News Flash

Australia to welcome international students as the UK tightens visa rules

Tue, 22 May 2012 00:37:00 GMT

In recent months, international students have welcomed announcements by Australia's Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) that it will accept all recommendations of the Knight Review of Australia's student visa program, released last year. Essentially this means that by accepting every recommendation of the Knight Review, DIAC have eased financial and English language requirements of certain visa subclasses, making the visa application process easier for students from 29 countries as of March this year.

In the United Kingdom (UK) however, the government has committed to reducing net migration, with many believing that hundreds of thousands of non-European Union students planning to study in the UK will be affected. According to The Australian, tight restrictions on the ability of foreign students and graduates to work in Britain are not only costing the UK thousands of international students, but potentially up to £5 billion ($8 billion) in student tuition fees.

Only time will tell if the UK's loss will be Australia's gain.

Do you want to live and work in Australia after you complete your studies? Contact Australian Migration & Visa Lawyers to speak to one of our friendly and professional Registered Migration Agents. We specialise in all visa categories, including general skilled migration and employer sponsored visas.

Irish expats head to Australia in droves on 457 visas

Wed, 16 May 2012 23:53:00 GMT

Whilst Ireland's economy struggles through an ongoing economic gloom, and Australia's resources sector screams for skilled workers to fill its significant skills shortage in the midst of a resource boom, the Irish are migrating to Australia in droves.

Now the third highest country in the world whose expats are being granted 457 visas for skilled migrants (behind Britain and India), the Irish clearly aren't wasting this unique opportunity to relish in Australia's job opportunities and beautiful weather.

The Australian recently reported on the increase of Irish migrating to Australia;

"You are seeing an upsurge; the numbers are big," Ireland's ambassador to Australia, Noel White, said.

When the Irish arrive in Australia on 457 visas, WA is the most popular place to call home.

There has also been an increase in the number of people from Ireland using working-holiday visas. According to Mr White, Department of Immigration and Citizenship projections suggest there will be a 15 to 20 per cent increase in the number of people applying for 417 working-holiday visas this financial year compared with last.

"We have a very high unemployment rate; we're going through a very difficult time economically," Mr White said. "Australia has a booming economy; within that, WA has a booming economy. Quite clearly, there is space for our needs and your needs to complement one another."

Paul Crowley is one of the many Irish workers in WA and is training to work in the resources sector.

The 23-year-old labourer from Cork said he had left Ireland because of the difficulties finding a job and chose to live in WA after his brother had already established himself in Perth.

"There's a lot of people in the dole lines in Ireland," he said.

Mr Crowley said he enjoyed the lifestyle of Perth and the weather was "brilliant" compared with back home.

To enable him to stay for another year on a working-holiday visa, Mr Crowley worked in regional WA for three months.

He said the visa requirements were fair and it was good to give something back to the country he was hoping to call home.

To read the full article at The Australian, click here.

Do you want to migrate to Australia to secure a great employment opportunity and enjoy the great Aussie lifestyle? Contact us, our team of friendly and professional Registered Migration Agents specialise in all visa categories, including employer sponsored subclass 457 visas.

If you're thinking about visiting Australia on a Working Holiday Visa (subclass 417), contact our Ireland office to speak to one of our visa consultants. Australian Migration & Visa Lawyers offer Ireland and the UK's best value working holiday visa package.

What the Budget said about LAFHA

Sun, 13 May 2012 23:23:00 GMT

The budget provided more details on changes to Living Away From Home Allowances (LAFHA). As previously announced, the tax concession for LAFHA will be restricted in the future to employees who maintain a home for their own use in Australia which they are living away from for work purposes. The concession will only be available for a maximum period of 12 months for individual employee at any particular work location.

The changes will apply from 1 July 2012 for arrangements entered into after 7:30pm (AEST) on 8 May 2012, and from 1 July 2014 for arrangements entered into before that time. The effect is that people already on LAFHA can continue the arrangements for 2 years, while new arrivals will have to live by the new rules.

For further information, contact us to speak to one of our friendly and professional Registered Migration Agents.

Australian Government announces an increase in targeted migration

Wed, 09 May 2012 01:42:00 GMT

The Minister for Immigration and Citizenship Chris Bowen MP has announced that the government will increase targeted migration to help address Australia's skills shortage in 2012-13. While this may be welcomed news by those struggling to find workers, particularly in Western Australia and Queensland, the question "is it enough?" will no doubt become the centre of debate moving forward.

The government will increase number of places in its 2012-13 migration program from 185,000 places to 190,000 - a further 5,000 places. The breakdown of these places will be allocated as 129,250 for the skilled stream, 60,185 places for the family stream and 565 places for the special eligibility stream.

In his announcement, Mr Bowen said "the measured increase of 5000 places—from 185 000 to 190 000—comes in the context of significant skills gaps in both the short and medium term in certain sectors of our patchwork economy."

Mr Bowen also highlighted the contribution that skilled migrants are making to growth regions around Australia - "skilled migrants are increasingly moving to growth regions and places where there is demand they are complementing rather than competing with our domestic labour force."

To read Mr Bowen's media release, click here.

For assistance and advice with your visa application, contact Australian Migration and Visa Lawyers. Our team of friendly and professional Registered Migration Agents specialise in all visa categories and are committed to the MARA Code of Conduct.

More calls for lifts in Australia's skilled migration

Thu, 03 May 2012 01:58:00 GMT

The debate about Australia's skills migration program continues to make headlines in the news this week with the federal opposition pledging to increase skilled migration when it is in govenment, and more recently with the chairman of Woodside, Michael Chaney calling for an increase to help fill Australia's skills gap.

Woodside are are one of the world’s leading producers of liquefied natural gas.

As reported by The West;

Speaking at the company's annual general meeting in Perth this morning, Mr Chaney said a spike in demand for skilled labour was creating cost and schedule pressures which he warned could affect the economics of entire projects.

"To address this, the Australian oil and gas industry is increasingly focused on skills development to provide the labour to develop multiple LNG projects concurrently. But this will only go so far," he told shareholders.

"The reality is that there is a need for temporary skilled migration to fill the gap between supply and demand.

"Cost increases resulting from productivity losses also threaten the viability of Australian projects. To manage these cost pressures, we must continue to improve national workforce productivity and flexibility, while providing adequate protection to employees."

To read the full article at The West, click here.

If you're a skilled overseas worker in the trade or engineering industries, consider registering with AMVL International Recruitment. Our team connects overseas skilled workers seeking sponsored visas and Australian employers seeking these workers. To register for free, click here or email your CV to jobs@australianmigrations.com.

Report: Australia is the number 2 country in the world to live and work in

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 06:37:00 GMT

A notoriously good lifestyle and a resources boom that's producing more jobs than people to fill them has made Australia the world's second most desired country to live in, according to a report. The United States is first.

News.com.au recently published the below details of the report findings, titled The Global Professionals on the Move.

AUSTRALIA has emerged as the second most desired location, behind only the United States, for people to live and work, a report says.

Hydrogen managing director for Australia Ivan Jackson said there were 404 natural resources projects taking place in Australia worth about $450 billion.

"A lack of relevant skilled professionals is one of the main barriers to bringing these projects to fruition," Mr Jackson said in the report, which was released today.

"In the next two to three years recruitment to Australia will be at its highest ever."

Overseas experience was also highly valued by employers, particularly in the energy sector, the report said.

The report said the most common reason working professionals were seeking jobs overseas was to develop their careers.

Australia tied second with the UK as the most popular place to work, followed by Singapore, Canada, Switzerland, Hong Kong and France.

Some 90 per cent of respondents believed relocating for work accelerated their personal development, while 86 per cent said it improved their career prospects.

Moreover, 83 per cent said their salaries rose on the back of their overseas experience.

The report found 15 per cent of women working overseas were women aged 40 years and above, compared with nearly 50 per cent of men in the same age demographic.

The survey, which was conducted by ESCP Europe, comprised responses from 2353 professionals from 85 different countries obtained during November 2011.

To read the full article at News.com.au click here.

Do you and your family want to migrate to Australia to live and work? Contact Australian Migration & Visa Lawyers to speak to one of our friendly and professional Registered Migration Agents about the visa options available to you. Our team is committed to the MARA Code of Conduct.

If you are qualified in the trades or engineering industries, considering registering (free) with AMVL International Recruitment. We connect overseas skilled workers seeking sponsored visas and Australian employers seeking these workers. To complete your free registration, click here.

457 visa limits will be lifted under a Coalition government

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 02:16:00 GMT

In recognising the value of immigrants on subclass 457 visas in Australia, opposition leader Tony Abbot has today stated that the Coalition government, if in power, will lift the limit of 457 visas granted to skilled overseas workers.

Subclass 457 visas are sponsored temporary work visas which allow skilled migrants to work in Australia for up to four years and holders of the visa can be eligible to apply for permanent residency.

As reported by The Australian;

Tony Abbott says workers on 457 visas are "the best immigrants", who contribute immediately to the economy and provide the best long-term workers when they convert their visas to permanent residency. The current skilled migrant intake is 125,850 people.

"Provided they are paid the same wages and provided there aren't Australians who could readily fill these jobs, businesses should be able to bring in the workers they need to keep growing, and create more local jobs," Mr Abbott will say in a speech to be delivered today.

"A stronger economy is in everyone's interests; immigrants who contribute to a stronger economy improve the life of every Australian.

"Under a Coalition government, section 457 visas won't be just a component, but a mainstay of our immigration program.

Yesterday, amid reports that Wayne Swan was poised to boost the number of skilled migrants by at least 5000 in the budget, the national secretary of the construction division of the Construction Forestry Mining and Energy Union, Dave Noonan, told The Australian the rise should be aimed at "genuine shortages".

Mr Noonan demanded better labour-market testing to ensure employers tried to hire Australian workers first, though he stressed the union favoured permanent migration over an increase in workers coming in on 457 visas.

Mr Abbott argues that turning skilled temporary visa workers into full-time residents is best because it "helps Australia to be more prosperous and productive and the best way for an immigrant to settle in is to work".

To read the full article at The Australian, click here.

Is your business experiencing skilled staff shortages? Consider sponsoring a skilled overseas worker. Focusing on the trades and engineering industries, AMVL International Recruitment connects overseas skilled workers seeking sponsored visas and Australian employers seeking these workers. To learn more, click here email jobs@australianmigrations.com.

Australian Migration & Visa Lawyers also has a dedicated team of Registered Migration Agents who can assist and advise migrants who wish to apply for the subclass 457 visa. For more information, contact us or email migrate@australianmigrations.com.

Coalition speculates about government's plan to boost Australia's skilled migration

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 06:47:00 GMT

Ahead of next month's federal budget, both the Coalition and the Miner's Union have speculated on whether the government's rumoured plan to boost skilled by 5000 or more will properly address the significant skills shortages currently being experienced in Western Australia and Queensland.

As reported by The Australian;

Amid reports Treasurer Wayne Swan is poised to boost the number of skilled migrants by at least 5000 in next month's federal budget, the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union says the rise should be targeted to tackle “genuine shortages”.

CFMEU construction national secretary David Noonan demanded better labour market testing to ensure employers tried to try to hire Australian workers first, although he stressed the union favoured permanent migration over an increase in temporary workers coming in on 457 visas.

“We need to be careful the skilled migration scheme is not a scheme that can be abused by unscrupulous employers, who bring people in rather than give jobs to unemployed Australians.”

Coalition immigration spokesman Scott Morrison demanded more details, saying a 5000 person boost to permanent migration was “a blunt instrument to deal with skills shortages”.

“Boosting permanent migration is not the best way to deal with the skills crisis in states like Western Australia and Queensland. Well over half of skilled migrants end up in Melbourne or Sydney,” he said.

“We think it's necessary to use more targeted immigration measures, which are particularly available in the temporary skilled migration area, and we also believe we need to train more Australians.

But the Minerals Council of Australia said a permanent migration boost would help ameliorate workforce shortages and counter the reliance on temporary skilled migrants.

“It is in line with historical skilled migrant intakes and could help alleviate some of the skilled labour shortages the industry faces,” a spokesman said.

The current skilled migrant intake stands at 125,850 people.

To read the full article at The Australian, click here.

Do you want to learn more about migration to Australia? Contact Australian Migration & Visa Lawyers, our team of friendly and professional Registered Migration Agents (RMA) specialise in all visa categories and can offer migration assistance and advice to those wishing to migrate to Australia.

All RMAs at Australian Migration & Visa Lawyers are committed to the MARA Code of Conduct.

Challenges ahead as Australian Tourism braces for Asian Century

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 06:32:00 GMT

The 'Asian Century' is coming, and Australian Tourism needs to address the challenges ahead if it's going to be able to manage the influx of Chinese tourists set to visit Australia in the coming years.

As discussed at a recent industry conference and reported by the Herald Sun, actions such as improving tourism infrastructure, revamping Australian hotels, boosting service standards, fighting rises to air passenger taxes and introducing Working Holiday visa agreements with Asian countries should be taken if Australia is going to capitalise on its most valuable tourism market.

Currently there are few Working Holiday visa agreements between Australia and Asian countries.

An additional challenge that Australian Tourism currently faces is the strong fight for skilled workers which has been brought on by the mining and resources boom. By 2014, it is estimated that there will be more than 56,000 job vacancies in the industry, with 30,000 vacancies already present, the Herald Sun reports.

To read more of the Herald Sun's report on the challenges facing Australian Tourism click here.

Would you like to learn more about Working Holiday Visas (WHV) in Australia? Australian Migration & Visa Lawyers offer the best value WHV packages out of Ireland and the United Kingdom. Contact our Ireland office by emailing ireland@australianmigrations.com or call +353 (0)45 868 322.

Private colleges and TAFEs to benefit from streamlined visa processing of international students

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 01:59:00 GMT

As the federal government continues to roll out recommendations of the Knight Review in various stages, industry groups have welcomed a recent announcement that a selection of private colleges and TAFEs will soon benefit from streamlined visa processing for international students, which currently only universities and their students are benefiting from. These benefits include reduced waiting time for visas and less obstacles for student applicants.

Below are some excerpts from a recent article covering this announcement by The Australian;

[Monday's] Council of Australian Governments meeting agreed to bring forward the implementation of the “revised framework for low immigration risk providers”, giving some colleges access to “streamlined” student visa assessments from the second half of this year.

Industry groups have welcomed the announcement, which removes visa processing impediments for these colleges up to six months earlier than had been anticipated.

The new approach means international students seeking visas to study at colleges deemed low-risk will be treated as coming from ‘level 1 risk assessment’ countries. This vastly reduces their waiting time for visas, and scales back onerous requirements to prove that they have plenty of money to cover their expenses in Australia.

The “streamlined” arrangements, which were recommended last September by the Knight review of student visas, reduce the obstacles for visa applicants but ramp up providers’ obligation to ensure they only accept genuine students.

Universities gained access to the streamlined system this month. But TAFEs and private colleges had been told they wouldn’t be included until next year, even if they were deemed low risk, placing them at a competitive disadvantage against universities.

Tertiary education minister Chris Evans has since indicated that the extension to non-universities could be brought forward. The Australian Council for Private Education and Training said it was “delighted” that this had now been confirmed.

The Immigration Department is still reviewing the criteria for determining low-risk providers.

To read the full article at The Australian, click here.

Are you currently studying in Australia and want to extend your stay once you complete your studies? Australian Migration & Visa Lawyers has a dedicated Recent Graudates team of Reigstered Migration Agents who specialise in post-study visas. To submit an enquiry to the team, fill out an enquiry form here or simply contact us by emailing migrate@australianmigrations.com or call 07 3212 2200.

Report suggests Australia will need Asian imports to fill gap left by retiring farmers

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 05:26:00 GMT

A report in to Australia's farming industry has raised concerns about an "exodus" of Australian farmers who are likely to retire over the next decade, leaving a significant shortage of experienced farmers who can train young farmers in the future. The report also claims that if these predictions do eventuate, the industry will have to import overseas workers to fill the agricultural skills gaps, particularly from Asia, as well as put farms and rural properties on the international property market.

More at the Courier Mail;

The KPMG submission to Australia in the Asian Century White Paper, warns that the average age of Australian farmers was 56 in 2011 and many had no succession plan or exit strategy.

The exodus of older farmers is also likely to lead to the listing of farms on the international property market and for sales to corporate investors and mining and resources companies as farmers look to boost retirement funds.

The predictions are supported by statistics gathered in 2008 when demand for labour in the agriculture sector was 407,000 workers, already 116,000 above supply.

The Productivity Commission has conservatively estimated the sector will generate more than 32,000 new jobs annually.

"There is a risk that there will be a lack of experienced farmers to train younger farmers who will be critical to driving productivity improvements and adapting to challenges such as climate change, increased competition and an increase on focus on the environmental impacts of farming,'' the report says.

"In the long term, agricultural skills gaps will inevitably lead to the need to source labour from overseas migration,'' it states.

"Asia will be an important contributor to bridging the skills gap and Australia will need to develop immigration policies with Asian countries to bridge this shortage.''

The report emphasises a need for the Government to revise its migration policy in collaboration with industry and engagement with Asian investors and for co-operation between the mining industry and agribusiness in sharing and capitalising on the revival of some rural area populations.

To read the full article at the Courier Mail, click here.

Would you like to learn more about migrating to Australia? Contact Australian Migration & Visa Lawyers to speak to one of our friendly and professional Registered Migration Agents. We specialise in all visa categories and are committed to the MARA Code of Conduct.

Australia leads the world in skilled migration

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 04:17:00 GMT

With the recent news that the Australian government will allow skilled workers from the United States (US) to acquire work licences on arrival in Australia rather than acquire them in the US, and the introduction of Enterprise Migration Agreements for large-scale resource projects, Australia is now considered a world leader in skilled migration.

Further details were reported today in the Sydney Morning Herald;

The country's skilled migration program had undergone a revolution from permanent to temporary entry and from points-tested to employer-nominated as the dominant basis of entry, said Professor Lesleyanne Hawthorne, a consultant to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development on migrant labour to meet global skills shortages.

Temporary skilled migrant arrivals surpassed permanent arrivals in 2007-08 at 110,570 compared with 108,500. Though they had since dropped back, it was clear Australia's "old paradigm" of permanent migration was disappearing, Professor Hawthorne said.

Occupations preferred by employers for importing labour were significantly different from those selected by government. The top five professions selected by government in order were accounting, computing, architecture/building, engineering and nursing. For employers it was nursing, computing, business professionals, engineers and sales and marketing professionals. The choice of source countries also differed, with the government favouring Asian countries and employers favouring English-speaking countries.

To read the full article at the Sydney Morning Herald click here.

Do you need help with your skilled visa application? Australian Migration & Visa Lawyers has a team of Registered Migration Agents who specialise in all visa categories and are committed to the MARA Code of Conduct. For friendly, professional assistance and migration advice, contact us or email migrate@australianmigrations.com.

Free IELTS Masterclasses throughout April

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 23:42:00 GMT

IELTS is the International English Language Testing System which tests English proficiency across the globe. Accepted by more than 6000 organisations worldwide, including universities, the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) and government agencies, IELTS is one of the world’s most popular high stakes English language proficiency test.

Throughout April, IELTS will be conducting FREE IELTS Masterclasses in Australia, Singapore, Vietnam and Indonesia for anyone who is preparing to take the IELTS test. The Masterclasses will provide test-takers practical tips on how to best enhance their English, insights into common mistakes you can avoid and there will also be discussion and interactive tasks using the IELTS assessment criteria.

To register, and for information on the dates and locations of the free IELTS Masterclasses being held in April click here.

Do you want to migrate to Australia? Contact Australian Migration & Visa Lawyers. We have a team of friendly and professional Registered Migration Agents (RMA) who can provide you with friendly and professional migration assistance and advice. To submit an enquiry to our team of RMAs directly, email migrate@australianmigrations.com.

All RMAs at Australian Migration & Visa Lawyers are committed to the MARA Code of Conduct.

Australia looks to the United States for skilled workers to fill shortage

Tue, 03 Apr 2012 04:37:00 GMT

The Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills, Science and Research, Senator Chris Evans, Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Chris Bowen MP, and the United States Ambassador to Australia, Jeffrey Bleich, today announced measures to assist linking Australian employers with skilled workers in the US to fill skill shortages in key sectors.

Included in their announcement Senator Evans, Mr Bowen and Mr Bleich outlined the following;

With the demand for skilled construction workers likely to peak over the next three to five years as a number of resource projects are due to commence, both governments recognise the potential to match that demand with the potential supply of workers in the US.

These measures will allow workers from the US in licensed occupations, such as electricians and plumbers, to be granted immediate access to provisional Australian licences on arrival. More broadly, the skills assessment process will assure Australian employers how the skills of US workers align with their needs.

'While the government's first priority is to train Australians for jobs in the resources and construction sectors, projections show that we will need workers from overseas for a peak in activity in the next three to five years,' Senator Evans said.

'This is a great opportunity to address skill shortages in Australia by filling shortfalls in particular areas with qualified candidates from the United States, with applications expected to open from mid-April.

Currently, such workers need to be assessed onshore which can mean waiting months between entry and starting work. Under the new skills assessment process, US workers will be assessed against Australian regulatory requirements before entering Australia, providing certainty to applicants and employers.

To read the full announcement, click here.

Do you want to grow and utilise your skills in Australia? If you work in the trades or engineering industries, consider registering with AMVL International Recruitment. Registration is free and if you have the right skills and experience we will connect you with Australian employers seeking to fill positions in these industries. Successful candidates placed through AMVL International Recruitment are offered employer sponsored (subclass 457) visas with their job offer. To register with AMVL International Recruitment click here or email your CV to jobs@australianmigrations.com.

IELTS test numbers grow

Sun, 01 Apr 2012 23:51:00 GMT

The International English Language Testing Sysem (IELTS) has reported a 12 per cent increase in the number of tests taken last year, reaching over 1.7 million around the world.

According to IELTS, the United States was the fastest growing market followed by India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka whereas China, India and Australia conducted the highest number of tests.

More at The Australian;

John Gildea, head of IELTS at the British Council, said: "Demand for IELTS in China remains very impressive, with students taking the test for entry to educational institutions in Australia, Canada, the UK and US amongst many other destinations.''

John Belleville, of IELTS Australia, said the top reason cited for taking the test was academic entry, followed by migration.

"For many, IELTS is a requirement for migration to Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the UK,'' Mr Belleville said.

To read more at The Australian, click here.

Migrating to Australia? Australian Migration & Visa Lawyers can help. Our team of Registered Migration Agents specialise in all visa categories and are committed to the MARA Code of Conduct. To submit an enquiry to the team contact us or email migrate@australianmigrations.com .