SOLTAX PTY LTD (Migration)

[2020] AATA 2991

SOLTAX PTY LTD (Migration) [2020] AATA 2991 (10 July 2020)

DECISION RECORD

DIVISION:Migration & Refugee Division

APPLICANT:  SOLTAX PTY LTD

CASE NUMBER:  1811200

HOME AFFAIRS REFERENCE(S):          BCC2017/680385

MEMBER:Andrew McLean Williams

DATE:10 July 2020

PLACE OF DECISION:  Brisbane

DECISION:The Tribunal affirms the decision under review to refuse the nomination.

Statement made on 10 July 2020 at 1:03pm

CATCHWORDS

MIGRATION – application for approval of nomination of position – direct entry nomination stream – training expenditure requirements – no response to tribunal’s request for up-to-date information – decision under review affirmed

LEGISLATION

Migration Act 1958 (Cth), s 359(2)

Migration Regulations 1994 (Cth), r 5.19(4)(h)

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 31 March 2018, rejecting the applicant’s application for approval of the nomination of a position in Australia under r.5.19 of the Migration Regulations 1994 (‘the Regulations’).

2. The applicant applied for approval on 20 February 2017. The requirements for the approval of the nomination of a position in Australia are found in r.5.19 of the Regulations, which contains two alternative streams: a Temporary Residence Transition nomination stream (r.5.19(3)) and a Direct Entry nomination stream (r.5.19(4)). If the application is made in accordance with r.5.19(2), and meets the requirements of either stream, then the application must be approved. If any of the requirements are not met, then the application must be refused: r.5.19(5).

3. In this case, the applicant has applied for approval of a nomination, seeking to satisfy the criteria in the Direct Entry nomination stream.

4. The delegate refused the application on the basis the applicant’s nomination did not satisfy r.5.19(4)(h)(i)(B)(I) of the Regulations, because the applicant failed to provide any evidence that it had complied with training expenditure requirements in response to either Training Benchmark A or Training benchmark B. As at the date of the delegate’s decision the only evidence or information filed in support of the nomination application had been a screenshot from ASIC of the applicant’s company details, together with BAS statements for the period from July 2016 until March 2017.

5. The applicant was represented in relation to the review by its registered migration agent Sam Jazayeri (MARN 1175604), of SJ Legals.  Other than the application for review document filed on 19 April 2018, no evidence or submissions have been filed in the Tribunal by the applicant in support of the Application for Review.

6. On 30 March 2020 the Tribunal wrote to the applicant’s authorised representative pursuant to s.359(2) of the Migration Act, requesting up-to-date information in response to the criteria under r.5.19(4). The applicant was requested to provide that information by no later than 14 April 2020. No response has been received by the Tribunal to the s.359(2) letter. As at the date of this decision no documents, evidence or submissions have been filed in the Tribunal in support of the Application for Review.

7. For the following reasons, the Tribunal has decided to affirm the decision under review to refuse the nomination.

   CONSIDERATION OF CLAIMS AND EVIDENCE

8. The issue in this case is whether the applicant meets the requirements for approval of the nomination under the Direct Entry nomination stream set out in r.5.19(4), which is extracted in the attachment to this decision. For the nomination to be approved, all the requirements must be met.

   Tasks of the position, genuine need for the position and training requirements r.5.19(4)(h)

9. Regulation 5.19(4)(h) contains a number of alternative requirements. These are set out in detail in the attachment to the decision but can be briefly summarised as requiring either that:

   ·the tasks to be performed in the position will be performed in Australia and correspond to those of an occupation specified by the Minister; the occupation is applicable to the proposed employee in accordance with any specifications made in that instrument, and specified training requirements are met; or

   ·the position and nominator’s business is located in regional Australia, there is a genuine need for the paid position under the nominator’s direct control which cannot be filled by a locally resident Australian citizen or permanent resident, the tasks of the position correspond to those of an occupation specified in the relevant legislative instrument, the occupation is applicable to the proposed employee in accordance with the specification of the occupation and that a regional certifying body has advised the Minister about certain matters relating to the position.

10. The applicant has filed no evidence in response to the matters raised in r.5.19(4)(h). In these circumstances it is not possible for the Tribunal to be satisfied as at the time of making this decision in relation to the necessary matters in r.5.19(4)(h).

11. Accordingly, the Tribunal determines that the requirements of r.5.19(4)(h) are not met.

12. For the above reasons the Tribunal is not satisfied that the applicant meets the requirements of r.5.19(4). The applicant has not sought to satisfy the criteria in Temporary Residence Transition Nomination stream, and as such has not met the requirements in r.5.19(3). Accordingly, the nomination of the position cannot be approved. Therefore, the Tribunal must affirm the decision under review.

    DECISION

13. The Tribunal affirms the decision under review to refuse the nomination.

    Andrew McLean Williams
    Member

    
    

    ATTACHMENT  -  EXTRACTS FROM THE MIGRATION REGULATIONS 1994

    5.19Approval of nominated positions (employer nomination)

    …

    (2)The application must:

    (a)be made in accordance with approved form 1395…; and

    (aa) include a written certification by the nominator stating whether or not the nominator has engaged in conduct, in relation to the nomination, that constitutes a contravention of subsection 245AR(1) of the Act; and

    (b)be accompanied by the fee mentioned in regulation 5.37.

    …

    Direct Entry nomination

    (4)The Minister must, in writing, approve a nomination if:

    (a)the application for approval:

    (i)       is made in accordance with subregulation (2); and

    (ii)      identifies a need for the nominator to employ a paid employee to work in the position under the nominator’s direct control; and

    (b)the nominator:

    (i)       is actively and lawfully operating a business in Australia; and

    (ii)      directly operates the business; and

    (c)for a nominator whose business activities include activities relating to the hiring of labour to other unrelated businesses — the position is within the business activities of the nominator and not for hire to other unrelated businesses; and

    (d)both of the following apply:

    (i)       the employee will be employed on a full-time basis in the position for at least 2 years;

    (ii)      the terms and conditions of the employee’s employment will not include an express exclusion of the possibility of extending the period of employment; and

    (e)the terms and conditions of employment applicable to the position will be no less favourable than the terms and conditions that:

    (i)       are provided; or

    (ii)      would be provided;

    to an Australian citizen or an Australian permanent resident for performing equivalent work in the same workplace at the same location; and

    (f)either:

    (i)       there is no adverse information known to Immigration about the nominator or a person associated with the nominator; or

    (ii)      it is reasonable to disregard any adverse information known to Immigration about the nominator or a person associated with the nominator; and

    (g)the nominator has a satisfactory record of compliance with the laws of the Commonwealth, and of each State or Territory in which the applicant operates a business and employs employees in the business, relating to workplace relations; and

    (h)either:

    (i)       both of the following apply:

    (A)the tasks to be performed in the position will be performed in Australia and correspond to the tasks of an occupation specified by the Minister in an instrument in writing for this sub-subparagraph;

    (AAA)the occupation is applicable to the person identified under subparagraph (a)(ii) in accordance with the specification of the occupation;

    (B)either:

    (I)the nominator’s business has operated for at least 12 months, and the nominator meets the requirements for the training of Australian citizens and Australian permanent residents that are specified by the Minister in an instrument in writing for this sub-sub-subparagraph; or

    (II)the nominator’s business has operated for less than 12 months, and the nominator has an auditable plan for meeting the requirements specified in the instrument mentioned in sub-sub-subparagraph (I); or

    (ii)      all of the following apply:

    (A)the position is located in regional Australia;

    (B)there is a genuine need for the nominator to employ a paid employee to work in the position under the nominator’s direct control;

    (C)the position cannot be filled by an Australian citizen or an Australian permanent resident who is living in the same local area as that place;

    (D)the tasks to be performed in the position correspond to the tasks of an occupation specified by the Minister in an instrument in writing for this sub-subparagraph;

    (DA)the occupation is applicable to the person identified under subparagraph (a)(ii) in accordance with the specification of the occupation;

    (E)the business operated by the nominator is located at that place;

    (F)a body that is:

    (I)specified by the Minister in an instrument in writing for this sub-subparagraph; and

    (II)located in the same State or Territory as the location of the position;

    has advised the Minister about the matters mentioned in paragraph (e) and sub-subparagraphs (B) and (C).