July at Nomos
Here are the highlights from Nomos for the first month of the new financial year:
- As the effects of COVID-19 continue to impact Australia, the Department of Home Affairs is continuing to introduce concessions for visa applicants and visa holders affected by the pandemic. There are a range of concessions that vary according to visa subclass, including concessions relating to permission to work, extending visa validity periods and the provision of certain documentation, such as evidence of English language proficiency. If you want to confirm whether any of these concessions affect you, please get in touch.
- Our employer sponsor clients will be aware of the Department of Home Affairs’ ongoing focus on compliance and ensuring that sponsors are treating their visa-holding staff fairly and in line with any obligations that apply. The Department has recently proposed a Bill outlining a number of legislative reforms aimed at strengthening the existing provisions in the Migration Act 1958 that deal with migrant worker exploitation. The Department states that their goal is to send an unambiguous message to potentially unscrupulous employers: the exploitation of temporary migrant workers will not be tolerated. These proposed amendments are also intended to reassure temporary migrant workers that the Department takes their wellbeing seriously. The draft Bill can be read here and the background context information here. Comments on this Bill can be provided up to 16 August 2021.
- As a cloud-based practice, Nomos has been able to fluidly transition to remote working in line with the NSW State Government’s stay-at-home orders. Thanks to our use of technology, we remain fully equipped for remote working, and have continued working with our clients and handle all your enquiries without interruption. Also, both our Directors are now fully vaccinated against COVID-19, and will be ready to return to the office as soon as possible after restrictions are lifted. If you or anyone you know has an immigration enquiry, please tell them to get in touch as we would be happy to assist.
That’s the Nomos wrap-up for July. See you next month!
*This is general information only, as at the date of publication, and should not be interpreted as legal advice. For an accurate and current assessment of your circumstances and visa options, please contact us to receive this advice.
