Australian Immigration News

The federal government is launching a recruitment drive across Britain during the month of September with a series of expos designed to attract skilled migrants to Australia.

The expos provide an ideal opportunity for potential migrants to meet state government representatives as well as service providers from leading banks, removals and the travel sector.

The Australian Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) is holding an expo in London on the weekend of Saturday 11th of September to Sunday 12th September. Skilled workers will get the opportunity to meet with Australian employers and state and territory governments and gain invaluable advice on making a visa application. The Migration Seminar is free but applicants must fit the criteria in order to be eligible for an invitation.

Register now on the DIAC website: http://www.immi.gov.au/skillexpos/overseas.htm

Engineers and ICT Professionals are encouraged to go to the Migration Seminar being held in Manchester on the evening of Thursday 16th September. The state government of Victoria is holding the free seminar and is appealing for Engineers and ICT Professionals under 44 years of age to come along and discuss migration opportunities with them.

Those interested must register their interest on the Victoria Manchester Expo site and places will be allocated accordingly:
http://www.liveinvictoria.vic.gov.au/about-us/news/2010/manchester-seminars-for-engineers-and-ict-professionals

As Victoria has temporarily suspended new applications for state sponsorship, this is an ideal opportunity for skilled migrants to find out more about Victoria’s State Migration Plan and to be one of the first to benefit from the SMP when it is finally released.

Those interested in attending the above seminars should book early to avoid disappointment.

Heather Rideout, the chief executive of the Australian Industry Group, has asked for an independent mediator to work on a cross-party approach in relation to the issue of immigration.

Industry leaders are warning of an acute skills shortage in the near future if the migration issue is not resolved: in particular, the mining industry is reporting shortages in key areas, and all states are warning that the problem is likely to increase unless something is done.

'Should they need to be called upon, we would urge the independents to commit above all to supporting stable government and we are encouraged by their early reassurances to this effect', she said.

'Beyond that, business and industry is looking for a government committed to dealing with the hard issues and dealing with them competently and that takes a positive and long term approach to lifting our productivity and securing our long term prosperity.'

Industry is concerned that a minority administration would result in weak government and a lack of focus on key areas such as resource exploitation and skills targeting.

Foreign investors are also complaining about the political stasis and some are already looking to build in 'get-out clauses' for many of their investment projects.

A source within the office of Chris Evans, the Minister for Immigration in Australia, has revealed that the minister may resign later this year.

Regardless of the eventual conclusion of the current electoral stasis, Mr Evans is said to be evaluating his future options and is looking at other portfolios, a move that he has been considering for some time.

The possibility of a new immigration minister is generating considerable debate within the migration community - some within the industry have already talked about the possibility of an improved migration service and an injection of new ideas.

Any change in minister should not affect the day to day processing of applications, which will continue as normal.

The Australian federal election has resulted in the first hung parliament since 1940. Neither Labor nor the Liberal/National coalition have the majority of 76 seats to form a government in their own right. Three returned independents - Tony Windsor, Rob Oakeshott and Bob Katter - therefore, will share the balance of power with the Greens Member of Parliament Adam Bandt.

The subject of Australian immigration has been a hot topic during the run up to the Australian election, with both candidates showing a resolve to protect the Australian way of life by reducing immigration intake if elected.

Liberal leader, Tony Abbott pledged to reduce net migration to 170,000 a year, which is a huge decrease from the peak of 300,000 in 2008, and he also said a review of migration in general was necessary.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Julia Gillard has been promoting her view of 'a sustainable and small Australia' in line with her objective to protect the Australian culture.

'I assume that they (the independents) will lean toward restricting immigration. but they comes from regional Australia, where the population is falling, or at least not increasing, and increased immigration is a way to address that', said Political Analyst Dr Ian Cook from Murdoch University.

According to Dr. Richard Herr, political expert from University of Tasmania, the fact that the three independents are from rural and regional areas should lead to a much bigger focus on regional development.

That is likely to create opportunities for some entrepreneurs, as the mining tax may be diminished. While there is also probability of an increase of skill immigration intake for those resource-rich states facing skills shortages.

'Labor seems to take a harsher line on illegal immigration, and in response to some of the concerns of West Australia and other main urban area with regard to large intake of non-European migrants', said Dr Richard Herr.

'Given that large of support, a Labor government may have to reevaluate the stand they have taken on towards immigration, and soften their attitude in order to win support to form a minority government.'

However, one political analyst speculated the hung Parliament would not have much impacts on the immigration policy, due to the fact that the trio independents are all regarded conservative.

'Both (Parties) wished to play into mainstream white, suburban thinking on social issues. I'm afraid that pandering to prejudicial instincts will continue because the electoral culture is not likely to change', said Dr Graeme Orr.

'Immigration levels and policy are largely set by the executive government, not by parliamentary law, so the hung parliament will not affect it much.'

Negotiation has begun between the party leaders and the independents. Three independents in talks over minority government on Wednesday released a list of seven demands to secure their support.

The list included access to the latest Treasury advice on election promise costings and the economic outlook for Australia. The independents also want changes to political donations, advertising regulations, and electoral funding.

From the BBC website:

Three independent MPs who may hold the balance of power following Saturday's inconclusive election in Australia say they will negotiate as a bloc.

With some votes still to be counted, both the ruling Labor party and the opposition conservative coalition appear to have fallen short of the 76 seats needed for a majority.

Both are now lobbying for support from the independents.

Trading was down as financial markets opened, amid the political limbo.

The Australian dollar and government bonds both fell in value. The Australian dollar lost almost 1% against the US dollar in early trading, before recovering somewhat.

Australia has not elected a hung parliament since 1940.

But the latest figures from Australian public broadcaster ABC give Labor 72 seats and the coalition 69 seats. The Greens secured one seat and independents won three. Five seats have not yet been called.

On Monday, both Prime Minister Julia Gillard and opposition leader Tony Abbott flew into Canberra to start working to try to secure a majority. Both have opened talks with the independents.

"It's my intention to negotiate in good faith an effective agreement to form government," Ms Gillard told journalists on Sunday.

Attention is focusing on three independent MPs - Bob Katter, Tony Windsor and Rob Oakeshott - who represent rural and regional constituencies.

Mr Oakeshott said the trio would stand "shoulder to shoulder" during the negotiating process, so they did not "get picked off by political interests and vested interests".

Another independent, Andrew Wilkie, looks on course to win the Tasmanian seat of Denison, while Adam Bandt secured one seat for the Greens.

Mr Abbott claimed the current government had lost its legitimacy.

"It's almost inconceivable that any Labor government emerging from this election could deliver competent and stable government," he said.

The election came two months after Ms Gillard ousted Kevin Rudd in a controversial leadership challenge.

Correspondents say Mr Abbott has tried to exploit the Labor party's divisions after the departure of Mr Rudd, trying to portray the opposition coalition as a stable answer to a government beset by in-fighting.

In his campaign he has pledged to tighten immigration and has hit out at government spending. He has also toned down his well-known climate change scepticism.

Ms Gillard, a former lawyer who called a snap election shortly after coming to office, was hoping to be rewarded for the government's handling of the economy, which weathered the global recession remarkably well.

But support for Australia's first female prime minister has fallen in the two months she has been in office.

What happens next:

• Counting of postal votes could continue for up to two weeks, with four seats too close to call
• Rivals to negotiate with up to four independents and one Green MP expected to hold the balance
• Deadlock could lead to new elections - though analysts believe this is unlikely to happen quickly.

Immigration has proved to be a critical election issue for all the main parties.

Read the full article here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-11054923

From the BBC website:

The election campaign in Australia has reached its final day with the two main parties neck and neck.

An opinion poll suggested the governing Labor Party had lost its narrow lead to be tied with the opposition coalition.

Julia Gillard, Australia's first female prime minister, is facing a fight to the finish with conservative coalition leader Tony Abbott.

Ms Gillard became prime minister in June after ousting her predecessor, Kevin Rudd.

But correspondents say she faces a backlash at the ballot box over a range of issues including the way she replaced Mr Rudd and her policy direction on climate change.

According to the survey by Newspoll for The Australian newspaper on Friday, voters were split 50-50 between the two main parties.

A Newspoll survey on Monday had put Labor at 52% and the Liberals at 48%.

However, most analysts still expect Labor to hang on to power for a second three-year term with a narrow majority.

In the run-up to Saturday's poll, Mr Abbott - who leads the Liberal Party - vowed to campaign non-stop for 36 hours to woo more voters away from Labor.

"I am running for the biggest job in the country, and if you're running for a big job, you've got to make a big effort," he said.

Welsh-born Ms Gillard has warned that the election will be "a real cliffhanger" and urged voters to turn out.

"There is a very, very real risk that (voters) will wake up on Sunday and Mr Abbott will be prime minister," she said. "So, tomorrow is the day for choosing."

Ms Gillard has been hit by a series of damaging - apparently internal - leaks during the campaign, something that Tony Abbott has cited as evidence of disarray with the Labor ranks.

Before taking office, she had been Kevin Rudd's deputy and her sudden leadership challenge in June stunned many Australians.

The challenge came as the Labor Party's popularity was sliding in opinion polls.

Mr Rudd surrendered without a fight after realising his support among government colleagues had collapsed.

Immigration has proved to be a key issue in the election campaign, with both main parties promising to 'tighten up' Australia's migration policy.

Read the full article here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-11033157

According to Employment Minister Jack Snelling, South Australia's unemployment rate dropped over the course of July. The rate decreased in July by 0.3% to 5.1%.

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, South Australia has the second-lowest unemployment rate in Australia, below the 5.3% national rate.

'Today's figures indicate the South Australian economy is continuing to show resilience with a drop in July in the state's headline unemployment rate of 0.3 percentage points to 5.1%, the second lowest of all the states', Mr Snelling said.

Business leaders have stated that migrants are required in the state to combat an ageing population and to meet the requirements of a booming mining sector.

Immigration policy has emerged as a key theme in the closely fought Australian election campaign, particularly in big cities like Sydney, where new migrants often first settle and where pollsters say the vote will be won or lost.

Business groups worry that amid that rhetoric the long-term interest of the country is being neglected: Population growth is necessary in any strong economy.

'Population growth, and immigration as part of it, are an important and positive part of our nation's history', said Business Council of Australia Chief Executive Katie Lahey.

'There's a temptation around election time to pitch to perceived short-term self interest rather than the long-term national interest.'

Ms. Lahey argues population growth will offset the effects of Australia's aging population and ensure future governments have the tax revenue to fund health care, education, infrastructure and environmental measures.

Curbs on skilled migration are of particular concern in resource-rich states like Western Australia, where demand for labor is being buoyed by China's appetite for natural resources. The jobless rate in the province is just 4%, against a national figure of 5.3%.

Australia's Treasury has forecast the population will grow to around 36 million by 2050, from around 22 million now. By then, about 8.1 million Australians, or nearly a quarter of the population, will be aged over 65 years, with the ratio of working-aged people to every aged pensioner falling from five now to just 2.7.

Former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd endorsed the idea of a 'Big Australia' but successor Julia Gillard argues population growth must be sustainable.

Tony Abbott, who leads the main opposition Liberal-National coalition of center-right parties, is promising to reduce the annual migration rate to 170,000 by the end of his first term if he wins power, from around 300,000 last year. Skilled migrants made up over a third of that 300,000 tally.

Labor already has put in place policies to cap migration, including shifting to a much narrower list of professions on its 'skilled occupation list' - a policy criticised by some business groups.

From the BBC website:

A recruitment drive to lure Britons to jobs as diverse as koala catcher and beer taster has been launched by the government of South Australia.

It conducted a survey of 2,000 British employees which suggested 60% were bored with their jobs. It hopes the promise of the "ultimate work-life balance" will tempt 18 to 30-year-olds abroad. Britons who fly to Australia on a working holiday visa would be eligible for the roles. The survey found those bored with their work said it rarely pushed them outside their comfort zone, while 71% said they never had an opportunity to escape the office.

The South Australian government is hoping to attract stressed and bored Brits, advertising a range of jobs 'in stark contrast to the UK's long working hours, high taxes and increasing retirement age'.

Other jobs include for a Little Penguin home remodeller on Kangaroo Island, a shark personality profiler at Port Lincoln and a 'roo poo' harvester.

South Australia's agent-general in London, Bill Muirhead, said this was the first time the jobs had been released collectively.

'Life seems to be dealing workers a rough hand at the moment. Not even the recent sunny weather has managed to cheer up the Brits.'

'This isn't about one job that everyone has to compete for, but rather about showing people that South Australia offers more exciting work and travel options than anywhere else in the world. And anyone on a working holiday could do them.'

This article is from the BBC website at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-10921951