IELTS some very useful information

We get many questions regarding the degree of difficulty of the IELTS exam. Obviously this is difficult to answer, as what one might find basic others might find somewhat challenging. There are many resources available on the web that you may find useful in your preparation. Here are two such videos I found on YouTube and there are many many others on sites such as Youtube which you may find of interest.

What is the latest on the $100,000 capital investment bonus points?

Prior to 1 September 2007 GSM visa applicants could earn 5 bonus points if they deposited at least $100,000 in a designated security for a term of not less than 12 months. The NSW, Queensland and NT Treasury Corporations and the SA Government Financing Authority had been State and Territory authorities participating in these arrangements (the Western Australia Government withdrew from 1 July 2007).

 

Each of the participating States and Territories have notified the department of their withdrawal of support for the use of treasury bonds for this purpose. This means that no State or Territory will issue a security in which an investment is a ‘designated security’. There is no compulsion on States or Territories to participate in the scheme. Whether the State or Territory government authorities actually issue a security is ultimately a matter for them to determine.

 

The new visa arrangements for the GSM Program introduced from 1 September 2007 did not include the provisions for the lodgement of designated securities. This change in arrangements only affect visa applications lodged before 1 September 2007.

 

While a decision regarding theses visa applicants is still awaited by DIAC, DIAC has now put an FAQ in relation to the issue on its website. It can be found at: http://www.immi.gov.au/skilled/general-skilled-migration/capital-investment-scheme-faqs.htm

 

 

 

Settling and relocation services

Has your visa been granted and you are now ready to make the move. Settling-in in Australia can be daunting! Smooth Transitions may make the move just a little easier. Migrate2oz has established a relationship with Smooth Transitions and by registering for this FREE service, approved suppliers will contact you with quotes, many discounted from normal rates.
You are not tied into buying a service you may never use. It is your membership and as such, your resource site for 12 months. You are able to access all of the services once you have arrived in Australia and well into setting up your new life, just in case you forgot something before you get to Australia.

You can register and become a member for free.

When registering your Migrate2Oz referrer code is AUSNSWMA0003

Click to access settling and relocation
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Services include:-

· Bank Accounts, Credit Cards and Home Loans
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· Employment and Job Readiness Consulting
· Education Assistance and Student Admissions
· Foreign Currency Transfers
· Health and General Insurances
· Settlement and Orientation Package
· Accommodation - short and long term
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· Hire cars
· Business and franchise advice and assistance
· Financial Planning assistance

Foster's Australia's Famous Beer is not that big in Monza Italy

New centres of excellence opened

On 1 July 2008 the department of Immigration opened three (3) new centres of excellence to process:

•             Subclass 457 – Business (Long Stay)

•             Subclass 459 – Sponsored Business Visitor (Short Stay)

•             Subclass 422 – Medical Practitioner applications with Australian business sponsors.

 

These centres are designed to improve client services by reducing processing times and developing areas of staff expertise.

 

The centres of excellence are located in Sydney, Melbourne and Perth. There will be a geographic split of responsibility for processing new applications. Where your application is processed will depend on where the sponsoring business is located. If the business has more than one location, the processing centre will depend on where the business’s head office is located.

 

Hopefully this will see the processing times for these visa classes improve.

 

Immigrants details to go online

A project that aims to produce an online catalogue of the millions of people who have immigrated to Australia has been launched in Canberra.

The Making Australia Home project was launched on Wednesday along with special citizenship ceremonies in Canberra and Brisbane, arranged to mark Constitution Day.

The National Archives has already digitised 74,000 items, providing online access to the details of many of the more than seven million people who have resettled in Australia since Federation.

The records contain details such as the name of the person who migrated, when they migrated and their place of birth, including those who resettled under assisted passage arrangements and post-war displaced person schemes.

Cabinet Secretary Senator John Faulkner, who launched the project, said much of the story of Australia's migration history, from a government perspective, is told in the records held by the National Archives.

That rich history would now be accessible to all Australians, Senator Faulkner said.

"The records reflect changing attitudes towards migration and the evolving patterns of population movements over the 20th Century," he said.

"They are of immense historical and personal significance."

The migration records catalogued to date can be found on the National Archives website at www.naa.gov.au .

Source: AAP

 

Minimum Salary Level increase for 457 visa holders

The Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Senator Chris Evans, today announced on Friday, 23 May 2008 that Minimum Salary Levels (MSLs) for temporary skilled overseas workers will increase by 3.8 per cent from 1 August 2008.

The change will increase the current standard MSL from $41,850 to $43,440 per annum. For ICT professionals, the MSL will rise to $59,480 from $57,300.  In regional areas, the MSL will rise to $39,100 (from $37,665) and $53,530 (from $51,570) for ICT professionals.

There are currently more than 68,000 primary 457 visa holders working in Australia, most of whom are professional employees on incomes higher than the MSL.

http://www.minister.immi.gov.au/media/media-releases/2008/ce08050.htm