South Australia State Sponsorships - Update

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This is from the South Australian Government:

Concessional English program

You will be aware that Immigration SA began receiving sponsorship applications for Provisional visas under DIAC's Concessional English provision from 22 September 2008. Since that time we are pleased that we have been able to consider many of your clients under this provision and assist in facilitating visa grant. We would now like to advise you that the significant increase in applications has impacted on our overall planning levels and Immigration SA is undertaking an internal review of this program. We therefore advise that we will be temporarily suspending the Concessional English provision from 5pm Adelaide local time on 31 March 2009 until further notice. When the review has been undertaken and this provision is available, Immigration SA will post this information on our website and also inform members of the MIA as we have done today.

Planning Levels

Another change which is the result of the achievement of planning levels. We hereby advise that there will be a change in the Sponsorship/Occupations Lists from 5pm Adelaide local time on 31 March 2009. At this stage we are unable to indicate which occupations will be removed however, we encourage you to submit applications that are decision ready as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.

Decision ready applications that have been submitted through the on-line system before 5pm Adelaide local time, 31 March 2009 will be honoured. Make sure that the supporting documents are registered by Immigration SA before 31 May 2009. You can check the Client Tracking System for confirmation: Immigration SA :: Sponsoring Skilled and Business Migrants

Processing Times

On another note, we would also like to let you know that due to the influx of applications under the Concessional English program and increased vetting processes, we have regretfully had to revise our processing times:

p Applications for Permanent sponsorships will receive priority processing and will be completed within four weeks of all the documents being registered by Immigration SA

p Applications for Provisional sponsorships will be processed within 6 - 8 weeks of all the documents being registered by Immigration SA