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Australian government confirm 92,000 workers needed
User-pays system under new visa pricing model
Govt moves to fast-track 457 visa system
Victorian state sponsorship occupation quotas
4 Australian cities made it to the Top 10 most liveable cities in the world
Major reform to the General Skilled Migration Program in 2012
Australia looking at immigrants to fill up medical staff shortage
WA's crippling skills crisis is 'not over'
New details of Australian General Skilled migration points test 1 July 2011
Government dilutes IELTS test monopoly
Think Before aims to improve overseas student safety
Boom pressures PM to boost migration
Call for longer term immigration plan for Australia
Australia Lowers International Student Visa Assessment Levels
New State Migration Plan To Meet South Australia’s Skills Needs
Australian government confirm 92,000 workers needed
Sunday, 29 January 2012
Australia’s hospitality and tourism industry is so short staffed the government needs to import 36,000 cooks, waiters and bartenders immediately.
It is also looking for another 56,000 workers by 2015, according to Immigration Minister Chris Bowen. Under a new federal plan, tourism and hospitality employers would be able to bring in workers on a two to three year visa similar to the 457 visa program widely used in the mining sector. The vacancies are caused by a number of factors; chief amongst which is the reluctance of Australians to do “menial” jobs.
Experts say high-paying mining jobs are luring young Australian workers from traditional fields such as retail and hospitality, while others would rather go on the dole than muck in and do certain jobs themselves
Source:http://www.australiamagazine.co.uk/
User-pays system under new visa pricing model
Tuesday, 29 November 2011
The Gillard Government will implement a new visa fee system to ensure taxpayers are no longer subsidising visa applications, the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Chris Bowen MP, announced today.
'The significant changes included the introduction of a fee for dependants of visa applicants from July 2013. If people are bringing family members with them to Australia, the fee will reflect the additional processing and checks for these family members, Mr Bowen said.
Currently, the application fees charged to people wanting to come to Australia do not cover the cost to the Commonwealth of processing the applications. The changes are projected to generate about $613 million over the next four years in revenue.
There will be no change to humanitarian visas as part of the new application fee structure.
Student visa application fees will also decrease by 5 per cent from 1 January 2012, increasing the competitiveness of Australia's international education sector. At the same time, fees for a range of Skills and Business visas will increase by between 5 per cent and 15 per cent.
In addition, some visa programs, such as the overwhelming majority of visitor visas, will be unaffected by the move to user-pays to ensure there is no impact on tourism.
From July 2012 a CPI increase will also apply to the majority of visa application fees and a surcharge will be introduced for optional services such as visa labels.
Other changes to take effect from July 2013 will affect applications for longer-duration visas and for those seeking further visas onshore.
Mr Bowen said to encourage the use of online applications, there would also be an additional charge for people making a paper-based application where there is an 'e' visa option.
As part of the changes, improvements will be made to the Department of Immigration and Citizenship's IT network.
'These initiatives will put Australian visa services on a sustainable financial footing, while supporting our position globally as a destination of choice to visit, live, work or study.'
Source:http://www.immi.gov.au/
Govt moves to fast-track 457 visa system
Thursday, 3 November 2011
Changs to the visa subclass 457 system is fast tracking the applicatskilled workers coming to Australia.
Immigration Minister Chris Bowen said he was creating a new accreditation scheme for the 457 visa system which begin on November 7.
Businesses can become accredited if they have been an active 457 visa sponsor over the past three years; take care of at least 30 overseas workers over the past 12 months and can guarantee that their local workforce is at least 75 per cent Australian.
These accredited businesses will be put into a priority queue for all future visa applications. They will also be given approval for six years to bring in skilled workers, instead of the current three.
Mr Bowen said during an address, "This will continue to ensure that the 457 program is responsive to the economic cycle and provides a flexible avenue for employers to fill immediate and short-term skill vacancies, while maintaining opportunities and conditions for Australian workers. Average processing times for 457 visa applications are also 30 per cent lower than they were in 2006-07 - down from 31 to 22 days. Our aim is to see 457 visas processed within 10 days."
Contact NTRUST at 6738 4431 to find out more about this visa subclass.
Source: http://news.smh.com.au/
Victorian state sponsorship occupation quotas
Thursday, 22 September 2011
Victoria is a popular state for skilled migrants and receives a high number of applications for state sponsorship.
In 2011-12 the Commonwealth Government has allocated Victoria 6000 state sponsorship places for skilled migrants and their dependents - an increase of 1500 places.
To ensure that state sponsored skilled migrants coming to Victoria have the right mix of skills for Victoria labour market, the Victorian Government applies quotas to the industries it targets under the plan.
Occupations experiencing high demand and those open or closed for sponsorship applications can be viewed through the Occupation List.
Source:http://liveinvictoria.vic.gov.au/
4 Australian cities made it to the Top 10 most liveable cities in the world
Tuesday, 30 August 2011
AAP
Melbourne has finally knocked Vancouver off its perch as the best city in the world to live in.
Melbourne claimed the title of the world's most liveable city in the Economist Intelligence Unit's latest survey, with Sydney,Perth and Adelaide also making it into the top 10.
Melbourne had shared first position with Vancouver in 2002 but finally nabbed the top spot in its own right in the August survey, released on Tuesday.
Sydney made it to sixth position in the London-based research company's latest ranking of 140 cities, from seventh in the February survey, while Perth and Adelaide again shared eighth place.
"Australia, with a low population density and relatively low crime rates, continues to supply some of the world's most liveable cities," Mr Copestake said in a statement.
"Despite the rising cost of living driven by the strong Australian dollar, these cities offer a range of factors to make them highly attractive."
Melbourne scored 97.5 per cent, just beating Vienna on 97.4 per cent and Vancouver on 97.3. A ranking of 100 per cent is considered ideal.
Brisbane came in at number 21 on the survey, two spots ahead of Wellington but behind Auckland which was number 10.
The survey ranks 140 locations as having the best or the worst living conditions, with cities scored on political and social stability, crime rates, access to quality health care, cultural events, the environment, education and the standard of infrastructure.
Source:http://www.smh.com.au/
Major reform to the General Skilled Migration Program in 2012
Thursday, 18 August 2011
The Australian Government has decided on a major reform in the way Australia selects skilled migrants through the Skilled Migrant Selection Register (SkillSelect), in which the entire General Skilled Migration Program will be affected.
SkillSelect will be an electronic system based upon a two-stage process. Prospective applicants first submit claims for skilled migration through an online Expressions Of Interest (EOI) and subsequently may be invited to make a visa application. This is a significant change from the current situation, as applicants for independent or state or territory sponsored migration will be required to receive an invitation in order to lodge a visa application.
Once invited, SkillSelect will ensure a match between the number of applicants and the number of available program places. This will result in streamlined processing times.
SkillSelect is proposed to commence on 1 July 2012. New applicants for independent, family or state/territory sponsored migration would need to submit an EOI and be issued with an invitation before lodging a visa application. The first round of invitations is expected to occur in January 2013.
Prospective applicants interested in employer sponsorship would not be required to submit an EOI if they already have a sponsor.
For those who have already lodged a visa application prior to the implementation of SkillSelect and are pending processing, the department would process this application in accordance with any priority processing direction in effect at that time.
Australia looking at immigrants to fill up medical staff shortage
Thursday, 4 August 2011
New reports have revealed that rural South Australia will need more doctors due to approximately 25 per cent of doctors set to retire in the next five years. As a result, the President of the Australian Medical Association SA is calling on the South Australia government to fund new internship and training places and it is highly likely that any skilled medical professionals emigrating to Australia could be in high demand.
According to latest statistics, around 245 medical students are expected to graduate this year. Of those, 38 are international students and 207 are permanent residents of the country.
The solution to this problem is to increase the number of medical professionals coming to the country through immigration.
For those of you who are in the medical profession, your skills are highly sought after now to fill up the skills gap. Want to know more the Australia visa application process? Contact AIS NTRUST for a scheduled professional consultation.
WA's crippling skills crisis is 'not over'
Wednesday, 20 June 2011
Western Australia still faces a crippling skills shortage despite Perth being reclassified a regional city to allow it access to a greater pool of migrant workers, the state government and industry have warned.
Immigration Minister Chris Bowen yesterday announced Perth would be added to a list of regional employment hardship areas, alongside cities in the Pilbara and Kimberley, under the Regional Sponsorship Migration Scheme.
However, the city will be forced to fight for a share of the 16,000 visas offered across the entire country under the program. There is no guarantee how many new workers Perth will gain through the measure.
WA is expected to be 150,000 employees short by 2017.
There's still a sizeable gap. [Reclassifying Perth] will make a difference for the better but it won't single-handedly solve the state's labour shortage woes.
The state government and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry WA have made several request for greater flexibility with the use of visas; namely an expansion of the working holiday and student visas from 12 to 36 months; incentives to increase the level of foreign students entering Australia and to encourage them to join the domestic workforce; review of the new International English Language Test score; the proposed new points test requirements, and the allocation of state-sponsored visas.
Find out more about visa opportunities by contacting NTRUST at (65) 6738 4431 or simply email us at migrate@ntrust.com.sg
Source: WA Today
Annual Update of Skilled Occupation List
Monday, 13 June 2011
The Skilled Occupation List (SOL) will change from 1 July 2011, with 13 occupations to be added to the list and 4 occupations to be removed. The updated SOL is based on expert advice from the independent body, Skills Australia.
The list of occupations reflects the Australian Government’s commitment to a skilled migration program that delivers skills in need in Australia.
The 13 occupations that have been added are:
The 4 occupations that have been removed are:
In its updated form, the new SOL will feature 192 occupations.
New details of Australian General Skilled migration points test 1 July 2011
Monday, 13 June 2011
Important details involved in the new General skilled migration points test which is scheduled to be implemented on July 1st, 2011 has been released by the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) on Tuesday, June 7, 2011.
The General Skilled Migration points test determines the eligibility of skilled workers for an Australian skilled visa. The points test allows transparency in the selection process, awarding points to the skills and attributes considered to be in demand in the Australia labor market.
The updated points test has a passmark of 65 points. Details of change are as follows:
Please contact AIS for information and advice on which visa is best suited to you. You can also try its free migration eligibility assessment to see if you are eligible to apply for an Australia visa.
Government dilutes IELTS test monopoly
Friday, 20 May 2011
Today the Immigration Minister Chris Bowen said those applying for student visas also would be able to use the US-based Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).
Mr Bowen said he expected two other tests, the Pearson Test of English Academic and the Cambridge English: Advanced tests, would get official recognition for student visas later this year. These additional English language test options will help to create competition in the English language testing market, while creating more test places for student visa applicants. They will also provide candidates with greater choice and enable them to more quickly obtain test results needed for visa applications.
However, most controversy about English tests has focused on their role in selecting former international students for permanent residency as skilled migrants. This is less of an issue now that the Government has weakened the education- migration link although IELTS also remains the required test for the growth category of skilled migrants sponsored by employers.
Mr Bowen said the Government would wait to see how the new tests performed with student visas before deciding whether or not to open up other visa categories to competition.
Source: http://www.theaustralian.com.au
Think Before aims to improve overseas student safety
Wednesday, 18 May 2011
PART of each student visa application fee should be allocated to fund programs to enhance safety and well-being, according to a submission to the Knight Review.
Larry Anderson, executive director of Think Before, an information service aimed at meeting the duty of care requirements for overseas and domestic students, has written to the strategic review of the student visa program arguing the urgent need to improve information about support services for international arrivals as they settle into Australia.
He said a partnership between the Department of Immigration and Citizenship and the education sector could fund an information service at minimal cost say, $2 per visa application which could be distributed to all education institutions across all states and territories by leveraging public video platforms and social media channels for pre/post student arrivals.
Think Before began as a safety initiative last year in response to attacks on international students, funded by bodies including universities and TAFEs, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and Victoria Police.
Its cautionary messages to students initially about late night travel on public transport were distributed via social media, including videos featuring George the international student , SMS and mobile applications.
Now Mr Anderson is campaigning to broaden the safety campaign across other areas, and create nationwide interest among governments, institutions and agencies.
Source: http://www.theaustralian.com.au
Boom pressures PM to boost migration
6 May 2011
THE government is under pressure to lift the annual migration target in next week's budget, despite Julia Gillard's pre-election promise to abandon her predecessor's commitment to a "big Australia".
A collapse in net overseas migration levels follows Treasury concern that the resources boom will demand a greater intake of foreign skilled workers.
Business Council of Australia chief executive Jennifer Westacott yesterday said the permanent migration intake, which is set in the budget, had an important role in addressing skills shortages.
"We believe at least two-thirds of the program should be skills-based so that people who come into the country have the skills we need for a stronger, increasingly diverse economy," Ms Westacott said.
The BCA has called for the government to commit to net migration of at least 180,000 a year.
However, forecasts by the Immigration Department suggest it dropped to 179,600 last year, down more than 40 per cent from the 315,000 peak reached in 2008.
The incoming government briefs prepared by the Treasury Department for Labor and the Coalition before last year's election said rapid population growth was sustainable and inevitable.
The brief prepared in the event of a Coalition victory was sharp in its assessment of its election policy to cut net migration to no more than 170,000.
It said this would require policy changes to migration and warned "it will be important to ensure that flexibility in the economy is not significantly inhibited".
While Treasury has almost certainly pressed for an increase in the permanent migration program, the issue is politically fraught.
High levels of migration were a favourite subject for conservative talkback hosts throughout last year and Ms Gillard sought to silence it as an issue for Labor immediately after her overthrow of Kevin Rudd.
"I don't believe in a big Australia," she said in her first television interview as Prime Minister.
In last year's budget, the government held the permanent immigration target steady at 168,700, although there was an increase in the number of skilled workers and a cut in the number of family reunions.
If Australia stopped all migration, its population would still grow by 1.1 million over the next 10 years from natural growth, but the numbers of working age would rise by only 21,000. In contrast, the numbers aged 65 and over would rise by 944,000.
Source: http://www.theaustralian.com.au
Call for longer term immigration plan for Australia
13 April 2011
Australia should have a five or ten year immigration plan rather than the current annual targets which don't address concerns about an ageing population and skill shortages, it is claimed.
According to The Property Council of Australia urban congestion, poor infrastructure and high property prices have created concerns about a rapidly growing population and record levels if immigration.
Although immigration levels are falling, mainly due to a decline in the number of students arriving to study in Australia, it is still predicted that the nation's population could reach 35 million by 2050.
It would diminish the quality and diversity of Australia's labour force and skills base, thereby reducing national productivity; raise inflationary pressures, lower household incomes and depress savings; and limit our capacity to meet burgeoning social welfare costs in an ageing society, it says.
The council's submission criticizes the government's piecemeal approach to immigration policy. It must move away from a micro managed, tactical approach to immigration levels to a more strategic focus that aims to increase the quality of Australia's labour markets and promote an innovative culture, including targeting annual productivity improvements of 2%.
One proposal to boost productivity, the council argues, is to encourage overseas students to stay, thereby maximizing the benefits of flexibility provided by a young, culturally attuned labour force.
Property Council chief executive Peter Verwer said the government should be setting immigration bands for more than just one year out as happens at present. We should have a five to 10 year horizon. Immigration will help future proof the country as our ageing population sees us slip beyond this current demographic sweet spot, which will start to happen as soon as 2014. It is a powerful tool that will give us the growth to pay for a better standard of living, but to know how many people we need, we need to set a productivity target and other targets in areas like housing, congestion and public transport, he added.
Australia Lowers International Student Visa Assessment Levels
3 April 2011
International student visa assessment levels for 38 countries will be lowered across one or more subclasses from April 2011 onwards.
Student visa assessment levels are reviewed periodically and adjustments made to reflect changing immigration risk outcomes. Following the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) review in 2010, the government has decided to implement changes to reduce some student visa assessment levels.
A student visa entitles international students to come to Australia on a temporary basis for a specified period to study at an Australian educational institution.
"Prospective students and their families, agents and education providers should be aware that these changes will lower the minimum evidentiary requirements needed for the grant of a student visa for the selected countries and education sectors," a DIAC spokesman said.
The skilled migration program is designed to meet the needs of the Australian labour market and strengthen the economy. Requirements for permanent skilled migration will change from time to time and there is no particular course that guarantees a permanent visa.
Applicants affected by the changes to the assessment levels will be required to provide less documentary evidence to support their claims for the grant of a student visa. These may include evidence of English language proficiency, financial capacity and academic qualifications.
Further information and a full list of assessment levels for different countries in each education sector is available on DIAC website at: www.immi.gov.au/students/student-visa-assessment- levels.htm
Source: NSW Government
NSW State Migration Plan
8 March 2011
The NSW State Migration Plan has been approved and is effective from 3 March 2011.
138 occupations are included in the NSW State Migration Plan, of which 18 occupations are not on DIAC’s Schedule 3 Skilled Occupation List (SOL).
Under the Skilled Regional Sponsored 475/487 visa, occupations as Chef, Baker, Fitter (General), Metal Machinist (1st Class) and Cabinet Maker are now open for sponsorship.
For the Skilled Sponsored 176/886 visa, occupations as Insurance Broker and Solicitor are now open for sponsorhip.
10 occupations on the NSW State Migration Plan are temporarily closed to new sponsorships as the quota has been met. They are as follows:
Existing applications ‘on hand’ in DIAC and which have nominated occupations which are on the NSW State Migration Plan will receive level 2 priority processing.
NSW Occupations List is subject to changes which is dependent on application rates and changes in the employment market.
A new State Migration plan is expected to apply from 1 July 2011.
Source: NSW Government
Changes to Australian Skilled Family Sponsored Visas
21 February 2011
Vital changes to Australian Skilled Sponsored Visas on July 1, 2011 will result in the elimination of the permanent family sponsored migration visa route.However, family members living in Australia can still have the chance to sponsor family members or relatives under a Provisional Sponsored Skilled Migration Visa.
This visa leads the way to permanent residency in Australia.A Provisional Sponsor Skilled Migration Visa holder is likely to be eligible for a Skilled Regional (Residence) visa (subclass 887), provided that all eligibility requirements are met.
Student Visa Program Report Published
11 February 2011
The Government has released Australia’s first comprehensive report on the student visa program, which provides an invaluable insight into emerging student visa trends, the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Chris Bowen MP, said today.
The Student Visa Program Report now available online at www.immi.gov.au outlines comparative student visa applications, grants and trends over the past seven years as well as application rates for the first six months of 2010-11.
“This report provides the information the international student sector has been seeking to better track emerging student visa trends," Mr Bowen said.
“For example, it outlines a number of positives for the international student program, including that half of all offshore student visa applications are processed within 12 calendar days, while half of all onshore student visas applications take only 18 calendar days to process.”
The report also shows that while student visa applications have declined from record high levels in 2008 -09, applications in 2009-10 remained at a level similar to 2007-08.
Grant numbers for the postgraduate research sector and English language intensive courses for overseas students (ELICOS) remained relatively steady during 2008-09 and 2009-10.
Of the 56,834 former student visa holders who transferred to other visas in the first half of 2010-11, almost 30 per cent continued their studies in Australia and were granted another student visa.
"This report will be a valuable resource for anyone who has a stake in the international student sector and will provide much needed data on which the sector can base its planning for the future," Mr Bowen said.
Mr Bowen and Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills, Jobs and Workplace Relations, Senator Chris Evans, jointly announced a review of the student visa program in December 2010, which includes measures designed to better inform the international student sector.
These steps include a commitment to improve information exchange between the government and the sector through the provision of a quarterly statistical publication on the student visa program. The publication will be updated on a quarterly basis, to keep abreast of trends and other major issues affecting the student visa program.
Source: Chris Bowen.net - Australian Labor
New State Migration Plan To Meet South Australia’s Skills Needs
5 January 2011
Federal Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Chris Bowen MP, and SA Minister for Industry and Trade, Tom Koutsantonis MP, today announced their respective governments have signed a new State Migration Plan to help meet South Australia’s skilled workforce needs.
“State Migration Plans are part of the Government’s continued commitment to supporting the Australian economy by attracting skilled migrants who can positively contribute to our workforce,” Mr Bowen said.
“The implementation of State Migration Plans will provide flexibility for state and territory governments to nominate skilled migrants in a broader range of occupations than are currently offered on the Skilled Occupation List (SOL).”
The South Australian State Migration Plan specifies the occupations that are available for state sponsorship in the ‘general skilled’ category for 2010-11.
“This Plan recognises that there are specific occupations required by South Australia’s industry sectors in order for the state to build a prosperous economy,” Mr Koutsantonis said.
“With more than $80 billion of major projects underway or in the pipeline, and strong prospects of outperforming the national economy over the next decade, there is a demand for skills in South Australia that may not be met by our local workforce.”
There are 258 occupations on the State Migration Plan, some of which will be unique to South Australia.
Under the Plan, there will be an overall target for visa grants each year. For 2010-11, South Australian’s quota is 4,890 visa grants, which includes primary applicants and their dependants.
South Australia’s sponsorship policy is also designed to support international students who studied in South Australia, offering pathways for those with a high likelihood of employment.
State Migration Plans are agreements between individual states and territories and the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship. The agreements specify an overall number of applicants that each state and territory can nominate, and what occupations they can nominate skilled migrants to work in.
They represent a change in emphasis within the national skilled migration program, giving a higher priority to state-sponsored migrants.
South Australia’s nominated occupations and associated eligibility criteria are listed on the Immigration SA website www.migration.sa.gov.au.
Source: Chris Bowen.net - Australian Labor