Students studying under the F-1 Visa under Optical Practical Training will now enjoy an extended work period of 29 months. The advantage holds for students of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects. Students who have not enrolled themselves in any of the STEM subjects have the freedom to work for only one year.

Optional Practical Training (OPT) is a tenure in which overseas students who have enrolled themselves in their courses for nine months or beyond that can gain work experience related to their work field. These students are not required to get work H-1B visa in order to fulfill their work requirements.

According to James W Herman, a renowned counselor, the OPT facility provides ample opportunities to students to gain ample experience in their fields. The option has assisted thousands of Indian students, especially when it comes to gaining experience in the US. It also provides additional skills linked with the field of students, which further helps them in enhancing their career perspectives.

All overseas FI-Visa holders in the US have the freedom to enroll themselves in Optional Practical Training, as it provides them with perfect opportunity to gain quality work experience, a step closer towards their brilliant career

Stats say that more than 10% of the overseas students in the US enrolled themselves in Optional Practical Training during 2008-2009 and in turn grabbed plenty of benefits out of it.

Overall, it is good news for all those students studying in the US who are planning to study in the US along with gaining work experience!

Those who have the perception that the US, UK and Australia make the best study destinations, let me remind you that there is New Zealand in the race too. The country provides great education opportunities for students, including overseas students. It caters to almost all requirements of students, when it comes to pursuing subjects and courses. This is what that makes New Zealand one of the most appreciated and recognized study destinations in the world. Now, let’s have a look at some of the top educational institutions there:

• University of Auckland: This one is often touted as the best educational institution in the Kiwi land. The university offers a number of faculties- Education, Arts, School of Business, Engineering, Law, Medical and Health Sciences, Theology, National Institute of Creative Arts and Industries are a few to name. Aspiring students are needed to clear the entrance test, as well as English proficiency test in order to be able to get into the university. Besides, the students are given admission on the basis of marks.
• University of Waikato: A few faculties of this university include, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences; School of Education; School of Maori and Pacific Development; and Waikato Management School. Students are being qualified to study in this university on the basis of marks and language skill in English.
• University of Otago: This educational institution offers a wide variety of courses, ranging from Business to Health Sciences; from Humanities to Sciences. Apart from having a good academic background, aspiring students should have good proficiency in English language.
• Massey University: Under this university, there are colleges on Creative Arts; Humanities and Social Sciences; Business; and Sciences. Some of the well-known departments include Journalism, Aviation, Food and Nutrition, Marketing, Psychology, Design, Defense, Fine Arts, Language Studies and much more. Like many other universities, the admissions are based on English language proficiency and entrance test.
• The Victoria University of Wellington: This famous university offers an array of courses. Overseas students are required to qualify the entrance test, along with English language test- IELTS or TOEFL, whichever is applicable in order to get into any course.
• University of Canterbury: This University offers almost every course in all educational aspects. Admissions are based on marks in entrance test, English language proficiency, as well as academic performance in high school.
• Lincoln University: Aspiring students must have good command over English skill to be qualified to study in this university. Courses offered by this leading university include Bio-Chemistry; Business Management; Information Technology; Accounting; Communication; Animal Sciences; Engineering; Tourism; Ecology; Law; Environment Studies; Micro-Biology and many more.
• Manukau Institute of Technology: Here courses are offered in departments, such as Nursing and Health Sciences; Business; Consumer Services; Education and Social Sciences; Logistics; Engineering; Visual Arts and more.
• AUT University: This university with courses in Engineering; Education; Creative Technologies; Communication; Sports and Recreation; Law; Computing and Mathematical Sciences and more caters students from across the globe. Aspirants should have proficiency in English language, apart from meeting academic standards in order to get admission into this university.

These are some of the leading educational institutions in New Zealand. Most of them offer most advanced courses in almost every subject. However, these institutions are known to set higher standards when it comes to English language skill. Thus, apart from having a good academic background, you may need to work on your ability in the said language!

As Australia is bringing changes to its immigration policies, many industrial sectors are worried about the labor shortages in the coming days! The immigration department of the country recently announced that it is going to replace its existing list of skilled occupations with a new list. Reportedly, the new list would include those occupations that are in high demand in Australia.

The changes to skilled migration policy will focus on occupations that are particularly in demand at the present scenario. Some of the occupations of this sort include healthcare, mining and engineering. But, these changes may lead to a labor crisis in many other sectors- hospitality being one of the sectors. According to a hospitality professional, who is the chief executive of Restaurant and Catering Australia, the new list of occupations may seem attractive to the Oz government, but he does not think it would meet the labor shortage in certain sectors.

To top it, Peter Doyle, the association’s president asserted that this particular hospitality industry in Australia always has the demand for skilled cooks ever since 1956, when Australia hosted the Olympic Games. But, the nation had never in a condition to meet the demand. Thus, he believes Australia should bring foreign culinary students to fill the demand for cooks.

Even thought the Immigration department announces the implementation of new changes in the skilled migration policies, the changes are not disclosed yet. The new list of occupations will be released towards the end of April this year.

Documented by the Fiscal Policy Institute, Immigration has played a critical role in enhancing the American economy till now. Using the data from the Census Bureau, the report elaborates a bird-eye view of 25 cities and elaborates that immigrants play a vital role for the economic activities going on in these major cities.

Immigration helps in boosting the labor pool, raise an entrepreneurial spirit and help in creating various job opportunities all over. For instance, in New York, Immigrants collaborate to form almost 28% of the total population living there. In addition, they make up for 28% of the activities related to economic growth going on in the New York. Similarly, the numbers are 35% and 34% for the number of immigrants and economic growth respectively.

Therefore, Immigration not only helps the people who are migrating to a prospective country but is also a boon for the country to which they are migrating to. The report says that the immigrants are spread in almost every field, be it medical, engineering, teaching, servicing, cleaning, cops, firefighters and blue-collar workers, to name a few.

It is not just about America. Immigration serves as a great means of success for everyone who is associated with its facets! Just hire an Immigration and Visa advisor and see the difference in your life.

How do you go about finding the right job in Australia? The question is one of the primary concerns that a majority of applicants planning to immigrate to Australia face. Read this post and solve your dilemma…

Main motives behind finding a job are better lifestyle, career options, and secure future for family, amongst others. First of all, you need to choose a job in accordance with your needs or what match your necessities! If your motive is to achieve all the above purposes, it would be beneficial to enhance your skills first and then go for the best job available in the town.

Do as much research as you can before making the final move. As far as the job markets are concerned, it has not been affected by the recent financial catastrophe to the extent of many other countries. So the country holds the capacity to craft your future in the best possible way.

It is advised to specialize your skills in more than one field to broaden your chances of getting the best job. Applicants need to sell themselves at interview! Sell your skills, flaunt your qualification, brag about your experience – but in a SUBTLE manner! The more you have of these ingredients, the more would be your income. But be realistic about everything. Trust me… Also check with the aspect of “Australian Pension Scheme;” whether the same is included in your salary package or not. Applicants showing additional qualities like having sheer knowledge on process analysis, business development, business profit, cost-cutting and other such facets would hold an added advantage over others.

Additionally, Australia is equipped with plenty of opportunities in thousands of fields, be it Chartered Accountancy, IT professionals, Engineering, Sales, Writing, including many others. Last, but definitely not the least – have an up-to-date resume and target the same towards the Oz Market. Don’t keep it too short or too lengthy. Just consult an Immigration specialist and know further.

The H-1B visa is a form of work permit for the non – immigrants in the United States. This visa permits an employer in the US to hire a foreign national on a temporary basis for a specialized job. The various occupations include those in Finance and Accounting, Medical and Health Care, IT, Hospitality, Computing, Banking, Business Management, Marketing, all the occupations in Engineering, Public Relations and Advertising, Sales, Lawyers and other Legal professions, Recruiting, Teaching, Telecom and Hospitality.

To ideally qualify for an H-1B visa, an applicant must have any one of the following:

• At least 12 years of work experience in the relevant field.
• A Bachelor’s or a Master’s degree (from the US or a foreign equivalent).
• A mixture of educational qualifications (such as a 2 years diploma course) along with at least six years of work experience.

In order to apply for an H-1B visa, an applicant must first find employment in the US. The employer would then file for the candidate’s visa. The process starts by paying for either the Prevailing Wage or the Actual Wage (whichever is higher). Here, the employer would be asked for the job responsibilities being given to the foreign national, the skills and qualifications required and the total duration of the work experience needed.

This is followed by filing for the Labor Certification Application (LCA). This is an application to be submitted by the employer agreeing to the terms and conditions and that he is ready to pay the higher wages.

However, an individual working on the H-1B visa decides to leave or change his job or has been terminated from his job, the candidate has the right to find a new employer and file for a status change, and otherwise, he should not reside in the US.

To know more, it is best recommended to contact an Immigration and Visa Consultancy firm. Such firms usually do a prior assessment of your skills and qualifications before actually filing your application. Most firms offer this service completely free of charge.

The Australian Institute of Quantity Surveyors (AIQS) is the authority responsible for maintaining the standards of this profession in Australia. All foreign trained Quantity Surveyors have to get their skills and qualifications assessed by this body before they apply for immigration.

The assessment is based on whether a candidate qualifies for the Probationer membership at the AIQS. Those applicants under the Skilled Migrant program found eligible for this would be termed as being ‘Suitable’. They would score full points (60) on the Point Based System.

Qualifying Conditions

In order to be eligible for the above, the applicant must satisfy the following conditions:

• A bachelor’s degree or a higher qualification in the relevant field.
• In some cases, relevant work experience is also required.
• He should be able to score the relevant points on the Point Based System.
• In some territories, the applicant has to register with the State as a professional. However, in most of the territories, a membership would be more than enough to maintain the standards for development and networking of the professional.
• Minimum English language skills proved by IELTS.

Tasks Involved

The following is the expected job description which the applicant should be able to perform:

• He should be able to analyze and maintain the expenditure involved for construction right from the utility stages involving sketches.
• Should be able to study engineering and architectural drawings and conclude the total costs.
• Consult and work in coordination with architects, engineers, builders, financiers, owners and developers.
• Should have various tools to implement on budgetary control.
• Should enlist the various materials required; prepare bills for tenders and advice clients on tenders accordingly.
• Execute construction contracts and measures and permit progress payments.
• Oversee all the recent changes and measures and negotiate accordingly.
• Recommend on cost regarding any corrections in existing buildings with reference to the raw material used and the method of construction and so on.

In case you are a Quality Surveyor planning to work in Australia, you must meet with the above. In addition, it is best that you contact an Immigration and Visa expert. This is because he would be updated with all the latest in the Australian Immigration.

Petroleum Engineer, as a profession is bedecked with certain tasks like planning and directing the engineering aspects and other tasks linked with petroleum and natural gas. Other tasks may include:

• Planning and conducting research for location of petroleum products.
• Determining the location for drilling and extracting the petroleum products. Also deciding on the use of various equipments.
• Consulting with other managers and devising methods of controlling the flow of petroleum products and natural gas from wells.
• Development of the extractive processes after consulting with other professionals like geologists and geophysicists
• The responsibilities also include preparing the plans for engineering operations.
• Preparing an estimate of the cost
• Taking care of the safety standards and necessary procedures associated with it, without harming the environment.

Basic Qualifications

• A Bachelor Degree (BSc/BE Engineering) or a Higher qualification.
• Relevant Experience of 1 Year, which may vary depending upon the state and specialization, opted for.
• IELTS of 6.0 Bands Each

Specializations:

• Mud Engineer
• Petrophysical Engineer

Skill Assessment

It is a binding requirement to get a positive skill assessment from relevant assessing authority for Petroleum Engineers in Australia. The applicant must have his or her skills assessed before filing the application form. “Engineers Australia” is one such body that assesses the qualifications of applicants and decides their eligibility for the occupation selected. It is mandatory for the applicant to have the required degree and meet the English requirements set by the same.

After getting positive feedback from the authority, the applicant can commence further and hire the services of an experienced Immigration specialist who would help in the filing and filing of the application form.

Engineering is considered as one of the most renowned occupations all over the world. A specialization as an Electronic Engineer is listed in one of the most demanded occupations for migrants in Australia. Other specializations may include Mechatronics Engineer, Radio Engineer, including others. Therefore, those who are linked with this profession are in great demand by the Australian employers.

Tasks Include

• The applicant is required to design, develop, adapt, and maintain electronic components. In addition, the responsibilities include maintenance of circuits, communication and control systems and other applications related with the job of electronic engineering.
• Designing embedded software, developing apparatus and conduct processes to test a wide range of electronic components and circuits.
• Provide guidance in the installation, monitoring the performance and ensure that everything is done in accordance with the set standards.
• Designing communication bearers linked with optical fibers and other mediums and then analyzing the communication traffic and transmission.
• Developing and designing various signal processing algorithms by making use of apt hardware and software.

Basic facets

• The basic requirements include a Bachelor Degree (BSc/BE Engineering) or Higher qualification, which ever is applicable.
• A relevant experience (in accordance with the degree and specialization opted for) is required. In a majority cases, experience required is a minimum of one year or above.
• It is essential to have your registration done or obtain a license.
• Also, it is mandatory to get a positive skill assessment from “Engineers Australia,” for which the applicant is required to hold an apt degree and meet certain English requirements.

Occupation List

• “Electronics Engineer” as an occupation is on the Skilled Occupation List.
• It is also listed in the Migration Occupations in Demand List.
• Get a sponsorship for your ‘PR Visa Employer Nomination’ from an Australian Employer.
• You can a Temporary business sponsorship from an Australian or overseas employer which will last for four years.

The options are wide! The only thing that you need to do is hire the services of an Immigration and Visa expert and get all the guidance related with your application process.

Since the advent of computers, dependence of almost all businesses on computers or laptops is very much evident. Be it a small shop or a large multinational company, computers have almost become a basic necessity for everyone. As a result, computers and information systems managers are in great demand in Canada and thereby also appear as an in-demand occupation in the NOC (National Occupation Classification) List.

These managers are responsible for complete administration of telecommunications and computer networks, information systems and software.

Educational requirements

Though great employment opportunities are being offered to these professionals in both private and public sectors, there are also a few educational requirements that they must possess:

• A master’s or bachelor’s degree in business administration, engineering, commerce or computer science
• Extensive experience in data administration, network design, computer programming, software engineering or systems analysis along with supervisory experience

Chief duties

Apart from the educational requirements, it is also important that your current job description in your home country matches the chief duties of the NOC List occupation “Computer and information systems managers” that are given below:

• Handling complete operations of EDP or electronic data processing companies and departments and information systems
• From controlling, evaluating, organizing to development, implementation and correct operation of networks and software, professionals of this occupation must have the capability to handle it all
• Development and execution of procedures and policies for development and operation of computer system and electronic processing of data
• Meeting with clients in order to talk about system specifications, timelines, costs and requirements
• Assembling and management of teams of the information systems professionals for designing, development, operation, implementation and administration of telecommunication and computer networks, software and essential information systems
• Control expenditures and budget of the company, project and department
• Recruitment and supervision of computer engineers, technicians, programmers, analysts and several relevant professionals and overseeing professional development and training of these personnel

Job titles that are readily accepted under this NOC List occupation are: EDP manager, data centre manager, computer systems manager, software development manager, information systems manager, systems development manager and several others.

File your visa application for Canada immigration at the earliest, if you think you can qualify for this occupation.