From 1 July 2017, pensions need to be supported by no more than $1.6 million of assets and tax changes would encourage almost all transition to retirement pensions to cease. The measure will require accurate commutation documents prepared prior to the event...

On 18 April 2017, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull announced the staged abolition of the Subclass 457 visa under the rhetoric of "Australia first". The changes came with very little warning. Some have said that the changes are cosmetic and will have little i...

Last month, I suggested in a post that there was a possibility that the window for lodging a Subclass 187 RSMS visa may be closing shortly for nominations by Perth employers. I had written this in response to reports that Mark McGowan, if elected Premier, wou...

Public Interest Criterion 4020 (“PIC 4020”) acts as a strong disincentive to visa applicants thinking of providing misleading information or bogus documents in relation to a visa application.  The provisions are unforgiving and the consequences of failing...

Last month, the current State opposition leader, Mark McGowan, announced that if elected, he would remove Perth from its regional classification for the purposes of the Subclass 187 Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (“RSMS”) visa. In fact, The West Au...

The new rules will require pension accounts to be no more than $1.6 million per person on the commencement of the pension or 1 July 2017 for existing pensions. The Government chose to give no concession whatsoever for the situation of a person who receives ...