Immigration inks AU$44m e-visa deal

The Department of Immigration and Citizenship has signed a four-year, AU$44.2 million contract to continue buying electronic border management technology from its existing vendor CPS Systems.

The agency was formerly known as the Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs (DIMA). CPS provides technology to the department which forms its Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) and Advance Passenger Processing (APP) systems.

ETA stores data about short-term tourists or business travellers visiting Australia from countries where the risks of non-compliance with visa conditions are low. APP is a passenger information system that links to ETA.

Vince McMahon, the department's first assistant secretary of Border Security, said CPS's technology had "vastly reduced" waiting times and manual processing demands on Immigration staff.

"Three point five million ETAs are issued by Australia each year, with 26 million issued since the system was established in 1996," Sydney-based CPS said in a statement. "The APP system was introduced in 1998 and now processes in excess of 15 million travellers a year."

A CPS spokesperson told ZDNet Australia the new contract was signed in the last few days.