The Australian government has recently announced that it will employ a new visa fee system starting on 1st January 2012. The changes will ensure that the applications are no longer subsidised by tax payers. It was said that the current applications fees do not cover the cost to the Commonwealth of processing the applications. In
Archives for 2011
De Facto Partner Visa Application Rescued By Migration Agent
Happy couple with Australian partner visa Jackie (Australian citizen sponsor) and Neil (visa applicant) met through work in London in June 2006. They got along well and shared many things in common. Jackie and Neil socialised outside of work and became close friends. Soon after a relationship began but they weren’t sure how long the
Why Britons Emigrate To Australia
Why are so many British citizens emigrating to Australia? How does life in Australia compare to life in the UK? Do I qualify for a visa to Australia? If you’re thinking about relocating to Australia, you’ve probably asked yourself some similar questions. In this article I hope to shed some light on why a lot
Skilled Migration To Australia: Is Time Running Out?
Australia’s skilled migration program was implemented to relieve the Australian labour market in job sectors where skill shortages are present. This has a major effect on the economy as the government is able to respond and adapt to the economic conditions as well as the labour market. It all sounds very positive, but there are
$42,000 Visa Application Charge Ruins Girls Hopes of Reuniting With Her Mother
A decision by the Department of Immigration and Citizenship to refuse a ‘woman at risk visa’ application has left a Perth teenager distraught by the prospect of being unable to reunite with her Afghan mother, who is alone and living in Quetta, Pakistan after fleeing her homeland years earlier. The schoolgirl and her younger brother
Perth Reclassified as Regional Australia to Aid WA’s Skills Shortage
Australia’s Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Chris Bowen announced this morning that Perth has been reclassified as a regional city as part of the federal government’s plan to attract skilled migrants to the WA capital. For the first time, businesses in Perth will now be able to sponsor workers with lower skill sets under the
Student’s Skilled Migration Visa Application Refused On Technicality
Zimbabwe-born Melbourne university graduate, Tatenda Muradzi, 25, is seeing red after she was informed by the Department of Immigration and Citizenship that her skilled migration visa application was deemed invalid because it was not lodged in the prescribed manner. On 15 March 2010 Ms Muradzi visited the offices of her Melbourne based migration agent at
Increase In Skilled Migration To Western Australia
Businesses in Western Australia have recorded a steep incline in the number of skilled migrants they are sponsoring from the Netherlands, Malaysia and Ireland. Reports show that the number of Skilled Regional Sponsored visas increased by more than 40% (approximately 4000 units) in 2010 compared to the same time in 2009. Reports from the show
Australian Visa Application Charges Set To Increase 1st July 2011
The has announced that a number of visa application charges are set to increase by 15 per cent from 1st July 2011. Tourist visas, student visas and second installment investor retirement visas will not be subject to a visa application charge increase. Meanwhile, second installment contributory parent visas will increase in accordance with aged care,
Skilled Migration Boost Needed To Meet Mining Boom Demand
With the mining boom Mark II driving the need for labour, there are fresh calls for an immediate increase in skilled migration to meet these demands. Deloitte Access Economics predict the growth rate among Australia’s working population will plummet from 2.2 per cent in 2008-09, to just 1 per cent next year. There is a