[Patient Job]

Article in The Mandarin with worrying changes proposed for the visa application system.

Quote: "The Productivity Commission found in 2016 that "revenue collected from visa charges is three times the administrative cost"."

"the Productivity Commission has noted that "charges for Australian visas appear to be higher than in Australia's major competitor countries"."

Fees have already increased dramatically since 2016 and threaten to rise again after privatisation. (Edit: Aussie83 has pointed out that the big increase (from around A$1,500 (?) to around A$7,000) came before 2016, in Abbott's tenure)

https://www.themandarin.com.au/9968...ng-the-alarm-bells-are-ringing/#disqus_thread

 

[Aussie83]

Interesting read. FYI there has been very little increase ( At least for partner visas) since 2016. The 2 big increases were 2015 because abbot could pass his budget and it was a easy money grab for him

 

[Aussie83]

But as far as I'm concerned infrastructure and things like visas should never be privatised

 

[CCMS]

But as far as I'm concerned infrastructure and things like visas should never be privatised

I agree, but most likely the average Aussie won't care, because it doesn't affect them and they don't understand the ramifications.

Imagine if the work of the Tax Office, Centrelink or Medicare was outsourced to private operators.

 

[Patient Job]

I agree, but most likely the average Aussie won't care, because it doesn't affect them and they don't understand the ramifications.

Sadly, I have to agree. Most people are just looking out for themselves, which is why situations like Manus Island and the Adani mine happen.

 

[Mish]

I am pretty sure that the union would not allow it to happen because it will be loss of jobs and the union does not like that at all.

Interesting enough our visa fees are not that much higher than the UK last I heard, as in the UK they charge per stage where Australia both stages are in one. Also in the UK they charge them to have access to the health care, where Australia doesn't charge for that.