Annual DIAC fee increases

From 1 July 2010, the Migration Regulations 1994 (the Migration Regulations) are amended to effect the annual adjustment of most fees and visa application charges (VACs).  Certain fees and charges under the Migration Regulations are increased by 1.8 percent, in accordance with the Consumer Price Index (CPI).  The second installments of the VACs for Contributory Parent and Contributory Aged parent visas increase in accordance with the Contributory Parent Visa Composite Index (CPVCI), calculated by the Australian Government Actuary, which is 10.6 percent for the 2010-11 financial year.

 

New Australia Prime Minister Flags Further Cuts To Immigration Quotas

JULIA Gillard has used her first major announcement to reassure disenchanted Sydneysiders she does not believe in a "big Australia" with a population target of 36 million.

The policy is clearly at odds with former prime minister Kevin Rudd, who announced the "big Australia" targeting 36 million people by 2050. Ms Gillard announced Labor would produce what is in effect a two-speed immigration policy to match Australia's two-speed economy, but admitted it was "a very difficult problem". "Australia should not hurtle down the track towards a big population," she said.

 

Yesterday reached out to the people of western Sydney, whose number-one concern is asylum-seekers, according to internal Labor Party polling. The polling found Labor was in serious trouble in western Sydney, with its primary vote dropping as low as 30 per cent and the asylum-seeker issue overriding all others. "If you spoke to the people of western Sydney, for example, about a 'big Australia' they would laugh at you and ask you a very simple question: where will these 40 million people go?" Ms Gillard said.

 

She said the new policy was not intended to open an immigration debate. "This is not about bringing down the shutters in immigration," she said. "It is a debate about planning affected by many factors - water supply, open space, infrastructure, ensuring the appropriate tax base to support our ageing population, the need for skills and the need to preserve a good quality life. Parts of Australia are desperate for workers, but other parts are desperate for jobs; having a smart and sustainable population strategy coupled with the right skills strategy will help improve this balance."

 

She understood how important immigration was, but said arbitrary targets were not the answer. "I do not support the idea of setting arbitrary (population) targets of, say, 'a 40-million-strong Australia'.

 

"I don't want business to be held back because they couldn't find the right workers. That's why skilled migration is so important. "But I also don't want areas of Australia with 25 per cent youth unemployment because there are no jobs."

 

 

New SOL is here!!

Finally the official version of the new SOL is here. Schedule 3 is the new SOL for overseas applicants (page 29), and Schedule 4 (page 37) is the list of occupations which may be state sponsored. The table contains relevant occupations, points and assessing authorities. The column for "Country" refers to whether it's a trade assessable by Vetassess or TRA.

NEW list of Occupation for Subclass 457 visas

The New list of Occupations that apply to the Occupations for Nominations in relation to Subclass 457 (Business (Long Stay) visas has been released. The list is extensive and provides the opportunity for many to start a new life in Australia. Before embarking on a migration strategy that starts with a 457 visa you should certainly ensure that this provides you with a pathway to permanent residence down the track to avoid disappointment.  That is if permanent residence if this is your intention.

 

Please Contact us to discuss your migration strategy.

 

Andrew Heathcote  CA  MMIA

Registered Migration Agent  MARN 0850840

 

Change to Sponsorship requirements for Family and State/Territory Sponsorships

Changes to the migration regulations affecting Skilled - Sponsored or Skilled - Regional Sponsored visa applications have just been announced.

 

Under the new regulations, applicants looking to lodge a sponsored application need to have the sponsorship in place at time of application. This applies to both relative or a state/territory government sponsored applications.

 

Currently, the sponsorship requirements need only be to be finalised at date the visa is decided on. So practically one could lodge an application and follow it up with a sponsorship at a later date. This is no longer the case! Previously one could also switch between getting sponsored by a family member and getting sponsored by a State/Territory if there were a change in circumstances for whatever reason. The intention seems to be that it will not be possible to switch state/territory nominations in the same way going forward.

 

If you believe that your application is impacted by these changes we urge you to contact us  regarding your application.

 

Regards

 

Andrew Heathcote  CA  MMIA

Registered Migration Agent  MARN 0850840

 

Australian Citizenship requirements

On 1 July 2010 the current transitional arrangements for Citizenship applications will cease. This means that on and after 1 July 2010 there will only be one general residence requirement which everyone aged 16 and over will be required to meet. This residence requirement will apply to all applicants regardless of when they first arrived in Australia. It is based on the length of time:

·         you have lawfully lived in Australia

·         you have spent outside Australia

·         you have been a permanent resident.

 

The requirement is that:-

·         You must have been living in Australia on a valid Australian visa for 4 years immediately before applying, including 1 year as a permanent resident, and

·         You must not have been absent from Australia for more than 1 year during the 4 year period, including no more than 90 days in the year immediately before applying.

 

The old requirements applied to those who became permanent residents prior to 1 July 2007 and required you to be in Australia as a permanent resident for at least:

·         Two of the last Five (5) years; and

·         12 of the last 24 months

 

Please contact us regarding your Citizenship application.

 

 

Andrew Heathcote  CA  MMIA

Registered Migration Agent  MARN 0850840

 

DIAC Country profile on United Kingdom

In 2008-09 there were 31 882 UK born permanent additions to the resident Australian population. This makes the UK the largest source of new migrants to Australia over this period. Western Australia was the most popular destination, accounting for around 27 per cent of these new migrants. Another 14 455 UK born migrants were dependants of these skilled Primary Applicants.

 

In 2008-09 there were 6840 permanent additions from the UK as part of the Family Stream. This represents the second largest cohort of Family Stream migrants behind China. The remaining 1529 came as part of the Non-Program, Humanitarian and the Special Eligibility Streams. UK is the main source of Australia’s 457 migrants with 28 388 UK born migrants on this visa in Australia at June 2009. Of these, 16 196 were Primary Applicants.

 

In the 2008-2009 financial year, 21 070 UK born persons were granted a subclass 457 visa, an 11 per cent decrease from the previous year. Their most common occupations were registered nurses, personnel consultants, business and information professionals, specialist managers and general medical practitioners.

 

Access the full report an http://www.immi.gov.au/media/statistics/country-profiles/_pdf/united-kingdom.pdf

 

Andrew Heathcote  CA  MMIA

Registered Migration Agent  MARN 0850840

www.migrate2oz.com.au

 

 

 

DIAC Country profile on South Africa

Migration from South Africa increased rapidly in the 1990s due to the changing political situation, and still remains strong with 11 996 permanent additions in 2008-09, an increase of 54 per cent from 2007-08 (7762). The vast majority of South African migrants (more than 80 per cent) come to Australia via the Skill Stream, however, most of these new additions are dependents of the Primary Applicant.

 

Western Australia was the most popular destination, accounting for around 34 per cent of these new migrants, followed by Queensland (26 per cent) and New South Wales (20 per cent).

 

South Africa is the fourth largest source of Australia’s 457 migrants with 12 844 South Africa born migrants on this visa in Australia at June 2009, of which 4615 were Primary Applicants. In the 2008-2009 financial year, 9740 South Africans were granted a subclass 457 visa, which was a 4 per cent increase from the previous year. The most common occupations were registered nurses, business and information professionals, fitters and computing professionals.

 

Access the full report an http://www.immi.gov.au/media/statistics/country-profiles/_pdf/south-africa.pdf

 

Andrew Heathcote  CA  MMIA

Registered Migration Agent  MARN 0850840

www.migrate2oz.com.au

 

 

 

CALLING ALL ACCOUNTANTS! - MORE CHANGES COMING

If the prospect of writing the IELTS test is scary, the bar is soon to be raised for Accountants. As part of the skills assessment process it will become compulsory to have an having an IELTS score of at least 7 in each of the four (4) components – speaking, reading, listening and writing at the ACADEMIC level. These changes are coming into effect on 1 July 2010.

 

So there is there a small window of opportunity left to get the process underway an avoid having to write the IELTS at the Academic level.

 

Please contact us Urgently if you are an Accountant and have been thinking about migrating we can assist lodging your skills assessment prior to the change, BUT YOU NEED TO ACT QUICKLY!