Visa Applicants Concerned About Processing Delays
Here's something that many visa applicants might need to hear about. According to Australian immigration officials, processing of visa applications will probably be delayed up until 2011. This one, they say, is due to the changes made by the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC).
The department began implementing the changes at the start of the year. They said that these changes are intended to improve the Australian skilled migration program, as well as realign the program's priorities. However, the department has already warned that the initial implementation of the new procedures is likely going to have an effect on currently lodged applications, as well as newer ones.
Thus, the department has started sending out officials letter to all current visa applicants. According to the letter, signed by Deidre Clark of the General Skilled Migration program, the delay was, in fact, due to the rearrangement of the priority list for the GSM program in order to meet up with the new policies being implemented by the DIAC.
The new processing order has the employer sponsored applications being given top priority, followed suit by applicants having secured state sponsorship. Worker applying under the Critical Skills List are then to follow, as well as the Migration On Demand List. All other applications will then be processed after these groups have been completed. The department also said that due to the current rate at which the applications are being processed, it is likely that they will be doing so up until the end of the 2010 immigration season. Thus, processing for groups 4 and 5 will probably commence in 2011.
The department also said that the number of visas to be granted will be capped to around a hundred thousand, due to the economic slowdown that the country has experienced in the last two years. They then advised those wanting to have their applications prioritized, but are not included in the first three groups to get either a state or employer sponsorship, though the reminded that state sponsorships are based only on the discretion of the respective states.
The DIAC also further advised that all applicants who already have the necessary documents to immediately submit these to their case officers, though processing will not be done until the processing of the other groups are completed. On the other hand, those who still have to gather these are advised not to do so until further notice. Those wishing to withdraw their applications due to the delays can do so after informing the department in writing. However, the department said that these will not be eligible for a refund of processing fees.
The department also said that graduate foreign students seeking working visas, as well as those applying for a Regional Sponsored visa are exempted from the delay. On the other hand, applicants for non working visas, such as the tourist and family visa, will have their processing as scheduled. To see the full letter, as well as some additional reminders, you can check out this site: http://www.gettingdownunder.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/GSM-Processing-Arrangements.pdf
