LETTER TO THE ADDRESS PROCESSING DELAYS FOR 887 VISA

TO: Hon Scott Morrison MP, Prime Minister

Hon Peter Dutton MP, Minister for Home Affairs

Hon David Coleman MP, Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs       

                
RE: 887 Visa Processing Delays                                  

PURPOSE

Response and solution from Department of Home Affairs to the address the processing delays for 887 Permanent Visa.

DISCUSSION

As an introduction, we are a group (900 plus members) 489 (Regional Skilled Visa) applicants spread across the regional area of the country who have applied 887 visa (Permanent visa) in the years 2017/18 & 19 (Approx. 4000 PR visa applications).

We wanted to get in touch with you regarding the delays faced in processing of the permanent visas (sub class 887), which in turn is having significant impact on our day to day life.

During the time of the 489 application the processing timeline stated  for 887 visa post completion of compliance to the 489 visa conditions was anywhere between 7 to 8 months. It has now increased almost 3 folds and currently is anywhere between 21 to 23 months as per the information available on the IMMI website.

We do appreciate that during this time there has been increase in the visa applications and all the visa cases are to be dealt individually due to which time line can vary on case to case basis. Given the fact that current process does not permit applications to be decision ready. Having said that, what is the department planning to address this issue and taking into account that all the related employment and regional stay has been within the country the verification process can be much faster as compared to an offshore application.  

The impact it is having on the applicants and their family members is substantial, as the applicants and their family members face struggle, discrimination, eligibility questions in various walks of life due to this delay.

Overview of the issue in daily life,

1.    Many of the applicants are on contract employment and the companies find it difficult to extend the contracts since our visa status is not clear.

2.    If the applicants try to apply new employment roles, they find them not eligible since they do not hold a valid residency status, even though they have full working rights as per immigration department. Most of the companies do  find it difficult to understand and it is very tedious task to make them understand and mostly end up losing out on the employment opportunity in this process.

3.    When these applicants go to enroll for utility services such as a basic phone contract they find themselves as not being eligible for it due to visa constraints.

4.    Many of the family members struggle in educational sector since they do not have permanent residency to be eligible for educational cover for the young children.

5.    Some even face issues in extending their house leases due to the visa status as most agents demand the visa copy and bridging visa puts question mark on their housing applications.

6.    Cannot invest in housing market, since they do not hold permanent residency

7.    Financial services are mostly out of reach as banks do not consider such applicants where the PR is still in processing.

8.    Cannot plan any future travel or go out of the country as it will result in further delays.

9.    Have to apply police clearance (the current AFP clearance is valid only for 12 months) multiple times as the one submitted at the time of application does not stand valid in this lengthy processing time, which adds up to the cost as a family and results in further delays.

They are even many other unique and harsh situation faced by the applicants in their daily life.

All this anguish even after been in compliance to all the visa conditions and doing the hard yards of regional struggle. All these applicants have supported the regional economy across the country in all possible ways contributing towards the economic growth and would want to continue to do so.

What we expect,

1.    Lesser processing time of applications  around 7/8 months of PR processing

2.    Clear and transparent information about the status of the processing of applications, with clear numbers of visa applications lodged, In processing and finalized on a monthly basis along with the total cap for 887 visa to be issued by the department on an annual basis

3.    A decision ready application process

All these visa applicants have done everything to support themselves and contribute to the regional economy on their own without any government support

The only thing we request is for the processing timeline to be reduced and clearing of applications in a swift manner.

Many applicants out there want to continue living in the regional space and contribute to the economy.

With the introduction of new regional visa 491 effective from November 2019, it will create two classes of visa holders in regional space.

1.    A set of applicants who have struggled and worked their way through the process to find themselves stuck again in the bureaucratic processing delays.

2.    The second set would be the new regional visa holders in a much secured position with dedicated government support to achieve their objectives.

3.    We do not envy the situation and are actually glad that government has recognized the need to support people in regional areas as we understand the struggle one has to go through in a space with limited opportunities, but at the same time it should not be disregarded that applicants who have independently achieved and complied with all the conditions and supported the government objective to support and uplift regional economic.

We request your urgent attention to this matter and look forward to see solution to address this issue faced by many applicants across the regional space.

Response Requested

Your response is requested on the below,

1.    What is the departmental plan to address increase and clear the 887 visa applications?

2.    What will be the time frame to resolve the processing delays?

3.    Processing period from the date of 489 application to 887 grant date be considered as permanent residency, allowing this applicants not to wait another year again to apply citizenship?

Thanking you,

Team 887 applicants