Immigration now under the Home Affairs portfolio

On 20th December 2017 the Department of Immigration and Border Protection was formally renamed to the Department of Home Affairs.

A number of functions are now included in the newly established portfolio including Australia’s federal law enforcement, national and transport security, criminal justice emergency management, multicultural affairs and immigration and border related functions.

The Home Affairs portfolio comprises of;

• a central department to oversee policy and strategic planning (henceforth referred to as the Department of Home Affairs)

• the Australian Border Force (ABF)

• the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO)

• the Australian Federal Police (AFP)

• the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC)

• the Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (AUSTRAC) and

• the Office of Transport Security (OTS), currently a division of the Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development

Given Immigration will now fall under the same portfolio as national security agencies, it may be an indication of a future trend for additional security checking.

In some instances, security checks are undertaken as part of the visa application process and are conducted by other agencies. Additional security checks can significantly increase the processing time of a visa application.

For further assistance contact one of our experienced Registered Migration Agents today.

Disclaimer: The information provided herein is of a general nature only and does not constitute immigration advice. For more detailed and case specific information or advice, please contact SCA Connect.