Anne O'Donoghue appears before the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs: 457 visa inquiry
The Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs conducted a Public Inquiry in regards to the role of 457 visas in the Australian workforce. The focus of the inquiry included, but was...

Student Visas: Replacement of Automatic Cancellation with Discretionary System
The Department of Immigration is currently working towards replacing the automatic cancellation of student visas with a discretionary system that seeks to be fairer to individuals...

ISL Newsletter - April: The Target of Changes to the 457 Program sets 01 July 2013 as the Deadline
Much has been said, both by media commentators and by Parliamentarians, about the announcement in February by the Labor Government that a comprehensive “crackdown” on the 457...

The 457 Debate
  On the 23rd of February 2013, the Labor Government’s newly appointed Minister for Immigration, Mr Brendan O’Connor announced proposed changes to the 457 program. Since...

Unlawful Partners
Australia’s migration scheme allows for partners of Australian citizens to apply for either a temporary visa or a permanent visa so that the couple is able to both...

SAME-SEX RELATIONSHIPS
Same-Sex Partners: Background to the Debate The issue of same-sex relationships has become one of the key issues of the past decade in Australia and around the world. It...

Proposed Changes to the 457 Program
The Federal Labor Government has recently announced proposed changes to the 457 program. The newly appointed Minister for Immigration, Brendan O’Connor, has announced a...

March 2013 Newsletter: Temporary Work (Entertainment) (Subclass 420) Visa
This visa is designed for foreign workers in the entertainment industry who wish to come to Australia to enhance our cultural appreciation for the arts. On the 24th November, the...

ISL Statistics: Partner Visas
Partner Visas form part of Australia's Family Migration Stream and allow non-citizens to enter and remain in Australia on the basis of their spouse or de facto relationship (both...

ISL's Statistics: Ministerial Interventions
The process of applying for a ministerial intervention is notoriously difficult and uncertain. Under the Migration Act 1958 (Cth), the Minister is granted powers to intervene...

ISL's Statistics: Business Visas - 457 Program
The Subclass 457 Program is designed to allow foreign skilled workers to be sponsored by an Australian business to work in Australia on a temporary basis. It involves three...

Immigration Lawyers and Migration Agents. What is the difference?
For our complete article, please visit ISL's blog here:...

SIGNIFICANT INVESTOR VISAS - State Nomination Requirements
As part of the application process for a Significant Investor Visa (provisional), the applicants must first submit an Expression of Interest through the Department’s...

Development of the Migration Law Council: A Brief History
          A Representative Body for Migration Lawyers The current representative body for Migration Lawyers in Australia is a...

Newsletter - November 2012: DEPARMTENT OF IMMIGRATION FEE INCREASES FOR VISA APPLICATIONS
On the 22nd October 2012, Treasurer Wayne Swan delivered the Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook to Federal Parliament. Contained within this review of the annual budget...

Newsletter – October 2012: SIGNIFICANT INVESTOR VISA -New visa pathway for migrant investors to commence from 24 November 2012
Earlier this year, the Federal Government announced extensive restructuring of the previous Business Skills Migration Program. Superseding this program is the Business...

Newsletter - August 2012: Changes to the Existing Criminal Offences and Creation of New Civil Penalty Provisions
The Government announced on 12 December 2011 that it will legislate to reform the current employer sanctions regime which comprises criminal offences for persons or...

Newsletter – July 2012: Reforms to the ‘Exceptional Circumstances’ Waiver in Subclass 186/ENS Applications
The Department of Immigration and Citizenship on 01 July 2012 released a system of reform designed to systematize and streamline the employer sponsorship and nomination schemes...