Huang (Migration) - [2018] AATA 5320

Huang (Migration) [2018] AATA 5320 (26 October 2018)
DECISION RECORD
DIVISION:Migration & Refugee Division
APPLICANTS:  Mr Hongwei Huang
Ms Qihui Zhai
Mr Yujia Huang
CASE NUMBER:  1716484
DIBP REFERENCE(S):  BCC2017/746037
MEMBER:John Cipolla
DATE:26 October 2018
PLACE OF DECISION:  Sydney
DECISION:The Tribunal affirms the decision not to grant the applicants Employer Nomination (Permanent) (Class EN) visas.

Statement made on 26 October 2018 at 4:23pm

CATCHWORDS
MIGRATION – Employer Nomination (Permanent) (Class EN) visa – Subclass 186 (Employer Nomination Scheme) – Direct Entry stream – ICT Project Manager – subject of an approved nomination – nomination application refused – false and misleading information in visa application – opportunity to check the provenance of sponsoring business – agency agreement – waiver of requirement – decision under review affirmed
LEGISLATION
Migration Act 1958 (Cth), s 65
Migration Regulations 1994 (Cth), Schedule 2, cls 186.213, 186.233; Schedule 4, PIC 4020
CASES
Arora v MIBP [2016] FCAFC 35
Batra v MIAC [2013] FCA 274
Kaur v MIBP [2017] FCAFC 184
Plaintiff M64/2015 v MIBP [2015] HCA 50
Sran v MIBP [2014] FCCA 37
Trivedi v MIBP [2014] FCAFC 42
STATEMENT OF DECISION AND REASONS
APPLICATION FOR REVIEW

This is an application for review of a decision made by a delegate of the Minister for Immigration on 14 July 2017 to refuse to grant the applicants Employer Nomination (Permanent) visas under s.65 of the Migration Act 1958 (the Act).
The applicants applied for the visas on 24 February 2017. The delegate refused to grant the visas on the basis that the first named applicant (the applicant) did not satisfy the requirements of cl.186.213 of Schedule 2 to the Migration Regulations 1994 (the Regulations).
In the present case, the first named applicant (the applicant) is seeking the visa in the Direct Entry stream, to work in the nominated position of ICT Project Manager.
The delegate refused to grant the visas because the applicant did not meet cl.186.213 as the delegate determined that the applicant had provided false and misleading information in the application for the visa in breach of Public Interest Criterion 4020(1) of Schedule 2 to the Regulations because the applicant declared in the visa application that the sponsoring business LAT Australia Group Pty Ltd would be able to provide him with employment as a ICT Project Manager on a salary of $182,000.00. Evidence before the Department indicated that the sponsoring business was not in a position to provide this employment to the applicant as it was not lawfully and actively operating.
The applicant lodged an application for review with the Tribunal on 28 July 2017.
On 15 August 2018 the Tribunal wrote to the applicant inviting the applicant to comment on information that the Tribunal considered could be the reason, or part of the reason, for affirming the decisions under review. The Tribunal in its letter noted that on 24 February 2017 the first named applicant had lodged an application for a Subclass 186 visa that is the subject of this review…

Grounds of appeal

[14] The appellant contends that the primary judge erred in finding that the respondent had discharged the onus of establishing the matters required under the relevant provision.

[15] It was submitted that his Honour failed to give adequate weight to the evidence of the second witness, and that the findings of fact were not reasonably open on the material before the Court.

[16] The respondent, for its part, submits that no error is disclosed, and that the conclusions reached were well within the range of outcomes available to the primary judge.

Consideration

[17] It is convenient to deal first with the question of construction, as the resolution of that issue informs the remaining grounds advanced by the appellant.

[18] For the reasons that follow, we are of the view that the appeal should be allowed in part and the matter remitted for further determination.

Continue reading Huang (Migration)

Details

AGLC: Huang (Migration) [2018] AATA 5320
Case: [2018] AATA 5320
Decision Date: 26 October 2018

CaseChat Overview and Summary

This matter concerned an appeal by an applicant for an Employer Nomination (Permanent) (Class EN) visa, Subclass 186 (Employer Nomination Scheme), Direct Entry stream. The applicant's sponsoring business, LAT Australia Group Pty Ltd, had its nomination application refused by the Department of Immigration, and this decision was affirmed by the Tribunal on merits review. The applicant subsequently sought to have the visa refusal decision reviewed.

The primary legal issues before the Tribunal were whether the applicant met the requirements of cl.186.233 of the Migration Regulations 1994, which pertains to the nomination of a position, and whether the applicant satisfied Public Interest Criterion 4020(1) as required by cl.186.213(1). Clause 186.233 requires, among other things, that the nominated position be the subject of an approved nomination that has not been withdrawn and that the visa application was made within six months of the nomination approval. Public Interest Criterion 4020(1) generally prohibits the grant of a visa if the applicant has provided false or misleading information or a bogus document in relation to the visa application or a previous visa.

The Tribunal found that cl.186.233 could not be met because the nomination application by LAT Australia Group Pty Ltd had not been approved; it had been refused by the Department and this refusal was affirmed on review. Furthermore, the Tribunal determined that the applicant did not satisfy PIC 4020(1). The applicant had indicated to the Tribunal that he had been unable to contact his former agent and sponsoring employer, claiming to have suffered financial and psychological damage due to migration fraud, and had hoped the case could be referred to the Minister. However, the Tribunal concluded that, based on the evidence before it, the applicant had not met the requirements of PIC 4020(1).

Consequently, the Tribunal affirmed the decision not to grant the applicant the Employer Nomination (Permanent) (Class EN) visa.

Orders

Orders of the court

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Background

Background to the litigation

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Evidence

Evidence Before The Court

The Tribunal received a response to this letter on 28 August 2018 seeking an extension of time to respond to the Tribunal’s letter which was duly consented to. In the response received by the Tribunal which was provided by the applicant’s representative, the applicant stated that he had tried his best to contact his former agent and sponsoring employer but was unable to do so. The applicant claimed to have suffered from serious financial and psychological damage as a result of migration fraud and the applicant was hoping that the case could be referred to the Minister. CONSIDERATION OF CLAIMS AND EVIDENCE The issue in the present case is whether the applicant meets the requirements of cl.186.233. Further to this whether the applicant meets the requirements of cl.186.213(1) namely Public Interest Criterion 4020(1).Nomination of a position Clause 186.233 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. The position must be 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. In addition, this criterion also requires that:·the person who will employ the applicant is the person who made the 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. On 9 June 2017, the nomination lodged by LAT Australia Group Pty Ltd, being the nomination for the purposes of the visa application, was refused by the Department of Immigration. On 9 August 2018, the Tribunal dismissed the application lodged by LAT Australia Group Pty Ltd for merits review and as a result, the decision under review was taken to be affirmed. Therefore, cl.186.233 is unable to be met as the nomination application by LAT Australia Group Pty Ltd has not been approved.Other criteria The issue in this review is whether the visa applicant meets Public Interest Criterion 4020 (PIC 4020) as required by cl.186.213(1) for the grant of the visa. Broadly speaking, this requires that:·there is no evidence that the applicant has given, or caused to be given, to the Minister, an officer, the Tribunal, a relevant assessing authority, or Medical officer of the Commonwealth, a bogus document or information that is false or misleading in a material particular in relation to the application for the visa or a visa that the applicant held in the 12 months before the application was made: PIC 4020(1); and·the applicant and each member of the family unit has not been refused a visa because of a failure to satisfy PIC 4020(1) during the period starting 3 years before the application was made and ending when the visa is granted or refused, unless the applicant was under 18 at the time the application for the refused visa was made: PIC 4020(2) and (2AA); and·the applicant satisfies the Minister as to his or her identity: PIC 4020(2A); and ·neither the applicant nor any family unit member has been refused a visa because of a failure to satisfy PIC 4020(2A) during the period starting 10 years before the application was made and ending when the visa is granted or refused, unless the applicant was under 18 at the time the application for the refused visa was made: PIC 4020(2B) and (2BA).

Decision

Reasons for decision

On the basis of the above, the applicant does not satisfy PIC 4020 for the purposes of cl.186.213(1).DECISION The Tribunal affirms the decision not to grant the applicants Employer Nomination (Permanent) (Class EN) visas.John CipollaSenior MemberATTACHMENTMigration Regulations 1994Schedule 44020(1) There is no evidence before the Minister that the applicant has given, or caused to be given, to the Minister, an officer, the Tribunal during the review of a Part 5 reviewable decision, a relevant assessing authority or a Medical Officer of the Commonwealth, a bogus document or information that is false or misleading in a material particular in relation to:(a)the application for the visa; or(b)a visa that the applicant held in the period of 12 months before the application was made.(2)The Minister is satisfied that during the period:(a)starting 3 years before the application was made; and(b)ending when the Minister makes a decision to grant or refuse to grant the visa;the applicant and each member of the family unit of the applicant has not been refused a visa because of a failure to satisfy the criteria in subclause (1).(2AA)However, subclause (2) does not apply to the applicant if, at the time the application for the refused visa was made, the applicant was under 18.(2A)The applicant satisfies the Minister as to the applicant’s identity.(2B)The Minister is satisfied that during the period:(a)starting 10 years before the application was made; and (b)ending when the Minister makes a decision to grant or refuse to grant the visa;neither the applicant, nor any member of the family unit of the applicant, has been refused a visa because of a failure to satisfy the criteria in subclause (2A).(2BA)However, subclause (2B) does not apply to the applicant if, at the time the application for the refused visa was made, the applicant was under 18.(3)To avoid doubt, subclauses (1) and (2) apply whether or not the Minister became aware of the bogus document or information that is false or misleading in a material particular because of information given by the applicant.(4)The Minister may waive the requirements of any or all of paragraphs (1)(a) or (b) and subclause (2) if satisfied that:(a)compelling circumstances that affect the interests of Australia; or(b)compassionate or compelling circumstances that affect the interests of an Australian citizen, an Australian permanent resident or an eligible New Zealand citizen;justify the granting of the visa.(5)In this clause:information that is false or misleading in a material particular means information that is:(a)false or misleading at the time it is given; and(b)relevant to any of the criteria the Minister may consider when making a decision on an application, whether or not the decision is made because of that information. …Migration Act 1958s.5 Interpretation(1) In this Act, unless contrary intention appears:…bogus document, in relation to a person, means a document that the Minister reasonably suspects is a document that:(a)purports to have been, but was not, issued in respect of the person; or(b)is counterfeit or has been altered by a person who does not have authority to do so; or(c)was obtained because of a false or misleading statement, whether or not made knowingly. …

Ratio Decidendi

Legal Principle Established

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