Alan Collett

No news yet on the Bill - I check Senate business almost every day (I looked earlier) to see whether the Bill is on the list. The Government has bigger fish to fry. Tax rate reductions for companies is the issue presently exercising the Government. The Bill facilitating temporary visas for parents is seemingly off their radar - and the winter recess is imminent. Hey ho.

I would wait until next week to pay the VAC and to send the application. Here are details of the 1st VACs for 143 applications from 1 July 2018: Subclass 143, Contributory Parent (not the holder of a subclass 173 visa) Main applicant – A$3,855 currently A$3,770 Secondary applicants aged 18 or more – A$1,300 currently A$1,270 Best regards.

Yes, but with an 864 application parents can remain in Australia for the duration of visa processing on a Bridging Visa. Best regards.

Here's another thought. 46,745 Contributory Parent visa applications yet to pay the 2nd VAC of $43,600 equals over $2b in uncollected revenue ... Best regards.

I would work on the premise that the timeline for an 864 application will parallel that for a 143. The last communications I had with the PVC on this subject a few months ago indicated an apparent desire to equalise the processing time between the two. This was/is a marked change to the past, when 864 applications were processed much more quickly than the offshore caseload. Personally I think this was a change that the Department should have communicated openly to applicants. But clearly there is a disdain for applicants and their families, because this has not been made known, and the Department continues to think that publishing historical results of processing timelines is all they need to do. More transparency would help a great deal in the relationship between the Department and its various stakeholders. Onwards!

Where is an AoS referenced in the context of the anticipated new temporary parent visa? Best regards.

Many thanks for your kind words. I will be surprised if subclass 410 and 405 visa holders are fast tracked in the permanent visa process - but I'd not be so bold as to say it won't happen. Let's wait to see the legislation and Department policy Strategies to adopt will flow from there. Best regards.

http://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/search/display/display.w3p;query=Id%3A"committees%2Festimate%2F75507344-48f1-4665-8f23-623c6eb5c20d%2F0002" Senator McKIM: Thank you. I'm very happy for you to take this on notice if you need to: could you provide the average assessment time and the average wait time? Ms Dacey : For partner provisional, 75 per cent of applications are processed within 12 months. Then the permanent stage, because it's a two-stage process— Senator McKIM: Sorry, 75 per cent within 12 months? Ms Dacey : Yes. We do global average processing times, so we talk about the 75th percentile; 75 per cent of applications are processed within that time frame. We call it stage 1 partner and stage 2 partner. Stage 1 partner is 12 months and stage 2 partner is 16 months. Senator McKIM: Sorry, the lengths of time you're giving— Ms Dacey : Are you talking about pipelines, sorry, not average processing times? Senator McKIM: I was going to ask about average processing times, so you might as well keep going while you're there. So you're giving me the length of time it's taking to process 75 per cent? Ms Dacey : That's right. Child is 12 months, and partner permanent is 19 months. I've got some other information that you were seeking, I think, on some of the other caseloads; is that right? Senator McKIM: Yes. There's 103, the parent visa; there's 143, the contributory parent visa; and there's another one, which I think is the contributory aged parent visa. Ms Dacey : Yes, there is. Orphaned relative was another category, which is 12 to 57 months; contributory parent is approximately 40 months; parent is 30-plus years; and other family is up to 56 years. We've had these conversations in other hearings about the fact that they're small numbers, very aged cases, because of the small numbers available under the program each year. The bulk of the family reunion visas are given to partner. Senator McKIM: Can I be clear: were you talking about assessment times there? Ms Dacey : Global processing times, yes. Senator McKIM: I can understand, given your previous comments, that it might take a long time for the issuing of a visa. But why would it take you 30-plus years to assess 75 per cent of the visas in some classes? Ms Golightly : I might be misunderstanding, but the global processing time is the assessment and issuing. Senator McKIM: Do you break it down into assessment times and time post-assessment up until issuing? Ms Golightly : No, it's a bit different. It's not like the citizenship program, where you have to turn up later at a scheduled event. Ms Dacey : It's when you hit the button and lodge your application. Ms Golightly : We assess, we make a decision and we notify. Senator McKIM: So these times are from the date on which the application was lodged to when the visa is actually issued? Ms Dacey : Correct. Ms Golightly : Or a decision was made. Senator McKIM: If a decision's made, does that mean the visa can be issued or do you then have to wait for a place to become available? Ms Dacey : No, we won't grant unless— Senator McKIM: A place is available? Ms Dacey : a place is available; that's right. Senator McKIM: Are they trending up or down compared to equivalent times in years gone by—in the last five years or so? Do you have any data on that? Maybe you could take it on notice. Do you have any general comments or awareness as to whether those times are trending up or down? Ms Golightly : We can take that on notice. I know that's been the case for quite some time for some of those longer-term ones. Senator McKIM: What's been the case, sorry? Ms Golightly : The average processing times. Senator McKIM: Are you saying they're relatively consistent over— Ms Golightly : Yes. We'll take it on notice, but I know that it's fairly consistent for some of those longer categories. Senator McKIM: I presume all the application fees for those visas are public information on the department's website, are they? Ms Dacey : Yes. Senator McKIM: Thank you. We've talked about time frames. Do you have data there about the number of people that are on—I call it a waiting list, but that's probably not the department's terminology. How many people have applied and are waiting for the issuance of visas in the family program? Ms Dacey : I can give you on-hand statistics as at 30 April this year. For partner, which includes prospective marriage, there are 71,182 cases on hand; for child, there are 3,078; for orphaned relative, there are 1,410; for contributory parent, there are 46,745; for parent, there are 50,644; and for other family, there are 11,986. Senator McKIM: When you say 'parent' is that a non-contributory parent? Ms Dacey : Correct. Senator McKIM: Where does non-contributory aged parent fit into that? Sorry, I think it is contributory aged parent. Ms Dacey : I don't have it as a separate category, so I'll take it on notice just to make sure. Senator McKIM: Just to be clear: as of 30 April there were 46,745 people waiting for a contributory parent visa? Ms Dacey : That's right. Senator McKIM: So that's actually up 8,000 since last year—since 30 June 2017—on my numbers. Ms Golightly : Demand continues to outstrip what places are available. Senator McKIM: Clearly. Ms Golightly : I haven't got last year's figures here, but— Senator McKIM: I do. Perhaps you could provide last year's figures—say, as at 30 June last year—for all of the categories that Ms Dacey just went through so that the committee can compare what I would call the waiting list or the people who are waiting. Ms Golightly : Yes, we'll take that on notice. Senator McKIM: Thank you. That's a lot of people waiting to bring a parent out in that class, and there are other classes that you've gone through. The reason isn't actually the length of time it's taking the department to process the claim, is it? The reason is that there is only a fixed amount available and there is much higher demand than there are places available in those programs. Is that a fair or accurate comment? Ms Dacey : Fundamentally, yes. Senator McKIM: The number of visas available per year in each of those categories is public knowledge? Ms Dacey : The planning levels? Senator McKIM: Is the number of places available each year in each of those programs on the department's website somewhere? Ms Dacey : Yes, absolutely. Senator McKIM: Has the minister asked the department for any advice on this? Is there any intention to address this? As you've said, Ms Golightly, not only is demand outstripping supply but it looks like the rate at which demand is outstripping supply is growing as well. That's a pretty big jump. If my figures are right, which I believe they are, there are 8,000 extra people waiting in the contributory parent pipeline in a year. Ms Golightly : We've taken on notice the comparison to last year. Ms Dacey : There was a particular set of circumstances around the parent category last year. Senator, you might recall that there was an announcement by the government that they were going to introduce a new temporary parent pathway. There was a date on that announcement. We saw people actually, somewhat counterintuitively, rushing to apply for the permanent one in advance of the commencement of the temporary one. It's a bit perverse. We weren't expecting it. So that category more so than any other experienced quite an unusual outcome. Senator McKIM: So I guess a spike in applications? Ms Dacey : I don't like that word, but, yes. Ms Golightly : We had an increase in applications. Senator McKIM: Okay. I wasn't trying to use it in a pejorative way. There has been a significant increase in the number of applicants? Ms Dacey : That's right. Senator McKIM: Thank you. CHAIR: Are you finished? Senator McKIM: Not only am I finished, Chair, but I'll put the rest of my questions on that output on notice. Best regards.

Hi Leana. What does the e600 visa grant notice say? The answer to your question is likely to be on that document. Best regards.

I think you'll find that you have to lodge a new visa application and start afresh if you want to apply for a 143 visa: the 143 is in an entirely separate visa class to the 173, and there is no Ministerial Direction in this regard that allows for the substitution of the lodgement date of the earlier application in the later application (unlike 103 applicants who switch to a 143, or an 804 applicant switching to an 864). Best regards.

I guess it depends what you want. When migrating I would be looking for someone to talk me through the options for moving my money, forward contracts, etc. I don't know whether Transferwise is geared up to be primarily an execution only service, or whether they have people dedicated to advising migrants: I have no experience of Transferwise, so if you say they work for you - that's great. At the risk of being a tad contentious I do though think that many make use of this forum without perhaps considering that firms such as Moneycorp facilitate this through their sponsorship. Hosting and maintaining a forum of this complexity doesn't come without costs to the forum owners. While not suggesting there should be a ban on discussing the competition I can see why Moneycorp might question the merit of their involvement when some are advocating using the competition. This might mean being a tad more circumspect, if you value the use of the forum? IMHO. Best regards.

IMHO it is best to support the forex company that sponsors this forum. Best regards.

Not quite. Subclass 173 applications do not require an AoS - this is required at permanent visa stage - so a 173 application will take a few months less time from go to whoa than a one stage 143 application. I agree that a 2 step strategy is going to cost more than going straight to permanent residency. Best regards.

Au contraire! The best way to submit your tax returns is through a registered tax agent, who should be able to optimise your tax deductions and reduce the tax payable. And you should get more time to lodge your returns if you appoint a registered tax agent. Best regards.

Yes, probably easiest to transfer funds to your daughter/s so a bank cheque can be arranged locally, for posting to the PVC. Best regards.