Australian Immigration News – 2011
Australia, a country in the southern hemisphere, is the sixth largest in the world. It’s viewed as a well-developed area with a strong economy and large population. Much of the concentration stems from the increase in immigration. Since the end of World War I, individuals who were born overseas have migrated to the country in hopes of beginning new lives and re-directing their future. The highest numbers of immigrants come from Vietnam, Italy, New Zealand, China, and the United Kingdom.
Establishing peace among the various migrant cultures has been the main objective for the Australian government since the 1970’s. Australian migration Agents have worked with thousands to secure visas, offer immigration agent Brisbane advice, and ensure that individuals have quality assistance. Check out some of the main stories regarding Australian immigration news last year.
1. More Irish Migrate to Australia
Thousands of natives from Ireland moved to Australia at the beginning of 2011 due to the impact of the recession in their homeland. The majority of migrants set up new homes near a popular Australian beach, an area that was previously known for its concentration of touring backpackers. The Irish seek full-time employment, as the country has a reputation for rarely being affected by economic turmoil and has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the world. The shortage of skilled workers in nursing, construction, and medicine is expected to be beneficial for the Irish migrants.
2. Work and Holiday Visa Benefits Overseas Residents
A new government initiative has provided peace of mind for Australia’s foreign post-secondary students and graduates. Registered migration agents are working with individuals from overseas that are completing a degree program to secure Work and Holiday Visas. The arrangement will enable them to work, study, or travel in Australia for up to 12 months. Those who are eligible must be between the ages of 18 and 30. The Visa services are expected to be most appealing to Canadian graduates who seek leisure time before they start their careers. Individuals who solely want to engage in tourism should acquire the travel visa. Those who choose to work in Australia, however, are urged to apply for the working holiday visa which allows them to live and be employed in the country for up to 1 year.
3. Australia Reveals Regional Migration Pacts
The Minister for Australian Immigration and Citizenship announced the decision to increase the number of skilled immigrants. Additionally, the initiative is to make changes to the current skilled migration plan in an effort to effectively recruit the most qualified migrants for jobs. The new strategy identifies differentiating circumstances among regions to help allocate resources appropriately and find best solutions.
4. Croatians and Maldives Get Electronic Visa Applications
The online visa application process has been adjusted to include the Maldives and Croatians. These individuals are now able to apply for travel visas from the Australian Immigration Agency on the Internet. Before the expansion, only 52 countries in other parts of the world were allowed to request an Australian visa online.
5. High Percentage of Companies Anticipate the Hire of Immigrant Workers
About 80 percent of leading businesses in Australia are recognising the benefits of skilled migration, especially after identifying a number of impacted employers from a recent skilled work shortage. Every labour market in Australia was affected with the exception of Queensland. Firms are looking to hire qualified visa holders which will cut down the cost of training individuals and enable overseas workers to share a wealth of thriving business practices from their homelands.
6. Blind Indian Woman is Granted Permanent Residency in Australia
Following a two-year battle to obtain permanent residency, a 30-year-old blind Indian woman finally won her right to live in Australia as an abiding citizen in autumn of last year. Ms. Simran Kaur initially moved to Melbourne with her husband. At the time, she had a student visa and applied for an Australian migration skilled-sponsored visa which was denied due to being deemed legally blind by a commonwealth medical officer. Her request was rejected a second time by immigration consultants representing the Migration Review Tribunal for the same reason. Intervention from the Immigration Australia minister eventually led to the granting of the social worker’s permission to become a permanent resident. Kaur has retinal macular dystrophy, a disorder that impaired her vision at birth.
7. Western Australia Unable to Draw Skilled Workers from Overseas
The Department of Immigration and Citizenship confirmed the low numbers of skilled migrant workers relocating to Western Australia. Among many affected industries, WA’s mining industry has suffered the most. Officials continue to push for a change in the nation’s law for immigration issues, giving priority to WA’s employer sponsorship to increase the amount of overseas workers in the area. The state predicts it’ll need about 500,000 migrant employees by 2020 to function properly and improve its financial situation.
8. Increase in Student Eligibility for Post-Study Work Visa
More foreign students are now able to obtain post-study work visas in Australia. As of 2013, individuals must be graduates of bachelor’s degree programs or higher to be eligible. The new situation allows Australia’s government officials to offer better educational opportunities to those who want to pursue studies in the country. The plan gives bachelor’s degree candidates a 2-year extension while it enables PhD and Masters research students to stay 3 to 4 years.
9. Record-breaking Number of New Zealanders Migrate to Australia
Over 50,000 New Zealand natives have recently moved to Australia and have chosen to make the country their home permanently or on a long-term basis. Like cultural groups in other parts of the world, immigrants from this territory are in search of better employment opportunities. Many of them are hopeful of entering the mining or farming industries which are two of the most lucrative fields in the country. Young and single aspiring professionals, as well as groups of families, are remain optimistic about improving their lives.
10. Large Greek Population Relocates to Australia
Considerable numbers of Greeks are reportedly relocating to Australia to avoid the financial downturn impacting their homeland. Many of the migrants are highly educated and skilled with the potential of becoming valued assets for numerous employers. Melbourne’s head migration lawyer recently announced that the majority of Greek arrivals are recent college graduates or individuals with backgrounds in teaching, engineering, banking, architecture and the automotive industry who are desperate to find work of any kind. Greeks are particularly drawn to Australia because of the country’s solid Hellenic population as well.
