Priority Processing Arrangements for General Skilled Migration Visas – 19 July 2010

The Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Senator Chris Evans, has set new priority processing arrangements for certain skilled migration visas.
SOURCE: WWW.IMMI.GOV.AU

PLEASE GO THROUGH THE FOLLOWING LINKS:

READ CAREFULLY:

http://www.immi.gov.au/skilled/general-skilled-migration/pdf/priority-processing-14-july-2010.pdf

http://www.immi.gov.au/skilled/general-skilled-migration/pdf/gsm-priority-processing-faqs.pdf

REQUEST:

ALL ANGAD INFO CLIENT’S PLEASE BE PATIENT AS NO STATE HAS COME WITH APPROVED MIGRATION PLANS.

WE ARE EXPECTING 2-3 STATES TO COME WITH APPROVED MIGRATIONS PLANS BY 31ST JULY’10 AND MOST OF THEM BY END OF AUG’10.

http://www.visabureau.com/blog/post/Australian-State-Migration-Plan-Updates-for-1-July2c-2010.aspx

SOURCE: WWW.VISABUREAU.COM

SO WE ARE LEFT WITH NOT MUCH CHOICE BUT TO WAIT.

WILL KEEP YOU POSTED

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We are Back!

No reason why we claim to be:
“Australian Immigration Specialist”

Angad Info is among the 1st consultants in the region to get 475 visas after 23rd Sept’09 priority changes.

2 Visas (475 – State Regional Sponsored) GRANTED on 8th Dec’09.

1)    Sameer Sharma – Pathankot
2)    Mandeep Kaur Gill – Moga

Congratulations!

DIAC MESSAGE:

The Department is processing applications according to Ministerial
Direction No. 42 – Order of consideration – certain Skilled Migration
Visas.  The Department anticipates that a small number of State sponsored
Non-CSL applications will be finalised this program year.

Processing will focus on applications where health and character checks
have been requested by the case officer.

ANGAD INFO UPDATE:

• 150 plus 475 – State Regional Sponsored visas expected till June’10.
• Clients whose Medicals and PCC has not been requested by case officer, we will keep you updated.

BE PATIENT. Keep a check on our Blog. WE WILL KEEP YOU POSTED.

Aussie Aussie Aussie- Oye Oye Oye!

For more information and queries please refer to our website http://www.angadinfo.com/ or e-mail us at rajdeep@angadinfo.com

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THE AUSTRALIAN MINISTER FOR MIGRATION HAS ANNOUNCED THAT A FURTHER 3,000 NON-CRITICAL SKILLS LIST (CSL) GENERAL SKILLED MIGRATION VISA APPLICATIONS WILL BE PRIORITY PROCESSED TO FINALISATION.

UNDER IMMENSE PRESSURE FOLLOWING HIS UNPOPULAR SEPTEMBER ANNOUNCEMENTS, MR. EVANS HAS OBVIOUSLY RECONSIDERED CERTAIN ELEMENTS OF THE CHANGES IMPOSED. TO KNOW WHETHER YOU ARE CLASSIFIED AS ONE OF THE LUCKY 3,000, YOU MUST:

• HAVE BEEN GRANTED STATE SPONSORSHIP AND

• HAVE BEEN FORMALLY REQUESTED BY A DIAC CASE OFFICER TO COMPLETE YOUR MEDICALS AND POLICE CLEARANCES
• BASICALLY, THESE VISAS ARE FOR THOSE IN THE CATEGORY 5 GROUP – APPLICANTS WHO ARE NOMINATED BY A STATE OR TERRITORY GOVERNMENT AND WHOSE OCCUPATIONS ARE NOT ON THE CRITICAL SKILLS LIST (CSL).

STATEMENT FROM DIAC:

“THE DEPARTMENT ANTICIPATES THAT A SMALL NUMBER OF STATE SPONSORED NON-CSL APPLICATIONS WILL BE FINALISED THIS PROGRAM YEAR (30TH JUNE 2010). FINALISATIONS WILL FOCUS ON APPLICATIONS WHERE HEALTH AND CHARACTER CHECKS HAVE BEEN REQUESTED BY THE CASE OFFICER.”

WWW.ANGADINFO.COM HAD ALSO SIGNED 2 ONLINE PETITION ON BEHALF OF ALL HIS CLIENTS AND ON BEHALF OF THE CONSULTANCY.

THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE “MINISTERIAL DIRECTION NO: 42 – ORDER OF CONSIDERATION IS NOT YET AVAILABLE AT DIAC SITE.

For more information and queries please refer to our website http://www.angadinfo.com/ or e-mail us at rajdeep@angadinfo.com

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Poms in OZ a very prominent forum met with David Wilden, Minister- Counsellor for Immigration of the Australian High commission, London and clarified their fear and doubts of 23rd Sept’09 DIAC changes.

State Sponsored applicants cases were asked to wait till end of 2012 for visa to be finalized. Poms in Australia had organized a protest outside Australian High Commission, London.

EXTRACT FROM THE MEETING:

• Mr.Wilden told category 1-4 under control.
• Around 3500 applicants (applications not number of people in applications) not on CSL had received State Sponsorship.
• These case files were now beginning to be processed. (No distinctions between Visa Subclass, all state sponsored applications will be processed under this criteria)
• These case files will be processed on first come first serve basis.
• It is believed that State Sponsorship applicants won’t have to wait till end of 2012 as earlier informed. Although this is very stage of the development. We will keep you posted as we hear from ASPC or DIAC.
• DIAC has not told how long the processing will take, as applicants which come under CSL will still be given priority processing.
• Mr Wilden stated he cannot comment how long it will take to clear backlog of 3500 Cat 5 applicants.
• This news although does not clarify all the doubts about state sponsorship cases, but at least some light at the end of the tunnel.
• DIAC is planning to come with future skills list later this month.

For more information and queries please refer to our website http://www.angadinfo.com/ or e-mail us at rajdeep@angadinfo.com

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As the reports of Indian students being bashed up in Australia have been making news on various TV channels and print media since quite a while, now an important step had been taken to ensure that the two countries- Australia India- builds a partnership in trading and education sector. In an important step for the Australian-Indian relationship, the two countries have outlined a major expansion of the Australia trade network in India. Australian Trade Minister Simon Crean made the announcement last week saying that the Australian Government has been determined to significantly build the relationship with India, a country which is important to Australian immigration and trade. The information of the trade relationship is good news for many Indians who have been impatiently waiting to hear positive news about pathway immigration to Australia.
Australia now seems to have measured up against all the allegations made by people wishing to immigrate to the country and against the unfair practices the country exercise.  Currently, Indian nationals studying in Australia with an Australian Student Visa make up the second-largest group on international students in Australia’s multi-million dollar overseas education industry. Many Indians who complete their studies in Australia take up an Australian permanent residence after graduating. This is also an option that the Australian Government provides to foreign students to retain skilled workers. As it is also notable from figures obtained in 2008-2009, India was Australia’s fastest growing major two-way trading partner with total trade between the two nations jumping 55 per cent to $21.7 billion Australian dollars. Addressing the issue Mr. Crean said, “For the past two years this Government has been building and strengthening links with India and my first trip as Trade Minister featured a visit to the sub-continent. Expanding economic links are a vital component in giving effect to the shared commitment to building the relationship.” He also said that there was significant untapped potential in the Indian market, and the two economies have complementary strengths that the expanded Austrade network will be seeking to explore. Five new trade offices will be launched in India and another three existing operations will be expanded, a move that will give Australia the largest trade promotion network in Indian of any foreign country. Under the planned expansion new Austrade offices will be established in Ahmedabad, Chandigarh, Jaipur, Kochi and Pune with offices in Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Kolkata expanded. The news would bring delight to many who wish to immigrate to Australia on skilled immigration or student visas.

For more information and queries please refer to our website http://www.angadinfo.com/ or e-mail us at rajdeep@angadinfo.com

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Immigration program to Australia has been now enhanced as a new scheme has been released for the welfare of non-English speaking countries that would provide provisions for the settlements of people willing to immigrate to Australia who cannot speak English. The scheme is called the Adult Migrant English Programme (AMEP). The scheme would provide English Language education support to people who have either immigrated to Australia or took an asylum and also they are not native English speakers. A tender has been proposed for the welfare of non-English speaker immigrants.
Laurie Ferguson, the Parliamentary Secretary for Multicultural Affairs and Settlement Services, announcing the tender said, “This tender is for a new model of services, including enhanced vocational counselling to help migrants identify their own learning path and track their progress through the programme. The AMEP will help clients enter the workforce and access further training opportunities through a Settlement Language Pathways to Employment/Training course.” For the provision of the young who have just left the schools, the new programme will also be extended to the 15-17 year-old age group to help school leavers to begin working in Australia. On top of that the new English language skills, entrants into the programme will receive information about Australian society, services, customs and laws.
The Adult Migrant English Program (AMEP) is the Australian Government’s largest settlement program. The AMEP offers up to 510 hours of free English language tuition to eligible migrants and humanitarian entrants who do not have functional English. The AMEP plays an important role in assisting migrants in their transition to life in Australia by providing settlement focussed basic language skills and settlement support. According to Ferguson, the new tender scheme would be an important step for Australian Immigration. He said, “This course combines successful features of the Employment Pathways and Traineeships in English and Work Readiness Programs established by the government last year. It is an integral part of the suite of settlement services delivered by DIAC to new arrivals to support their social inclusion and economic participation in Australian society.”

For more information and queries please refer to our website http://www.angadinfo.com/ or e-mail us at rajdeep@angadinfo.com

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While most of the countries are having a hard time emerging out of recession, it is believed that Australia is on top while recovering from the same. Individuals who cannot find a decent job in their home countries are suggested that it’s time for them to pack up and ship out to Australia as the work sector in Australia is now out of recession and there are plenty of jobs being created every day. In late September this year a certain numbers of Jobs were expected to be created in October but to the surprise of many individuals  a lot more jobs were created than expected, which proved that Australian economy was proving out to be a developing economic force. While moving to Australia has remained a successful destination among many immigration seekers but while undergoing recession people have thought it more clearly. The facts suggest that about 24,500 people were employed in Australia in the month of October alone.
Australian statistics released recently has shown on balance positive news for the Australian economy, with the country performing better than expected and in the top three countries in the world. Australia was expected to lose 10,000 jobs in October but the Australian economy actually managed to add 24,500, neutralising the impact of the slightly higher unemployment rate across the country. Australia’s current unemployment rate is 5.8 per cent, up from 5.7 per cent, but the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) reported that Australia’s unemployment rate has stabilised and will not reach the peak of 6.75 per cent forecast in this month’s mid-year budget review instead touching just 6.3 per cent next year before turning down.  The result show the Australian economy is performing better than any Western country, other than Norway and Switzerland, with unemployment in Britain predicted to peak at 10 per cent. The figures suggest that the employment ratio of the Australian economy is an indication for a way to recovery in global contexts since UK is still stuck with recession. The Australian figures of employement in the month of October are not only surprising but are better than expected. In fact, the employment figures have led the world’s economists to predict that Australia may increase its interest rates to 3.75 per cent in December after having become the first G20 economy to increase rates since the beginning of the global recession, when it did so in October. Immigrating to Australia for skilled immigration or for study purpose is particularly very attractive for many graduates from around the globe.

For more information and queries please refer to our website http://www.angadinfo.com/ or e-mail us at rajdeep@angadinfo.com

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After the new priority processing arrangements have been made by the Australian government on September 24th, many applicants who had applied to Australia for immigration have protested in numerous ways. The new rules were not only unjust and unfair but it holds back the visa applicants for a time period of 3 years. Late last week an online petition was taken out by some applicants who had been waiting for their visas since past year. This whole issue has not only raised concerns among certain organisations but it has also made some Australian authorities worrying. The Migration Institute of Australia (MIA) has written to the Australian Minister for Immigration and Citizenship expressing their concerns about the priority processing of General Skilled Migration applications.

The visa applicants were writing to the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) for a refund of their application fees since many of the applicants do not wish to wait for next 2 to 3 years for a visa. Despite the call for a refund of visa costs to those who face a wait of up to three years before their Australia visa will be processed the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship Senator Evans has dismissed the idea. Speaking about the opposition and call for a refund of visa fees, the Minister said Australia Immigration would continue taking applications, although the entire system including the Migration Occupations in Demand List (MODL) was under review.
Pointing out the Minister’s quotes, MIA stated that the new visa processing regime creates numerous serious problems including damage to Australia’s reputation, additional costs related to the wait to the Australia visa application, and the difficulty for employment for applicants on bridging visas. The MIA further said there was a potential risk to Australia’s reputation with thousands of people having paid Australia visa application charges, with the reasonable expectation that the applications would be finalised within published service standard times, waiting indefinite lengths of time for a decision on their applications. The outcome could be drastic as people would start protesting. The MIA has suggested that the Department should refund fees for applicants who now wish to withdraw their application,  and that it is particularly important to give priority processing exemptions to those applications which were about to be finalised just before the changes were announced. Nevertheless the proposals made by The MIA are well received by the protesting applicants whose applications for immigration to Australia under certain categories are now put on hold by the Australian Immigration department.

For more information and queries please refer to our website http://www.angadinfo.com/ or e-mail us at rajdeep@angadinfo.com

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On 23rd of September the new Priority Processing procedures were put forth in practice by the Australian Immigration authorities. The new procedures not only are applicable to those who would apply with a fresh application but are also applicable to those who had applied earlier too. Because of the new priority processing arrangements, people who had applied earlier and were waiting for a response from the immigration department were put on hold till 2011-2012. Frustrated by the sudden, unfair and unexpected move by DIAC (Department of Immigration and Citizenship) to have changed the processing policies overnight many visa applicants who had applied for a visa have now set up an online petition to protest against such ‘extremely unfair practices’ by the Australian authorities. As per the new rules the Australia immigration department announced a new list of processing priorities for the General Skilled Migration program affected both unallocated applications and Australia visa applications already allocated to case officers and in the process of being finalised. The new visa processing priorities were announced unexpectedly and suddenly and were put into immediate effect by the Australian government due to which many visa applicants are now facing abrupt changes of their plans.
Frank Claassen’s, publisher of the petition, said: “We feel the implementation of these changes to applications already in the process of being finalized to be an extremely unfair practice and respectfully ask the department to reconsider this decision. We ask that DIAC apply fair practice and not penalize applications already in the process of being finalized.”  It is a call that many immigration specialists and government commentators have considered unlikely to be headed given current economic pressures.  As per the Australian government’s plans to review and announce the new MODL (Migration Occupation in Demand List) is expected to have extensive changes to the immigration system to Australia and it is expected to shed some light on the new pathways for Australian immigration.
The petition is available online on http://www.gopetition.com/online/31230.html and the Senator for Australian Immigration, Chris Evans had been informed about the same. All of the applicants who feel strongly against the same cause are expected to sign the online petition and the same would be forwarded to the Senator. The Petition outlines the unfair and sudden changes made by the Australian authorities and a strong opposition for the same. Please follow the link and sign the petition to make your disagreement against the new rules heard by the Australian Government.  The petition is available on – http://www.gopetition.com/online/31230.html

For more information and queries please refer to our website http://www.angadinfo.com/ or e-mail us at rajdeep@angadinfo.com

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A research made in Australia regarding immigration outlines that Australia would face a potential skills shortfall if steps are not taken to increase workforce participation. According to the report by the Victorian Employers Chamber of Commerce, Australia will have a skills shortage, and will require 1.4 million additional workers by 2025. Australia is expected to see strong population growth, figures based on the continuation of high birth and net migration rates, but the report paper warns the ageing population will mean a decline in workforce growth which will exacerbate labour shortages. “The prominence of demographic change and skill shortages has recently been overtaken by the economic downturn of the last 12 months. With unemployment increasing over that period, it would be easy to assume we no longer have a labour or skills shortage problem. However, skills shortages still exist in many industries, and the reality of Australia’s ageing workforce means we face a structural deficit of workers over the next 15 years”,  the paper says.
The report indicates that under current trends and government policies, the nations participation rate (The percentage of Australia’s working-age population that is employed or seeking employment) would fall from 65.2 to 61.8 by 2025. Based on their findings, the organisation has recommended a number of measures, including removing barriers to work for older people, and boosting skilled immigration intake. Providing further information, one of the reporters of a famous Australian newspaper, Darin Ritchie said “To meet moderate levels of labour-demand growth, Australia’s participation rate would need to be 68 per cent. To address this workforce deficit, Australia needs to raise the average retirement age, increase the workforce participation of disadvantaged groups, increase migration, or offset labour demand through productivity growth.”

For more information and queries please refer to our website http://www.angadinfo.com/ or e-mail us at rajdeep@angadinfo.com

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