More Skilled Immigrants Required in Australia!

A most important project in Australia might cause a major demand for foreign skilled migrants, particularly the foreign trained engineers. The country is gearing up for the building of the National Broadband Network. This enormous project is expected to raise the present demand for more visa applications to the country.

In accordance with Graham Bradley, the President for Business Council, there is previously a shortage of skills in the mining industry in the country. It is clear that the present demand would just rise as this project continues to growth. It might basis a problem as the pace of these new projects continues to expedite. This speeding up is specially being witnessed in Queensland and Western Australia.

It has been recommended by Bradley that making the immigration rules a bit suppler, particularly for 457 visas which is meant for the skilled migrants. This visa permits the employers in Australia to sponsor overseas skilled migrants.

On the other hand, it has been argued by Chris Bowen, the Immigration Minister for Australia there is no exact limits about the number of engineers to be sponsored under this visa. More so, the program is working as preferred. Together, Chris Evans, the Employment Minister is also working on a program for training of domestic workers to provide to the skill shortages in the nation.

The over is a Critical Skills Investment fund catering to about AUS$200 million. The major objective of this program is to create 39,000 new training places. Likewise, the National Broadband Network caters to another $35.7 billion. The major aspect of this project is to offer high-speed Internet to about 93 percent of the Australian homes. In the past of Australia, this is the main infrastructure project.

Beginning of New Points Test for Australian Immigration!

It is planned that a new points test for skilled migration visa applications will be bring in on 1 July 2011. It balances the sequence of reforms the Australian Government announced in February 2010.

The fresh points test is focused on picking highly skilled people to transport a more receptive and targeted migration program. It was developed following an evaluation of the present point’s test, which considered obedience from various experts and the wider Australian community.

The new points test balances the dissimilar factors that are measured when determining whether somebody will be granted a skilled migration visa. It will transport the best and brightest skilled migrants by emphasizing high level qualifications, improved English language levels and wide skilled work experience.

The fresh points test will carry on to award points for study in Australia, counting regional study, community languages, partner skills and completing an accepted Professional Year. Points will no longer be rewarded on the basis of an applicant’s profession, but all applicants have to still nominate an profession on the applicable Skilled Occupation List.

It is vital to note that the new points test will only be relevant to one component of the skilled migration program. This change won’t have an effect on every type of skilled migration visa and only applies to the following visas.

• Subclass 885 Skilled Independent
• Subclass 886 Skilled Sponsored
•Subclass 175 Skilled Independent
•Subclass 487 Skilled Regional Sponsored
•Subclass 176 Skilled Sponsored
•Subclass 475 Skilled – Regional Sponsored

It is planned that the new points test will be appropriate to applications made from 1 July 2011, if not the applicant is entitled for transitional arrangements.

Transitional arrangements are relevant to people who, on 8 February 2010 held or had applied for a Temporary Skilled Graduate visa (subclass 485). Until the end of 2012, this group is able to submit an application for a permanent skilled visa under the points test in effect as at 8 February 2010.

Student visa holders who lodge an application for points tested skilled migration from 1 July 2011 will be assessed under the new points test. There are still transitional arrangements which may apply to those students affected by the reforms announced on 8 February 2010. People who held an eligible Student visa on 8 February 2010 still have until the end of 2012 to apply for a Temporary Skilled Graduate visa (subclass 485) under the arrangements in place for that visa as at 8 February 2010.
The pass mark is the numeral of points required to be qualified for skilled migration. The pass mark is a tool that allows for organization of the skilled migration program and is forever subject to change. It is predictable that the pass mark will be set at 65 points.

New Points Test
Factor Description Points
Age
18-24 25 points
25-32 30 points
33-39 25 points
40-44 15 points
45-49 0 points

English language
Competent English - IELTS 6 0 points
Proficient English - IELTS 7 10 points
Superior English - IELTS 8 20 points

Australian work experience in nominated occupation or a closely related occupation
One year Australian (of past two years) 5 points
Three years Australian (of past five years) 10 points
Five years Australian (of past seven years) 15 points


Overseas work experience in nominated occupation or a closely related occupation
Three years overseas (of past five years) 5 points
Five years overseas (of past seven years) 10 points
Eight years overseas (of past 10 years) 15 points

Qualifications
(Australian or recognized overseas)
Bachelor degree (including a Bachelor degree with Honours or Masters )

• Offshore recognised apprenticeship - 10 points
• AQFIII/IV completed in Australia - 15 points
• Diploma completed in Australia
PhD 20 points
Recognition of Australian Study Minimum two years fulltime (Australian study requirement)
5 points
Designated language 5 points
Partner skills 5 points
Professional Year 5 points
Sponsorship by state or territory government 5 points
Sponsorship by family or state or territory government to regional Australia
10 points
Study in a regional area 5 points

More and More Visa Refusals in Australia!

Consistent with a new set of statistics brought out, there has been a significant rise in the figure of Australian visas that have been refused due to fears pertaining to safety. These figures have been brought out by the Australian Intelligence Agency (ASIO). The data projects the negative response of nineteen Australian visas for reasons pertaining to national safety. This data projects the tendency that was seen in the last financial year.

Of the nineteen, fourteen were deprived of on grounds of counter-terrorism and a further five were rejected on charges of espionage or reasons pertaining to foreign interference. These figures were part of the report for 2009 – 10 released by ASIO.

As said by the report, there has been a rising anxiety for the rising figure of potential terrorists who were being homegrown. There has an augment in the local people who are looking for to travel abroad for the purpose connected to terrorism.

In addition, the report mentioned that approx eight Australian passports were rejected for the reason that the tough assessments pertaining to security. Though, last year, there were no cancellations in this regard. Along with David Irvine, the Director-General of ASIO, about hundreds of likely terror threats are being investigated as of now.

Then again, the number of visa applications has already seen a fall in the preceding thanks to the racial attacks which were witnessed by a lot of foreign nationals residing in Australia. Adding these to the above, the figure would consistently go down. If the present trend continues, it would certainly impact the financial system of the nation.