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Proposal for Staff Consultation
Visa and Citizenship Management Division Location of Work
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Table of Contents
Location of Work
Considerations / Background – Initial LoW Observations
Possible LoW Changes for Temporary Visa Programme
Possible LoW Changes for Visa and Citizenship Capability and Support Programme
Possible LoW Changes for Related Functions
Possible LoW Changes for Economic and Skilled Visa Programme
Possible LoW Changes for Permanent Visa and Citizenship
Summary
Have Your Say
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Location of Work
Location of Work (LoW) refers to where our visa and citizenship processing activities occur. It is the framework that articulates what products each location delivers.
Many visa products are processed in multiple geographical locations. Due to the significant resource and volume pressures on the Division and the Department
there is a need to consider whether changes to the LoW for the onshore programme delivery network will provide the optimal outcomes.
What we are trying to achieve with LoW is:
– improve the efficiency, effectiveness and accountabilities within our processing structures
– achieve better management support for our processes ahead of further major reform such as Visa Reform activity
– establish better linkages between program delivery areas and Intelligence and caseload assurance functions of the Department to enhance integrity in our
programs
– consolidate some functions and subsequently review business processes with the goal of achieving best practice and consistency in decision making and
– progressively ensure our people resources are prioritised at the most value adding work to decision making processes.
The key principles guiding the LoW proposal out for consultation are:
– The LoW options will be defined by the work offered in regions. For staff, standard processes will continue to apply with respect to any requests for voluntary
moves to another location.
– Outcomes will ensure that work will be appropriate for officers work level standards and the required training and support in transition will be provided. Managers
will support staff through the change processes and ensure there is an understanding of the long term benefits while acknowledging that change can create
uncertainty.
– Any redeployment of staff between visa lines will be done in line with Enterprise Agreement and the APSC redeployment principles, and
– At this stage there is no plan to have a Voluntary Redundancy program operating in relation to these changes.
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MCV
X
APEC
SFV
WHM
457
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
Canberra
Perth
Hobart
Melbourne
Adelaide
Parramatta
Sydney
Canberra
457 Admin
X
Brisbane
APEC
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
MCV
SFV
WHM
457
X
X
X
Visa Product
X
X
457 Admin
GSM
Partner (Temp)
Partner (Perm)
Business Skills
Student
STE
TGV
Parent
Child &Other Family
SEPC & IECN
E Visitor (651) & 600
Retirement (410)
Temp Work (Intl Relations) (403)
Work & Holiday (462)
X
Perth
Hobart
Melbourne
Adelaide
Parramatta
Sydney
Brisbane
Cairns
Visa Product
Cairns
LoW Draft Proposal 1 – Future State
Current Processing Locations
X
X
GSM
Partner (Temp)
Partner (Perm)
Business Skills
Student
STE
TGV
Parent
Child &Other Family
SEPC & IECN
E Visitor (651) & 600
Retirement (410)
Temp Work (Intl Relations) (403)
Work & Holiday (462)
X
Commonwealth Games and
major events
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
Note - Visa and citizenship products not listed above will also be considered in detail by the Working Group. Suggestions on how LoW consolidation or other
initiatives could be applied to these products to improve the effectiveness of the delivery of these products are also requested.
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Considerations / Background – Initial LoW Observations
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Onshore temporary visas are currently processed at nine different locations in Australia.
– The two temporary visa programmes with the largest processing footprints, Subclass 457 and Students, are processed at five separate locations each.
– Onshore Visitor and RRV Programme Delivery (OVRPD) manage the former Client Service visa related functions with the variety of this administrative work
continuing to be processed across all locations. With no OVRPD staffing presence in Darwin, Hobart & Melbourne some of this administrative work continues
being undertaken by staff from Digital Business strategies, at these locations.
– Form 929 Change of Address/Passport is a substantial administrative function which is currently being processed by not only OVRPD, but by all programme
areas.
Possible LoW Changes for Temporary Visa Programme
Option to consider the consolidation of some temporary visa processing sites to add improvements to the way the program is managed. The proposed changes that
would have the largest net benefit are:
– Consolidate WHM (subclass 417) and Work and Holiday (subclass 462) visa processing in Queensland.
– Consolidate onshore Temporary Activity visa processing in Hobart, where possible.
– Consolidate Sponsored Family Visitor (subclass 600) visa processing in New South Wales.
– Reduce the number of onshore processing locations for Student (subclass 500) and Student Guardian (subclass 590) visas.
Possible LoW Changes for Visa and Citizenship Capability and Support Programme
The initial assessment of the current OVRPD programmes would be to consolidate programmes within relevant branches; for example:
– Resident Return Visas, including Confirmatory Residence & Australian Declaratory Visa to be processed in Brisbane and Perth under Permanent Visa &
Citizenship Programme.
– Onshore Visitor - Tourist stream, Medical Treatment Visas & No Further Stay Waivers to be processed in Adelaide and Sydney under Temporary Visa
Programme.
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Possible LoW Changes for Related Functions
– Administrative visa related functions currently processed by OVRPD could benefit from being consolidated. This will be reviewed by the Working Group.
– Based on the work effort required for the administrative function currently processed by OVRPD, this work could initially be consolidated within the locations
proposed to transfer to Temporary Visa Programme. Noting, any additional administrative work transferred from other programme areas would require additional
FTE and could be accommodated by any changes resulting in the broader LoW changes.
Possible LoW Changes for Economic and Skilled Visa Programme
– Consolidate 457 visa processing sites from five to three locations – possibly Sydney, Parramatta and Melbourne.
– Consolidate Global Skilled Migration processing - in Adelaide.
Possible LoW Changes for Permanent Visa and Citizenship
– Sponsorship processing: Set up Sponsor Assessment Unit: – transfer existing Partner sponsorship function from Melbourne to Temporary Parent Visas: Not due
to commence until November 2017 (subject to legislative process). This caseload potentially move to a family sponsored visa like model processed in a couple
of locations in Australia rather than offshore
– Partner processing: Consolidate Partner processing in three locations – Brisbane, Melbourne and Perth and remove Partner processing from Sydney.
– Citizenship Processing:
 Consolidate citizenship conferral processing in Parramatta office (currently processed in Lee Street and Parramatta) for NSW cases
 Remove evidence processing from Parramatta office and move to Perth Cases will be eLodged only
 Remove elodged Citz conferral cases currently all received in Melbourne then allocated to other offices based on location of client. Option to move this work
to Brisbane (supported by Cairns as appropriate)
 PNG caseload –move from ACTRO to Brisbane
 Other small ACTRO caseloads – consider moving to other locations but minor ASL implications given small size of caseload.
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Summary
1. With the current resource constraints and reforms on the agenda, it is timely for the Division to undertake a detailed examination of the current structure of the
decision making network to ensure that we are well placed to meet the resource and operational challenges for the future delivery of our services.
2. This is not a short term savings exercise, the aim is to develop a long term solution via a framework that positions the network to effectively manage the
increasing workloads and complexities and creates efficiencies for further workload growth within the current resource allocation OR which allows further growth
while utilising the current staffing footprint more efficiently.
3. All onshore locations will be impacted in some way; workloads will be moved around the network to create the most efficient structure for the medium and long
term. Similar Location of Work considerations have been undertaken in the offshore network in an ad hoc way in the past. As part of this review, we will be
undertaking a related piece of work to review what associated changes may make sense in the offshore environment.
4. VCMD management will use the assessment of the LoW proposals and proposed changes to consider rebalancing staffing levels between programmes. Where
one programme is experiencing greater pressures than another, there may be an opportunity to make small adjustments to the staffing levels of each
programme. The Onshore Process and Practice Review may assist in identifying opportunities for rebalancing programmes.
5. The introduction of the Global Operating Model together with systems enhancements will present the new footprint in the Division with the capability to move
resources within the network in a holistic and considered way
6. In order to minimise the risks associated with transitioning workloads and locations all Branches and Regions will work in close collaboration and there will be a
staged approach to LoW changes. While this will result in a longer timeframe to achieve the outcome / objective, it will minimise the risk to our current service and
programme delivery.
Have Your Say
– All staff in the Division are invited to provide feedback. Whilst there are draft options provided to generate discussion, the final outcome / proposal will not be
finalised until the consultation phase has been completed
– Feedback can be provided to your supervisor/ manager or can be emailed to the Location of work mailbox - [email protected]
– Do you have any other LoW proposals based on consolidation that may be viable, that are not included in the attached document? If so please include in your
feedback.
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