Changes to pathway to Citizenship

[jess6]

5 minutes ago, Spinny said:

That would be a hard sale!

 

 

Well - I would not change my political views based on recent changes...

Does anybody remember this:

http://www.smh.com.au/national/abbott-vows-to-boost-457-visas-20120426-1xoah.html

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/abbott-call-to-ease-457-visa-limits/news-story/49a3cda14ae1d3b2528233e666f34fe7

"TONY Abbott wants to lift the limits on business and skilled migrants entering Australia, declaring that workers on skilled visas would become the "mainstay" of our immigration intake.

Defying union concerns and accusing the Gillard government of not having the best immigration policy for Australia, the Opposition Leader wants to lift the limits on 457 visas granted to skilled workers for temporary work for up to four years.

Mr Abbott says workers on 457 visas are "the best immigrants", who contribute immediately to the economy and provide the best long-term workers when they convert their visas to permanent residency. The current skilled migrant intake is 125,850 people."

"Mr Abbott argues that turning skilled temporary visa workers into full-time residents is best because it "helps Australia to be more prosperous and productive and the best way for an immigrant to settle in is to work"."

[wombatinabox]

On 28/06/2017 at 21:27, jess6 said:

I have a question for you: in terms of senator, would you simply email the senator of the party you support? 

If I understand well, we do not have a local Senator, we just have a bunch of senators representing our State.

Just wondering what's the most effective way to convince additional people. 

Hi mate,

What I did is search all the senators in my state and I emailed them

I'm in Victoria so I used this page. You can use the search bar enter your post code and it shows you the senators in your state.

http://www.aph.gov.au/Senators_and_Members/Parliamentarian_Search_Results?q=&sta=VIC&sen=1&par=-1&gen=0&ps=10’

In addition contact cross bench senators (such as Xenophon) who we need to persuade to throw out this bill or at the very least adjust the worst parts of it.

[Spinny]

for what it may be worth....

https://www.gofundme.com/process-the-applications

 

[bwatt99]

4 minutes ago, Spinny said:

for what it may be worth....

https://www.gofundme.com/process-the-applications

 

What is this going to do or what's it for?

[seeker]

Is it worth to sending the concerns to parliamentary committe?

http://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Legal_and_Constitutional_Affairs/CitizenshipBill2017 

[dredg97]

2 hours ago, seeker said:

Is it worth to sending the concerns to parliamentary committe?

http://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Legal_and_Constitutional_Affairs/CitizenshipBill2017 

Absolutely, this won't be kept secret as the DIBP/Government did with the submissions received in May.

It's important to include you personal situation and how you are affected by the proposed Bill.

[wombatinabox]

4 minutes ago, dredg97 said:

Absolutely, this won't be kept secret as the DIBP/Government did with the submissions received in May.

It's important to include you personal situation and how you are affected by the proposed Bill.

That was a disgrace how they threw out all the DIBP submissions and went ahead with what they wanted anyway. 

 

Definitely worth making a submission to the parliamentary committee. I'm making one right now 

Edited July 5, 2017 by wombatinabox

[bobby122]

Just to clarify -

I entered Australia in June 2015 on WHV

Partner visa 309 granted February 2016

Applied for visa 100 (PR) Dec 2016

PR expected to be granted Jan 2018 (approx) 

So I wouldn't be able to apply for citizenship until 2022, correct? 

[wombatinabox]

2 hours ago, bobby122 said:

Just to clarify -

I entered Australia in June 2015 on WHV

Partner visa 309 granted February 2016

Applied for visa 100 (PR) Dec 2016

PR expected to be granted Jan 2018 (approx) 

So I wouldn't be able to apply for citizenship until 2022, correct? 

Thats correct under the new proposed rules. 

If you don't like these rules, then follow the instructions posted above to email reps and senators to fight this bill and throw it out. 

[Shigeaki Yoshida]

Damn it. I would have applied for Citizenship this May as I had been PR for one year but now I have to wait for 3 more years. If the days spent outside of Australia do not count, it means that I would have to wait for more than 3 years if I go overseas for travel/business. Does anyone know exactly how to count the days for this?

[Roberta2]

No one can answer your questions because this is Bill before parliament, not a law.

 

[bwatt99]

1 hour ago, Shigeaki Yoshida said:

Damn it. I would have applied for Citizenship this May as I had been PR for one year but now I have to wait for 3 more years. If the days spent outside of Australia do not count, it means that I would have to wait for more than 3 years if I go overseas for travel/business. Does anyone know exactly how to count the days for this?

If you had applied in may you would still be too late as they mentioned the changes on 20th april.

My wife was due to apply 1st june but we have left it on hold until we see what happens,been here just over 4 yrs but 3 yrs of this wife has been pr. So its now july 2018 before she can apply under new rules or if they do changes etc in her favour then she can apply.

Im not willing to risk losing the fee if things dont change and what be the point as believe there is backlog anyway.

As many others have said and yes we have wrote to many places from here and elsewhere how annoyed we are.

Two main things they should consider anyone who is already pr should not be affected and bin the english test,but yes could make test a little different but to be honest its ok as is.

I wish they roll on with this so everyone knows what to do.

[Ken]

9 hours ago, Shigeaki Yoshida said:

Damn it. I would have applied for Citizenship this May as I had been PR for one year but now I have to wait for 3 more years. If the days spent outside of Australia do not count, it means that I would have to wait for more than 3 years if I go overseas for travel/business. Does anyone know exactly how to count the days for this?

Under the old rules (and I would assume this part of the rules won't change) you were allowed to be outside of Australia for up to a year of your 4 year residency period provided no more than 90 days of that were in the last year. Don't know exactly how you count the days for this purpose though - e.g. I don't know if the day of departure and the day of arrival both count as a full day outside of Australia or not.

[wombatinabox]

8 hours ago, Ken said:

Under the old rules (and I would assume this part of the rules won't change) you were allowed to be outside of Australia for up to a year of your 4 year residency period provided no more than 90 days of that were in the last year. Don't know exactly how you count the days for this purpose though - e.g. I don't know if the day of departure and the day of arrival both count as a full day outside of Australia or not.

Correct, that part is not changing. 

[Shigeaki Yoshida]

Thank you, Ken and bwatt99. It means that I cannot go overseas more than one year in total if I really wanna get the citizenship right away. AH.. anyway, I will have to wait..

Edited July 7, 2017 by Shigeaki Yoshida
forgot to put the username

[jaydeeo]

 

On ‎7‎/‎4‎/‎2017 at 15:59, Spinny said:

for what it may be worth....

https://www.gofundme.com/process-the-applications

 

On ‎7‎/‎4‎/‎2017 at 16:03, bwatt99 said:

What is this going to do or what's it for?

Has anyone got any further opinions on a class action? I think it was discussed earlier in this topic that this would stand a good chance. Why are donations closed for this on the fundraiser page? If all of those 81000 applicants currently awaiting processing chipped in 1 dollar plus some donations from the migration agent industry we could get this rolling. Or is it better to just wait until the next parliamentary sitting in September while lobbying with politicians and hope the freeze will go as quickly as it came.....?

[wombatinabox]

59 minutes ago, jaydeeo said:

 

Has anyone got any further opinions on a class action? I think it was discussed earlier in this topic that this would stand a good chance. Why are donations closed for this on the fundraiser page? If all of those 81000 applicants currently awaiting processing chipped in 1 dollar plus some donations from the migration agent industry we could get this rolling. Or is it better to just wait until the next parliamentary sitting in September while lobbying with politicians and hope the freeze will go as quickly as it came.....?

I was the one who discussed that idea here sometime back after I consulted with a migration lawyer who confirmed the application freeze can easily be thrown out by the high courts if challenged since the minister doesnt actually have the power to blanket freeze citizenship applications. Only challenge is getting it lodged which is not cheap. 

Unfortunately in Australia there aren't many powerful or large immigrant organisations orgs that protect immigrants (like the usa for example) so resources are limited. The gofundme is a great idea, hopefully it gains enough traction to meet the target and we can get this freeze thrown out. 

Edited July 9, 2017 by wombatinabox

[Roberta2]

Good question as to why donations are no longer being accepted.  While I'm not a constitutional lawyer,  I do know that this is not the US, which has a system of divided government.  In our parliamentary system,  it would seem odd that any court would have jurisdiction in relation to a Bill that is currently before Parliament, has been hived off to a Senate Committee, but has not yet been debated in Parliament.  Someone at an Immigration law firm had a rush of blood to the head???  Saw it as a way to get some good publicity and drum up business in a competitive market?   And now thought better of it????

[jolie2015]

25 minutes ago, Roberta2 said:

Someone at an Immigration law firm had a rush of blood to the head???  Saw it as a way to get some good publicity and drum up business in a competitive market?

I totally think that was the case. 

Apparently someone first tried to reach Slater and Gordon, the law firm behind the class action for Manus Island detainees. The law firm declined taking on a class action for the changes on Citizenship legislation, most probably because they found there's no grounds for it.

[Roberta2]

Slater and Gordon are in enough trouble as it is.

 

[peterthepom]

We have been affected by the proposed changes as above. We got PR in April and plan to get citizenship however we need to leave Australia for about 6 months.

Does anyone know the maximum time we can leave Australia on PR and still be eligible for citizenship in 4 years?

The reason we need to return to UK is to tie up loose ends and sort some family matters with parents etc.

Any guidance would be helpful and we do plan on calling Immigration this week so will post any updates here.

Thanks

[wombatinabox]

25 minutes ago, peterthepom said:

We have been affected by the proposed changes as above. We got PR in April and plan to get citizenship however we need to leave Australia for about 6 months.

Does anyone know the maximum time we can leave Australia on PR and still be eligible for citizenship in 4 years?

The reason we need to return to UK is to tie up loose ends and sort some family matters with parents etc.

Any guidance would be helpful and we do plan on calling Immigration this week so will post any updates here.

Thanks

Hi mate 

You have a Max 1 year out of the 4 years to be out of Australia. So you'll have a further 6 months once your back, you should be fine. 

In any case hopefully the new rules are thrown out at the senate, so you might not wait that long anyway. 

Edited July 9, 2017 by wombatinabox

[peterthepom]

46 minutes ago, wombatinabox said:

Hi mate 

You have a Max 1 year out of the 4 years to be out of Australia. So you'll have a further 6 months once your back, you should be fine. 

In any case hopefully the new rules are thrown out at the senate, so you might not wait that long anyway. 

Thanks man that helps, still think its worth a call to immigration given the changing goal posts.

Enjoy your evening!

[wombatinabox]

Hi Folks,

An update, i've been busy emailing senators and house members to persuade them to be on our side and i've been researching the political game involved, so to make it easy for everyone here:

1. All 9 Greens Senators are united in throwing out this bill entirely (i've contacted all of them all they are consistent)

2. Tony Burke assured me that Labor is also united in opposing this bill or atleast the following aspects (English Test, backdating/retrospective aspect, new powers for Immigration Minister to override courts). 

3. Nick Xenophon Team are still on the fence but they are leaning towards opposing the bill especially the backdating/retrospective aspect and the English test, new minister powers. Having said that he still needs persuading from the public as he hasn't taken a position yet.

So now the decision and balance of power for the citizenship Bill pretty much comes down to the following Senators who are on the fence/leaning towards opposing:

1. Nick Xenophon (Team Xenophon Party) senator.xenophon@aph.gov.au

2. Stirling Griff (Team Xenophon Party) senator.griff@aph.gov.au

3. Skye Kakoschke-Moore (Team Xenophon Party) senator.kakoschke-moore@aph.gov.au

4. Derryn Hinch (Justice Party) senator.hinch@aph.gov.au

 5. Lucy Gichuhi (Independent) senator.gichuhi@aph.gov.au

 

Everyone here affected must email these Senators asap with your story and opposition to this bill and ask these senators to reject the bill (or parts of it that most affect you). We need as many people as possible persuading these senators. 

 

 

 

[bwatt99]

1 hour ago, wombatinabox said:

Hi Folks,

An update, i've been busy emailing senators and house members to persuade them to be on our side and i've been researching the political game involved, so to make it easy for everyone here:

1. All 9 Greens Senators are united in throwing out this bill entirely (i've contacted all of them all they are consistent)

2. Tony Burke assured me that Labor is also united in opposing this bill or atleast the following aspects (English Test, backdating/retrospective aspect, new powers for Immigration Minister to override courts). 

3. Nick Xenophon Team are still on the fence but they are leaning towards opposing the bill especially the backdating/retrospective aspect and the English test, new minister powers. Having said that he still needs persuading from the public as he hasn't taken a position yet.

So now the decision and balance of power for the citizenship Bill pretty much comes down to the following Senators who are on the fence/leaning towards opposing:

1. Nick Xenophon (Team Xenophon Party) senator.xenophon@aph.gov.au

2. Stirling Griff (Team Xenophon Party) senator.griff@aph.gov.au

3. Skye Kakoschke-Moore (Team Xenophon Party) senator.kakoschke-moore@aph.gov.au

4. Derryn Hinch (Justice Party) senator.hinch@aph.gov.au

 5. Lucy Gichuhi (Independent) senator.gichuhi@aph.gov.au

 

Everyone here affected must email these Senators asap with your story and opposition to this bill and ask these senators to reject the bill (or parts of it that most affect you). We need as many people as possible persuading these senators. 

 

 

 

Have emailed them all but i do wonder if they even bother to read them.

My wife should have applied 1st june 2017 under old rules but cant now till july 2018 to have 4 yrs pr required. Ok english test is another things we are against etc.

But our reason's for not applying for her citizenship is due to unsure how this go,might not get fee back and applications are frozen.

Would it be worth applying now as they swing towards rejecting the new rules? Or wait a bit longer?

If wife called dibp to see when she was eligible would they tell her its from date we last asked of 1 june or would it be july 2018 which is under new rules not yet passed.

And can you still apply online now or have they put a stop to this with a backlog.

Want to move forward on this and i suppose many others do, but just getting the info together etc can take long enough.