Australian migrants on a temporary Australian visa can now get life cover while abroad thanks to AXA Insurance. With AXA Insurance recently upgrading its services, migrants holding a subclass 457 visa can get a two-year income protection policy.
With over 83,000 skilled temporary visa holders in Australia, AXA Insurance’s move would enable the firm to crack into an untapped market. A market, which as far as trends are showing is constantly increasing over time.
This is the first policy of this kind of cover available to these migrants holding temporary Australian visas, which means each application would have to be considered individually. Another bonus with this policy is that if migrants were to take up permanent residency in Australia the cover could continue.
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Friday, July 4, 2008
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Proposed Changes to the 457 Australian Visa
The Rudd Government has just put forward a proposal to soon empower special investigators to enter and search workplaces to ensure employers are not exploiting foreign workers. These changes would create similar powers for investigators to that of the authority that inspectors under the Workplace Relations Act currently have.
Immigration Minister Chris Evans on Monday released a discussion paper seeking stakeholder feedback on proposed reforms to the 457 temporary skilled migrant visa scheme.
Senator Evans said he planned to introduce a bill in September to amend the Migration Act to help prevent exploitation and ensure the wages and conditions of Australian workers are not undercut.
The discussion paper proposes new authority controls that will see specially appointed officers enabled to enter and search workplaces so that the officers may determine whether employers are complying with their sponsorship obligations or not.
Under the proposals, employers who provided false or misleading information would face penalties of up to 10 years imprisonment or a fine of up to $110,000. Such harsh fines are seen to ensure that employers follow the laws and policies that accompany the Australian 457 temporary skilled migration visa.
"The intention of the bill is to clarify sponsor obligations and provide further fair and transparent mechanisms for temporary workers from overseas." "The additional obligations set out in the discussion paper are simply options and should not be interpreted as a complete list of obligations which would otherwise be imposed." Senator Evans said.
The proposed legislation would also enable the immigration department to publish the names of employers found to be in breach of their obligations. Something that in turn would more or less ‘black list’ business from sponsoring migrant employees in the future.
A review of the 457 visa program is currently being completed and is due to be released to the relevant groups in October.
Immigration Minister Chris Evans on Monday released a discussion paper seeking stakeholder feedback on proposed reforms to the 457 temporary skilled migrant visa scheme.
Senator Evans said he planned to introduce a bill in September to amend the Migration Act to help prevent exploitation and ensure the wages and conditions of Australian workers are not undercut.
The discussion paper proposes new authority controls that will see specially appointed officers enabled to enter and search workplaces so that the officers may determine whether employers are complying with their sponsorship obligations or not.
Under the proposals, employers who provided false or misleading information would face penalties of up to 10 years imprisonment or a fine of up to $110,000. Such harsh fines are seen to ensure that employers follow the laws and policies that accompany the Australian 457 temporary skilled migration visa.
"The intention of the bill is to clarify sponsor obligations and provide further fair and transparent mechanisms for temporary workers from overseas." "The additional obligations set out in the discussion paper are simply options and should not be interpreted as a complete list of obligations which would otherwise be imposed." Senator Evans said.
The proposed legislation would also enable the immigration department to publish the names of employers found to be in breach of their obligations. Something that in turn would more or less ‘black list’ business from sponsoring migrant employees in the future.
A review of the 457 visa program is currently being completed and is due to be released to the relevant groups in October.
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Remaining Relative Visa
The remaining relative visa is a visa which allows for members of the family outside Australia to rejoin their family in Australia. The Department’s objective for the visa provides that “[t]his visa reflects immigration principles relating to reunion of relatives in recognition of kinship ties and the bonds of mutual dependency and support within families. It enables consideration of remaining relatives of Australian residents.”
The visa is designed for overseas brothers, sisters and children of Australian permanent residents or citizens. It is a requirement that neither the applicant nor their spouse have any brothers, sisters, children or parents other than those in Australia. It is also a mandatory requirement of the visa that an Assurance of Support bond be lodged with the Department of Immigration
While the visa seems quite straightforward it can be a tricky one in practice. There are intricacies in determining when the applicant is a remaining relative such as;
The allowance for family overseas which haven’t been in contact for many years;
Ensuring the best person is chosen to sponsor the applicant;
Establishing the familial relationships; and
Establishing the residences of all the necessary family members.
Under correct circumstances, the remaining relative visa provides for the unification of families in Australia and promotes the importance of family in Australian society.
The visa is designed for overseas brothers, sisters and children of Australian permanent residents or citizens. It is a requirement that neither the applicant nor their spouse have any brothers, sisters, children or parents other than those in Australia. It is also a mandatory requirement of the visa that an Assurance of Support bond be lodged with the Department of Immigration
While the visa seems quite straightforward it can be a tricky one in practice. There are intricacies in determining when the applicant is a remaining relative such as;
The allowance for family overseas which haven’t been in contact for many years;
Ensuring the best person is chosen to sponsor the applicant;
Establishing the familial relationships; and
Establishing the residences of all the necessary family members.
Under correct circumstances, the remaining relative visa provides for the unification of families in Australia and promotes the importance of family in Australian society.
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