1. THE NEW SKILLED OCCUPATION LIST RELEASED

The new SOL (Skilled Occupation List) was released on Monday 17^th May. It will take effect on the 1^st July 2010. The current SOL has more than 400 occupations. The new list of occupations, which was announced by the Minister on 17 May 2010, includes 181 occupations. As expected the list has been greatly reduced and occupations such as Cook and Hairdresser have been removed. The new list is available on the Department of

Immigration and Citizenship’s (DIAC) website at: http://www.immi.gov.au/skilled/general-skilled-migration/whats-new.html

2.     QUALIFIED MOTOR MECHANICS NEEDED!

Dear Visa Aspirants,

We have been advised by The Department of Economic Development, Tourism and the Arts of Tasmania that they, in conjunction, with a Tasmanian employer are seeking qualified Motor Mechanics. Their preference is for applicants who have had a positive skills assessment and a satisfactory IELTS (English language test) result. We can assist with this process and provide further details (i.e. job description) should you believe you have the skills, work experience and qualifications.

Please contact us for further details.

Australian Visa Experts

There is a lot of debate going on in Australia about how many migrants to take in each year, and who should be given priority for visas.

The two main political parties are arguing over the issue of how many migrants per year is sustainable in Australia.

Business is very concerned that the intake not be reduced so that they cannot find the skilled workers they need if their demand for certain skills exceeds what is available to them from the local employment market.

There is another issue to - the aging population. In 40 years the project more than 8 million Australians will be aged 65 of more. Right now only 3 million are aged 65 or more. So that is a very big increase and it raises concerns as to how aged care will be financed out of taxation if there are not enough younger people in the work force paying tax.

Most commentators agree that Australia cannot afford not to take in at least 180,000 migrants a year.

So this is good news for potential migrants IF you have the right sort of skills needed by Australia now and into the future.

There is also a much bigger emphasis now on having good English speaking skills.

The indications are that the most favored skills needed now and over next decade will be more white collar than blue collar and will favor professionals in manufacturing and administrative roles.

Demand will continue to strengthen for temporary 457 visas.

Australian Visa Experts is offering a paid service to help match qualifying skilled workers with employers to sponsor them under a 457 visa.

If you are interested in such assistance please use our special enquiry form by using FIND A SPONSOR from our Menu.

We look forward to helping you.

AUSTRALIAN VISA EXPERTS

Here is some interesting breaking news.

The Australian Government has recently brought in some new laws to give more protection to overseas workers being sponsored under temporary work visas by Australian Employers.

The new laws, being made under the Migration Legislation Amendment (Worker Protection) Act 2008, will commence on 14 September.

The changes will include -

• A stronger definition of sponsorship obligations of Australian Employers;
• Permit information sharing  between government agencies;
• Expand the power of the Department of Immigration to monitor and investigate possible non-compliance of Australian Employers with worker protection laws;
• Civil Penalties for Australian Employers who are found to be in breach of their sponsorship obligations.

What does this mean for migration agents?

It means that any agent who does not ensure that he or she has a sound understanding of the new legal and regulatory changes will not be able to properly advise and explain to a worker or employer client what the sponsorship obligations cover and how the new monitoring regime will work. Employers wishing to sponsor skilled overseas workers MUST be on top of the new laws.

Once again - all this goes to show that it is more important than ever to only use the services of very experienced and skilled migration visa agents.

We are ready to serve and protect your best interests - whether you be an employer wishing to sponsor or a worker looking to be sponsored by an Australian Employer.

AUSTRALIAN VISA EXPERTS

How Do you Get An Employer Sponsored Visa?

Starting your new life in a foreign country may seem daunting. There are many pathways to attaining a visa, choosing the best option for you with the greatest likelihood of success can be difficult. A skilled migrant work visa is a great option for those with a high level of professional skills, as is a Business Visa. But what do you do if you do not meet the stringent conditions of both these visas? Even if you don’t, it’s still possible that your work experience qualifies you to work in Australia and bring valuable and much needed skills with you. With employment at its lowest in years, companies all over Australia are desperate for workers. The skilled migrant work visa addresses this need and may be the best pathway to a new beginning in Australia.

An employer sponsored visa can be offered on either a temporary or permanent basis. You will be offered a temporary visa first, which renders you eligible for a permanent visa later down the track. The process is similar to that of the skilled migrant work visa and Business Visa. To qualify for a permanent Employer Sponsored Visa you must be between 18 and 45 and have good English skills. You must also fit the criteria of being highly skilled in occupation specified by The Australian Department of Immigration and Citizenship; there are hundreds of these jobs that meet this criteria currently. Most, but not all, require tertiary education.

You will need an Australian employer to offer you a full time position for a minimum of three years. You must be highly skilled in an eligible occupation. The process works like this; an employer has a suitable position and selects a foreign national who has the age, skill and language requirements to satisfy the prerequisites. The employee then accepts the position and applies for the visa through The Australian Department of Immigration and Citizenship.

In the current economic conditions, with loss of local jobs in Australia, the skilled migration visa applications with the best chance of success are those that can be matched to the current skills shortages list published on the DIAC (Department of Immigration and Citizenship) web site.

We will endeavor to keep you updated re the skills shortages list via this Blog.

AUSTRALIAN VISA EXPERTS

Of course, now you are wondering how on earth you can find a job that will enable you to attain and Employer Sponsored Visa. Well the best place to start is on the internet. Many companies advertise jobs online, in fact there are several websites online that specialise in Employer Sponsored Visa programs. There are also visa service agencies that will help in the process of applying for this visa, as well as the australian skilled migration work visa and business visa. Don’t be afraid to approach a larger company yourself, have a look through local job sites and see if there is anything suitable. Send them an email, give it a shot, you may be surprised at their response.

The main industries that are sponsoring skilled workers under sub class 457 visas are these -

• Accommodation and Food Services
• Administrative and Support Services
• Agricultural, Forestry and Fishing
• Arts and Recreation Services
• Building and Construction
• Education and Training
• Electricity, Gas, Water and Waste Services
• Financial and Insurance Services
• Health Care and Social Assistance
• Information Media and Telecommunications
• Manufacturing
• Mining
• Professional, Scientific and Technical

The ones that seem to be sponsoring the most workers from overseas with the right skill sets are these -

• Construction
• Education and Training
• Financial and Insurance
• Health Care and Social Services
• Information Media
• Manufacturing
• Mining

However, due the current recession getting sponsorship approval and getting issued with a sub class 457 visa is becoming increasingly more difficult. The Department of Immigration and the Department of Education and Workplace Relations are scrutinizing applications much more carefully to make sure that approval is in the best interests of Australia during recession times.

If you are an employer and want assistance in finding the right person to sponsor for your business or you are an overseas worker who is looking to find an employer to sponsor you please go to the home page of our website and click on FIND A SPONSOR. We will do our best to help find the right match for you.

AUSTRALIAN VISA EXPERTS