Immigration Minister Peter Dutton has ramped up pressure on Labor to support the Government's sweeping changes to citizenship laws which aim to prioritise "Australian values".


Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull announced the changes in April, declaring that migrants must prove their commitment to the nation with a tough new citizenship test and more stringent English language test.
There have been differing views on the proposal within the Labor caucus and Mr Dutton took up the issue in Question Time on Tuesday.
"What has become evident over course of the last five weeks is that on a fundamental issue you would have thought the Labor Party could unite, but they haven't," he said.
"And Mr Speaker what is evident is that, just as on their boats policy, we've seen on this policy the left and the right are completely divided.
"[Bill Shorten] needs to state his position, Mr Speaker. Is he in favour of the citizenship changes? Or is he not?"
Lateline understands the policy was informed in part by confidential National Security Commission documents, obtained by the program last year.
The documents urged stronger controls over access to citizenship, pointing to Lebanese migrant enclaves to illustrate potential community safety and national security risks associated with unsuccessful integration.

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www.abc.net.au/news/2017-05-30/citizenship-dutton-ups-pressure-on-labor/8572888

Talented overseas scientists have already started turning down prestigious research positions in Australia following the federal government's changes to 457 visas, the medical sector says.

​One of Australia's top medical research heads says at least six institutes have had their job offers rejected by star scientists abroad following the federal government's recent visa overhaul.
Association of Australian Medical Research Institutes president, Tony Cunningham, has raised the alarm over last month’s changes to 457 visas, which saw hundreds of jobs cut from the list of eligible occupations.
Hundreds of other occupations are now on a restricted list which offers a visa for two years instead of four, and cuts off any pathway to permanent residency.
“In many cases we find that those people who come here are so valuable that we want to keep them," Mr Cunningham told SBS World News.
"An example of that would be Ian Frazer who came from Scotland and invented the papilloma virus vaccine.
“We run the risk of people leaving after two years and leaving us in the lurch in the middle of excellent funded research projects.”

FOR FULL STORY PLEASE CLICK THE LINK BELOW:
http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2017/05/21/embarrassing-highly-skilled-foreign-workers-reject-aussie-jobs-after-457-visa

By political reporter Jane Norman

Noel Towell

Michael Pezzullo, Secretary of the Department of Immigration and Border Protection .  Photo: Alex Ellinghausen

More than 250 public servants at the Department of Immigration and Border Protection face the sack as the department moves to outsource its key call centres to a private operator.
The move presents a "serious security" risk, with no guarantee that the call centres would continue to be staffed by Australian workers, according to the main public service union.

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​​http://www.canberratimes.com.au/national/public-service/hundreds-of-public-servants-face-sack-as-immigration-outsources-visa-centres-20170516-gw5w7d.html

They shared a plan to come to Australia, work, and stay. They have contributed to the community, paid taxes, and shared their skills and experiences. They believed they had done everything they could to meet Australia's immigration rules.
But as local job opportunities remain scarce the government has moved to tighten temporary and permanent immigration.
The changes will force these five aspiring Australian residents to look elsewhere to live.


FOR FULL STORY PLEASE VISIT THE LINK BELOW:
http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2017/04/26/its-someone-asked-you-leave-your-child-victims-australias-immigration-changes

Employers will be slugged at least triple the bill to bring foreign workers into the country under a multi-pronged approach to tightening the screws on visa requirements.
The federal government has outlined in the budget its plans for scrapping 457 visas for skilled migrants and replacing the scheme with a short-term and medium term stream.
Visa application charges for the short-term (two-year) stream will increase from $1060 to $1150, while medium-term (four-year) applications will cost $2400 apiece.

For the Full Story Please click the link below:
https://thewest.com.au/news/australia/employers-slugged-more-to-bring-foreign-workers-to-australia-ng-b88470940z

As part of the 2017-18 Budget, the Government announced a number of changes to existing Visa Application Charges (VACs) including the introduction of a number of new products. (see link below) Please notice also the introduction of a Skilling Australians Fund levy which will be introduced in March 2018. This will mean companies wanting to sponsor overseas applicants will have to pay between $1200 and $5000 levy (charge) in addition to any other visa application charges. This extra charge will again make employer sponsored visas far less attractive to employers and applicants alike. We will keep you posted of any further changes.

​https://www.border.gov.au/ReportsandPublications/Documents/budget/visa-price-increase-fact-sheet-2017-18.pdf

​For full story please click the link:
 ​http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-05-03/indias-pm-expressed-concern-about-457-visa-axing/8491758