Cheung (Migration)

[2019] AATA 1494

Cheung (Migration) [2019] AATA 1494 (10 January 2019)

DECISION RECORD

DIVISION:Migration & Refugee Division

APPLICANTS:  Miss Wai Shan Cheung
Mr Chun Yip Liu

CASE NUMBER:  1705498

HOME AFFAIRS REFERENCE(S):           BCC2017/2404741

MEMBER:Wan Shum

DATE:10 January 2019

PLACE OF DECISION:  Sydney

DECISION:The Tribunal remits the application for Regional Employer Nomination (Permanent) (Class RN) visas for reconsideration, with the direction that the first named applicant meets the following criteria for a Subclass 187 (Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme) visa:

·cl.187.233 of Schedule 2 to the Regulations.

Statement made on 10 January 2019 at 12:49pm

CATCHWORDS

MIGRATION – Regional Employer Nomination (Permanent) (Class RN) visa – Subclass 187 Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme – Direct Entry stream – position of Liaison Officer – nomination approved upon review – decision under review remitted

LEGISLATION

Migration Act 1958, s 65
Migration Regulations 1994, Schedule 2, cl 187.233, rr 1.13, 5.19

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 and Border Protection to refuse to grant the applicants Regional Employer Nomination (Permanent) (Class RN) Subclass 187 (Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme) visas under s.65 of the Migration Act 1958 (the Act).

2. The applicants applied for the Subclass 187  visas on 19 July 2016.

3. The criteria for a Subclass 187 visa are set out in Part 187 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. Applicants seeking to satisfy the primary criteria must meet the 'Common criteria', as well as the criteria of one of two alternative visa streams: the Temporary Residence Transition stream, or the Direct Entry stream.

4. In the present case, the first named applicant (the applicant) is seeking the visa in Direct Entry stream, to work in the nominated position of Liaison Officer. The related nomination was made by The Trustee for the Sturgess Family Trust (the nominator).

5. The nomination was subsequently refused.

6. As a consequence, the delegate refused to grant the visas finding that the applicant did not meet cl.187.233 of Schedule 2 to the Regulations.

7. Both the nominator and the applicants have sought review of the refusals, and were represented in relation to the review by the same registered migration agent.

8. The applicants appeared before the Tribunal on 5 December 2018 to give evidence and present arguments. The Tribunal also received oral evidence from Mr Kent Sturgess on behalf of The Trustee for the Sturgess Family Trust.

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

   CONSIDERATION OF CLAIMS AND EVIDENCE

10. The issue in the present case is whether the applicant meets the requirements of cl.187.233. 

11. Clause 187.233 as applicable in this case is set out in full in an attachment to this decision. Essentially, it requires that that the position to which the application relates be the subject of an application for approval of a nomination in the Direct Entry stream, located in regional Australia. The position must be the one that was the subject of the declaration made as part of the current visa application. In addition, where the associated nomination was made on or after 1 July 2017, it must identify the applicant in relation to the position.

12. In addition, this criterion also requires that:

    ·the person who will employ the applicant is the person who made nomination

    ·the nomination has been approved and has not been subsequently withdrawn

    ·there is no ‘adverse information’ known to Immigration about the person who made the nomination or a person ‘associated with’ that person (within the meaning of r.1.13A and r.1.13B); or it is reasonable to disregard any such information

    ·the position is still available to the applicant, and

    ·the visa application was made no more than six months after the nomination of the position was approved.

13. On the visa application, the applicant provided details of a related nomination with transaction reference number EGOC118P98. Under the section ENS/RSMS declarations, the applicant responded ‘Yes’ to the sentence “[h]ave declared that the position to which the application relates is a position nominated under regulation 5.19 or in accordance with a labour agreement by providing details in this application of a nomination that has been lodged with the Department of Immigration and Border Protection”.

14. The relevant details of the nomination with transaction reference number EGOC118P98 is that it was a nomination for a position made by The Trustee for the Sturgess Family Trust (the nominator). The nomination sought to meet the requirements of r.5.19(4)(h)(ii) being a position located in regional Australia (as defined). On the information before the Tribunal, it finds that the nominator is the person who will employ the applicant. The Tribunal approved the nomination on 9 January 2019 and it has not been withdrawn.

15. The applicant is currently employed by the nominator and the Tribunal finds that the position is still available to the applicant. The visa application was made prior to the nomination being approved. Therefore the Tribunal finds that the application was not made more than six months after the nomination of the position was approved.

16. The Tribunal is not aware of any ‘adverse information’ known to Immigration about the person who made the nomination or a person ‘associated with’ that person.

17. Therefore, cl.187.233 is met.

18. The representative has made submissions regarding the applicant’s ability to meet all of the visa criteria. However, as cl.187.233 was the issue in dispute, the Tribunal considers that the appropriate course is to remit the visa application to the Minister to consider the remaining criteria for the visa.

    DECISION

19. The Tribunal remits the applications Regional Employer Nomination (Permanent) (Class RN) visas for reconsideration, with the direction that the first named applicant meets the following criteria for a Subclass 187 (Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme) visa:

    ·cl.187.233 of Schedule 2 to the Regulations.

    Wan Shum
    Member

    
    

    ATTACHMENT A

    187.233(1)      The position to which the application relates is the position:

    (a)nominated in an application for approval that seeks to meet the requirements of:

    (i)subparagraph 5.19(4)(h)(ii); or

    (ii)subregulation 5.19(4) as in force before 1 July 2012; and

    (b)in relation to which the declaration mentioned in paragraph 1114C(3)(d) of Schedule 1 was made in the application for the grant of the visa.

    (2)      The person who will employ the applicant is the person who made the nomination.

    (3)      The Minister has approved the nomination.

    (4)      The nomination has not subsequently been withdrawn.

    (4A)    Either:

    (a)there is no adverse information known to Immigration about the person who made the nomination or a person associated with that person; or

    (b)it is reasonable to disregard any adverse information known to Immigration about the person who made the nomination or a person associated with that person.

    (5)      The position is still available to the applicant.

    (6)      The application for the visa is made no more than 6 months after the Minister approved the nomination.