A rise in mineral exports is set to boost Australia's commodities profits by 15% in 2011.

According the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics (ABARE) - March quarter, commodities exports will make $187 billion in 2010/11.

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Rise in mineral exports to benefit Australian economy

The Canadian Government has announced a new online service to help migrants settle in the country.

The internet resource helps migrants to find information on a wide range of government services, as well as practical information on how to start up a new business and open a bank account.

The Services for Newcomers resource can be found at www.servicesfornewcomers.cic.gc.ca

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New internet resource to help Canadian migrants settle

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

As covered here, the new Silver Fern Visa will go live in April 2010. The idea behind the policy is to make it easier for young skilled people to emigrate to New Zealand without a huge amount of experience; instead they can gain that experience upon their arrival in the country.

If you want to live in New Zealand, are aged 20 to 35 and hold a national diploma, bachelor degree or trade qualification with at least two years experience, then Silver Fern is for you.

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Silver Fern visa update

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

Immigration Minister Jason Kenney has announced that more skilled migrants to Canada will be able to obtain assistance to jump-start their credential recognition process via expanded overseas orientation services.

'We want newcomers to be able to use their skills as soon as possible in Canada. This funding will help them jump-start the credential recognition process before they arrive in Canada. It’s good for them and good for the Canadian economy', said Kenney.

The Association of Canadian Community Colleges (ACCC) operates the Canadian Immigration Integration Project (CIIP) which will receive additional funding of $15 million over the next three years to expand services in the UK, with a new office to open in London in the Autumn of 2011. The service will also be available to India, China and the Philippines.

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Canada to fund overseas foreign credential recognition services in UK

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

Retail sales in New Zealand rose in the fourth quarter at the fastest rate for two years, on the back of low interest rates, a new report has shown.

Rising immigration and house prices also added to the increase in consumer confidence. The economy started growing in the second quarter of  2009, with the fourth quarter seeing growth of 0.6%.

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Rise in retail sales points to growing NZ economy

Plans to speed up the visa processing time for skilled workers were announced by Quebec’s immigration minister, Yolande James at the Montreal Science Centre recently.

The announcement was made at a conference for business representatives from Montreal. The purpose of the conference was to provide an opportunity for industry leaders to raise any concerns they had, in particular regarding skills shortages.

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Canadian Immigration to accelerate applications for foreign workers

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.

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

A continued shortage of skilled labour will mean that more than 700,000 people in Ontario will be unemployable by 2021, according to Seneca College President emeritus Rick Miner.

That figure would add to the 5% of people who are traditionally unemployed, boosting the total of jobless to 1.1 million, he said in a speech to the Canadian Club of Toronto.

Although Miner’s study focused on Ontario, a similar trend has been noted in separate studies Canada-wide. A lack of skills coupled with the retirement of the baby-boomer generation may mean the country will have to rely on immigration to fill the available jobs, reports have found.

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Canada ever more reliant on migrant labour

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.