With a lot of changes in immigration front and series of controversies going around about Australia, many people are found to be much concerned about the image of the country of late. Australia was never discussed like it has been discussed recently. Even the country’s ministers are found worrying about the brand the country has developed so far as one of the most welcoming and unbiased societies across the globe. But, most worried are the people who were considering a permanent move to Australia.

Most migrants with an intention to take permanent residency in the country no more hold the perception that the land of Kangaroos is a secure destination, thanks to the series of factors pertaining to immigration rules and ongoing racial attacks. According to immigration experts, the latest legislative changes, harder selection criteria, alongside the attacks on migrant students and breakdown of private education institutions are enough reasons to make overseas migrants give a second thought to their decision to migrate to Australia. Going by this, many prospective migrants would not put the country in their priority list of destinations.

While talking about the skilled migrants, let us remind you about the latest amendments to the Australian selection process. The very selection process has been made tougher as the country is attempting to attract skilled migrants, emphasizing only on those occupations that have highest skills shortages.

A lot is happening in Australia in the immigration front- the Migration Occupations in Demand List (MODL) being abolished; the Skilled Occupation List is going to be replaced, with which the skilled migrants are worrying about their future in the country.

Anyway, if your are looking forward to migrate to Australia in the near future, it is advised to hire an Immigration and Visa consultant in order to keep up with the latest amendments taking place in the country!

The companies in the Unites Kingdom continue to hire Indian professions inspite of the current amends to cut down on the number of Indian immigrants walking into the country. With the impact of the recent economic downturn, the new rules and regulations for immigration have brought in.

Despite curtail on immigration, the companies are still recruiting Indian professionals to cater to all the current skill voids.

In the last three months, around nineteen percent of the employers have hired skilled migrants. This is as per the Chartered Institute of Personal and Development or the CIPD. This means that one in every five companies have recruited foreign skilled migrants to cater to their needs.

It was found that twenty four percent who are at a higher probability of recruiting foreigners belonged to the public sector organizations in the United Kingdom. This was when compared to the private firms which catered to only fifteen percent.

As per the poll conducted by the quarterly Labour Market Outlook in association with the institute and KPMG project that India and Eastern Europe are the most preferred locations for the business outsourcing.

Around fifty one percent which is a little more than half of the employers in UK intend to outsource their jobs to India. Another thirty seven percent that is more than one third have the intention of relocating the jobs to Eastern Europe.

It was also found out that about forty one percent employers who have vacant posts for which they are not able to find suitable candidates. So, from seven hundred employers, this makes it for two of every five employers. Hence, the debate of skill requirement arises again. And, one in every ten private firms intends to outsource its business in the future which would save money and bring in more business.

So, the main question that arises here is whether the current immigration cuts is going to have any impact on the economy of the United Kingdom.

According to reports, Immigration Minister Chris Evans is expected to come out with certain Immigration changes that would favor those skilled migrants who speak good English. In addition, the changes are expected to target the employees who hold sponsorship by employers rather than self-nominating applicants.

Senator Evans confirmed that close to half migrants with skills on MODL, manage to get jobs in their field, and the rest end up with no jobs in their hands or satisfy themselves with low-skill jobs.

Evans went on to say that skilled migration is one of the critical facets of Australian immigration as it contributes to the overall economy.

Talking about the new system, he said that the amendments would allow potential migrants get more points on the basis of their qualification in high value professionals, experience level, proficiency in the English language and qualification from a prestigious university.

The new amendments would surely have an impact on jobs, as many overseas students have already engaged themselves in courses present on in-demand list, which may no longer assist them in permanent migration!

In another news piece, stats show that around 90% of temporary migrants, the ones who were given Subclass 457 visas last year are highly paid professionals. As far as the temporary skilled migrants are concerned, the overall pay package is around $100,000, with those belonging to mining field, having an average pay of $169,000.

Foreign Skilled workers employed in Western Australia belonged to the highest paid category, followed by New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria, Tasmania, Northern Territory, ACT and South Australia.

Skim through this blog and acquaint yourself with the hidden hints and tips related with Australian Immigration

• Universal Visa System requires all the applicants to have a visa to enter the country. New Zealand citizens don’t need have one! The visa application process must be carried out in a legal manner.
• The applicants having criminal background/ bad character/ or facing medical problems may be denied a visa, depending upon their condition.
• Australian migration emphasizes on the intake of skilled and business skilled migrants. The “target migration intake” is decided on a yearly basis.
• Applicants are required to fulfill the eligibility criteria draped with all the categories of visas. The applicants would end up with a denied visa if they apply in the wrong category or fail to meet the mentioned requirements. Additionally, the rules are subject to amendments.
• Visa is granted on merit-basis and after considering other facets like qualification, experience, age, financial aspects and so on. Words like bribery, trickery, corruption and deceit are strictly kept away from the dictionary of Australian Immigration.
• Certain cases are referred to Review Tribunal in Australia, where rejected cases are appealed again. Appeals can also be made to Federal and High Courts and require a legal representation.
• Person/ Company providing immigration advice in Australia must have a registration under the Migration Agents Registration Authority. An experienced Visa consultant would ensure that your case is finely represented with all the required documentation and evidences.

All the best for your Immigration!

It is interesting to note that more and more highly skilled people from around the world are opting to immigrate to New Zealand. Even more interesting is that most of these skilled migrants are from more developed countries like United Kingdom, United States and The Netherlands, where professionals are offered with higher salaries. So, what makes these migrants to immigrate to the land of Kiwis?

Even though the salary packages offered in New Zealand are lower than that of the US and UK, immigrating to the former makes sense for overseas skilled migrants, reason being the cost of living there is much lower as compared to the aforementioned nations. Professionals find it worthy to go and make a new life in New Zealand with their families. The country has an array of things to offer- along with its spectacular beauty; it offers endless recreational opportunities for families, children; and most importantly people can find a house on their budget. Thus, low cost of housing, food and cars make New Zealand more attractive to overseas professionals when compared to the US, UK or Northern Europe.

In other words, if you get to work with a satisfactory New Zealand employer, you can expect to spend a well-balanced life there! You can find many self-confessed migrants in New Zealand who would tell you how their quality of life is better than their home countries or elsewhere in the world!

If you are intending to immigrate to New Zealand to have a better life, do consult an Immigration and Visa Consultant, so that you can sail through the immigration process without any hassle!

Under the new Immigration rules, Britain has increased its Immigration Visa fee, which would come into effect from April 2010, a move that would surely impact applicants from all over the world. For instance, applicants who apply to bring their parents to live with them from their country of origin would have to pay double the amount of fee (to more than £1,900) and an addition 10 percent would be charged for every child.

In addition, highly skilled migrants and international footballers who are planning to extend their stay would be proposed a £15,000 premium visa renewal service, as a part if the amendments made in the fee structure.

Phil Woolas, the Immigration Minister, confirmed that the applicants, who are getting the benefits from the Immigration system, should also play their role in funding it too. He said that it is fair that both should be mutually benefited as the fund will assist the staffs who work in the local communities and the 135 countries all over the globe.

Long term visit visa fee would be 610 pounds as compared to 500 pounds, charged earlier. The fee is for the visa valid for up to 10 years. The fee has been raised from 215 pounds to 230 pounds for the visa valid up to two years and for the one valid for up to five years, the fee has been raised to 420 pounds as compared to 400 pounds.

The basic cost for migrants who are intending to settle in the UK will see a hike of £644 from £585. If already in the UK, and are filing for “indefinite leave to remain,” then the fee has been increased to £840 as compared to £820. Applicants have to pay £655 in place of £640 if applying for a British citizenship.

With the recent changes in the immigration rules of the United Kingdom, it has led to a big concern amongst the Indians especially those living in UK or planning to immigrate. To clear all doubts on the issue, Lord Peter Mandelson who is the UK Business Secretary said that no such hassles would be catered too since they understand that the UK is a major hub for the major Indian business activities. At the launch of the Indian Institute of Science – the UK lecture series 2010, Mr. Mandelson spoke to remove all the misconceptions that had developed post the amendments. He said that the doors of the United Kingdom would always be open to the highly skilled migrants and investors.

Since, all the major Indian IT companies operate in the UK as well; Britain would obviously be on the advantage adding to its economy. The UK government is now trying to ensure that Britain is the first choice for all such Indian firms as a pathway into the European market and make their presence felt.

With this, the Business Secretary also said that the UK government is keen to have India as its partner for various research and development related projects.

Above all, the concerns are but obvious which would raise with sudden changes in the immigration policies. However, these amendments have been brought about with respects to the illegal migration and unwanted abuse of the freedom given to the immigration that end up staying back as refugees.

In case, you are one of those planning to immigrate to the United Kingdom, it is recommended that you get in touch with an Immigration and Visa Expert since he would be updated regarding all the latest of the amendments. With this, a lot of confusion would arise for a first time immigrant. The application and the documentation process can turn out to be quite a tedious process. So contact one today!

Have a look at some of the most asked questions on Immigration:

• How do I qualify under a specific Point Based System?Points are allocated to prospective applicants on the basis of their experience, skills, education, age and other facets, which allow them to apply for certain visa. Every visa category has different points to qualify under the same. Therefore, it is advised to go for an assessment and know about your eligibility to qualify for Immigration for a particular country.
• I am not treated well in my country. I want to immigrate!Some of the common problems faced by immigrants are war situations in home country, economical problems, not allowing people to give vote and keep them separate from any rights. These situations force people to change their country and find solace in an altogether new country. Though there is no specific answer to these questions, it is always advised to immigrate to a new country where you would find calmness, peace of mind and a freedom in all sense. For instance, Canada is a country that welcomes people with open arms.
• Is there any age limit to Immigrate to any particular country?It depends as to which Visa category you are applying for! For skilled migrants most points are awarded between the age group of 25 to 45 years and in some case up to 50 years. Don’t worry, if you have crossed that limit. You might get a PR, provided you have a strong plan. It would be wise to consult an Immigration guru as the requirements depend on individual cases.
• I am in a hurry. What is the fastest way to immigrate?Immigration is one of the most critical decisions of your life. Any acceleration might lead to clutter. There is NO SHORCUT! In general processing time falls between 12 to 24 months or more.
• If I will marry a resident of the country to where I intend to migrate, will I get my visa automatically?Never think of doing so! Marrying a resident of the prospective country does not give you the freedom to get your Visa automatically. You are required to fulfill all the mandatory requirements linked with a particular visa along with providing the necessary documentation.

If you have more queries, feel free to hire an immigration veteran and clear all your doubts!

According to the Workplace Future report, Australia is soon to be in short of skilled migrants. The report states that by around 2025, there would be a skill shortage of about 1.4 million workers. To overcome these shortages, the report recommends increasing the immigration process and also to rise the retirement age.

The report stated the following –

• More steps should be taken towards hiring older people and other disadvantaged persons.
• A population growth is likely with the current birth rate being a bit on the higher side. With this, immigrant children are also adding to the cart. But this does not help the ageing population which continues to grow less in number.
• The expected labor shortage in Victoria itself by 2025 is around 440,000 workers. This figure is calculated based on the current retirement and migration rate.
• Considering the current workforce trends, it is possible that the participation rate might go down to 61.8% from 65.2% in 2025.

All in all, to meet these demands, a rise in the age of retirement is the foremost task to be carried out. With this, the boundary of the hired workforce needs to be extended.

Migration which plays a very important in building the Australian economy has to be promoted further with the recent criticism intact.

On the other hand, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the following has been stated –

• Population growth - 1.6%
• Unemployment rate – 4.5%
• Jobs Rate – 1.9%

However, the report also states that these predicted skill shortages have been partly subdued in the previous one year due to recession. Since, the unemployment rate has been constantly on the rise during this period; skill shortages can easily be fore taken. But this cannot be taken as an ultimatum because shortages still exist in many industries in Australia.

Thus, for those planning to immigrate, Australia is the best destination as of now when it comes to job opportunities. Also, migration is something which is being promoted as of now by the Australian government. So why not take your chances? You might just hit the bull’s eye!

Contact an Immigration and Visa Specialist to know more.

A new visa category has been introduced by the Alberta Immigrant Nominee program which targets the H – 1B visa holders. This program would allow the skilled migrants on a work permit in the United States to apply for Permanent Residence in Alberta. This way, they would be given an opportunity to work in Alberta, Canada.

This amendment is expected to overcome the skilled shortages in various occupations that are high on the priority list. This program would enable faster processing of the applications for a Permanent Residence permit.

The eligibility criteria for the above include the following:

• The first and the foremost being that the applicant must show interest and enthusiasm to live permanently in Alberta.
• He should be working in the United States while filing his application. With this, he should be working under either of the following: H1 – B, H1 – B1, H – 1C or the E – 3 visas.
• The applicant must stick on to his H – 1B visa till a final decision has been taken on his application and its status.
• Prior to applying, he would have atleast a year of work experience in the United States under the above mentioned visas.
• The “Alberta Occupation Under Pressure List” should feature the applicant current occupation. The list consists of 80 different occupations. Some of these include IT occupations, management, business, finance and other administration related jobs, sales and service occupations and so on.

Get in touch with a Visa Consultant who can further enlighten you on the same.