- September 6, 2021
- Posted by: Ali Raza
- Category: Australia News, News
the quality of the application. whether the application is a ‘decision-ready application. the complexity in assessing ‘genuine relationship’ claims. health and character criteria factors impacting priority processing of family visas, including Ministerial Direction 80.The Family stream within Australia’s Migration Program enables Australian citizens and permanent residents to reunite with close family members. The Partner program is by far the largest component of the Family stream, usually making up around 80 per cent of the program, and for program years 2020-21 and 2021-22 constituting 94 per cent (72,300 places for each year).
Australia has a universal, non-discriminatory visa system, which focuses on the contribution a person can make to Australia rather than their ethnicity, gender or religious beliefs. Australia enjoys high levels of social cohesion and broad public support for its Migration Program. This is, in part, based on confidence in well‑managed, non-discriminatory migration.
The Department of Home Affairs does not undertake or condone any form of racial or religious profiling, in administering the Migration Program or otherwise.
All visa applications are assessed on their merit against criteria set out in the Migration Act 1958 and Migration Regulations 1994, and in accordance with relevant Ministerial Directions and procedural instructions.
The time taken to process Partner visa applications can vary according to the individual circumstances of each case. Processing times are impacted by the quality and completeness of applications, the complexity often involved in assessing ‘genuine relationship’, character, health and security criteria, and the application of Ministerial Direction 80 made under section 499 of the Migration Act, which relates to the order for considering and finalising Family visa applications.
In line with annual planning levels and priorities set by the Government, the Department manages the allocation of its processing resources to deliver the Partner program. High volumes of Partner and other Family stream visa application lodgements, which for a number of years exceeded annual migration planning levels, contributed to increased processing times for these visas.
In the last two program years, the proportion of Family stream visa places has increased to a planning level of approximately 50 per cent of the total Migration Program ceiling. This is a departure from the two-thirds/one-third distribution across the Skill and Family streams seen since the early 2000s.
In 2020-21 and 2021-22, 72,300 places were allocated to the Partner program within a total Family Program of 77,300 places. This is an increase of 32,501 places from the 2019-20 planning level of 39,799 places for Partners.
This increase is designed to provide greater certainty to Australians and their immediate family members during the COVID-19 pandemic, and contribute to addressing processing times for Partner visa applications.
Despite disruptions to visa processing arrangements caused by COVID-19, more Partner visa places have been delivered in 2020-21 than in any program year in at least 25 years.