ARRIAGA ALVAREZ (Migration)

[2019] AATA 5085

ARRIAGA ALVAREZ (Migration) [2019] AATA 5085 (7 August 2019)

DECISION RECORD

DIVISION:Migration & Refugee Division

APPLICANTS:  Mr Luis Guillermo ARRIAGA ALVAREZ
Mrs Begona Maria FUENTES SANCHEZ

CASE NUMBER:  1906298

DIBP REFERENCE(S):  BCC2018/4865568

MEMBER:Catherine Carney-Orsborn

DATE:7 August 2019

PLACE OF DECISION:  Sydney

DECISION:The Tribunal remits the applications for Skilled (Provisional) (Class VC) visas for reconsideration, with the direction that the first named applicant meets the following criteria for a Subclass 485 visa:

·cl.485.223 of Schedule 2 to the Regulations; and

·cl.485.224 of Schedule 2 to the Regulations.

Statement made on 07 August 2019 at 1:46pm

CATCHWORDS

MIGRATION – Skilled (Provisional) (Class VC) visa – Subclass 485 (Temporary Graduate) – Graduate Work stream – evidence of applying for a skills assessment – successful assessment for the occupation of Accountant – studying a registered course – courses completed concurrently – recognition of prior learning – decision under review remitted           

LEGISLATION

Education Services for Overseas Students Act 2000, s 9
Migration Act 1958, s 65
Migration Regulations 1994, Schedule 2, cls 485.223, 485.224; rr 1.03, 1.15, 2.26

STATEMENT OF DECISION AND REASONS

APPLICATION FOR REVIEW

1. This is an application for review of a decision made by a delegate of the Minister for Immigration on 26 February 2019 to refuse to grant the applicants Skilled (Provisional) (Class VC) visas under s.65 of the Migration Act 1958 (the Act).

2. The applicants applied for the visas on 4 November 2018. Visa Class VC contains Subclass 485. (For visa applications made before 1 July 2013, there is also a Subclass 487, however that subclass is not relevant to the present matter.) The criteria for the grant of a Subclass 485 visa are set out in Part 485 of Schedule 2 to the Migration Regulations 1994 (the Regulations). The primary criteria must be satisfied by at least one applicant. Other members of the family unit, if any, who are applicants for the visa need satisfy only the secondary criteria.

3. The delegate refused the visa because the first named applicant did not satisfy cl.485.224 of Schedule 2 to the Regulations because the first named applicant (the applicant) did not provide a completed Skills Assessment from the appropriate authority for the skilled occupation which was nominated at the time of the visa application.

4. The applicant was represented in relation to the review by his registered migration agent.

5. In reaching its decision the Tribunal did not consider a hearing to be necessary, as it was able to find in favour of the visa applicants on the basis of the material before it, pursuant to s.360(2)(a) of the Act.

6. For the following reasons, the Tribunal has concluded that the matter should be remitted for reconsideration.

   CONSIDERATION OF CLAIMS AND EVIDENCE

7. The applicant is seeking to satisfy the primary criteria for a Subclass 485 visa in the Graduate Work stream which include cl.485.223 and 485.224 of Schedule 2 to the Regulations. These criteria are concerned with the applicant’s skills in relation to their nominated skilled occupation. The issue in the present case is whether the applicant meets those requirements.

   Had the applicant applied for a relevant skills assessment?

8. Clause 485.223 requires that when the visa application was made, it was accompanied by evidence that the applicant had applied for an assessment of the applicant’s skills for the nominated ‘skilled occupation’ by a ‘relevant assessing authority’.

9. ‘Skilled occupation’ has the meaning given by r.1.15I of the Regulations (r.1.03). An occupation is a skilled occupation if: it is specified by the Minister in an instrument in writing as a skilled occupation; and, if a number of points are specified in the instrument as being available — for which the number of points are available; and that is applicable to the person in accordance with the specification of the occupation. ‘Relevant assessing authority’ means a person or body specified by the Minister in an instrument under r.2.26B of the Regulations (r.1.03).

10. On the evidence before the Tribunal, the applicant nominated the occupation of Accountant which is a specified skilled occupation. For that occupation, the relevant assessing authority specified is Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (CA).   

11. As the visa application, when made, was accompanied by evidence of an application for a skills assessment for the nominated skilled occupation by a relevant assessing authority, the applicant satisfies the requirements of cl.485.223.

    Has the applicant been assessed as suitable for the nominated occupation?

12. Clause 485.224(1) requires that the applicant’s skills for the nominated skilled occupation have been assessed, during the last 3 years, by a relevant assessing authority as suitable for that occupation. In addition, if the assessment is expressed to be valid for a particular period, that period must not have ended: cl.485.224(1A).

13. There is an additional requirement if the skills assessment was based on a qualification obtained in Australia while the applicant held a student visa.

14. The applicant provided a copy of a skills assessment from Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (CA) dated 9 July 2019 stating the application had been assessed as successful for the occupation Accountant. The Tribunal has considered this skills assessment and finds that the applicant has now provided evidence that his skills for the nominated skilled occupation, Accountant, have been assessed, during the last 3 years, by a relevant assessing authority, as suitable for that occupation. He therefore meets cl.485.224(1).

15. If the applicant’s skills were assessed on the basis of a qualification obtained in Australia while the applicant held a student visa, the qualification must have been obtained as a result of studying a registered course (cl.485.224(2)). ‘Registered course’ is defined to mean a ‘course of education or training provided by an institution, body or person that is registered, under section 9 of the Education Services for Overseas Students Act 2000, to provide the course to overseas students’ (r.1.03).

16. The Tribunal has the information and evidence held on the Department file and provided by the applicant.

17. On the evidence before the Tribunal, the applicant’s skills were assessed on the basis of a qualification obtained in Australia while the applicant held a student visa.

18. As the qualification was obtained as a result of studying a registered course, the applicant satisfies the requirements of cl.485.224(2).

19. On the basis of the above findings, the Tribunal finds that the applicant meets the requirements of cl.485.223 and 485.224 of Schedule 2 to the Regulations. The appropriate course is to remit the visa application to the Minister to consider the remaining criteria for the visa.

    DECISION

20. The Tribunal remits the applications for Skilled (Provisional) (Class VC) visas for reconsideration, with the direction that the first named applicant meets the following criteria for a Subclass 485 visa:

    ·cl.485.223 of Schedule 2 to the Regulations; and

    ·cl.485.224 of Schedule 2 to the Regulations.

    Catherine Carney-Orsborn
    Member