Mahanama (Migration)

[2020] AATA 5751

Mahanama (Migration) [2020] AATA 5751 (30 November 2020)

DECISION RECORD

DIVISION:Migration & Refugee Division

APPLICANT:  Mr Samurda Vikum Mahanama

CASE NUMBER:  1920226

HOME AFFAIRS REFERENCE(S):          BCC2019/1457967

MEMBER:R. Skaros

DATE:30 November 2020

PLACE OF DECISION:  Sydney

DECISION:The Tribunal remits the application for a Skilled (Provisional) (Class VC) visa for reconsideration, with the direction that the applicant meets the following criterion for a Subclass 485 visa:

·cl.485.231 of Schedule 2 to the Regulations.

Statement made on 30 November 2020 at 10:35am

CATCHWORDS
MIGRATION – Skilled (Provisional) (Class VC) visa – Subclass 485 (Temporary Graduate) – Post-Study Work stream – Australian study requirement – Bachelor of Business – date of completion – letter from the education provider – decision under review remitted

LEGISLATION
Migration Act 1958 (Cth), s 65
Migration Regulations 1994 (Cth), rr 1.15F, 2.26AC; Schedule 2, cl 485.231

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 Home Affairs on 5 July 2019 to refuse to grant the applicant a Skilled (Provisional) (Class VC) visa under s.65 of the Migration Act 1958 (the Act).

2. The applicant applied for the visa on 22 March 2019. Visa Class VC contains Subclass 485 (Temporary Graduate). 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), including criteria in different streams. In this case, the applicant is seeking to meet the criteria in the Post-Study Work stream, which include cl.485.231.

3. The delegate was not satisfied the evidence demonstrated that the applicant’s study satisfied the Australian Study Requirement in the period of 6 months immediately before the date of the visa application as required by cl.485.231.

4. The Tribunal did not consider a hearing to be necessary, as it was able to find in favour of the visa applicant on the basis of the material before it.

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

   CONSIDERATION OF CLAIMS AND EVIDENCE

   Clause 485.231 requires the applicant to hold a qualification or qualifications of a kind specified by the Minister, conferred or awarded by an educational institution specified by the Minister, for which the applicant’s study must have satisfied the ‘Australian study requirement’ in the 6 months immediately before the day the visa application was made. The issue in the present case is whether the applicant meets those requirements.

   Does the applicant hold a specified qualification?

6. Subclause 485.231(1) requires the applicant to hold a qualification or qualifications of a kind specified by the Minister. The relevant instrument for this purpose is IMMI 13/013. In this case, the applicant holds a Bachelor of Business which is a qualification specified in that instrument.

7. Accordingly, cl.485.231(1) is met.

   Was the applicant’s qualification conferred or awarded by a specified educational institution?

8. Subclause 485.231(2) requires the applicant’s qualification or qualifications to be conferred or awarded by an educational institution specified by the Minister. The relevant instrument for this purpose is IMMI 13/031.

9. In this case, the applicant’s qualification was conferred or awarded by Southern Cross University which is registered on the Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS) and offers courses at degree level and above, and which is therefore an educational institution specified in that instrument.

10. Accordingly, cl.485.231(2) is met.

    Does the applicant’s study for the specified qualification meet the Australian study requirement?

11. Subclause 485.231(3) requires that the applicant’s study for the specified qualification or qualifications met the ‘Australian study requirement’ in the 6 months immediately before the day the visa application was made.

12. Under r.1.15F(1) of the Regulations, a person satisfies the ‘Australian study requirement’ if the person satisfies the Minister that the person has completed 1 or more degrees, diplomas or trade qualifications for award by an Australian educational institution as a result of a course or courses:

    ·that are registered courses,

    ·that were completed in a total of at least 16 calendar months,

    ·that were completed as a result of a total of at least 2 academic years study,

    ·for which all instruction was conducted in English, and

    ·that the applicant undertook while in Australia as the holder of a visa authorising the applicant to study.

13. ‘Degree’, ‘diploma’, ‘trade qualification’, ‘registered course’, ‘completed’ and ‘academic year’ are all defined terms (see rr.1.03, 1.15F and 2.26AC(6), and cl.485.111). ‘Completed’, in relation to a degree, diploma or trade qualification, means having met the academic requirements for its award (r.1.15F(2)). For the purposes of this case, one ‘academic year’ is at least a total of 46 weeks, being the duration of a course registered under the Education Services for Overseas Students Act 2000: LIN 19/085.

14. In this case, the Department requested the applicant to provide a letter of completion and academic transcript for the Bachelor of Business obtained from Southern Cross University. The letter of completion he provided stated the applicant completed his course on 5 April 2019 which appeared to be the date it was conferred. The applicant was advised by the Department that the letter of completion he provided states that his course was completed after the date the visa application was made, and he was requested to provide a letter of completion evidencing that the course was completed in the 6 months before the application was lodged. The applicant informed the Department that he would provide further evidence, but this was not forthcoming, and the delegate concluded that the applicant did not meet the requirements of cl.485.231

15. The applicant has now provided the Tribunal a letter from the education provider, dated 21 June 2019, stating that he commenced the course on 10 February 2015 and completed the requirements for the course on 5 March 2019.  Additional evidence before the Tribunal confirms that the course was registered on CRICOS as requiring 156 academic weeks of study, the applicant completed it over a period 48 months, the course was conducted in English, and he held a series of student visas while undertaking the course.

16. In relation to the various components of the study requirement, the Tribunal is satisfied on the evidence before it that:

    ·     the applicant's Bachelor of Business, a Degree within the meaning of r.2.26AC(6), was completed in the 6 months immediately before the application was made;

    ·     the course was a CRICOS registered course:

    ·     the course was completed in a total of at least 16 calendar months and as a result of at least 2 years academic study (as per CRICOS registration);

    ·     all instruction was in English; and

    ·     the applicant held a student visas authorising his study in Australia.

17. The Tribunal finds that the applicant's study for the specified qualification satisfied the Australian study requirement in the 6 months immediately preceding the date of the visa application.

18. Accordingly, cl.485.231(3) is met.

19. On the basis of the above findings, the Tribunal finds that the applicant meets cl.485.231. 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 application for a Skilled (Provisional) (Class VC) visa for reconsideration, with the direction that the applicant meets the following criterion for a Subclass 485 visa:

    ·cl.485.231 of Schedule 2 to the Regulations.

    R. Skaros
    

    Senior Member