Report released - Inquiry into the Business Innovation and Investment Programme

The Joint Senate Committee on Migration has released the report from its Inquiry into the Business Innovation and Investment Programme.

The Report made only one recommendation:that the Department of Immigration and Border Protection examine the programme as part of the 2015-16 migration programme survey and in its reviews of the skilled migration and temporary activity visa programmes.

The Committee mentioned a number of challenges it faced included:

• the distinct lack of empirical evidence
• limited information provided by Governments
• little evidence that the programme was actually meeting any of its objectives
• the exclusion of a key component of the programme (the Significant Investor Visa stream);
• the announcement by the Government that it would expand the Significant Investor Visa,
• the announcement by the Government that it would task Austrade to become a nominating entity for the visa
• the announcement by the Government that it would conduct a survey on the 2015-16 migration programme
• the announcement by the Government that it would undertake a review of the skilled migration and temporary activity visa programmes.