An officer from the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) will visit Collie and Bunbury over July 7-8 to meet with the local community about migration and visa matters.

A DIAC spokesman said the department’s regional visits program enabled people in communities outside the major metropolitan areas to sit down and talk about specific issues they may face, directly with an immigration officer.

“These visits attract a range of people, from community groups and small business owners to farmers and students and individuals, who might want general information or to discuss a complex personal or professional matter,” the spokesman said.

“While the department has a great deal of information available over the phone or on the Internet, some people may not be aware of recent policy changes or they may prefer to speak to officers face-to-face, and these visits meet those needs.

“In the past, the most popular topics related to citizenship, working visas, visas for family members and the process for proposing refugees.”

The immigration officer will be at the Collie Library, cnr Steere and Wittenoom Streets in Collie, from 9am-12.30pm on July 7 for free private consultations, then at the offices of the South West Development Commission, 10th floor Bunbury Tower, Victoria Street in Bunbury, for a free seminar on skilled migration options for employers and employees.

The officer will also host free private consultations at the South West Development Commission offices in Bunbury on July 8. To make an appointment for a consultation or to book for the seminar, email roo.wa@immi.gov.au or telephone 08 9415 9705.

Media Enquiries: National Communications Branch 08 9415 9295