George Lombard

Further clarification of GSM Processing Priorities received from the MIA's very helpful Kevin Lane:


Folowing our enquiries to DIAC, we have just received the following advice:

1. Applicants with $100K designated investment
The Minister's office has agreed that applications that were stalled by the closure of the capital investment program can proceed, and will not be subject to the new processing priorities. Applicants who are not in an occupation on the CSL but have been requested to submit a bond with the South Australian Financing Authority can proceed to grant.

2. Applications remitted by Migration Review Tribunal (MRT)
DIAC will continue processing of non-CSL applications remitted by the MRT.

3. Offshore applicants in Australia
DIAC will continue processing offshore applications by non-CSL clients who are onshore and required to depart Australia where a pre-grant letter has already been sent.

4. Pre- 1 September 2007 applications
The Minister's S499 direction on priority processing (including the CSL) applies to all applicants in the applicable visa subclasses including GSM applications lodged prior to 1 September 2007.


5. New information documents:

Fact Sheet - Changes to the 2008-09 Skilled Migration Program which can be found on the DIAC website at http://www.immi.gov.au/skilled/gener...on-program.pdf

This fact sheet provides the Government's rationale for changes to the skilled migration program and processing priorities


2008-09 Migration Program Changes - March 2009 - Frequently Asked Questions
This can be found on the DIAC website at: http://www.immi.gov.au/skilled/gener...on/pdf/faq.pdf

This contains information on:
Capping the Skilled Migration Program
New Critical Skills List - 16 March 2009
Priority processing
Employer sponsorship
State nomination
Students
Subclass 457 - Business (Long Stay) visa

Please note: This document states that there will be a capping of the 2008-09 General Skilled Migration (GSM) Program, but it then goes on to say that the only visas to be capped at this time are the business skills visa classes:

•Class EA Business Talent (Migrant)
• Class UR Provisional Business Skills visa
• Class DF Residence Business Skills visa
• Class BH Established Business in Australia

Other categories may be capped later this program year to ensure that the 115 000 ceiling is not breached.



Cheers,

George Lombard

eurosyl

Thank you George for this very useful post!

I am glad to see that those which were affected by the investment program fiasco are not put back in limbo that would really have been outrageous.

Also for those that received a pre-grant letter it is good that the visa will still be issued when they go offshore.

Still sad to see that those that got an CO and are no longer eligible for priority processing will be put on hold without a clear timeline.

Sylvia

emaus

Thanks George,

Then what about state sponsored applicants with already have co?

guiguioz

State sponsored applicants are still given high processing priorities (in fact, higher than the applicants on the CSL), so there is no issue.

Peter800

I don't see benefit of getting a state sponsorship. Until now, no co for me. it has been more than a month after state gov sent the nomination form to immi.

maverickdale

Peter800, you should send an email or lodge a PLE at DIAC and cite your state nomination form 1100 submission was already 1 month old submitted. It was mentioned in the site, that in the event, applicant does not hear from his/her 10 days after submission of Form 1100 by the Nominating State. One is advised to initiate contact to the DIAC office. Have you tried it already?

You should hear from them as indicated in their directives.

Cheers,
maverickdale

Peter800

maverick: I have both did the post lodgement form enquiry and called the aspc, they said i should be getting a co soon and asked me to be patient... there is nothing else i can do now.. besides wait....

Bengto78

Hi! Peter800,
when did you lodge your application?
I lodged in Aug 2007, and i haven't got a CO, either

Bengto78

Thanks George,

that's all of the info i wanted to know..
thanks very much.

Peter800

Bento: I lodged in Dec 08. is urs 176 or 175 visa? I got SS nearly 1 month ago.

essex2sydney

I'm confused by the further changes. I lodged my 176, non MODL non CSL in December 2008, does this mean my long wait is going to become even longer now...

Peter800

esses2sydney: which ss u obtained? and when?

essex2sydney

What do you mean ss?

Peter800

SS = State Sponsorship

mb_jg

I'm confused by the further changes. I lodged my 176, non MODL non CSL in December 2008, does this mean my long wait is going to become even longer now...

Not unless you can procure state sponsorship or an ens, work visa, then you would get in the priority queue.