NSW Trade and Investment SC 190 Update The NSW State Government has provided the MIA with the following information which will soon be on their website: Why was a new online process implemented? Until now NSW have had a paper based application system and payment has been by bank cheque or money order. The system has been modernised to allow online applications and electronic payment by credit card. This is a major improvement to the NSW process for Skilled Nominated visa applications. Why is the application process being staggered across the year? NSW has a limit of 4,000 places available each year for State nominated Skilled Migration. In 2013-14 the 4,000 places were filled by December 2013 and no applications could be lodged for the first six months of 2014. The application intake for 2014-15 has been staggered across the year to enable better management of the processing of applications. It will also enable monitoring of applications to manage occupational diversity. It is planned that another three intakes of 1,000 applications per intake will be scheduled in 2014-15. Details of the proposed intakes are published on the website. These dates may change once the July 2014 intake has been processed and reviewed. Please continue to check the website for further information. Why a 1,000 limit on each intake? We have planned for one intake each quarter to allow for processing time and to avoid backlogs. It also allows time to analyse the intake. The analysis will identify ineligible applications and any places that have not been filled will be available in later intakes. Applicants are required to undertake a self-assessment against a set of criteria which is then reviewed by the Migration Services Team. Our experience is that applicants are unlikely to apply if they do not meet the points test and that most applicants are successful in gaining nomination. Can paper based applications be submitted now? No-only on-line applications will be accepted. Paper applications will not be assessed. Have you had any technical problems with the online system? Despite extensive testing undertaken prior to the launch of the new online system, some teething problems were expected. Because of the large number of applications lodged at one time, the application server shut down and issues detected (e.g. difficulty nominating an occupation and calculation of age). A number of users have provided valuable feedback and this will assist us to refine the system so that it is improved in time for the next intake. The introduction of the online system is major reform which we are improving on a continual basis. User feedback is essential for this process. I experienced technical issues which prevented me from making my payment. What can I do? An application will only be considered where payment was successfully made and confirmed with a payment receipt which contains a one to three digit reference number. If you would like to apply at a future date, you will need to apply in the next intake. Your application would be considered if you have submitted a complete application and successfully made payment. Please refer to the website: Live and Work in NSW business.nsw.gov.au/live-and-work-in-nsw When was it decided to announce the opening of the applications on 14 July? The date for the launch of the new system was announced on the NSW Trade & Investment website on 1 July 2014. What alternatives are available to skilled migrants who failed to successfully submit their application in this intake? We plan to conduct three more intakes in 2014-15 and prospective applicants are able to apply. The NSW Government also encourages potential applicants to try alternative pathways, including exploring opportunities to gain regional sponsorship. There are significant opportunities in regional NSW for skilled migrants and potential applicants are encouraged to visit NSW Trade & Investment’s website for more details. When will my application be processed? Applications will be dealt with in receipt order and we will publish updated processing times on the website regularly. We anticipate providing an update on processing times for the July 2014 intake on the 31st July. My visa is expiring and I was not able to apply. What can I do? State nomination is one of a range of visa options that prospective migrants can consider. For more information on other visa options, prospective applicants can refer to the Department of Immigration and Border Protection website.
Posted on: Wed, 16 Jul 2014 08:02:02 +0000