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.

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.

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.