The following main points have been gleaned from the Commonwealth Budget announcement.
A preliminary reading of the DIAC Portfolio Budget Statements 2013-14 reveals:
- Total Migration Program numbers remain unchanged at 190,000;
- Skilled Program down by 700 places to 128,550;
- Family Program up by 700 to 60,885;
- Total departmental revenue is expected to increase from $1,333.7 million to $1,462.3 million. The movement is primarily due to an increase in revenue from Government (appropriation revenue) of $126.7 million and an increase in DIAC’s own source revenue of $1.9 million;
- Visa and Migration Program delivery expenses increase from $508 million to $518 million;
- Visa compliance and status resolution expenses increase from $87 million to $96 million;
- Refuge expenses increase from $118 million to $551 million in response to the Report of the Expert Panel on Asylum Seekers, which recommended an increase in the Humanitarian Program to 20,000 places annually;
- There will be a comprehensive review into Australia’s refugee status determination system;
- At least 12 percent of offshore refugee grants through the Woman at Risk Subclass;
- Settlement services expenses increase from $479 million to $552 million;
- Grants for multicultural affairs increase from $732,000 to $9.5 million;
- Enhancement and extension of biometric testing;
- Enhancement of the DIAC’s capability to detect and minimise identity and document fraud;
- Subclass 457 visa application charges will increase revenue by more than $46 million;
- Improvements to communications that increase consumers’ understanding of their rights and agents’ understanding of their obligations under the regulatory framework; and
- Five percent of agents to be monitored – which is not a change.
The Government’s reform agenda for the Migration Program includes:
- Labour market policy framework;
- Long term migration planning framework;
- Skills targeting (permanent and temporary);
- Review of student programs;
- Working holiday, visitor and specialist entry programs;
- Visa simplification and deregulation agenda; and
- Implementation of a fairer approach to migration for people with a disability.
2013-14 Budget: Useful links
MIA Budget media release:
Department of Immigration and Citizenship
Minister O’Connor’s media releases:
Commonwealth Budget Links:
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