Australian visa and migration news

Wanted Down Under: Programmers, Developers and Network Security Experts

noreply@blogger.com (bridge) — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 15:39:00 +0000

A series of massive IT projects have led the Australian Government to add a variety of computing professionals to its Migration Occupations in Demand List giving Java and C# programmers a better chance for a new life Down Under.

The Australian Government added the following to its Migration Occupations in Demand List (MODL) today: Computing Professionals specialising in CISSP, C++/C#/C, Java, J2EE, Network security, Oracle, PeopleSoft, SAP and SIEBEL. Applicants for emigration to Australia with these qualifications are given bonus points and there applications fast-tracked.

"There simply aren’t enough qualified staff in Australia to meet demand, especially in the cases of C# and Java programmers," said Oonagh Baerveldt, spokeswoman for the Australian Visa Bureau. "There have been reports in the Australian media for a while now saying various large-scale Government IT projects are understaffed."

"The bulk of the vacancies are in the cities of Canberra and Adelaide where the cost of living and quality of life is suited to young professional with families. The cost of housing, ease of travel to work, and park lands are major selling points for British IT professionals.

"Both Canberra and Adelaide are affordable places to live. The fantastic quality of life in Australia because of cost of living and weather are unmatched," said Baerveldt. "Network security is an increasing issue in Australia; this is reflected in today’s additions to the MODL. Coupled with the fact that C# and Java programmers are in such high demand, there’s never been a better time to go to Australia if you’re in IT."

Basic requirements for emigration as a computing professional include being under 45 years of age, proficient in English, IT degree qualified with a minimum of 4 years of experience, or 6 years experience without.

IT professionals interested in investigating the possibility of emigrating to Australia are encouraged to visit www.visabureau.com and take the Online Assessment for Australia to determine their points total. Australia’s migration system is points-based, and applicants whose skills appear on the country’s MOLD receive are deemed "crucial."

"Australian IT is moving away from parachuting contractors in – the industry is moving towards having agency offices in the cities where work is being done. From an optics perspective, it’s not okay for a lot of coding to be done overseas anymore," said Baerveldt.

Australia Opens its Doors

noreply@blogger.com (bridge) — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 03:19:00 +0000

The Australian Government has announced another round of sweeping changes to its immigration policies which will make it easier for young, English speaking skilled workers to emigrate to Australia. The Australian Government has significantly altered its points-based system because it is looking for more immigrants after increasing its immigration target numbers to the country's highest levels ever for skilled workers, up from 97,000 to a record 102,550 for the year.

Previously, professional workers struggled to reach the 120 point threshold for a Skilled Visa leading to permanent residency because they were only awarded 20 points for their English language ability. However, as of September 1, anyone passing an optional standardised English language test will receive 25 points rather than 20.

Chris Cook of the Australian Visa Bureau, said: "The Australian Government realises it is lacking workers in many professions which it desperately needs to fill so the country is throwing its doors open to huge numbers of skilled and experienced British people."

The Australian immigration changes affect key professional workers required to fill skills gaps in Australia's growing economy, including teachers, doctors, nurses, dentists, IT professionals, finance managers, civil engineers, HR managers, engineering managers, aeronautical engineers, supply and distribution managers.

Chris Cook added: "The implications of these changes are vast. The Australian Government is looking for more immigrants than ever before. The changes are directed at nurses, IT workers and those in the trades, and making it easier for them to meet the minimum eligibility requirements. We would advise anyone considering Australian immigration to visit the Australian Visa Bureau where they can fill out a simple online Australian visa assessment form to see if they are eligible under the new proposed legislation."

The Skilled Migration program in Australia awards visas on a points basis depending on age, language, occupation, skills and experience. A total of 120 points will make an applicant eligible for an Independent Skilled Visa entitling the applicant and his or her family to a Permanent Residency Visa which allows them to live and work anywhere in Australia.

Other professions being actively sought by the Australian Government via its Migration Occupations in Demand List (MODL) include: accountants, carpenters, plumbers, engineers, locksmiths, painters and decorators, architects, metal machinists, quantity surveyors, chefs, bakers, bricklayers, cabinet makers, child care coordinators, mechanics, pastry cooks, plasterers and toolmakers. For a full list of all occupations on the list and to see if your profession is currently in demand, please view the complete Australian Migration Occupations in Demand List.

The Australian Visa Bureau specialises in arranging visas for British and Irish nationals looking to live in, work in and travel to Australia. Based in London, the company ensures clients are given the most up to date information concerning immigration and visa policy. Visit Visa Bureau for further information and free online visa assessments for Australia.

a cap on Australian immigration

noreply@blogger.com (bridge) — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 03:18:00 +0000

Australia has joined the United Kingdom and Canada in implementing a cap on Australian immigration. The UK government has announced its intention to cap immigration, and Canada has limited the number of applications it will consider under its own skilled worker scheme. Last month the Australian government introduced a skilled visa capping bill, to limit the number of skilled workers able to enter the country. Now the new Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard, has spoken about restricting population growth by limiting Australia immigration.

The Prime Minister, herself an immigrant from Wales, made a speech to the Lowy Institute on 5th July. As reported by The Australian, Gillard signalled her intention that the Labour government should slow down the growth in Australia’s population and ensure that Australian immigration should be driven by regional needs within the country.

In the meantime Australian Immigration Minister Chris Evans has promised to use his new visa capping powers sparingly. The new law, which cleared the lower house of parliament last month, gives the minister powers to close applications in particular classes if sufficient numbers of people in a particular occupation have already been admitted to the country. The minister has described the press response to the new law as “hysterical” and said that he will use his new powers to limit Australian immigration sparingly.

A pattern is now emerging where countries are seeking to protect employment for their existing population by imposing limits on immigration, while seeking to admit people in high-demand occupations in a more controlled way. Speaking about this trend, Liam Clifford, Director of Global Visas the world’s leading Immigration Company said, “All major economies are locking down their labour markets. This is protectionism which world leaders have previously warned against. This short-sighted approach often leads to difficulties for local employers in securing the talent they need. The policy of capping skilled migrants is wrong and the fact is if there are no vacancies or jobs skilled migrants will not come. Economies and countries must allow talent to move freely and compete for that talent in an open market. Locking your door is not the answer.”

For more information

Please contact the UK Global Visas office on +44 (0)207 190 3903.

About Global Visas

Global Visas are a world leading authority on immigration and visas for private individuals and corporate clients, providing the most comprehensive and up-to-date visa and immigration advice available. Their offices around the world provide immigration and visa solutions for those travelling to America, South Africa, Australia, the UK and many other countries. Global Visas was founded in 1996 by a former immigration officer.

How Do I Get My Thai Girlfriend an Australian Tourist Visa?

noreply@blogger.com (bridge) — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 08:01:00 +0000

Do you have a Thai girlfriend?

Did you meet some time ago? You might have visited her in Thailand numerous times while on holiday or visiting the coutnry.

Have kept in regular contact, by phone, email or letter over the course of several months?

Is she beautiful and funny, and keen to come and visit you in Australia?

Would you love to take her home and introduce her to your friends and family and show her around your home town? You think that you have a chance of making the relationship work, and you’re keen to get her by your side.

If this scenario sounds familiar to you, and you answered yes to any of those questions you maybe looking for some quality advice on how to bring your Thai girfriend to Australia .

Australian Visa Advice is a DIY visa option, with close email supervision and online help from a qualified and experienced Migration Agent. It allows you to apply for either a tourist visa, fiancé visa or a spouse visa, while giving you all the help and support you need with the application.

You apply for the visa yourself but a Migration Consultant from 'Australian Visa Advice' helps you with the difficulties. This service can help provide you with the very best migration advice, at a fraction of the usual cost.

Migration Agents usually charge thousands of dollars for their services.

They prepare all the documentary evidence and proof that each application requires. They supply the application forms and spend hours on the phone relaying information on your behalf. No wonder they have to charge such high fees!

So what if you could do all the paper work yourself?

What if you could collate all the necessary documents, and follow all the steps that need to be followed… would you be confident doing it by yourself?

Many people don’t feel confident and their applications are lacking in substance and detail. As a result a large percentage of visa applications fail...

BUT what if you could do the process yourself while having a qualified and experienced Migration Agent help and advise you at every step of the process?

You’d be in with a much better chance of success.

You could be bringing your Thai lady home very soon and enjoying your life together in Australia.

True blue Ozzie visa advice is close at hand, helping you to make the difficult decisions and getting your loved one home to you.

Head over to Australian Visa for Thai Girlfriend for more information and advice, and see how they can help you get a visa and save you thousands of dollars!

Migration cut in Abbott bid for upper hand

noreply@blogger.com (bridge) — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 07:56:00 +0000

Opposition Leader Tony Abbott is poised to unveil a significant cut in Australia's annual migration intake as he tries to outflank Labor in the politically sensitive territory of boats and population.

Campaigning in Perth yesterday, Mr Abbott was playing up border protection in a state that is strong for the Liberal Party.

Standing beside West Australian Premier Colin Barnett, Mr Abbott announced a $93 million policy to widen cargo screening at shipping ports and airports.

The Liberals will announce their new policy in the next few days and it will include a cut in migration levels. Liberals immigration spokesman Scott Morrison has signalled the looming cut could be in the order of 100,000 a year.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard has been trying to frame Labor's population debate without sparking a discussion about immigration levels, but that attempt has faced strong criticism in recent days.

Complicating the issue, business does not want either party to play populist politics by fiddling with the migration program that helps ensure a sufficient supply of workers to meet demand.

The Coalition has been citing a current annual immigration figure of about 300,000 but that number is inflated by foreign students; the current net number is lower.

Labor has criticised the opposition's use of the higher figure. The Liberal leader said yesterday the boom immigration period under the Howard government peaked at about 200,000.

Labor is under political pressure due to a steady increase in the number of boat arrivals over the past 12 months. Two have arrived during the campaign.

Polling shows the community has now linked population pressures with boats and immigration more generally.

Mr Abbott faced a number of questions at his Perth press conference about his intentions. He replied: ''We will have an announcement in the next few days and you will know exactly where we stand. What you won't get from us is the kind of fakery and fudging that you've had from the Prime Minister.

'She says she's conscious of population pressures but she won't do anything actually to reduce them,' Mr Abbott said.

He accused Ms Gillard of continuing Kevin Rudd's 'big Australia immigration program'' - and claimed migrant entries had risen during the term of the government despite the economy slowing.

'I think it's very important to ensure we don't think immigration is necessarily a solution to all our labour market problems,' he said.

Responding to the new investment in border security, Home Affairs Minister Brendan O'Connor said Labor had already invested heavily in the area.

'The Gillard Labor government has invested more than any previous government in strengthening Australia's border security,'' Mr O'Connor said.

'Over the past two budgets, federal Labor has committed more than $1.8 billion to strengthen border and aviation security.'

Source: SHM

Hysteria on growth threatens successful population strategy

noreply@blogger.com (bridge) — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 07:56:00 +0000

It is just 61 years since the first Australian citizenship ceremony, in 1949, when seven men, from Czechoslovakia, Denmark, France, Greece, Norway, Spain and Yugoslavia, travelled to Canberra as representatives of the states and territories where they lived, and became symbols of the New Australia. The 2493 people from 35 countries who became citizens that year, reflecting postwar geopolitics, had emigrated mainly from Italy, Poland, Greece, Germany and Yugoslavia.

The new New Australia is very different. Those taking the pledge in 2008-09 came from 185 countries. More than a fifth emigrated from Britain but most others reflected current geopolitics and Australia's place in a changing world. Most came from India or China, followed by South Africa, New Zealand, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Iraq, Malaysia and Bangladesh.

At some point in the past decade Australians seemed to become less confident of having ''boundless plains to share'', even of the desirability of being big. The rates of immigration have varied only a little from year to year for decades, hovering just under the 1 per cent of the population that the minister for immigration, Arthur Caldwell, set as a target in 1945.

Yet in recent times political hysteria about a few thousand refugees has threatened to overwhelm a successful population strategy. Environmental concerns became a reason to stop arrivals rather than a reason to exercise imagination and ingenuity, and frustration about congestion gave way to despair about urban liveability.

The challenges of the next 40 years are crystallised in Treasury's recent Intergenerational Report, which analysed and predicted national demographics: the ageing population, declining productivity and the need to encourage participation.

As part of the analysis, the report predicted that current birth, death and immigration rates would increase the Australian population to 36 million by 2050.

The population prediction was one of the least important elements of the report but it captured the imagination of the baby boomer commentariat, who grew up when the population was less than half what is it today. It seemed that for many the jump was remarkable, rather than a predictable, incremental increase over time.

Business leaders cheered for growth; environmentalists suggested slowing down; almost no one put the prediction in the context of a corresponding global population of 9 billion.

Confusion with numbers prevailed.

Reports of a Lowy Institute poll about Australians' attitude towards population growth overwhelmingly favoured a population of 30 million or less, and asserted authoritatively that most Australians did not want the population to grow. This quickly became the received wisdom. Almost no one pointed out that the prediction of 36 million actually required a slower rate of growth of 1.2 per cent a year, just under the 1.4 per cent that has occurred for the past 40 years.

The Intergenerational Report's preoccupation was how to maintain a high standard of living with lower rates of population growth, a falling gross domestic product and an ageing population, within the limits prescribed by environmental capacity and climate change. It was not a document advocating unconstrained growth.

Population and settlement are uniquely responsive to rules and regulations. Who arrives and under what circumstances is indisputably a matter of policy, as is where we live and in what circumstances. There are economic, environmental and social factors to take into account but settlement does not happen without thought and planning, even in a market-driven economy. Knowing the population will grow provides a great opportunity to create the future. It is clear that there will be sufficient growth and scale to think imaginatively about how a bigger Australia might look and feel - about the mix of city size and style.

Despite the mythology, Australia has an urban history; most people have lived in the cities. The precise mix and nature of those cities now needs to be reconsidered. The logic of two major cities made sense with a population of 11 million, the mix of major and minor cities works (sort of) now that the population has doubled, but the best mix for a population of 36 million remains to be seen.

There are tentative signs that policymakers are looking to get a better mix between big, medium and small cities, to look at the capacity of smaller cities to grow into more interesting, yet still connected, places.

One of the biggest changes from earlier attempts at decentralisation is the presence of universities in most major regional centres. These already employ thousands of people and could be the hubs of regional economic and social innovation, reduce the gap of services and opportunities between the big and small cities, and, when combined with technology and transport, foster greater regional economic diversity in congenial environments.

Getting the balance of growth right is always a work in progress - and, as the Goss government in Queensland found in 1996, no political leader wants to be in a position where the electorate feels it must chose between koalas and roads.

Source: SMH.com

Immigration Needed if Australia Wants to Stay Competitive

noreply@blogger.com (bridge) — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 07:56:00 +0000

Two key government advisers and the nation’s leading demographer have warned that the nation’s “big Australia” debate has now entered dangerous territory and pressed the case for higher immigration to keep the economy strong.

Peter McDonald, head of the Australian Demographic and Social Research Institute, said yesterday the current political discourse linking high immigration rates to inflated house prices and congestion in the big cities risked a damaging reversion to Hansonism.

Professor McDonald was backed by former key government adviser and population economist Glenn Withers, who said the tone of the debate had “the potential for becoming dangerous”, while Infrastructure Australia head Rod Eddington said he was in favour of a “robust immigration program”.

Business leaders yesterday warned of the risks of any move to use population pressures as a reason to scale back on immigration numbers, saying they were crucial to future economic growth.

Sir Rod, appointed by the Labor government to chair Infrastructure Australia, said: “I’m broadly in favour of a robust ongoing immigration program given that the hunt for talent is a global hunt and we want as many good people as we can sensibly fit in.

“(Migration has) been one of the reasons why Australia has succeeded in the past. We shouldn’t turn a blind eye to that fact.”

The full article is here, from The Australian.

Further Cuts To Immigration Quotas?

noreply@blogger.com (bridge) — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 07:55:00 +0000

News reports today hint that Australia's New Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, will be breaking from her predecessor’s advocacy of a “Big Australia” flagging further cuts to immigration quotas.

In an interview with the Australian version of the Daily Telegraph News paper, Gillard said:

“Australia shouldn’t hurtle down the track towards a big population… We need to stop, take a breath and develop policies for a sustainable Australia.”

Gillard replaced Kevin Rudd last week after he recorded sharp falls in opinion polls ahead of a parliamentary election later this year. Rudd had rejoiced in the headcount growing at a rate four times China’s and double that of the United States.

With immigration running at 300,000 a year, the projections are that the continent would be home to 36 million by 2050, up from 22 million now.

As immigration accounts for over half of population growth, Gillard would have to cut back on annual quotas to halt runaway growth.

She said migrants could still come in to fill skill shortages but that she did not “want areas of Australia with 25 per cent youth unemployment because there are no jobs.”

Opposition Liberal Party leader Tony Abbott said Gillard, who arrived in Australia with her British parents at the age of 4, had fallen in behind Rudd’s “Big Australia” dictum just two months ago.

Abbott said the new Labor leader was adjusting her pronouncements to what opinion polling showed was popular. “She’ll give the public what they want to hear without giving them the policy to deliver it,” he said.

For every migrants sake, let’s hope that’s the case!

Migrants 'vital to recovery'

noreply@blogger.com (bridge) — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 08:30:00 +0000

The Australian reported today that the Rudd Government has been told to resist pressure to slash Australia's permanent immigration intake in the face of lengthening dole queues, or risk stifling the nation's eventual economic recovery.

Leading demographer Peter McDonald has warned against short-sighted immigration decisions, saying overseas migrants will be the key drivers of economic growth over the next 40 years as millions of baby boomers move into retirement.

"At present, Australian labour force policy tends to be more a matter of reaction than of long-term planning," Professor McDonald wrote in a report presented to the Immigration Department this week.

"Labour shortages emerge, and attempts are made to plug them through training or immigration. This approach often leads to short cycles of under- and over-supply, as has been evident in the IT industry in recent years.

"In the short to medium term (the next 20 years), immigration is the only means available to meet large aggregate labour demand in Australia."

Professor McDonald, director of the Australian Demographic and Social Research Institute, said immigration levels tended to move behind the economic cycle: highest when peak economic activity tips over into recession, and savagely cut just at the time more workers were needed to help rebuild the economy.

When the 1974 recession hit, net overseas migration was 87,000. The following year it was cut to 13,500 and only returned to 1974 levels in 1980. In the 1982-83 recession, net migration fell from 123,000 in 1981 and 103,000 in 1982 to 55,000 in 1983, only returning to 1981 levels six years later.

"Immigration has a long lag-time," Professor McDonald said. "Targets are set well in advance, visa grants often take a long time, and then the immigrant has many months to actually take up the grant. We shouldn't let the numbers drop off as dramatically as they have in past recessions. We should be evening out the peaks and troughs."

Record numbers of migrants came to Australia last year and more than 200,000 are expected in 2008-09.

Immigration Minister Chris Evans has flagged cuts to the number of foreign workers allowed into the country in the wake of the global financial crisis, saying the Rudd Government is committed to protecting Australian jobs.

Professor McDonald said no immigration strategy could prevent a fall in labour supply in the 2020s as the population aged. His modelling found the optimum number of migrants to maintain a growing economy in coming decades in response to the changes in age structure was about 180,000 a year.

"Migrants do provide their own economic stimulus," Professor McDonald said. "They come into the country with money, they spend it to buy houses and set themselves up."

But immigrants create pressure on existing infrastructure, and housing supply is already a problem in the capital cities, particularly Sydney.

"A plan relating to Australia's future levels of immigration must be co-ordinated with policy for urban infrastructure, especially housing, transport, water and appropriate energy supply," Professor McDonald said.

Australia to cut number of migrants

noreply@blogger.com (bridge) — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 23:31:00 +0000

Australia has accepted nearly 7 million immigrants since the end of World War II and as such is a nation of immigrants. About one in four of Australia's 21 million people were born overseas, and because it has been actively trying to attract skilled workers with immigration fairs targetting university graduates and people with trades in Europe, Britain and India, and a trial programme to bring in thousands of seasonal workers from Pacific island nations (to help farmers pick fruit crops in country areas that have suffered acute labour shortages) the last decade has seen a huge increase in new migrants.

However, Australia will cut its annual immigration intake for the first time in eight years due to the slowing economy and weakening demand for labour, Immigration Minister Chris Evans announced on Monday.

As six of Australia's major trading partners are now in recession, economic growth has stalled, and unemployment has started to rise - with the government expecting unemployment to hit 7.0 percent by mid-2010 from 4.8 percent currently. "I expect the numbers of our programme to drop next year... as a reaction to the economic circumstances," Evans told reporters.

Australia's planned immigration intake has increased every year since 1997 (although the number actually settling in Australia fell by about 20,000 in 2001-02). It set a target for 190,300 immigrants this year, up 20 percent on the 2007-08 financial year and higher than the post world war II record of 185,099 in 1969-70.

Evans said the final number of immigrants that Australia would accept has yet to be determined. The government would decide that in the lead-up to the national budget to be delivered on May 12. But he said the government would continue to target immigrants with skills for sectors where there is continued high demand, including the nursing and health sectors.

"We've been focused very much at the high-skill end over the years, and we will continue to be focused on the skills we need," he said.

Many people who had hoped to migrate to Australia may find their hope dashed with this news, including Irish workers with hopes of starting a new life down under. Up to 30,000 Irish people were tipped to emigrate to Australia this year, with the number of families applying for permanent residency visas rising dramatically.

Australia scores high in 'World's Friendliest Country'

noreply@blogger.com (bridge) — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 02:48:00 +0000

Those in search of a fresh start might want to head to a country that has a reputation of being friendly and welcoming. You might look for a place that offers a relatively easy time in befriending locals, joining a local community group or learning the local language...

Look no further, Australia has it All!

Australia has come in 3rd in a poll conducted by HSBC Bank International's Expat Exploreer Survey. (Canada and Germany took 1st and 2nd places, respectively.) The study surveyed 2,155 expats in 48 countries, spanning four continents, between February and April 2008.

Respondents rated their country in four categories:

ability to befriend locals
number that joined a community group
number that learned the language
percentage that bought property

"We conducted this survey to better understand expatriate needs and get insight into the emotions of expats. The banking business is all about trust, especially with the recent credit crisis," says Martin Spurling, CEO of HSBC Bank International and Head of HSBC Global Offshore. "We want them to build a relationship with their wealth manager regardless of where they travel."

The results showed that in Australia 91% people befriended those living there.

Australia scored high in friendliness but ranked last when it came to joining a group. That's because expats in Australia tend to be younger, with 51% in the 18-34 age group, and may not need organized groups to facilitate meeting new people.

The United Arab Emirates was found to be the most difficult for expats; only 54% of those surveyed said they'd made friends with locals.

Man charged for Australian forest fire

noreply@blogger.com (bridge) — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 15:44:00 +0000

A 39-year-old man has been charged in Australia, with starting one of the forest fires that ravaged the south of the country last week. Brendan Sokaluk is thought to have started one of the fires close to the town of Churchill, in Victoria. The subsequent blaze claimed the lives of 21 people and destroyed 30,000 hectares of forest.

Queen to make donation for Australia fire victims

noreply@blogger.com (bridge) — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 06:55:00 +0000

Queen Elizabeth II will make a private donation in support of a fundraising appeal on behalf of victims of Australia's worst-ever wildfires, a royal spokeswoman said on Tuesday. Buckingham Palace declined to specify the size of the donation, which will go to the Victorian Bushfire Fund, launched by the Australian Red Cross along with the Victoria state premier and the federal government. Queen Elizabeth made similar contributions to fundraising appeals after the Asian tsunami in December 2004 and the July 2005 suicide bombings on London's public transport network.

Firefighters were on Tuesday still battling to save Australian communities threatened by the wildfires that have already claimed 181 lives, a toll that is expected to rise. In a statement on Sunday, the queen said: "I was shocked and saddened to learn of the terrible toll being exacted by the fires this weekend." She expressed "heartfelt condolences" to the families of those who died, "deep sympathy" to those who lost their homes, and tribute to the "extraordinary" efforts of the emergency services.

Watch the latest videos on YouTube.com

Victoria towns destroyed by devastating fires

noreply@blogger.com (bridge) — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 07:48:00 +0000

The Queen has expressed her "shock and sadness" at the death toll in the Australian bush fires.
At least 108 people have died in the fires in southern Australia, the worst in the country's history. She also expressed her admiration for the work of the emergency services to contain the situation.

In a statement issued by Buckingham Palace the Queen said: "I was shocked and saddened to learn of the terrible toll being exacted by the fires this weekend. I send my heartfelt condolences to the families of all those who have died and my deep sympathy to the many who have lost their homes in this disaster on so dreadful an occasion as this for Australia. The fire fighters and other emergency services have been making extraordinary efforts to contain the situation and tend to those who have been injured. Please also convey to them my renewed admiration for all that they are doing."A Number 10 spokesman said prime minister, Gordon Brown, spoke to Kevin Rudd on Sunday morning to extend sympathies to the Australian people. A spokesman said: "He praised Kevin Rudd's leadership at this very difficult time, and said the UK stood ready to provide any assistance that the Australian government wanted."

Five benefits of living in Australia

noreply@blogger.com (bridge) — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 23:21:00 +0000

In an article that highlights Australia as a prime destination for British migrants, The Scotsman states that the five benefits of living in Australia are:

1 Climate: The average temperature in Sydney ranges from a pleasant 16 degrees in winter to a sunny 26 degrees in summer.

2 Cost of living: A three-bedroom detached villa with a pool in Brisbane costs the same as a two-bedroom flat in Leith, Edinburgh. Food is also generally much cheaper too.

3 Sport: Australia is probably the most sporty place in the world and children tend to grow up fit and healthy because they do so much of it.

4 Natural wonders: There is the Great Barrier Reef, tropical rain forests, the extraordinary Uluru (Ayers Rock), vast deserts and mountains to ski on.

5 People: They are largely warm, friendly, irreverent of authority and meritocratic.

In fact, according to a survey published yesterday, record numbers of Brits are emigrating to Australia.

The Move Monitor Survey, which was commissioned by the removal firm Pickfords, found a 31 per cent increase in the number of individuals and families who moved to Australia in 2008, compared with 2007. A massive 40,000 Brits moved to Australia in 2007, with about 23,000 saying they were staying permanently.

So is it just the effects of the credit crunch creating this latest wave of British emigration or is there more to it?

Do you dream of living in Australia? Contact Bridge Migration right now and see how we can help you!

20% discount on our Australian visa services!

noreply@blogger.com (bridge) — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 07:45:00 +0000

We think Australia is such a great place to live; we want to share it with you! How’s this for an offer you can’t refuse!

For the whole month of February 2009, Bridge Migration is offering a massive 20% discount on our Australian visa services!

That’s great news for anyone thinking about migrating, studying or working in Australia, and who is looking for a qualified, professional, migration agent to help them with the visa process.

As if that didn’t already convince you, consider these factors…

Australia offers a great climate and lifestyle.
Australia has a stable economy.
There are significant job opportunities as well as affordable study options in Australia.
Schools and education in Australia are regarded highly, and respected significantly throughout the rest of the world.
Australia has falling death rates for many diseases.
Australia has high rates of happiness, literacy, and natural habitat per person.
In fact, all the major indicators of well-being are very high for Australia - meaning that it is always placed in the top positions in the UN's 'quality of life survey', the Human Development Index.

For more details, our free online visa assessment, and to see if your visa qualifies for our fantastic 20% discount†, why not contact Bridge Migration right now by clicking on the link below. We’re waiting to hear from you!

Contact Bridge Migration for more information on our 20% discount on our Australian visa services.

† Terms & Conditions apply

Australia Day 2009

noreply@blogger.com (bridge) — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 00:12:00 +0000

The annual Australian Flag Raising and Citizenship Ceremony, will be held today, from 10:00 am at Regatta Point, Commonwealth Park, Canberra.

More than 13,000 new Australian citizens will make a public pledge of their commitment to Australia at citizenship ceremonies around the nation.

The Australian Flag Raising and Australian Citizenship Ceremony has become a flagship event in the nation's capital. Held on the shores of Lake Burley Griffin, new citizens and guests watch the Australian flag raised on the Canadian flag pole, before reciting the Australian Citizenship Pledge: the last step in the process of becoming a citizen.

New citizens are then presented with their certificate of Australian citizenship by the Prime Minister of Australia, the Hon. Kevin Rudd MP.

The Australian Citizenship Ceremony also include the reciting of the Australian Citizenship Affirmation, led by the Governor-General of Australia Her Excellency Ms Quentin Bryce AC. The public are welcome to view the Australian Flag Raising and Australian Citizenship Ceremony, however seating is reserved for new citizens and their guests only.

For information on what is required for Australian citizenship, contact us at Bridge Migration.

Have you heard about our 20% discount on our Australian visa services?

Here's wishing everyone a very Happy Australia Day, 2009, from all the team at Bridge Migration!

Record number of Irish granted working holiday visas for Australia

noreply@blogger.com (bridge) — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 07:39:00 +0000

Figures released by Australia’s immigration department have shown that the number of young, Irish people travelling to Australia on working holiday visas has risen significantly.

The increasing popularity of the working visa programme, which is open to Irish people aged 18-30, has been linked to the current economic situation in Ireland. The current downturn has resulted in rising levels of unemployment and many young school leavers and graduates struggling to find work. They are looking further afield for opportunities, particularly Australia, because it offers such a great climate and lifestyle.

Some 12,790 Australian working holiday visas were granted in the last six months of 2008, which is up 52 % on the same period of 2007.

Tourism Australia has exploited social networking websites, such as Bebo and Myspace, to promote the country as a destination for young people. The tourist authority has also produced a gap year video series, which was shown on both sites, and was watched more than three million times last year alone.

Have you heard about our 20% discount on our Australian visa services?

If you are Irish and interested in living and working in Australia, why not contact Bridge Migration for advice and information.

Check your visa status at the click of a button

noreply@blogger.com (bridge) — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 01:09:00 +0000

Australian visa holders can now find out about their visa status and visa conditions at the click of a button.

The Visa Entitlement Verification Online (or VEVO) service, is a free, internet service that is available 24/7 and makes it possible to lodge an Australian visa, check the status of an application, and check visa entitlements online.

VEVO represents a huge step forward, as visa holders will no longer need to attach a visa label to their passport to travel to or work in Australia. Instead, VEVO "enables visa holders to view their visa details online,” a Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) spokesman said. “More and more visa holders are using VEVO, with at least 50 000 people logging on monthly to view their visa details. This means fewer and fewer people need to personally visit a DIAC office to get their visa evidenced.” That's great news for those wanting to check the status or the conditions of their Australian visa.

Have you heard about our 20% discount on our Australian visa services?

More on our online ETA tourist visa service

noreply@blogger.com (bridge) — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 09:02:00 +0000

We've received a couple of emails from people, since our last post, asking how we can offer such a low price for our online ETA tourist visa for Australia, when the official price on the Department of Immigration website is AUD $20. So here's the low down for anyone thinking of buying their ETA tourist visa to Australia online through our website.

First of all, the ETA tourist visa that we are offering - for only AUD $17 - is totally legitimate, and the visa you receive would be exactly the same if you went through the Department of Immigration website. Bridge Migration is a registered Australian migration agent, and we are authorized to provide you with an online visa service. We are a completely reputable company, and constantly strive to offer our the best we can in terms of quality and service. Our online visa service is 100 % safe and secure.

So why are our visas so cheap?

Australian ETA tourist visas are actually issued without a fee, but to apply for one through the Department of Immigration website incurs an $20 administration fee. That's the $20 fee that you would usually pay for the ETZ tourist visa. We have reduced our administration fee in order to lower the price for you, and offer the visa at a special discounted rate of only $17. That's one of the cheapest prices anywhere on the internet!

That's all there is to it! We hope you like the saving!

If you need an ETA tourist visa to Australia, why not try our online service now and take advantage of the saving! And, if you have any more questions why not contact us at www.bridgemigration.com.

Get your Australian ETA tourist visa online

noreply@blogger.com (bridge) — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 12:06:00 +0000

For an ETA tourist visa to Australia, that is:

only AUD $17 (one of the cheapest prices on the internet!)

100% safe and secure

available 24/7

hastle-free and simple to obtain

Why not check out our online visa service?

If you are from an ETA Visa approved country and you are travelling to Australia, you can get your tourist visa using our fast, convenient, secure service.

Not sure if you are Eligible For An ETA Visa? Find out more here.

Can I Apply now? Yes! If you need an Australian ETA tourist Visa for business or travel click the link below:

Australian ETA tourist visa application

Bought to you by Bridge Migration, Australian registered migration agent, and member of the Migration Institute of Australia.

Australia offers 'best job in world'

noreply@blogger.com (bridge) — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 09:01:00 +0000

Do you want to live and work on a paradise island? How about earning a great salary while doing nothing more than lazing around a beautiful, tropical island paradise for 6 months?

If this sounds like a dream come true read on to see how you could land the best job in the world!

The Australian state of Queensland, has launched a global search for candidates for 'the best job in the world'. The winner will stay rent-free in a million dollar beach home complete with plunge pool and golf buggy, and will be paid AUD $150,000 (US $105,000). It also includes free airfares to Hamilton Island on the Great Barrier Reef.

The winner will become the 'island caretaker' and must be an excellent communicator and be able to speak and write English. The main responsibilities will be making reports to a global audience via weekly blogs, photo diaries and video updates. The job will also involve strolling the white sands, soaking up the sun, snorkeling the reef, 'maybe cleaning the pool'.

"They'll also have to talk to media from time to time about what they're doing so they can't be too shy and they'll have to love the sea, the sun, the outdoors," said acting state Premier Paul Lucas. "The fact that they will be paid to explore the islands of the Great Barrier Reef, swim, snorkel and generally live the Queensland lifestyle makes this undoubtedly the best job in the world."

"This is a legitimate job which is open to anyone and everyone." Applications are open until February 22. Eleven shortlisted candidates will be flown to Hamilton Island in early May for the final selection process and the six month contract will commence on July 1.

It’s a tough job, but someone has to do it!

Watch the latest videos on YouTube.com

Students still cooking in Australia

noreply@blogger.com (bridge) — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 03:42:00 +0000

Thousands of international students who complete courses in cookery can gain extra migration points towards applications for permanent residency, because the trade is currently included on the Migration Occupations in Demand List.

It is widely acknowledged in the international education industry that cookery is a popular course among international students because the extra migration points allow a "fast track" to permanent residency in Australia.

While it was widely believed that cookery (along with hairdressing) were expected to be removed from the list of occupational skills in short supply in Australia - a move that would have significant affect on migration rules and have widespread ramifications for the international education industry - resulting in job losses, business failures and a significant drop in international students seeking to enroll in such courses. However, it appears that student enrollments are still high and look set to continue to be so for the foreseeable future.

According to 4hoteliers, Hospitality, Hotel and Travel News the restaurant and catering industry will continue to strongly support the training of overseas students studying cookery in 2009. And, Restaurant & Catering Australia (the peak national association representing the interests of restaurateurs and caterers) is pleased to see that recent announcements by the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Chris Evans, will continue to support students studying cookery in Australia.

Changes to the arrangements for skilled migrant to work in Australia, announced by Evans, still allow for a pathway from a Certificate III in Commercial Cookery, through a graduate skills visa to gain work in Australia. It is understood that this pathway will also allow for an application for permanent residency, if an employer nomination is involved, for those graduates who wish to apply.

Australia’s restaurant, café and catering industry employs 250,000 people in Australia. The industry demand for skilled staff is high.

Have you heard about our 20% discount on our Australian visa services?

Contact Bridge Migration to see how we can help you study cookery in Australia or work in the industry.

New Australian Superyacht Visa

noreply@blogger.com (bridge) — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 03:05:00 +0000

The new Australian superyacht work visa is making life easier for crew visiting Down Under, allowing crew members to work on board vessels over 24 meters, to remain in Australia for up to 12 months.

In what is an up-and-coming industry in Australia (in 2007 some 50 superyachts graced Australia’s shores) this new visa system opens the region to the all important global charter market.

One feature of the new superyacht visa, is that crew do not need to make a personal appearance to apply for it. They can download it directly from the Australian Government Department of Immigration and Citizen Website from anywhere in the world. That's pretty handy when you're used to a life at sea!

Any information needed about how the visa works is provided in a systematic guide to track the applicant through the process.

You can nominate a validity period of three, six, or 12 months for each multiple entry crew visa. However, all applicants must be over 18 years of age, and meet eligibility requirements - consisting of a medical check and character references. In addition, all crew need to be sponsored to work in Australia by the owner, or captain of the vessel on which they are employed (the visa is only valid for work on that vessel).

There are no application fees for the superyacht crew visa. However, to apply you will need to have the following items in order:

Signed employment contract

Letter from owner or captain on company letterhead confirming your employment status

Evidence of the vessel’s registration

A copy of the vessel’s insurance certificate or survey papers

Revision of materials by the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Senator Chris Evans

Should your application for superyacht crew status provide all suitable documentation and your eligibility requirements are satisfactory, expect a wait of two to four weeks from your date of lodgment to receive a reply.

Additional points for investment

noreply@blogger.com (bridge) — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 03:36:00 +0000

Is there finally a solution to the $100,000 security bond issue?

When the Australian skilled migration scheme was re-vamped on September 1, 2007, the skilled Australia visa application process went through a number of changes. One of these was the removal of the capital investment scheme.

Prior to September 1, it was possible to gain an additional 5 points when applying for an Australian skilled visa, provided you were willing and able to deposit AU$100,000 in a nominated Australian bond for at least 12 months. While few could afford to deposit the AU$100,000 to take advantage of the capital investment scheme, it was still a route to migration for a number of applicants who relied on the additional 5 points to qualify for an Australian visa.

However, following news reports that hundreds of visa applications had allegedly been part of a 'scam' regarding unauthorised loans being made to applicants using the capital investment scheme, DIAC advised that from November 30, 2007, no State or Territory Government would be actively participating in arrangements that allow the allocation of 5 bonus points to skilled visa applicants through the capital investment scheme.

However , recent pointers show that a reintroduction of the General Skilled Migration bond may be in the pipeline.

This will enable visa applicants to gain the 5 bonus points for the $100,000 investment in a designated security. This should benefit many clients who have been waiting for over a year for a resolution. The finance authority concerned is finalising arrangements for the re-introduction of the bond - in particular, systems for coping with what will probably be a large number of enquiries and applications. It is anticipated that the bond will become available in the very near future (perhaps before the end of this month).

Bridge Migration will keep you updated, and advise you as an announcement is made.