Visa news

[HEAPS GOOD !!!]

Temporary Skilled Workers are Highly Skilled Professionals According to Immigration Stats

 

Tuesday, 23 February 2010

New Immigration figures show that almost 90 percent of 457 Subclass Temporary Overseas work visas granted in 2009-10 went to managers and highly skilled professional workers.

 

The figures show that the average salary package for all new 457 temporary skilled workers is almost $100,000, which is an increase of $10,000 over the previous year.

Mining Industry workers were the highest paid foreign workers, with an average salary package of $169,000, followed by the financial and insurance sector at $127,600.

These figures show that overseas temporary work visa holders are genuinely coming to fill specialised positions which are currently not being filled by the domestic workforce. It also shows that overseas foreign workers are not being exploited as a source of cheap labour. These are both areas that the Australian Government has identified as key issues in recent immigration reforms.

This comes as welcome news to immigrants hoping to work in Australia. Wages and working conditions in Australia are amongst the best in the world, and Migrants who do qualify to work and live in Australia are able to earn competitive wages, and enjoy a more relaxed lifestyle.

If you are interested in Visas to Australia, contact Migration Expert for information and advice on which visa is best suited to you. You can also try our visa eligibility assessment to see if you are eligible to apply for a visa to Australia.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

AUSTRALIAN IMMIGRATION NEWS

 

Australian Skilled Work Visa Points Test to be Reviewed

 

Thursday, 18 February 2010

The Minister for Immigration and Citizenship has released a discussion paper, seeking public comment on a review of the points test for Skilled Work Visa applicants.

 

The current points based system, while generally working as expected, does not always result in the most desirable applicants receiving the most points. An example given by the Government is that an overseas student with a short-term vocational qualification and 1 years work experience will qualify ahead of a Harvard-Educated environmental scientist with 3 years work experience.

The review is aimed at correcting the system to ensure that the most qualified and skilled people receive priority for work visas to Australia.

The following are some of the principles for the new test:

 

• it should contribute to the selection of applicants who offer the most human capital and will therefore make the optimal contribution to Australia's demographic and economic future;
  
• it should not preclude very good applicants from offshore or in Australia, including former international students;
  
• it should be able to operate flexibly under both current arrangements and any new arrangements for skilled migrant selection;
  
• it should enable applicants with high value attributes across a number of areas such as English language ability, academic qualifications and work experience, to achieve the maximum number of points; and
  
• it should not give undue weight to any one factor, so as to avoid distortions in the program arising from applicants seeking to meet that factor.
  

The Australian Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) will report the outcomes of the review to the Government in May 2010.

The review of the skilled work visa points test is one of many reforms to the immigration system, announced by the Australian Government this month.

Migration Expert advises that further announcements should be expected in the coming months.

If you are interested in Visas to Australia, contact Migration Expert for information and advice on which visa is best suited to you. You can also try our visa eligibility assessment to see if you are eligible to apply for a visa to Australia.

 

 

 

HG