Migration Amendment Regulations 1998 (No. 12)

Administered by Department of Home Affairs

Legislation au F1998B00340 Regulations Not in force Legislative Instrument

Legislation content

Migration Amendment Regulations 1998 (No. 12) 1998 No. 322

EXPLANATORY STATEMENT

STATUTORY RULES 1998 NO. 322

Issued by the Authority of the Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs

Migration Act 1958

Migration Amendment Regulations 1998 (No. 12)

Section 504 of the Migration Act 1958 ("the Act") provides that the Governor-General may make regulations, not inconsistent with the Act, to prescribe all matters which are required or permitted to be prescribed by the Act or which are necessary or convenient to be prescribed for carrying out or giving effect to the Act.

In addition, regulations may be made pursuant to the following powers:

-        subsection 31(3) of the Act provides that the Regulations may prescribe criteria for visas

of a specified class; and

-        subsection 45(2) of the Act provides, that without limiting the generality of subsection

43(1), the Regulations may prescribe the way for making applications for a visa of a

specified class in specified circumstances.

The purpose of the Regulations is to amend the criteria for a Subclass 051 bridging visa in respect of persons seeking judicial review of protection visa refusals. The amendments will require such persons to give an undertaking to depart Australia if the judicial review proceedings are unsuccessful, and to meet certain public interest criteria. This will ensue that such persons are subject to similar requirements to those already applying to Subclass 051 applications from persons awaiting Departmental or Refugee Review Tribunal decisions on protection visa applications.

The Regulations also make minor technical amendments.

Details of the Regulations are set out in the Attachment.

The Regulations commence on gazettal.

ATTACHMENT

Regulation 1 - Name of regulations

This regulation provides that these Regulations are the Migration Amendment Regulations 1998 (No. 12).

Regulation 2 - Commencement

This regulation provides that these Regulations commence on gazettal.

Regulation 3 - Amendment of Migration Regulations

This regulation provides that the Migration Regulations are amended as set out in Schedule 1 to these Regulations.

Schedule 1 - Amendment of Migration Regulations

Item 1 - Regulation 1.01

This item renames the Migration Regulations as the Migration Regulations 1994.

Item 2 - Schedule 1, paragraph 1101A(3)(c)

This item makes a minor technical amendment to paragraph 1101A(3)(c), which relates to how a valid application may be made.

Item 3 - Schedule 2. clause 051.111

This item makes minor technical amendments to clause 051.111 and to the Notes following that clause.

Item 4 - Schedule 2, clause 051-212

This item substitutes a new clause for clause 051.212, and inserts new clause 051.213.

New subclause 051.212(1) remains the same as existing subclause 051.212(1).

New subclause 051.212(2) reflects the provisions of existing subclause 051-212(2), subject to minor technical amendments.

New subclause 051.212(3) provides that an applicant meets the requirements of this subclause if.

*       the applicant has applied for judicial review of a decision to refuse a protection visa; and

*       the applicant or a person acting on his or her behalf, has signed an undertaking that the applicant will depart Australia within 28 days after:

-       the completion of the judicial review proceedings where the outcome is that the decision refusing the protection visa is maintained; or

-       the applicant withdraws the application for judicial review.

New clause 051.213 provides that the Minister is satisfied that the applicant satisfies:

*       the public interest criteria 4001, 4002 and 4003; and

*       the health criteria in clauses 866.223 and 866.224.

Item 5 - Schedule 2. clause 051.221

This item makes a minor technical amendment to clause 051.221 to make reference to new clause 051.213 inserted by these Regulations.

 

Overview

The Migration Amendment Regulations 1998 (No. 12) were enacted to address the need for modifications to the criteria for a Subclass 051 bridging visa, particularly for individuals seeking judicial review of protection visa refusals. These regulations were introduced by the Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs, under the authority granted by the Migration Act 1958, to ensure that individuals who apply for a judicial review of a protection visa refusal must provide an undertaking to depart Australia if their application is unsuccessful. Additionally, these individuals must meet specific public interest criteria. This change aligns the requirements for Subclass 051 applications from those awaiting decisions on their protection visa applications from the Department or the Refugee Review Tribunal. The policy objective of these amendments is to manage the circumstances under which individuals can remain in Australia while their visa applications are being reviewed judicially, ensuring that the public interest is protected. The Regulations also incorporate minor technical amendments to improve the clarity and functionality of the existing legislative framework.

Scope and Application

The Migration Amendment Regulations 1998 (No. 12) primarily affect individuals who have applied for a Subclass 051 bridging visa while seeking judicial review of a protection visa refusal. These Regulations are subordinate to the Migration Act 1958 and are designed to align the criteria for Subclass 051 visas in the context of judicial review applications with those applicable to other Subclass 051 applications, ensuring consistency in the application process. This includes requiring applicants to provide an undertaking to leave Australia if their judicial review application is unsuccessful and to meet certain public interest criteria, mirroring the requirements for those awaiting decisions on their protection visa applications. The Regulations apply nationally across Australia, impacting both individuals and the entities that process their visa applications. No specific exclusions or exemptions are noted within the scope of these Regulations, though they do extend to making minor technical amendments to various clauses and notes within the Migration Regulations. These Regulations commence on gazettal, as stated in the explanatory statement.

Key Provisions

The key operative sections of the Migration Amendment Regulations 1998 (No. 12) (the Regulations) pertain primarily to amendments of the Migration Regulations 1994 in relation to Subclass 051 bridging visas. Section 1.01 renames the Migration Regulations as the Migration Regulations 1994, while item 1101A(3)(c) amends how a valid application may be made. More specifically, item 051.212 introduces a new subclause 051.212(3) that requires an applicant for a Subclass 051 bridging visa, who has applied for judicial review of a protection visa refusal, to sign an undertaking to depart Australia within 28 days after the completion of the judicial review proceedings or withdrawal of the application if the decision is upheld or the application is withdrawn. New clause 051.213 requires the Minister to be satisfied that the applicant meets the public interest criteria and health criteria. The Regulations impose several obligations and requirements on applicants for Subclass 051 bridging visas. Firstly, applicants must have applied for judicial review of a decision to refuse a protection visa. Secondly, they must sign an undertaking to depart Australia within 28 days after the completion of the judicial review proceedings if the decision is upheld or if they withdraw the application for judicial review. Thirdly, the Minister must be satisfied that the applicant meets the public interest criteria and health criteria specified in the Regulations. These requirements ensure that applicants are subject to similar conditions as those applying to Subclass 051 applications from persons awaiting Departmental or Refugee Review Tribunal decisions on protection visa applications. Failure to comply with the requirements set forth in the Regulations may lead to civil or criminal consequences. However, the Regulations do not explicitly state any offences, penalties, or specific consequences for breach. It can be inferred that non-compliance with the requirements for obtaining a Subclass 051 bridging visa may result in the visa application being refused or the visa being cancelled if already granted. Additionally, failure to depart Australia within the specified timeframe after an unsuccessful judicial review may lead to enforcement action by the Australian government, such as detention and removal from the country. The exact penalties for such actions would be determined by the applicable laws and regulations in force at the time.

Legal classification tags

Area of Law
Immigration & Refugee Law
Instrument
Regulation
Concepts
Definitions & Interpretation
Reporting & Disclosure Obligations
Regulatory Standards

Interactions

Authorises

All Versions

Sourced from the Federal Register of Legislation at 26 August 2026. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to https://www.legislation.gov.au.