Officials confirmed that Harjinder Singh, an Indian national who entered the US illegally in 2018, failed an English test and traffic sign assessment but was still issued a California commercial driver’s licence.

The Activate Australia’s Skills campaign says the agreement among unlikely allies – the Australian Industry Group, the ACTU and ACOSS – gives the government a clear mandate to act.

The updated benchmarks affect several visa types, with score increases ranging from one to five points for certain English proficiency levels.

These changes aim to provide New Zealand businesses with reliable access to temporary overseas workers while maintaining balanced immigration policies.

Australia is primarily a destination country for human trafficking, with these crimes occurring quietly across our suburbs, towns, workplaces, schools, and even within family homes.

Students already holding a visa with a 20-hour work cap will need to apply for a variation of conditions or a new visa — and pay the relevant immigration fees — if they wish to access the extended work rights.

“They all want sponsorship. But how can I train someone who’s never held a knife?”

Just 16 minutes after he reapplied on 6 December, McCann self-assigned the case to herself and approved the visa within three days.

With this latest increase, Australia now charges the highest student visa fees globally, surpassing those of the US, UK, and Canada.

We are in touch with local authorities in this regard. The Consulate remains ever committed to the welfare of Indian nationals.”