Which visas are the Brisbane Processing Centre processing now? The auto-reply mail is not working for me. So, if someone could tell me what date the Brisbane Centre is upto in terms of processing of visas that would be awesome. Have they started on any 2010 applicants or are they still on 2008 applicants?

They are processing August 2008 applicants.

Goodness gracious! I am a 3oth August 2010 applicant. I applied for an onshore 885. Does this make any difference? How long are they going to take to get to me? 4 years?

I was referring 175 and 176 applicants.

Alright but what about the 885s? Up to which month, year are the DIAC officers up to in terms of processing? 2007, 2008, 2010 January?

Current reply (as at 12/10/10) from [email protected]

GENERAL SKILLED MIGRATION BRISBANE PROCESSING INFORMATION

This is an automated e-mail response which provides updated information on
skilled migration applications being processed by GSM Brisbane.


IMPORTANT NOTICE
Changes to Priority Processing – 14 July 2010
Direction No. 48 - Order of consideration - certain skilled migration
visas

The Migration Act 1958 contains powers by which the Minister can consider
and finalise visa applications in an order of priority that the Minister
considers appropriate. Departmental officers are required to follow this
Ministerial direction, which applies to every stage of visa processing.

The Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Senator Chris Evans, has set
new priority processing arrangements for certain skilled migration visas.
These arrangements take account of the changes to the Skilled Occupation
List (SOL) that came into effect on 1 July 2010, as well as the revocation
of the Migration Occupation in Demand List (MODL) and the Critical Skills
List (CSL). These priority processing arrangements apply to applications
already lodged with the Department of Immigration and Citizenship, as well
as to future applications.

The new priority processing arrangements apply to the following visa
programs:
· The Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS)
· The Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (RSMS)
· General Skilled Migration (GSM)

The following GSM visa subclasses are exempt from the priority processing
provisions specified in Direction 48:
· Skilled – Recognised Graduate Subclass 476
· Skilled – Graduate Subclass 485
· Skilled – Designated Area – Sponsored (Residence) Subclass 883
· Skilled – Regional Subclass 887

Applications for these visa subclasses will be processed in the order in
which they are received.

The following GSM applications are exempt from Direction 48:
· applications that have been remitted by the Migration Review Tribunal
for reconsideration;
· applications where it is readily apparent that the criteria for grant
of the visa would not be satisfied;
· applications by members of the family unit of a person who holds a
temporary or provisional GSM visa (subsequent entrant applications).
· visa applications for a Skilled – Regional Sponsored Subclass 487
visa where the applicant holds a Skilled – Independent Regional
(Provisional) Subclass 495 visa, Skilled – Designated Area-sponsored
(Provisional) Subclass 496 visa, Skilled – Regional Sponsored Subclass 487
visa or Skilled – Regional Sponsored Subclass 475 visa at the time they
apply.


The Skilled Migration visa processing priorities

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

Applications from people who are employer sponsored under the ENS and
the RSMS.
Applications from people who are nominated by a state or territory
government agency with a nominated occupation that is specified on that
state or territory’s state migration plan.
Applications from people who have nominated an occupation on the new
Skilled Occupation List (SOL) – Schedule 3 in effect from 1 July 2010.
See:
http://www.immi.gov.au/skilled/gener...ccupations.pdf

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


Further information can be found via the following link:
http://www.immi.gov.au/skilled/gener.../whats-new.htm


Priority Processing Exemptions & Current Processing Times


Visa Subclasses 476, 485 and 887 are exempt from the priority processing
changes. Applications under these subclasses will continue to be
processed in the order in which they were received by the department – the
following subclass by application lodgement date identifies cases
currently being considered:

Skilled – Graduate Subclass 485
VC 485: Applications Lodged on or before 1October 2009
Skilled – Regional Subclass 887
VB 887: Applications Lodged on or before 21 September 2010

Skilled Onshore E-Lodged Applications - Priority Group 3
885, 886 - Applications Lodged on or before 4 March 2009
487 - Applications Lodged on or before 4 March 2009


Processing News

INCREASED VISA APPLICATION CHARGES (VACs) – 1JULY 2010

Information on fees and charges is published on the department's website
at http://www.immi.gov.au/allforms/990i.htm

When a VAC is changed, the new amount applies to all visa applications
received by the department on and after the day the VAC is changed.
Therefore if an application will be received by the department on or after
1 July 2010 please ensure that the correct VAC is paid. An application
has not been validly made until the full VAC is received.

We have been advised that the relevant visa charges have increased as
follows:

If the first instalment of the VAC payable was previously $AUD230 it is
$AUD235 from 1 July 2010
If the first instalment of the VAC payable was previously $AUD2525 it is
$AUD2575 from 1 July 2010

For GSM applicants liable to payment of a second instalment of the VAC the
amount payable will be $AUD3575 for applications lodged on or after 1 July
2010. Applicants are not required to pay the second instalment until
requested to do so by the department.