, the federal government is rolling out the welcome mat for a select class of migrant and it expects 700 new wealthy residents annually under its Significant Investor Visa program, which opens for expressions of interest on Saturday.
For permanent residency, migrants must have $5 million and live in Australia 40 days a year for four years.


Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/national/wonky-values-in-golden-ticket-visa-program-20121122-29sxo.html#ixzz2D2Y3YlgU

Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/national/wonky-values-in-golden-ticket-visa-program-20121122-29sxo.html#ixzz2D2Y3YlgU

Bowen defends new temporary visa regime

Immigration Minister Chris Bowen has defended his plan to release thousands of asylum seekers into the community on bridging visas, despite criticism from one prominent Labor backbencher who fears the changes will create a poverty-stricken underclass.

The Government has effectively admitted that its offshore processing system has been overwhelmed by the large number of asylum seeker boats that continue to arrive, and many people will now have their refugee claims assessed while living in Australia.
Those granted bridging visas will be prevented from working, will not have family reunion rights and will be given only a limited amount of financial assistance for food and accommodation.
The Greens have described the new arrangements as "more extreme" than the former Howard government's policies and have described the visas as essentially the same as the temporary protection visas (TPVs) that Labor once railed against.
But Mr Bowen has rejected that, saying: "There's similarities, and there's differences."

"They're a temporary visa, that is the case," he told ABC Radio National.
"The Liberal Party way of implementing TPVs, as I understand it, is that after people are taken to Nauru, after they wait that time, then they're given TPVs when they arrive in Australia.
"That's not what we're doing."
Under the Government's plan, asylum seekers will not necessarily have to go via an offshore detention centre to be issued with a bridging visa.
More than 7,500 asylum seekers have arrived by boat since the Government announced it would reopen the detention centres on Manus Island and Nauru, prompting the Greens and the Coalition to declare Labor's policies are not working.
Despite that, Mr Bowen insists the Government must do everything it can to try to stop people attempting the dangerous boat journey to Australia.

Underclass

Labor senator Doug Cameron, who has repeatedly criticised the way asylum seekers are treated, has again voiced his concern about the latest moves and declared it is impossible to stop the boats.
"I don't want people to come here and starve, I don't want an underclass to be created in Australia," Senator Cameron told reporters in Canberra this morning.
"If you have a situation where people are thrown into the community, having to rely on charity, you're creating an underclass.
"To put someone into the community and put them in poverty, is an issue.
"With the number of people that are looking to move around the world seeking refuge... you're always going to have a situation that boats will come to Australia," he added.
"I don't think you can stop the boats. I think that's rhetorical nonsense."

Speaking this morning, Foreign Affairs Minister Bob Carr called the bridging visas a "necessary policy" and said: "Offshore processing and the announcement yesterday are proof positive we are not going to allow people smugglers to rule the roost... we're not going to allow people smugglers to determine Australia's migration arrangements."
"We have a 20,000 per year humanitarian intake and that is the second most generous in the world. It's second only to that of the United States. That increase from 15,000 to 20,000 has edged us above Canada, and I think all Australians can be proud of that."
He said the recent voluntary returns of more than 400 "economic migrants" to Sri Lanka was proof the Government's policy was working.
"Given the large number of displaced people in the world and the instinct of people in Sri Lanka to come here as economic migrants, paying money to people smugglers, imagine how higher the figures would be without offshore processing and without the return of people that's now taking place.
"The important point is this - we've got people coming here, not as refugees, now being returned."

'Depressing'

The Government announced yesterday that it had begun transferring asylum seekers - including women and children as young as 10 - to Papua New Guinea's Manus Island.
It also announced a contract had been signed with a construction firm to begin building a permanent detention centre on Nauru, that will eventually replace the temporary accommodation being used at the moment.
Amnesty International observers have spent the past couple of days on the island inspecting the facilities and have described them as "depressing".
"People wanting to show us where somebody tried to hang themself - those sort of things that show the level of desperation that people are facing here on Nauru," the organisation's Graham Thom told Radio National.
Mr Bowen says he is not surprised by Amnesty's criticism given the organisation has never supported offshore processing of refugee claims.
Late yesterday, another detainee was treated by medical staff after attempting self harm. Asylum seekers inside the detention centre say the Iranian man tried to hang himself using a bed sheet within his tent.

Source:http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-11-22/bowen-defends-bridging-visas/4385930

Government extends tourist visas for parents of Australians

The Gillard Government will extend tourist visas for parents of Australian citizens and permanent residents to enable them to visit their family in Australia for longer, the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Chris Bowen MP, announced today.

'I know that many people are patiently waiting in the queue for a parent visa so we want to provide more generous tourist visas to enable regular extended family visits,' Mr Bowen said.
'The government will grant five-year tourist visas with a 12-month stay on each entry to suitable applicants who have applied for a parent visa outside Australia.

'The government will also consider tourist visas of up to three years with a 12-month stay on each entry for people not currently in the parent visa queue.

'These changes recognise the valuable role parents play in assisting their children and grandchildren in Australia and the social benefits such visits provide.'

The changes are expected to be in place by the end of this year.

'Tourist visa grants will be considered on a case-by-case basis and will enable parents to spend more time in Australia with their families while they wait for a parent visa,' Mr Bowen said.

'To be granted a tourist visa, applicants must meet Australia’s health and character requirements, have access to adequate funds, have health insurance to cover any healthcare costs during their stay, and intend a genuine visit to Australia.'

Tourist visa holders will be subject to a visa condition limiting applications for further visas while they are in Australia. As with all tourist visa holders, they will be expected to spend some time outside Australia between visits to their families.

For more information on the changes visit DIAC's website,

Australian visa to become label free for India, Nepal & Bhutan from 1st October 2012

By Neeraj Nanda
Melbourne: If you hold a valid Australian visa then you need not have a label announcing that status on your passport to travel to, enter or remain in Australia. Australia’s electronic visa system enables visa status to be confirmed electronically when you enter, stay or depart the country. This and other changes have been introduced by Canberra to have visa information handy in a letter that explains visa conditions that were not available on a visa label.
As part of the Australian Government’s global program of label free travel to Australia, the Australian High Commission, New Delhi will implement visa label-free travel arrangements across India, Bhutan and Nepal from 1 October 2012.
From this date, anyone applying for any Australian visa through one of the VFS Global Australian Visa Application Centres across India or Nepal or lodging directly with the Australian High Commission in New Delhi will no longer be required to submit their passport with their visa application.
Instead they will be required to submit a notarised copy of each used page of their passport at the time of application.
The notarised copy of the passport must include the following pages:
• Good quality notarised photocopy of the biodata page of the current passport;
• Good quality notarised photocopy of any endorsement page or change of name page in the current passport; and
• For current Indian passports – good quality notarised photocopy of the back page with information on parents’ names and previous passports.
This request applies to all visa categories. Applicants who do not lodge the above documents with their visa application will experience delays in the processing of their visa application, says a Australian High Commission, New Delhi media release.
If a visa is then granted, the visa holder will be issued with a visa grant letter that will explain the conditions of the visa including period of validity and entry requirements.
The visa grant letter is not necessary to facilitate travel but we would advise clients to carry their visa grant letter with them when travelling as it will provide them with easy to understand information about the conditions of the visa, information which was not always easy to find on Australian visa labels.
Australia expects the new process will not only provide clients with better information about their visas but also reduce visa processing times and costs as clients will no longer have to wait for their passport to be returned to them via a courier or be required to travel to one of our Visa Application Centres to collect their passport.
For more information: Australian High Commission address: 1/50 G Shantipath, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi 110021 – Telephone: 4139 9900 – Fax: 4149 4490

Source:http://www.southasiatimes.com.au