1. Australia’s 2011-2012 migration program raises hopes of priority group 5 processing

    July 27, 2011 by oe-admin

    In May of this year, the Immigration Minister announced that the Migration Program for 2011-2012 was to be set at 185,000 places, 72,460 of which are allocated to the GSM program.

    Taking into consideration current application rates and the overall number of GSM places available, DIAC expects to commence processing of some priority group 5 applications in this program year.

    Once commenced, processing of priority group 5 applications will take place in date of lodgment order, after all applications of a higher priority have been allocated for assessment.

    However, DIAC advises that priority will continue to be given to GSM applications in higher priority groups which will affect the overall number of priority group 5 applications assessed. It is therefore anticipated that many priority group 5 applicants will still have a long wait for visa processing.

    Applicants can now view updates on the status of their application via DIAC’s website: http://www.immi.gov.au/skilled/general-skilled-migration/lodged-information.htm

     

    Options available to applicants in priority group 5

     

    The options available if you were outside Australia when you made your application are to:

    • continue to await a decision on your visa application
    • consider your eligibility for an employer sponsored visa, which would require a new visa application;
    • consider your eligibility for nomination by a state or territory government under a state migration plan, which would require a new visa application (unless the relevant application was lodged before 1/7/10)
    • withdraw your application.

     The options available if you were in Australia when you made your application are to:

    • continue to live and work in Australia (if your visa permits) while awaiting a decision on your visa application
    • consider your eligibility for an employer sponsored visa, which would require a new visa application
    • consider your eligibility for nomination by a state and territory government under a state migration plan, which would require a new visa application (unless the relevant application was made before 1/7/10)
    • apply for another substantive visa
    • withdraw your application and depart Australia unless you hold another visa permitting you to remain.

     

    If you have been granted another visa for migration to or permanent residence in Australia and no longer require your GSM application to be processed you can withdraw your application so that it can be finalised. DIAC advises that withdrawal letters, signed by each applicant aged 18 years or over, can be scanned and emailed to gsm.documents@immi.gov.au. It is important to note that applicants who withdraw their application due to extended processing times are not entitled to a refund of the Visa Application Charge or compensation for other costs incurred in making an application.

    If you have any questions about visa processing times and how they may affect you, please contact +44 (0) 845 6017810 (this call is charged at local rate), or direct at 0131 625 6900 and ask to speak to a consultant. You can also email us at enquiries@my-oe.com.

    For more information on skilled visas for Australia, please visit our website on a regular basis for the latest developments as they happen.

    Category: Australian Immigration NewsComments (0)

  2. Australian GSM processing times update

    July 26, 2011 by oe-admin

    DIAC has updated its priority processing arrangements for skilled migration applications.

    Priority processing arrangements determine the order in which the department considers applications. Applications accorded a higher priority under the arrangements will be processed ahead of lower priority applications, regardless of when the application is lodged.

    In order to find out how long a given visa application is likely to take, it is necessary to begin by checking Table A to match the particular visa class/subclass to the appropriate Priority Group Number, listed from 1 to 5 in order of priority. Applicants should then check the number against the Priority Group Processing table (Table B).

     

    Table A: Priority Group Number Application Type (highest priority listed first):

    1 Employer sponsored under the Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (RSMS) program or who have applied for a Skilled – Regional (subclass 887) visa

    2 Employer sponsored under the Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS) program (subclass 121, 856)

    3 Nominated by a state or territory government agency for an occupation specified on that agency’s state migration plan (SMP) (subclass 176, 475, 487, 886)

    4 Applicants who have nominated an occupation on the Skilled Occupation List (SOL) – Schedule 1 (subclass 175, 495, 496, 861, 862, 863, 880, 881, 882, 883, 885 and 176, 475, 487 if not SMP)

    5 All visas listed in priority 3 and 4 that are not SMP or Nominated Occupation on the SOL – Schedule 1

     

    Table B: Priority Group Number Subclass Processing Times

    The table below describes the processing times for the following visa subclass Group Numbers:

    1 Low risk – 5 months. High risk – 8 months

    2 Low risk – 5 months. High risk – 8 months

    3 Low risk – 12 months. High risk – 24 months

    4 18 months

    5 Assessment will commence when all cases in priority groups 1-4 are finalised

    If you have any questions about visa processing times and how they may affect you, please contact +44 (0) 845 6017810 (this call is charged at local rate), or direct at 0131 625 6900 and ask to speak to a consultant. You can also email us at enquiries@my-oe.com.

    For more information on skilled visas for Australia, please visit our website on a regular basis for the latest developments as they happen.

    Category: Australian Immigration NewsComments (0)

  3. Kenney in consultations over Canadian immigration levels

    July 25, 2011 by oe-admin

    The Federal Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister, Jason Kenney, has launched a series of consultations across Canada in order to discuss immigration issues.

    Mr Kenney will meet immigration industry players and members of the public to discuss such matters as immigration levels, including the appropriate level of immigration for Canada, and the most suitable mix between economic, family class and protected person centered visas.

    The first sessions took place in Calgary on July 12th and July 18th, and Toronto on July 20th and Montreal on July 22nd. In addition to these sessions, there will also be online consultations in the summer, which will be open to the public.

    Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) is responsible for determining the total number of people to admit to Canada as permanent residents. In doing so, it balances both immigration objectives and other factors, such as government commitments, input from provinces and territories and current and future economic conditions.

    By providing immigration stakeholders and the public the opportunity to provide input, CIC says it will share some of the considerations and difficult choices entailed within the migration system.

    For more information on Canadian visas, please visit our website on a regular basis for the latest updates as they appear.

    Category: Canadian Immigration NewsComments (0)

  4. DIAC now requires ‘Points Test Advice’ in return for visa points for employment

    July 21, 2011 by oe-admin

    As a consequence of the new Point System for Australian Skilled Visas that came into effect on 1st of July, DIAC now awards additional points for visa applications according to the length of an applicant’s work experience: 3 years gets 5 points, 5 years gets 10 points and 8 years gets 15 points. These additional points can be critical for many clients’ visa applications.

    It is crucial to note that DIAC will tend to award these additional points for employment only if an advisory notification has been received from the skills assessing authority, confirming that the applicant indeed holds the required number of years’ work experience in the appropriate occupation. Essentially, DIAC has passed the job of assessing duration of relevant work experience back to the assessing authorities. This advisory note is called a ‘Points Test Advice’.

    What this means is that if applicants wish to get the full 15 points for their visa applications to cover 8+ years work experience, then they are going to have to provide evidence to the assessing authority going back 8 years. The new ‘Points Test Requirement’ means that even if they have passed their initial skills application,  they will still need to submit references and other documents going back 8 years to the assessing authority in order to be given a ‘Points Test Advice’ to present to DIAC in return for the full 15 points.

    From 1st July, most skills assessing authorities, including, TRA, Vetassess and ANMAC now offer an optional Points Test Advice service for an additional fee as part of their skills assessment procedure. For those applicants who have already completed a skills assessment, or have a pending skills application, forms are available from the relevant skills assessing authorities to allow them to apply for Point Test Advice as a separate submission.

    Those applicants who are interested in Points Test Advice should visit the websites of the relevant skills assessing authorities for the appropriate forms or contact an OE Visas consultant for advice on 0845 6017810 (this call is charged at local rate), or direct on 0131 625 6900. You can also email us at enquiries@my-oe.com.

    For more information on skilled visas for Australia, please visit our website on a regular basis for the latest developments as they happen.

    Category: Australian Immigration NewsComments (0)

  5. Royal couple attend Canadian immigration ceremony

    July 11, 2011 by oe-admin

    As part of their official visit to Canada, Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge attended a Canadian immigration ceremony at the Canadian Museum of Civilization on Canada Day, 1st July.

    The Canadian immigration citizenship ceremony is a Canada Day event that saw 25 residents of Ottawa and Gatineau taking the oath of citizenship to become Canadian citizens.

    The 25 migrants were chosen by officials at Citizenship and Immigration Canada’s Ottawa and Gatineau regional offices. All had written and passed a citizenship test and met all other requirements. They range in age from seven to 47.

    Though most citizenship ceremonies are open to the public, this one was not, due to the presence of the royal couple. However, members of the public were allowed on the museum’s ground and were able to see HRH William and Catherine as they arrived at 10:30 AM and then again when they departed about an hour later.

    The oath at the ceremony was administered by Gov. Gen. David Johnston. The new citizens were congratulated and welcomed by Prince William and Duchess Catherine, and also presented with a Canadian flag.

    Prince William and Catherine were cheered by tens of thousands who lined the streets of the Canadian capital to get a glimpse of them.

    Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper later welcomed them to an afternoon meeting at Parliament Hill as ‘the world’s most famous newlyweds’ and said they represent ‘our unbreakable link with our past and our unqualified optimism for the future’.

    For more information on Canadian visas, please visit our website on a regular basis for the latest updates as they appear.

    Category: Canadian Immigration NewsComments (0)

  6. Christchurch quakes blamed for drop in New Zealand migrants

    by oe-admin

    The net flow of migrants into New Zealand has been noticeably down over the past few months, a fact that some analysts are citing as a result of the Christchurch earthquakes, with Statistics New Zealand revealing that while departures of Christchurch residents were up 300 on May last year, there were 100 fewer arrivals into the city.

    For the year ending May, Christchurch’s net population gain from New Zealand immigration was just 4,600, compared with a net gain of 18,000 the year before and an average annual gain of 12,000 over the past 20 years.

    ‘The number of New Zealanders leaving permanently, particularly to Australia, had been high prior to the February earthquake, reflecting the challenging New Zealand economic environment and the attraction of the strong Australian labour market’, ASB economist Jane Turner said.

    ‘The earthquake adds further momentum to this trend. We expect net outflows may continue over the coming months, particularly following the large earthquake early last week.’

    For the latest updates on New Zealand skilled visas, please visit our website on a regular basis.

    Category: New Zealand Immigration NewsComments (0)

  7. New Skilled Occupation List comes into effect

    July 4, 2011 by oe-admin

    The annual review of the Australian Skilled Occupation List has been completed and came into effect on 1st of July, with thirteen occupations added to the list and four occupations removed.

    The SOL determines which occupations are eligible for independent or unsponsored skilled migration. It identifies specialised occupations of high value and includes managerial, professional, associate-professional and trade occupations.

    The following occupations have been added to the SOL:

    234914 Medical Physicist
    251311 Environmental Health Officer
    251312 Occupational Health and Safety Adviser
    251511 Hospital Pharmacists
    251513 Retail Pharmacists
    271111 Barrister
    271311 Solicitor
    323211 Fitter (General)
    323212 Fitter and Turner
    323213 Fitter-Welder
    323214 Metal Machinist (First Class)
    399111 Boat Builder and Repairer
    399112 Shipwright

     

    The following occupations have been removed from the SOL.

    251411 Optometrist
    251412 Orthoptist
    324111 Panel Beater
    324311 Vehicle Painter

     

    For a full list of the 192 occupations currently contained within the revised SOL, please click here.

    If you have any questions about the new SOL and how it may affect you, please contact +44 (0) 845 6017810 (this call is charged at local rate), or direct at 0131 625 6900 and ask to speak to a consultant. You can also email us at enquiries@my-oe.com

    Category: Australian Immigration NewsComments (0)

  8. New Australian Points System goes live

    by oe-admin

    The New Points System for Skilled Migration came into effect on 1st of July 2011. All applications date-stamped as received by DIAC on or after this date will be assessed according to the new system; those applications lodged prior to 1st July will be assessed according to the previous points system.

    Points will no longer be awarded for specific occupations, although all applicants must still nominate an occupation on the Skilled Occupation List (SOL) and have their skills assessed in their nominated occupation.

     

    According to DIAC, the new points system is designed to focus on the following attributes:

     

    • Better English levels
    • More extensive skilled employment
    • Higher level qualifications obtained in Australia and overseas
    • Better targeted age ranges

    The pass mark is the total amount of points needed to be eligible for grant of a visa and is set at 65 points.

     

    The points test only applies to applicants for the following visas:

     

    • Subclass 475 Skilled – Regional Sponsored
    • Subclass 487 Skilled Regional Sponsored
    • Subclass 175 Skilled Independent
    • Subclass 885 Skilled Independent
    • Subclass 176 Skilled Sponsored
    • Subclass 886 Skilled Sponsored

     

    Information about eligibility requirements:

     

    To apply for one of the above visas, applicants need to satisfy the following threshold requirements:

     

    • Be under 50 years of age at the time of applying for a visa.
    • Meet the threshold English language requirement of competent English.
    • Nominate and hold a skilled assessment for an occupation on the Skilled Occupation List at the time of lodging their application.
    • Provide evidence of recent skilled employment in a skilled occupation or have recently completed the Australian Study requirement.

     

    Below is a summary of points awarded for each requirement:

     

    Factor Description Points
    Age 18–24 25
    25–32 30  
    33–39 25  
    40–44 15  
    45–49 0  
    English language * or equivalent standard in a specified test) Competent English – IELTS 6* 0
    Proficient English – IELTS 7* 10  
    Superior English – IELTS 8* 20  
    Australian or overseas skilled employment in nominated occupation or a closely related occupation undertaken in the past 10 yearsNote: Maximum points that can be awarded for any combination of Australian or overseas skilled employment is 20 points One year in Australia 5
    Three years in Australia 10  
    Five years in Australia 15  
    Eight years in Australia 20  
    Three years overseas 5  
    Five years overseas 10  
    Eight years overseas 15  
    Qualifications (Australian or recognised overseas) Australian Diploma or trade qualification or other qualification recognised by a relevant Assessing Authority 10
    At least a Bachelor degree 15  
    Doctorate 20  
    Australian study requirement Minimum two years full-time (Australian study requirement) 5
    Study in a regional area Must meet the Australian Study Requirement while studying in a regional area 5
    Professional Year Completion of a recognised Professional Year 5
    Credentialed Community language NAATI accreditation 5
    Partner skills Primary applicants partner meets threshold requirements for skilled migration visa 5
    Nomination by state/territory government (subclass 176 or 886 visa) Nomination by a state or territory government under a state migration plan 5
    Designated area sponsorship or nominated by state/territory government (subclass 475 or 487 visa) Sponsorship by an eligible relative living in a designated area or nomination by a state or territory government under a state migration plan 10
             

     

    To find out more information about the new Points System, please click here for DIAC’s detailed breakdown of the various requirements. If you have any questions about the new Points System and how it may affect you, please contact +44 (0) 845 6017810 (this call is charged at local rate), or direct at 0131 625 6900 and ask to speak to a consultant. You can also email us at enquiries@my-oe.com

    Category: Australian Immigration NewsComments (0)