Direction No. 70 - Priority processing for standard business sponsors with accredited status

KEY DATES AND REFERENCES
Commenced	1 July 2016
Signed	5 May 2016
Status	Not in force
Revoked	Direction No. 52

DIRECTION NUMBER 70 – PRIORITY PROCESSING FOR STANDARD BUSINESS SPONSORS WITH ACCREDITED STATUS

(Section 499)

I, PETER DUTTON, Minister for Immigration and Border Protection give this Direction under section 499 of the Migration Act 1958 (the Act) to any person or body having functions or powers under the Act.

Dated:    5 May 2016

 

THE HON PETER DUTTON MP

Minister for Immigration and Border Protection

 

Part 1 of Direction No. 70 – Preliminary

Name of Direction:

This Direction is Direction No. 70 – Priority Processing for Standard Business Sponsors with Accredited Status.

It may be cited as Direction No. 70.

Commencement:

This Direction commences on 1 July 2016.

Revocation:

Direction No. 52, given under section 499 of the Act and signed 11 October 2011, is revoked.

Application:

The purpose of this direction is to ensure that standard business sponsors with Accredited Status receive priority processing of their nomination and visa applications under section 51 of the Act.

Preamble:

The sponsor accreditation scheme is available to certain standard business sponsors in the Temporary Work (Skilled) (subclass 457) visa programme.

This scheme recognises that certain Australian public or private businesses or government agencies have a long history of good dealings with the Department of Immigration and Border Protection, including lodging a high volume of good quality, decision-ready applications and an excellent record of compliance with relevant laws.

Applications for Accredited Status can be made with a new sponsorship application or by varying an existing sponsorship application. The sponsor will be required to meet certain additional characteristics. Once the characteristics are met, the sponsor receives Accredited Status.

Accredited Status offers the following benefits to sponsors:

1. a sponsorship agreement for a standard business sponsor with Accredited Status will last for six years.
2. sponsors with Accredited Status will receive priority processing of all future nomination applications and visa applications for the length of the sponsorship agreement.
3. sponsors who are afforded Accredited Status on or after 1 July 2016 will also receive streamlined processing of certain nomination applications.

Priority processing allows sponsors with Accredited Status to have their nomination and visa applications processed ahead of other applications from sponsors without Accredited Status.

Interpretation:

In this Direction:

Act means the Migration Act 1958.

Part 2 of Direction No. 70 – Directions

1. The requirements for a standard business sponsor to receive Accredited Status are specified in Procedures Advice Manual 3 - Application for 457 Sponsorship Accreditation.
2. The requirements for a nomination application to receive streamlined processing are specified in Procedures Advice Manual 3 – Streamlined processing of certain nominations lodged by Accredited Sponsors.
3. Section 51 of the Act provides that I may consider and dispose of applications for visas in such order as I consider appropriate.
4. This direction instructs delegates to give priority to nominations and visa applications to standard business sponsors with Accredited Status.
5. This direction instructs delegates to apply streamlined processing arrangements to certain nomination applications lodged by standard business sponsors who are afforded Accredited Status on or after 1 July 2016.
6. The exact order of priority processing will be determined by the delegate exercising powers or performing functions under section 51 of the Act.