DIAC Announces New Processing Priorities for GSM and Business Visas - Effective 23 September 2009

[Susan Wareham McGrath]

I thought this might be of interest - it's an extract from a Q&A on DIAC's website that I just came across. There doesn't seem to have been a public announcement yet.

Best regards

Susan

The Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Senator Chris Evans, has set new priority processing arrangements for certain Skilled Migration visas. These arrangements are designed to better address the needs of industry by targeting skills in critical need across a number of sectors. The current priority processing Direction commenced on 23 September 2009.

The Direction applies to applications in the pipeline that have not been finalised, and to applications lodged with the Department of Immigration and Citizenship, on or after 23 September 2009........

.........The Minister has set priority processing arrangements which apply to the following visas from 23 September 2009:

• Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS)

• Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (RSMS)

• General Skilled Migration (GSM) visas except for:

o Skilled – Recognised Graduate Subclass 476

o Skilled – Designated Area – Sponsored (Residence) Subclass 883

o Skilled – Regional Subclass 887.

Under the Ministerial Direction, the following processing priorities (with highest priority listed first) apply:

1. applications from people who are employer sponsored under the ENS and the RSMS

2. applications from people who are nominated by a State/Territory government and whose nominated occupation is listed on the Critical Skills List (CSL)

3. applications from people who are sponsored by family and whose nominated occupation is listed on the CSL

4. applications from people who are neither nominated nor sponsored but whose nominated occupation is listed on the CSL

5. applications from people who are nominated by a State/Territory government whose nominated occupation is not listed on the CSL

6. (i) applications from people whose occupations are listed on the Migration Occupations in Demand List (MODL) and

(ii) applications from people who are sponsored by family and whose nominated occupation is not listed on the CSL.

7. all other applications are to be processed in the order in which they are received.

For the Subclass 485 (Skilled – Graduate) visa the following processing priorities (with highest priority listed first) apply:

1. applications from people who have completed an Australian Doctor of Philosophy (PHD) at an Australian educational institution in Australia

2. applications from people who have nominated an occupation on the CSL

3. applications from people who have completed an Australian Bachelor degree and Australian Masters degree at an Australian educational institution in Australia

4. applications from people who have completed an Australian Bachelor degree and Australian Honours degree (at least upper second class level) at an Australian educational institution in Australia

5. applications from people who have completed an Australian Bachelor degree or Australian Masters degree at an Australian educational institution in Australia

6. all other valid applications are to be processed in the order in which they are received.

For Business Skills (Provisional) visas the following processing priorities (with highest priority listed first) apply:

1. applications from people who are sponsored by the Commonwealth or a State/Territory government

2. all other valid applications are to be processed in the order in which they are received.

[L Herholdt]

Jipppppeeeeeeee.

ENS has been at DIAC for 4 weeks now.

L

[Smartie]

Hi there,

So what does this mean for us who have lodged a non modl 175 (PR visa) in Feb 2008?

Should I happy or not?

[Short&Tall]

Here is the web link

http://www.immi.gov.au/skilled/general-ski...whats-new.htm#a

or direct to the pdf discussing the changes

http://www.immi.gov.au/skilled/general-ski...-processing.pdf

Looks great for those on CSL - but I'm pretty gutted at the moment as am going SS and it appears it is now less of a proprity.

"If your nominated occupation is not on the CSL and you have applied for an offshore GSM visa or intend to apply for an offshore GSM before the end of 2009, it is unlikely that your visa will be finalised before the end of 2012."

[Mel-B]

I'm completely blown away. We applied November 2008... non modl 175. I guess its our own faults for putting our lives "on hold". To think that we need to live in limbo till the end of 2012 kills me. We have sold furniture, have long term contracts with renters in our home.... living with the parents with our girl as it was originally only for 6 months to a year.... I feel... lost.

[Simpsons]

Thanks for the heads up.

This basically answered 99% of the questions I had. It will be a much longer wait, atleast I know what to expect now and can plan my life here in SA for the next few years.

I have no doubt that we will eventually get to OZ!

[Simpsons]

Think I'll grab a bowl of popcorn and get comfy then.

[MWP]

Please clarify, as I am a bit lost.

We are waiting for SS 176 (ACT), already classified as low priority, 1 of 210 applications that still need to be worked through. Will this now mean that we will stay at the bottem of the 210 applications already submitted untill they work through them (only the 210 applications), or will they now add all new applications to this batch and we will still stay at the bottem of the pile till end of days?

[SD_MOA]

Please clarify, as I am a bit lost.

We are waiting for SS 176 (ACT), already classified as low priority, 1 of 210 applications that still need to be worked through. Will this now mean that we will stay at the bottem of the 210 applications already submitted untill they work through them (only the 210 applications), or will they now add all new applications to this batch and we will still stay at the bottem of the pile till end of days?

Hello MWP,

This change in processing will not affect your ACT application - it will be finalised with them in the normal timeframe. The problem is that unless yours is a CSL occupation it will not be processed by DIAC as a priority and you could expect to be waiting till 2012. Bad news for most I'm afraid!

Regards

[MWP]

Thank you,

Not the news I wanted to hear. Live already on hold for nearly 2 years. How the hell do we go on like this for another 2 years.

Ag nee, ek weet nie meer nie. Waar is daai d@%d#rse komeet wat ons van die hele gemors kan verlos?

[Serendipity]

For SS - What if your not on DIAC's CSL list but on the states??????

How will that effect SS Applications already in the system???

Are they ONLY taking into account the main CSL List.

[Nikiki]

I noticed this announcement early this morning on DIAC site. Not great news at all. We are about to submit 176 SS - only waiting for kids' papers from Home Affairs. What a bummer!

[PjT]

hmmm, so is it safe to assume (without making an ass of u and me ) that this is good news for me?

Because:

(a) my occupation (Town and Regional Planner) is list on the CSL (just checked again)

( I am undecided between ENS or RSMS (still weighing the two up against each other)

I have read up on these two visas on the immi site, and the only difference that I can find, is that on the RSMS the employer must get certification from a Certifying Body. I suppose this might make the RSMS option a bit longer?

In terms of pro's, it seems that these two visas are the same (i.e. permanent residency with all the benefits).

Any comments / advice much appreciated.

[Eva]

I have read up on these two visas on the immi site, and the only difference that I can find, is that on the RSMS the employer must get certification from a Certifying Body. I suppose this might make the RSMS option a bit longer?

In terms of pro's, it seems that these two visas are the same (i.e. permanent residency with all the benefits).

It doesn't take very long at all!

We are on a RSMS 119 and it IS a great visa.

[PjT]

HI Eva,

See you in QLD. I am also opting for it.....

Not long yo say? How long did your appl. take approx. ?

What are one's options IF one lands in a job on the RSMS (where one has to complete two years at that specific employer) and there are factors which creates the need to change employers. Is it possible (like with the 457 i think) change employers, pending that they "take over" your sponsorship?

Lastly, if going on the RSMS, what costs are the employers usually willing to pay?

[PieterK]

I'm completely blown away. We applied November 2008... non modl 175. I guess its our own faults for putting our lives "on hold". To think that we need to live in limbo till the end of 2012 kills me. We have sold furniture, have long term contracts with renters in our home.... living with the parents with our girl as it was originally only for 6 months to a year.... I feel... lost.

Thank heavens I switched to a 176 visa when I did, waiting for another 3 years would have killed me.

For anybody still on a non-modl 175 like I used to be, allow me to say on your behalf: Bleep, bleep, bleep, bleeping bleeps of bleep,....

Crazy, and absolutely unfair if you ask me.

[Serendipity]

I feel sick to my stomach - not sure if i should be crying or not, although i feel like i am on the verge!!

My heart is set on a January fly out but not sure now if it's gonna happen!

All we can do is wait and see what happens even though we have a CO who knows

They were not joking when they said migration is listed as one of the most stressful situations to be in, next to a death.

I suspect there are going to be planty of forumites out there feeling the same as i do right now

[Kirsy]

This is what my agent mailed me today, inconnection with a 176 Family Sponsored ( May 2008)

Many thanks for your email and the link to DIAC.

After reading through the information earlier today it is apparent that they have just re structured the priority proccessing programme. From this information I can determine that you fall into category 6(ii), but what this means in time structure is very hard to determine.

As you can appreciate DIAC have given no indication of the amount of applications which fall into each category and at what point they are currently processing. In other words 'its as clear as mud'!!!.

I will continue to try and get more definitives.

Sorry I cannot provide more positive information in this regard.

[natand]

Not good at all unfortunately....

[Sibella]

We applied for SS due to it being top priority at that time. Now four months down the line we still have no SS, and we are at the bottom of the pile with DIAC.

DIAC keeps changing the goalposts and its impossible to know what visa to apply because it changes all the time.

ITS NOT FAIR!!!!!!

But we're still okay, we are reasonably happy in the UK and we haven't applied for our visas yet - I can imagine people who already paid more than $2000 for their visas and now having to wait another 3 years are seriously p£$£ off!

[pkn]

So SS 176 means zip without DIAC CSL...the goalposts have shifted mid-game...what a bummer!

[Serendipity]

So SS 176 means zip without DIAC CSL...the goalposts have shifted mid-game...what a bummer!

SS without Occupation on DIAC CSL means another about 12 months!

SS with Occupation on CSL - worse case about 9 months!

If you already have a CO - no difference, your pushed in the Q again!!

[pkn]

I am SS 176 without occupation on DIAC, with CO, Meds on 25 Sept.

What a bummer (again)!!

[Serendipity]

I am SS 176 without occupation on DIAC, with CO, Meds on 25 Sept.

What a bummer (again)!!

Same boat - meds submitted, as per CO's request, PCC's in today and blah blah blah blah . . . not sure if it means anything now!

I am grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

[WaltAM]

Kirsy - look on the bright side....at least they are once again processing 176 Family Sponsored visas (where they had stopped completely)....we will be in the same boat as you....so watching this space for further developments.

Vasbyt!