humanitarian visa

December 2014 – refugee news

Globally

Earlier this month, the UN ran out of cash to fund their World Food Programme that’s been feeding more than 1.7 million Syrian refugees. Read more here.
UNHCR urges focus on saving lives as 2014 boat people numbers near 350,000. Read more.
In a UNHCR meeting in Geneva recently, governments agreed to take in 100,000 Syrian refugees. Read more on this topic here.
Canada considers prioritising religious minorities in Syria refugee resettlement. Read more here.
More people risk lives across Indian Ocean despite abuse, deterrence. Read on.
UNHCR concerns that Montagnards seeking asylum in Cambodia will be found and deported to Vietnam. Read more here.
Cambodia on track to become refugee model for Southeast Asia. Read more.

At Home in Australia

The Senate passed a new bill on 5 December 2014 bringing back TPVs for refugees. Read more here.
Confused about the recent legislative changes in the Migration and Maritime Powers Legislation Amendment (Resolving the Asylum Legacy Caseload) Bill 2014? The Refugee Council of Australia (RCOA) has composed a concise brief of the key aspects here.
A helpful article on the proposed ‘Fast Track’ assessment process for refugees has been compiled by the RCOA. Read it here.
Australia has started returning Hazara asylum seekers to Afghanistan just as Hazaras are preparing to flee a resurgent Taliban. Read the full Guardian article here.
Thirty-one babies born to illegal maritime arrivals (IMAs) will be allowed to remain in Australia and have their protection claims assessed as part of the legacy caseload. Read more here.
The Report into the Incident at the Manus Island Detention Centre from 16 to 18 February 2014 found that the violence which killed Reza and injured many others was foreseeable and due to delays in processing of protection claims. Read here for more info or read the full report here.
Manus Island asylum seekers put in solitary confinement at a rate of three a week. Read more.
PNG provincial governor Gary Juffa claims Australia’s ‘neo-colonialist’ asylum seeker deal will heighten security risks and foster social divisions in the Pacific. Read more.
Last remaining Christmas Island asylum seeker children moved to the mainland. Read the full ABC article here.

Wanted – CPD developers, presenters and reviewers

WANTED: CPD developers, presenters and reviewers for face-to-face presentations and Private Study Booklets (25 Multiple Choice questions).

AFFMA is calling for expressions of interest from members interested in developing, presenting or reviewing and updating CPD materials in the following areas:

Protection and Humanitarian
Ethics and Professional Practice
Accounts Management
Business Management
File Management
Partner Visa
Code of Conduct
Ministerial Intervention-
Winning at the RRT

How to communicate your interest

If Interested, please send an email with details of your area of interest, availability and experience to: info@affma.org.au by 5PM, 16 January 2015.

Do you have a vacancy you wish to advertise? AFFMA Members can advertise vacancies free of charge. Deadline for our next issue is 15 January 2015
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AFFMA doing the hard yards for refugees

Some refugees have gone through unthinkable atrocities and being at home is not an option anymore.

The stories of refugees have a common trait: sorrow

Every year thousands of people around the world migrate to other countries searching for a better future. Some of them have gone through unthinkable atrocities and being at home is not an option anymore. Their stories have a common trait: sorrow.

Migration Officer and Acting President for the Association of Fee Free Migration Agents Sydney (AFFMA) Joël Gédéon finds it hard to avoid getting emotional when talking about the many cases that regularly come to his desk.

A former teacher, Gédéon, originally from Paris, started his journey 11 years ago when he came to Australia for a holiday. Influenced by his partner, Gédéon applied for permanent residency that was granted three weeks later due to the shortage of teachers in Australia at the time.

But this traveller was not prepared to settle in Australia yet. For a couple of years, he lived in Thailand and Malaysia where he had the chance to get involved, and work with, refugee charity organisations.

In 2009, Gédéon returned to Australia where he became a migration agent. He never imagined what destiny held for him and the impact he would have on other people’s lives.

Read more at http://megaphoneoz.com/?p=9274

Fee free advice from AFFMA – free migration agents

What advice does AFFMA provide?

Free Migration Agents provide pro bono migration services for refugees, asylum seekers and humanitarian entrants to Australia. - image — Free Migration Agents provide pro bono migration services for refugees, asylum seekers and humanitarian entrants to Australia.

AFFMA provides advice to financially disadvantaged people in relation to most refugee and humanitarian visas.

Who can use AFFMA advice services?

Any person in NSW who is financially disadvantaged (before receiving advice from our centre you will be asked to provide some information regarding your financial status) and is an actual or potential applicant, sponsor or proposer for an Australian refugee or humanitarian visa may be able to use AFFMA’s advice services.

How is AFFMA’s advice delivered?

From July 2014 AFFMA has provided fee free immigration advice and assistance to financially disadvantaged people in NSW through the following advice services:

Face to face advice

Telephone advice

Ongoing assistance and representation

AFFMA will consider cases against our guidelines on a case by case basis to determine whether a person is eligible for ongoing assistance.

Vision and purpose of AFFMA

Who can AFFMA help?

AFFMA will provide free immigration advice to financially disadvantaged people in New South Wales eligible for a protection visa - image — AFFMA will provide free immigration advice to financially disadvantaged people in New South Wales eligible for a protection visa

AFFMA provides free immigration advice to financially disadvantaged people in New South Wales eligible for a protection visa. AFFMA is not part of the Department of Immigration or any other Government department. All migration advice given on behalf of AFFMA is given by volunteer Registered Migration Agents.

Our vision and purpose

The main purpose of The Association is to provide a one-stop shop offering a range of services refugees and asylum seekers need to access as follows:

Pro bono assistance, by RMAs, in their migration application to the Department of Home Affairs
Financial assistance to meet the cost of their migration application, health check and the like;
Pro bono assistance in their appeal application to the Refugee Review Tribunal and the Migration Review Tribunal if needed;
Advising the target group(s) of their rights and duties under Australian Laws after being granted a Permanent visa;
Connect the target group(s) to mainstream services, (eg Centrelink, Medicare, ATO, employment services and mental health services dealing with victims of torture and trauma), as well as settlement service providers through community and local connections and networks in order to create a welcoming environment and opportunities to help with their settlement needs and make the adjustment to living in Australia.