Australian Department of Immigration
Acronyms & Abbreviations

Listed below are Australian immigration related terms used daily by Beyderwellen & Company in professionally representing our clients' interests before the Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs (DIMIA), related Australian government and independent bodies, and Australian consular offices throughout the world.

How close are you to achieving your goals of immigration to Australia? View answers to FAQs or complete our Online Australian Immigration Assessment Form.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

spacer

A

AA Acceptance Advice

AACA Architects Accreditation Council of Australia

AAOT Australian Association of Occupational Therapists

AASW Australian Association of Social Workers

ABCI Australian Bureau of Criminal Intelligence

ACA Australian Citizenship Act 1949

ACCA (UK) Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (UK)

ACIAR Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research

ACN Australian Company Number

ACPAC AusAID Centre for Pacific Development and Training

ACS Australian Computer Society

ADC Australian Dental Council

ADF Australian Defence Force

ADS Australian Development Scholarships

and Approved Destination Status

AEAP Australian-European Awards Program

AEC Australian Education Centre

AECOP Australian Examining Council for Overseas Physiotherapists

AEI Australian Education International

AFAIM Associate Fellow of AIM

AFS American Field Service

AGAP Australian-Greek Awards Program

AIG Australian Institute of Geoscientists

AIIC International Association of Conference Interpreters

AIM Australian Institute of Management

AIMM Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy

and Member of the Australian Institute of Management

AIMS Australian Institute of Medical Scientists

AIQS Australian Institute of Quantity Surveyors

AIWCW Australian Institute of Welfare and Community Workers

AIR Australian Institute of Radiography

ALD Administrative Law Decisions

ALN Administrative Law Notes

ALR Australian Law Reports

AMC Australian Medical Council

AMEP Adult Migrant Education Program

AMP Approved Medical Practitioner

AMSA Australian Maritime Safety Authority

ANCI Australian Nursing Council Incorporated

ANSTO Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation

ANZSIC Australian and New Zealand Standard Industrial Classification

AOS Assurance of support

APC Assessment of Professional Competence

APEC Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation

and

Australian Pharmacy Examining Council

APodC Australasian Podiatry Council

APS Australian Public Service

and

Australian Psychological Society

APTEA Australian Program of Training for Eurasia

APTEE Australian Program of Training for Eastern Europe

AQIS Australian Quarantine Inspection Service

AQF Australian Qualifications Framework

AS Assistant Secretary

ASA Asylum Seeker Assistance

ASCO Australian Standard Classification of Occupations

ASCPA Australian Society of Certified Practising Accountants

ASIO Australian Security Intelligence Organization

ASPC Adelaide Skills Processing Centre

ASTAS Australian Sponsored Training Scholarships

ASX Australian Stock Exchange

ATO Australian Taxation Office

ATPL Air Transport Pilot Licence

AUD Australian dollar(s)

AusAID Australian Agency for International Development

AUSIT Australian Institute of Interpreters and Translators

Austrade Australian Trade Commission

Back to top

spacer

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

B

BAP Business Advisory Panel

BCN Behaviour concern non-citizen

BP Blood pressure

BSAP (formerly) Business Skills Advisory Panel. Now, BAP

Back to top

spacer

C

CAA Civil Aviation Authority

CASA Civil Aviation Safety Authority

CBA Commonwealth Bank of Australia

CCUSA Camp Counselors USA

CEDAW Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women

CERD Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination

CIEE Council on International Educational Exchange

CIMA Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (UK)

CIR Country Information Reports

CIS Country Information Service

CISLO Country Information Service Liaison Officer

CLR Commonwealth Law Reports

CMO Chief Migration Officer

and

Commonwealth Medical Officer

CNTA China National Tourism Administration

CO Central Office (Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs)

COE Confirmation of enrolment

CPA Certified Practising Accountant

and

Comprehensive Plan of Action

CPCL Combined Passenger Check List

CPL Commercial Pilot Licence

CRG Country Reference Group

CRICOS Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students

CROC Convention of the Rights of the Child

CRS Commonwealth Records Series

CRSS Community Refugee Settlement Scheme

CSFP Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan

CSIRO Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation

CTC Central Trades Committee

CXR Chest x-ray

Back to top

spacer

D

DAA Dietitians Association of Australia

DAL Designated area list

DAS Department of Administrative Services

DCITA Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts

DEETYA (formerly) Department of Employment, Education, Training and Youth Affairs. Now see DETYA or DEWRSB

DETYA Department of Education, Training and Youth Affairs. Now, DEST.

DEU Document Examination Unit, DIMIA CO

DEWRSB Department of Employment, Workplace Relations and Small Business. Now, DEWR.

DFAT Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

DFCS Department of Family and Community Services

DFTTA (Form 305) Document for travel to Australia

DHAC (formerly) Department of Health and Aged Care.

Now, Department of Health and Aging

DIEA (formerly) Department of Immigration and Ethnic Affairs. Now, DIMIA

DIMA (formerly) Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs. Now, DIMIA.

DIR (formerly) Department of Industrial Relations. Now, DEWRSB

DISR Department of Industry, Science and Resources

DLR Dominion Law Reports

DMP [Canadian] Designated medical practitioner

DNA Deoxyribonucleic acid

DORS Determination of Refugee Status

DSS Department of Social Security

DSTO Defence Science and Technology Organisation

DVCO Domestic violence contact officer

DWRSB (formerly) Department of Workplace Relations and Small Business. Now see DEWRSB

Back to top

spacer

E

EBA Established Business in Australia (visa)

eCoE Electronic confirmation of enrolment

ELICOS English Language Intensive Course for Overseas Students

ESL English as a Second Language

ESOS Education Services for Overseas Students

ETA Electronic Travel Authority

ET Act The Electronic Transactions Act 1999

Back to top

spacer

F

FAIM Fellow of AIM

FAO [Independent Executive] Further Application Onshore (457 visa)

and

Food and Agricultural Organisation

FAS First Assistant Secretary

FCR Federal Court Reports

FIRB Foreign Investment Review Board

FLA Family Law Act

FLRA Family Law Reform Act 1995

FLS Finance Ledger System

FMIS Financial management information system

FOI Freedom of Information

and

Flying Operations Inspector

spacer

G

GAP General Activity Project

GATS General Agreement on Trade in Services

GBE Government business enterprise

GED Global Education Designs

GT Group Tour

Back to top

spacer

H

HAS Health Assessment Service

HATS Health assessment tracking system

HKSA Hong Kong Society of Accountants

HKSAR Hong Kong Special Administrative Region

HPS Health Policy Section, DIMA CO.

HSA Health Services Australia Ltd

HUS Health Undertaking Service

Back to top

spacer

I

IAAAS Immigration Advice and Application Assistance Scheme

IAAASCO Immigration Advice and Application Assistance Scheme contact officer

IAESTE International Association for the Exchange of Students for Technical Experience

ICAA Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia

ICCPR International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights

ICESCR International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights

ICIR International Conference on Indo-Chinese Refugees

ICRC International Committee of the Red Cross

ICSE Integrated Client System Environment

IDC Immigration Detention Centre

IE (Aust) Institute of Engineers, Australia

IELTS International English Language Testing System

IEP International Exchange Program

IFR Instrument flight rules

IGC Act Immigration (Guardianship of children) Act 1946

and

IGOC Act

IMAN International Medical Assistance Network

IMR Indexed Media Review

IOM International Organisation for Migration

IPC (form 15) Incoming passenger card

IPRSS International Postgraduate Research Scholarship Scheme

IRB Immigration and Refugee Board (Canadian)

IRIS Immigration Records Information System

ISA Institute of Surveyors, Australia

ISLPR International Second Language Proficiency Ratings

IT Information technology

IVF In-vitro fertilisation

Back to top

spacer

J

spacer

K

spacer

L

LEE Locally-engaged employee

LES (formerly) locally-engaged staff. Now, LEE.

LSIA Longitudinal Survey of Immigrants to Australia

LMT Labour market testing

Back to top

spacer

M

MAL Movement Alert List

MASS Malaysia Australia Scholarship Scheme

MCEETYA Ministerial Council on Education, Employment, Training and Youth Affairs

MCQ Multiple choice questionnaire

MEAA Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance

MHSC Migration Health Services Charge

MIEA Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs (post-March 1993)

MILGEA Minister for Immigration, Local Government and Ethnic Affairs (pre-March 1993)

MIMA (formerly) Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs. Now, MIMIA

MIMIA Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs and Indigenous Affairs

MOC Medical Officer of the Commonwealth

MODL Migration occupations in demand list

MP Member of Parliament

MPMS Migration Program Management System

MRA Migration Reform Act 1992

MRC Migrant Resource Centre

MSI Migration Series of Instructions

Back to top

spacer

N

NAATI National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters

NAGOTA National Advisory Group on Overseas Trained Accountants

NATA National Association of Testing Authorities

NCI Notice of intention to cancel visa

NCN Non-compliance certificate

NEAS National ELICOS Accreditation Scheme

nec Not elsewhere classified

nei Not elsewhere included

NET National Evangelization Teams

NISS National integrated settlement strategy

NLLIA National Languages and Literacy Institute of Australia

NOIM Notice of Intended Marriage

NOOSR National Office of Overseas Skills Recognition

NSQAC National Specialist Qualifications Advisory Committee

NTBE Nominated temporary business entry

NVE National Veterinary Examination

NZ New Zealand

Back to top

spacer

O

OAA On-arrival accommodation

ODT On-demand test

OET Occupational English Test

OM Operation Mobilisation

ORE Occupations Requiring English

OSHC Overseas Student Health Cover

OSP Overseas Student Program

Back to top

spacer

P

PASA Pre-application skills assessment

PEOL Profession-equivalent occupations list

PIC Public interest criterion/criteria

PIR Personal Information Reports

PMO Principal Migration Officer

POL Priority Occupation List

PQBS Pre-qualified business sponsor

PQI Pre-qualified institution

PRISMS Provider Registration and International Student Management System

PRC People's Republic of China

PTW Permission to work

PV Protection Visa

Back to top

spacer

Q

spacer

R

RACI Royal Australian Chemical Institute

RATE Register of Australian Tertiary Education

RDA Records Disposal Authority (Overseas)

RHQ Regional headquarters [agreement]

RICS Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors

RMIT Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology

RMOC Review Medical Officer of the Commonwealth

ROS Resolution of Status [visa-specific term]

ROVE Rotary Overseas Vocational Exchange

RPL Recognised prior learning

RRT Refugee Review Tribunal

Back to top

spacer

S

SAC Special Assistance Category

SAL Skilled - Australian-linked

SALP Statement of Assets and Liabilities Position

SAS Skilled - Australian-sponsored

SBS Standard business sponsor

SHP Special Humanitarian Program

SOFA Status of Forces Agreement

SOG Senior Officer Group

SOPF Special Overseas Postgraduate Fund

SOSP Subsidised Overseas Student Program

SRI Service Request Identifier

STEPS Sponsorship and Temporary Entry Processing System [offshore only.

Onshore see, ICSE].

STNI State/Territory Nominated Independent

Back to top

spacer

T

TAFE Technical and Further Education [college/institution].

TB Tuberculosis

TECO Taiwan Economic and Cultural Office

TEFL Teaching English as a Foreign Language

TEFLA Teaching English as a Foreign Language to Adults

TEOL Technical-equivalent occupations list

TESL Teaching English as a Second Language

TESOL Teacher of English as a Second Language

TOEFL Test of English as a Foreign Language

TOEIC (Canadian) Test for English for International Communication

TPV Temporary Protection Visa

TRA Trade Recognition Australia (DEWRSB)

TRIPS Travel and Immigration Processing System

TRRA Tradesmen's Rights Regulation Act

Back to top

spacer

U

UDHR Universal Declaration of Human Rights

UK United Kingdom

UN United Nations [Organisation]

UNESCO United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation

UNHCR United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

UNITA Uniao Nacional para a Independ�ncia Total de Angola

UNSCR United Nations Security Council Resolution

UNTAET United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor

USA United States of America

Back to top

spacer

V

VETASSESS Vocational Education and Training Assessment Service

spacer

W

WAN Wide Area Network

WHO World Health Organisation

WWOOF Willing Workers on Organic Farms

Back to top

spacer

X

spacer

Y

YWAM Youth With A Mission

Back to top

spacer

Z

Back to top

Keeping you up-to-date with recent changes in Australian immigration law and how to migrate to Australia: Expert Australian immigration lawyer help and advice to move to Australia