Bills Digest No. 99 2002-03
Migration (Visa Application) Charge Amendment Bill
2002
WARNING:
This Digest was prepared for debate. It reflects the legislation as
introduced and does not canvass subsequent amendments. This Digest
does not have any official legal status. Other sources should be
consulted to determine the subsequent official status of the
Bill.
CONTENTS
Passage History
Purpose
Background
Main Provisions
Endnotes
Contact Officer & Copyright Details
Passage History
Migration (Visa Application) Charge
Amendment Bill 2002
Date Introduced:
5 December 2002
House: House of Representatives
Portfolio: Immigration and Multicultural and
Indigenous Affairs
Commencement:
Royal
Assent
Purpose
To
-
- amend the Migration (Visa Application) Charge Act 1997
to increase the visa application charge limit from $12,500 to
$26,745; and
-
- introduce a mechanism for indexing the new visa application
charge limit.
Detailed background behind the visa application
charge (VAC) regime is given in Migration Legislation Amendment
(Contributory Parents Migration Scheme) Bill 2002, Bills Digest No.
98, 2002 03. The increase in the VAC limit is necessary in order to
give effect to the increased obligations proposed in that Bill
relating to indemnification of health costs.
Schedule 1 creates a new limit
for visa applications made after 1 July 2002. These applications
have a charge limit of $26,745 in the 2002/03 financial year.
Schedule 1 indexes this figure to a new
Contributory Parent Visa Composite Index based mainly on the
percentage annual increase in Commonwealth Health Expenditure ,
rather than changes in the consumer price index (CPI).
-
- Explanatory Memorandum, p. 4.
Peter Prince
4 February 2003
Bills Digest Service
Information and Research Services
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ISSN 1328-8091
© Commonwealth of Australia 2003
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Published by the Department of the Parliamentary Library,
2003.
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