BIS Shrapnel Ltd, a leading industry research and forecaster company, has stated that the Australian economy is set to continue growing over the next two years and that this growth is likely to extend into the close of the new decade.

According to their predictions, business investment will encourage Gross Domestic Product to rise 2.7% in the 12 months to June 2010, 3% in 2011 and 3.8% in the following two years.

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10 year growth predicted for Australian economy

Australian visa applications from ten countries will be subject to new biometric testing as part of a move to increase Australia's border security.

The new system is expected to cost around $69m over the next four years. The ten countries have not been named as yet, except for references to Yemen, Somalia and the surrounding regions as a growing security concern.

Biometric information provides biological data which is used to firmly establish identity.

Under the new system, all visa applicants from the affected countries will be required to submit fingerprints and facial images at a visa application centre.

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Australian Government to introduce biometric data checks for Australian visa applications

As people may be aware, The Australian Government has announced far reaching changes to its General Skilled Migration (GSM) program. The general outline of changes is covered here.

Further information has now been released which clarifies two areas of importance to offshore applicants:

1. We can now confirm that all GSM applications lodged between 8th February and 1st July (the date for the planned introduction of the new Skilled Occupation List) will be assessed according to the current SOL.

2. The date for terminating all pre-1st September 2007 offshore applications is likely to be March this year. However, DIAC is expected to make some allowances for affected applicants who are currently in Australia (e.g. student visa holders or subclass 457 visa holders who can demonstrate viable links to their local communities). We would advise anyone affected to contact DIAC as soon as possible and inform them of their situation.

Further updates will be provided as more information becomes available.

Australia is on course for a wave of economic growth not seen since 2007, according to a leading economic index.

The Westpac-Melbourne Institute leading index of economic activity has indicated a growth rate of 6.2% for December 2009, beating by far the 2.7% long term rate.

The index predicts the rate of economic activity from three to nine months ahead.

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High growth predicted for Australian economy

Immigration Minister Evans has announced significant changes to the General Skilled Migration (GSM) Program of which all clients should be aware.

• The Migration Occupation in Demand List (MODL) is abolished as of 8^thFebruary 2010 – applicants who have not yet lodged their visas and who are relying on MODL points will now need to make up the additional points through other means.
• A new Skilled Occupation List (SOL) to replace the MODL and the Critical Skills List (CSL) will be introduced later in 2010 – current DIAC information suggests that applications lodged between 8th February 2010 and mid-2010 will continue to be assessed using the current SOL – we are awaiting further confirmation on this.

All applicants who lodged a GSM application before 8th February 2010 are

not affected by the revocation of MODL or changes in the SOL.

To clarify: if your GSM visa application was lodged prior to 8^th February 2010, the above changes will not affect you. If, however, your GSM visa application is not yet lodged, then you are advised to take note of these changes and to contact us to discuss how we can help you to meet the required points.

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Notice of changes to the General Skilled Migration Program

Michael Danby is chairman of the Australian Parliament's joint standing committee on migration. Writing in the The Australian on 5th February, he makes the case for continued skilled migration to Australia and discusses why it is so vital to the country's future:

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Chairman of joint standing committee makes case for continued migration

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, building approvals in the state of Western Australia increased to 2,049 in December, an increase from 2,022 the previous month.

Across Australia, building approvals rose 2.2% to 14,869 units, up from November's 14,555 units. If the whole year to December 2009 is taken into account, building approvals experienced a 53.3% rise.

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Building approvals up in sign of growing Australian economy

Recently released government figures have revealed that the UK is the largest source of immigrants to Australia, with 23,000 migrants having made it their new home in 2009 – UK migrants now make up 15% of all new arrivals.

Many UK migrants are from London and surrounding areas, all seeking the better economic conditions of Australia, which has emerged relatively unscathed from the global recession compared to the tortured position of the UK economy.

The latest government projections indicate that Australia's population is set to grow to 36 million by 2050, mainly via immigration. The current population rests at around 22 million.

Treasurer Wayne Swan was reported as saying that while the Government was not aiming for a target of 36 million, an increased population was a vital tool to help the economy pay for an increasingly ageing population - the number of Australians over 65 is set to double by 2050.

'To some extent, the higher population growth would help us manage the challenges of an aging population', Swan told the National Press Club.

Over the last quarter, Australian house prices have recorded their biggest rise since 2003.

According to the Bureau of Statistics, the average house prices in all eight major cities rose by 5.2%.

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Further evidence of economic recovery as Oz house prices rise