Australia’s Treasurer Wayne Swan has indicated numerous Australian visa application fee increases to be included in the 2013 budget. The increases are expected to raise an additional $500 million and will serve as a mechanism in keeping the Budget on track for the promised $1.5 billion surplus this year. The expected reforms to visa application
SkillSelect: October Invitation Rounds Doubled
Following a slow start to the new skilled migration program, the Department of Immigration announced that the SkillSelect October invitation rounds will reach a total of 2000 invitations, that’s double the number of invitations issued in September. The implementation of SkillSelect hasn’t been completely flawless, with recent system difficulties where applicants weren’t able to upload
Skills Shortage List for 2012: Australia Wants You!
The labour shortages in Australia are affecting more than one industry. We’ve created a top 12 skills shortage list for Australia according to occupations with the highest ceiling in SkillSelect. An occupation ceiling is applied to the number of invitations issued under the new SkillSelect migration program. This creates a way for the Department of
How to Get an Australian Working Visa
Planning to apply for work in Australia? To be able to work in Australia, you will need to hold a passport from your home country and an Australian visa permitting you to work. Australia has a General Skilled Migration (GSM) Program that is specifically designed to target individuals with specific skills and capabilities that will
$380 Billion Planned for Investment in Australian Resources Sector
In normal circumstances the announcement of $380 billion of planned investment would spark a flurry of keen workers hustling to secure their positions in order to take advantage of the opportunities that such an investment brings. In Australia however, things are a little different. Mining boom Mark II has undoubtedly created vast expansion in Australia’s
Melbourne Rated Best City to Live in 2012
Every year a number of surveys are conducted to establish where the best and worst places are too live. In August 2012 the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) reviewed it’s list of “Best Cities to Live” which covers 140 locations in the world and takes into account factors such as political and social stability, crime rates
SkillSelect: September Sees Increased Invitations
The recently announced the next rounds of invitations to apply for skilled migration, which will occur during the month of September. Under the new SkillSelect migration program, skilled migrants are issued an invitation to apply for a skilled visa after submitting and Expression of Interest (EOI). The next round of invitations will be issued under
Illegal Immigrants in Australia Face Tougher Laws
Australia’s government will be releasing new laws which are designed to crack down on illegal immigrants in Australia. It’s crucial that forces are put into place to deter and to reduce illegal work practices which are used by employers and labour suppliers to gain a competitive advantage. On the 3rd August 2012 Chris Bowen MP
Australian Government Meets Immigration Targets for 2011/2012
It was recently reported that the Australian Government has met it’s immigration targets for the year 2011 to 2012, which reached a total of 185,000 migrants. India, China and the United Kingdom where the top three sources for immigration, with a joint total of 43.2 per cent. With Australia currently experiencing vast skills shortages, the
Migrating to Australia: Culture Shock or Paradise?
I found an article not so long ago about a middle aged British expat who shared his story with the Telegraph newspaper after migrating to Australia. Unfortunately the reality didn’t measure up to his expectations and he decided to return to the United Kingdom. After reading his article I could empathise with his point of