Australia’s visa processing outsourcing plan faces uncertainty
Australia’s plan to outsource the processing of its visa system is likely to be put under scrutiny, as officials said the move needs legislative approval. The Department of Home Affairs warned that the AUD1bn (US$670m) plan to outsource the visa processing system would need to be legislated, which means it could be questioned by political opposition.
Opponents of the scheme have already said that the outsourcing plan will damage the integrity of Australia’s visa and citizenship system. In the Philippines, a number of BPO companies are specifically offering visa processing services to various countries around the world, reducing the need for visa applicants to go to embassies or consular offices.