The Visa Capping issue Time to appeal

from 2010-07 Melbourne

Ask Auntyji

The Australian Government is close to passing the Visa Capping Bill which will change the lives of thousands of foreign students hoping to make this country a place of residence. It’s time to stand up and appeal.

To ensure that Australia is moving towards a demand driven system in terms of skilled migrants, the Migration Amendment (Visa Capping) Bill 2010 was introduced in Parliament recently. The Bill is currently with a Senate Committee, and if passed in its current form, may adversely affect nearly 147,000 General Skilled Migration applicants including a large number of international students (approximately 36,750).

The proposed bill will allow the minister to allocate a certain number of places to each occupation in the points test (such as accountant, cook or nurse); when that quota is met, he seeks to be able then to not just stop processing in that occupation for the rest of the program year but much worse, actually return those applications back to visa applicants. In other words an application will be simply axed, even if the applicant has been waiting a year, two years or three years for a decision. If the applicant is in Australia, their bridging visa will cease and they will have 28 days to pack up and leave. This is potentially going to affect many thousands of people who have been waiting for residency.

Students who have applied for permanent residency after graduating from Australian colleges and universities, feel that the new immigration changes will be unfair in more ways than one. The changes eat at the core of Australian fairness for all those people who have sacrificed so much in making sure they meet Australia’s requirements, lodged perfectly good applications, and then have had to wait patiently whilst their applications and lives have been put on hold for an inordinate amount of time. Members representing many different community organisations, as well as the general public from Indian and sub-continental heritage have come together and formed a team called “Friends of International Students” to lobby the government for change. The team has lodged a petition with the Federal Government seeking changes to the proposed amendments to the Migration Regulation Act 1994. If you also feel for the cause, then go to www. fairgo4internationalstudents.org and register your support.

We also urge all fair minded people to make contact with not only their local MP urgently but also other people of influence. Ask them to review this unfair visa capping bill. Names and contacts are provided below.

If you wish to petition these politicians, please urge them as follows:

“I believe that Australia is a fair country. While you reserve the right to make and change any immigration policy, please note the impact it can have on thousands of people. Visa capping is one such issue. It is unfair to reject existing applications which have been lodged without due process being followed. Visa capping is unfair and immoral. Please review and ensure that applicants are treated fairly. As your party says, give everyone a Fair Go.”

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