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Foreign Minister revokes alleged PNG crime boss' 457 visa

Monday, May 20, 2013

The man alleged to be Papua New Guinea's 'most wanted man', a crime boss believed to be responsible for over $30 million worth of theft has had his 457 work visa revoked by Australia's Foreign Minister, Bob Carr.

After fleeing PNG prior to his planned arrest by PNG authorities, Eremas Wartoto has avoided answering allegations of his crime and corruption by residing in northern Queensland on a subclass 457 visa, allowing him to fly in and out of Australia without question.

The Sydney Morning Herald recently reported on the news Mr Wartoto's visa cancellation and eventual arrest;

Mr Wartoto's visa has been cancelled by Senator Carr using laws that allow the Foreign Minister to revoke a 457 on the basis that the holder poses ''a risk to the health, safety or good order of the Australian community''.

But some senior government sources in PNG are furious that the Gillard government did not act sooner to expel Mr Wartoto, who has been living in Australia since he was charged in absentia in August 2011 with serious corruption offences.

The visa allowed Mr Wartoto to live in Cairns and fly in and out of Australia to several Asian countries despite being the most wanted man in PNG.

Mr Wartoto fled Australia to PNG last week after Fairfax tried to photograph him in Queensland. He remained on the run in PNG until Friday, when anti-corruption investigators tracked him to the port town of Kimbe and arrested him.

Mr Wartoto obtained a 457 visa in July 2011 - the foreign skilled worker visa at the centre of a Gillard government crackdown - after learning PNG authorities planned to charge him in August 2011.

Since then he has claimed to be too ill to face trial in Port Moresby but travel records reveal he has travelled to Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Fiji and the Solomon Islands during the past two years and has been able to return to live in Australia each time thanks to his 457 visa.

Mr Wartoto obtained his 457 visa after a Cairns car hire company he owns sponsored him on the basis there was a shortage of ''general corporate managers'' in the area.

To read the full story at the Sydney Morning Herald, click here.

Do you want to apply for an Australia visa? Contact AMVL Migrations to speak to one of our Registered Migration Agents (RMAs). Our RMAs specialise in all visa categories and can offer professional assistance and advice to those wishing to migrate to Australia.

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Chinese students embrace Australia's streamlined visa processing

Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Australia's new streamlined visa processing for international students has seen a significant boost in off and onshore visa grants for Chinese migrants. Experts say that the boost can also be credited to the introduction of post-study work rights and the reviewed skilled occupation list.

More from The Australian;

Chinese students have embraced the new streamlined visa processing system for higher education, claiming an even more dominant position as Australia's primary market. The number of visas granted to offshore Chinese applicants surged 34 per cent in the first three quarters of 2012-13, compared with last year.

Onshore higher education visa grants, from Chinese people already in Australia, also rose 17 per cent. China's share of newly granted higher education visas has surged from 33 to 36 per cent, pushing its overall share of foreign students from 19 to 22 per cent.

Adrian McComb from the Council for Private Higher Education, said higher education had driven growth in an international education industry that was otherwise flat.

Mr McComb said people in the university sector were "a lot more comfortable" about the visa processing system. "At first they weren't quite sure of the arrangements and I suspect some agents felt they were under pressure to make sure they were putting through genuine students.

"Now the whole process is better understood and working more effectively."

Mr McComb said the key issue for his members was that the streamlined system had not been expanded to non-university higher education providers. "Experience from the universities shows that (it) has improved compliance," he said.

Nigeria and Iraq have also shown strong growth in postgraduate enrolments.

To read the full article at The Australian, click here.

For Australia visa assistance, contact our friendly and professional team of Registered Migration Agents at AMVL Migrations. We specialise in all visa categories, including skilled student migration, and would be happy to assist you with your visa enquiries.

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Report shows essential role 457 visa program plays in Australian economy

Monday, May 13, 2013

Support for Australia's much talked about 457 visa program has been backed by a significant study of skilled migration, proving that there have been far less 'rorts' in the system than what the government has claimed. The report also suggests that the visa program is assisting with fueling economic growth and assisting with local skills development.

The Australian recently published details of the report's findings;

The first detailed survey of the program rebuts Immigration Minister Brendan O'Connor's claim that more than 10,000 of the visas were "illegitimate" by concluding the problem was a fraction of the size.

The report, to be released this weekend by the Migration Council of Australia, shows clear violations in 2 per cent of cases where foreign workers were not paid the $51,400 minimum salary set for all 457 visas. Applying that to the current visa workforce would amount to 2000 violations.

The overall conclusions are that the program is increasing local skills, fuelling economic growth and providing a good pathway for foreigners to settle into the workforce and wider community before applying to be permanent residents.

Migration Council chief executive Carla Wilshire said the program was critical to keeping Australia competitive when industry was global and local companies needed to keep up with overseas innovation.

"On the whole, the data shows the program is meeting the needs of both employers and 457 visa holders," Ms Wilshire said.

"What has been missing is consideration of the impact and contribution of the 457 program to broader economic policies."

A key finding is that 76 per cent of 457 visa holders are helping to train or develop other workers, a sign that they are helping local skills development.

"Rather than the 457 program simply plugging skills gaps, the data show that the 457 program is working to up-skill our domestic workforce and connect us with global practice," the report says.

There are high levels of approval for the program on both sides, with 88 per cent of workers very satisfied or satisfied and 85 per cent of employers very satisfied or satisfied.

While only 7 per cent of 457 visa holders are union members, those with membership tend to be more satisfied with the program and are more likely to stay in Australia over the long term.

The number of primary 457 visa holders on March 31 was 105,600, up 1.8 per cent from the previous month but 19.2 per cent higher than one year earlier, according to figures from the Immigration Department.

To read the full article at The Australian, click here.

Do you want to apply for an Australia visa? Contact AMVL Migrations to speak to one of our Registered Migration Agents (RMAs). Our RMAs specialise in all visa categories, including 457 visas, and can offer professional assistance and advice to those wishing to migrate to Australia.

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Foreign Minister revokes alleged PNG crime boss' 457 visa

Chinese students embrace Australia's streamlined visa processing

Report shows essential role 457 visa program plays in Australian economy

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