Oz introduces visa changes

AUSTRALIA’S
Department of
Immigration and Border
Protection has introduced
reforms to its temporary
activity visa framework.
Under the new reforms,
application centre,
TLScontact, and the
Australian High Commission
will no longer accept paper
applications for temporary
activity visas. These visas
must now be applied for
through Australia’s online
visa service, ImmiAccount.
The changes will also see
the introduction of new
temporary visa categories
– old visa categories will be
incorporated within the new
framework.
The following temporary
activity visa categories have
been introduced:
Temporary Work (Short
Stay Specialist);
Temporary Work
(International Relations);
Training;
Temporary Activity.
 The following visas closed
for new applications from
November 19:
Temporary Work (Long Stay
Activity);
Training and Research;
Special Programme;
Temporary Work
(Entertainment);
Superyacht Crew.
According to TLScontact,
there have been no changes
in temporary visa fees.
As applicants cannot
make appointments with
TLScontact via telephone
and email, the Australian
High Commission says
they should make an
appointment online through
TLScontact’s website.
TLScontact has also
increased the number of
appointments available each
day at all South African visa
application centres and
introduced a live operator
option on its call centre
service.
For more information,
go to the Department of
Immigration and Border
Protection’s website.