EXPLANATORY STATEMENT
Statutory Rules No. 224. 1986
Migration Regulations (Amendment)
Issued by the authority of the Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs
Section 67 of the Migration Act 1958 (the Act), so far as is relevant, prescribes that the Governor-General may make regulations, not inconsistent with the Act, prescribing all matters required or permitted by the Act to be prescribed including regulations providing for the charging and recovery of fees in respect of applications for entry permits, visas or return endorsements.
The proposed regulations will increase the fees payable upon lodging applications for migrant entry to Australia and upon lodging applications for return endorsements. Details of the proposed regulations are as follows:
• Regulation 1 provided that this amendment would come into operation on 1 September 1986.
• Regulation 2 amended regulation 29C by introducing a fee of $60 payable for undertaking an English language test conducted within Australia by or on behalf of the Department of Immigration and Ethnic Affairs whether or not in connection with an application for an entry permit or a visa.
• Regulation 3 set out a schedule of amendments increasing fees as follows:
• The amendment to sub-regulation 29AB(2) increased the fee payable upon lodging an application for migrant entry to Australia, from $100 to $150. This fee is payable in two stages and the amendments to paragraphs 29AB(3)(a) and 29AB(3)(b) increased the fees payable in each stage from $25 to $40 and from $75 to $110.
• The amendment to sub-regulation 29B(a) increased the fee, payable upon lodging an application, in Australia for the grant of a return endorsement, from $20 to $40.
• The amendment to sub-regulation 29B(b) increased the fee, payable upon lodging an application, in any other case, for the grant of a return endorsement from $30 to $50.