Getting Down under » immi

Happy Holidays Everyone!

Mark — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 02:03:16 +0000

G’day everyone! Well, in less that 14 hours time it’s going to be Christmas day here in Australia.

For those ‘enjoying’ the snow throughout many countries in the Northern hemisphere, you’ll be interested to know that it’s forecast to be a not so chilly 36 Celsius here in Australia tomorrow.

We’ve got the ‘outlaws’ over from Sydney this Christmas so were looking forward to what will be the largest ‘family Christmas’ we’ve had in the three years that we’ve now been here. All we need to do now is work out how to cram 60 hours of defrosting time for the turkey into 24. I’m sure we’ll be OK

I know when we were in the UK planning our move to Australia we spent many years saying ‘just imagine what it’ll be like…. Christmas in Australia’. I can concur that it is the most wonderful place to spend Christmas and the sweat, tears, frustrations and almost endless waiting really were worth it.

I know for many of you reading this, 2009 will have turned out to be a very frustrating year. We’ve been through the worst economic financial crisis of modern times and the Australian immigration department has moved the goal posts so frequently in recent months it’s been hard to keep track.

Please just know this though. Time ticks on, visas get processed and dreams do come true. This time next year there’s a good chance that you won’t need to ‘just imagine’. You’ll be here, down under, living out that dream.

In closing, let me take this opportunity to wish you, your families and loved ones a very safe and fun packed holiday season. I’ll be sure to throw a few proverbial shrimps on the BBQ for you! Once I’ve bought and wrapped the wife’s Christmas present anyway!

All the best

Regards

Mark

Australian Occupation and Skills in Demand List to be overhauled

Mark — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 09:34:44 +0000

The Migration Occupations in Demand List (MODL) is going to be overhauled whilst the Critical Skills List (CSL) will be phased out completely.

The Australian Department of Immigration is near to concluding its review of the MODL. As part of their review, the department will examine and report on the role and purpose of the MODL in targeting skill needs in relation to the General Skilled Migration (GSM) program, to complement the supply of tertiary qualified Australians.

It’s hoped that the review will enable DIMIA to use the MODL as a more strategic tool ensuring that skilled migration is better aimed at responding to future skill needs which cannot be addressed through domestic training and skills development.

The arrangements for the transition to the new MODL will be determined once the outcomes of the review are finalised.

It should be noted that the changes to the MODL will not affect the ability of Australian industry to meet its skill needs through the Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS) and Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (RSMS).

The Critical Skills List will also remain in place while the review is in progress.

Occupations which are listed on the CSL receive priority processing will continue until the review is finalised; however it will then be phased out following the implementation of any recommendations flowing from the review.

So far the Australian Immigration authority has issued two papers which complement these reviews; both of these papers are available via the links below:

MODL issues paper 1

MODL issues paper 2

The more recent of the two â€˜issues paper’ shows that the Australian Government is considering three potential options with the Futures Skills List:

1) No Future Skills List in the GSM process
2) Future Skills List as component of GSM Points Test or
3) The Future Skills List replaces the CSL as a prioritisation mechanism.

The review also gives a limited indication of how the changes will be introduced.

â€œAll three options for integrating a new Future Skills List with the GSM assessment process require complementary changes to the Points Test,” the second issues paper states.

“A sensible transition period would need to be established to ensure a smooth administrative implementation and to provide potential applicants with adequate notice of changes to the eligibility requirements. â€œ <- That’s a refreshing change!

“It would also be sensible to look to align any changes to MODL with Department of Immigration and Citizenship’s plan to transition from using Australian Standard Classification of Occupations to the Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification on Occupations as a basis for the Skilled Occupations List in the first half of 2010.”

Many Aussie Migration agents state that it could be assumed that all the changes to the Australian General Skilled Migration program previously anticipated will still be made, and that the Government is hoping to launch all the changes as part of one, unified overhaul to the Australian migration program in early 2010.

Either way, if your thinking about lodging your Australian visa application, I’d probably lodge it sooner rather than later.

What are your thoughts? Have something to say?

Post a comment below or visit the associated thread in our forums here:

Migration quotas under threat by terrorists

Mark — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 02:02:31 +0000

A member of parliament for the ruling Labor Party on Friday called for Australia’s immigration quotas to be cut in light of the threat from homegrown Islamic terrorists. That threat was exemplified last week when five men were charged over an alleged plot to storm an army base in Sydney.

Kelvin Thomson rational for the cut was that fewer migrants would mean more stringent background checks on applicants could be carried out.

He said Islamists were entering Australia through official immigration channels stating that this was “a far more serious issue than the prospect of us being attacked by another country”.

Hmmm, sounds like an interesting character this Kevin Thomson chap and I really don’t think he quite ‘gets it’. The current checks and as many of us who have been through the process can testify are more than rigorous enough.

Around 213,000 migrants arrived last year, of whom around 12,000 were refugees accepted through a United Nations programme. Africa is now the biggest source of refugees, particularly troubled east-coast countries like Somalia. Three of the five arrested and charged over the alleged plot to attack the army base were of Somali descent. The other two were ethnic Lebanese. All were Australian citizens.

Perhaps the focus needs to be on the folks entering into Australia via the United Nations program, there’s no point cutting quotas across the board, that would be just stupid!

-Sigh- Rant over…

Amendments to the Work and Holiday Visa program

Mark — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 02:47:35 +0000

The dudes over at Immi have announced a number of very minor amendments to the Work and Holiday Visa program.

Nothing major, just a correction of ‘a minor typographical error’. Seems like the Immi folks must have been having a few to many stubbies when writing these particular guidelines

Anyway, any one interested can find full details of the here. I told you it wasn’t very interesting

Amendments posted to Australian Business subclass 457 visa

Mark — Sat, 06 Oct 2007 01:53:32 +0000

The folks over at immi have announced this month an amendment to both the Sponsorship and Nomination Criteria and the Temporary Business (Long Stay) Subclass 457 visa Time of Decision Criteria.

From 1 October 2007, the Migration Regulations are amended to:

Clarify that a business which proposes to hire out the services of a Subclass 457 visa holder to an unrelated business cannot apply to be approved as a Standard Business Sponsor
Clarify that a Standard Business Sponsor cannot nominate an activity where the activity involves hiring out the visa holder’s services to another unrelated business
Clarify that an application for a Subclass 457 visa, on the basis of sponsorship by a Standard Business Sponsor, cannot be approved where the activity involves hiring out the visa holder’s services to another unrelated business, unless the nomination that was approved in relation to the activity, was made before October 1 2007

Provide that an application for a Subclass 457 visa, on the basis of sponsorship by a Standard Business Sponsor whose business activities include the recruitment of labour or hiring of labour for supply to an unrelated business, may be approved only if the proposed nominated activity relates to employment directly by the sponsor in a position within the sponsor’s own business and that is not hired out or supplied to other unrelated businesses.

By the looks of things, these are not major changes, just changing on the wording 0f the criteria to clarify any sections which could be misinterpreted or misunderstood.

Anyone effected by these changes then post a comment

Getting Down Under Turns one

Mark — Mon, 22 Jan 2007 03:50:33 +0000

Bugger, I’ve just been checking through our Archive and I’ve just realised that last Wednesday the 17th January, Gettingdownunder turned one!

Since making the first post way back then, quite a lot of stuff has happened in my life.

I guess the biggest and most obvious change is the fact that I’m now writing new Blog entries whilst residing in sunny Perth. A little different then Bradford in the UK I must say.

We’ve launched our forums which appear to be getting well used and I hope that some of these Blog entries provide a useful introduction and insight to life down under.

Feel free to post a comment in relation to any of our posts. I love reading your feedback and welcome any suggestions on ways in which I can make this Blog even better.

Cheers

Mark

Current Australian Immigration processing lead time as of 1st October 2006

Mark — Mon, 02 Oct 2006 07:50:18 +0000

NEWS

Please note that on Monday 2nd of October the ASPC will be closed because there is a public holiday in South Australia. To provide timely information to applicants and migration agents the proposed allocation dates for the 3rd of October are shown below following those for the 26th of September.

Acknowledgment of Applications

The ASPC is current experiencing some delays in receipting and acknowledging applications and regrets the inconvenience this may be causing applicants and their representatives. While this backlog exists information will be provided here daily about what applications are currently being receipted. This backlog in receipting is being addressed and will be rectified over the next few weeks and your patience during this period is appreciated. Please note that these delays do not affect the date on which a valid application is recorded as having been received and is the date used for processing purposes.

As of 29 September 2006 the ASPC is receipting offshore applications received on 11 August 2006 and onshore applications received on 8 September 2006.

Please note that the update on allocation dates follows. The information will continue to updated for each Tuesday and you only need to email this mailbox once per week if you are seeking current information on allocation dates.

Processing and Allocation Information

The information below is updated weekly on Tuesdays.

As advised on the DIMA website processing of an application will usually commence within seven (7) working days of its receipt by the department. This means that an application is receipted, acknowledged and a file number is allocated.

Once this has occurred a case officer is appointed to assess each application as soon as possible, however, the ASPC receives a large number of applications and you will not be contacted immediately. Applications lodged on the dates shown below are currently being allocated to case officers for further processing.

As of 26 September 2006 the Adelaide Skilled Processing Centre is allocating applications lodged on or before the following dates:

ONSHORE APPLICATIONS

Student/Graduate

Paper based applications: 23 May 2006 (subclass 880) and 31 May 2006
(subclass 881) and 30 May 2006 (subclass 882)
E-lodged (online) applications: 02 June 2006 (all subclasses)

Skilled Independent Regional (Provisional) (SIR VISA)

Paper based applications: 15 May 2006 (this data has been amended on advice from the processing area)

E-lodged (online) applications: 10 May 2006

New Zealand

All applications: 2 February 2006 (all subclasses)

OFFSHORE APPLICATIONS

Applications for Classes BN, BQ and BR (subclasses 134, 136, 137, 138 and 139)

Priority Applications: 27 March 2006

Non-Priority Applications: 13 March 2006

Skilled Independent Regional (Provisional) (SIR VISA)

Paper based applications: 04 April 2006
E-lodged (online) applications: 18 June 2006

As of 3rd October 2006 the Adelaide Skilled Processing Centre WILL BE allocating applications lodged on or before the following dates:

Please note that allocations will not occur until the 3rd of October.

ONSHORE APPLICATIONS

Student/Graduate

Paper based applications: 5 June 2006 (subclass 880 ) and 21 June 2006 (subclass 881) and 16 June 2006 (subclass 882) E-lodged (online) applications: 14 June 2006 (all subclasses)

Skilled Independent Regional (Provisional) (SIR VISA)

Paper based applications: 15 June 2006
E-lodged (online) applications: 20 May 2006

New Zealand

All applications: 15 February 2006 (all subclasses)

OFFSHORE APPLICATIONS

Applications for Classes BN, BQ and BR (subclasses 134, 136, 137, 138 and 139)

Priority Applications: 29 March to 4 April 2006
Non-Priority Applications: 15 March 2006

Skilled Independent Regional (Provisional) (SIR VISA)

Paper based applications: 04 April 2006
E-lodged (online) applications: 22 June 2006

Notes

Onshore: means that the visa being applied for can be granted while the applicant is in Australia.

e-lodged: applications lodged online have quicker processing times.

See: Online Services – General Skilled Migration

SIR visas: All applicants for a Skilled – Independent Regional [SIR]
visa receive priority processing.

Offshore: means that the visa being applied for can only be granted
when the applicant is outside of Australia.

If a visa application was made before the earliest relevant date as shown above and you have not been contacted by a case officer please contact the Adelaide Skilled Processing Centre at: adelaide.skilled.centre@immi.gov.au

Applications eligible for priority processing

1. Applicants whose nominated occupation is on the Migration Occuptations in Demand List (MODL)

2. For applicants whose nominated occupation is not on the MODL, applications for any of the following visas are given priority:

a) Skill Matching (Migrant) (Class BR) – Subclass 134 – Skill Matching
b) Skilled – Independent (Migrant) (Class BN) – Subclass 137 – Skilled -
State/Territory-nominated Independent
c) Skilled – Australian-sponsored (Migrant) (Class BQ) – Subclass 139 -
Skilled – Designated Area – Sponsored
d) Skilled – Independent Regional (Provisional) (Class UX) – Subclass
495 – Skilled – Independent Regional (Provisional)
e) Skilled New Zealand (Residence) visa class (Class DB) – Subclass 863
– Skilled – Onshore Regional-Sponsored New Zealand Citizen
f) Skilled â€” Australian-sponsored Overseas Student (Residence) (Class
DE) – Subclass 882 – Skilled â€” Designated Area-sponsored Overseas
Student

Eligibility for priority processing does not mean that any processing requirements can be waived.

Finalising Applications

Please note that the information provided above is not about the time it will take to process an application to completion. The time it is expected to take to process a General Skilled Migration visa application to completion is detailed in the department’s service standards.

Service standards are specified for applications lodged with complete documentation. Individual cases may take longer than the service standard depending on the completeness and complexity of the case.

Getting Down under .co.uk becomes a dot com

Mark — Fri, 29 Sep 2006 15:44:53 +0000

Hi Guys

Just to let you know that we added the .com and .net domains to gettingdownunder today and although the .co.uk domain and all pages will continue to work, we have decided to adopt the .com as our main URL.

Therefore, please use http://www.gettingdownunder.com as our primary address

Hopefully everything should still continue to work ok (and any old .co.uk bookmarks will still work) without any issues but in the mean time please let me know if you have any problems.

If everything has gone really ‘wrong’ and you can’t log on to our forums then please drop me a note via our contact form.

Cheers all

Mark

Current Australian Immigration processing lead time as of 1st September 2006

Mark — Tue, 05 Sep 2006 14:12:13 +0000

As of 5 September 2006 the ASPC is receipting offshore applications received on 2 August 2006 and onshore applications received on 9 August 2006.

Processing and Allocation Information

The information below is updated weekly on Tuesdays.

As of 5 September 2006 the Adelaide Skilled Processing Centre is allocating applications lodged on or before the following dates:

ONSHORE APPLICATIONS

Student/Graduate

Paper based applications: 13 April 2006 (for subclass 880 ) and 5 April 2006 (subclasses 881 and 882) E-lodged (online) applications: 19 April 2006 (for all subclasses)

Skilled Independent Regional (Provisional) (SIR VISA)

Paper based applications: 11 May 2006
E-lodged (online) applications: 1 May 2006

New Zealand

All applications: 28 November 2005 (all subclasses)

OFFSHORE APPLICATIONS

Applications for Classes BN, BQ and BR (subclasses 134, 136, 137, 138 and 139)

Priority Applications: 20 March 2006
Non-Priority Applications: In the range of 25 January to 1 February 2006

Skilled Independent Regional (Provisional) (SIR VISA)

Paper based applications: 24 April 2006
E-lodged (online) applications: 18 June 2006

Notes

Onshore: means that the visa being applied for can be granted while the applicant is in Australia.

e-lodged: applications lodged online have quicker processing times.
See: Online Services – General Skilled Migration

SIR visas: All applicants for a Skilled – Independent Regional [SIR]
visa receive priority processing.

Offshore: means that the visa being applied for can only be granted
when the applicant is outside of Australia.

Applications eligible for priority processing

1. Applicants whose nominated occupation is on the Migration Occuptations in Demand List (MODL)

2. For applicants whose nominated occupation is not on the MODL, applications for any of the following visas are given priority:

Eligibility for priority processing does not mean that any processing requirements can be waived.

Finalising Applications

Please note that the information provided above is not about the time it will take to process an application to completion. The time it is expected to take to process a General Skilled Migration visa application to completion is detailed in the department’s service standards. Service standards are specified for applications lodged with complete documentation. Individual cases may take longer than the service standard depending on the completeness and complexity of the case.

Kangaroo Island – An Australian Island Paradise

Mark — Thu, 31 Aug 2006 14:54:18 +0000

Kangaroo Island has been described as one of earth’s last unspoilt island refuges, and with very good reason.

This idyllic island located off the coast of South Australian is an idyllic tour destination for those seeking sun, surf, and everything that goes with them, including swimming, fishing, sailing and scuba-diving. Islands are almost always special places … isolation, solitude, the ocean … just think of places like the West Indies, Hawaii, the Maldives, all of which have unique characteristics and special natural environments that have evolved through thousands of years of isolation. Australia ’s Kangaroo Island is no exception.

Kangaroo Island is about seven times the size of Singapore and around 155 kilometres in length, with the town of Kingscote being the island’s capital and main settlement. Wildlife is abundant on the island, where koalas laze in the gum trees and seals laze on the beach.

In addition, kangaroos, wallabies, echidnas, platypi and goannas all thrive on the island.
A wide range of tours are available on Kangaroo Island, enabling you to relax while someone else does the driving. In addition, guides can provide a great deal of information about Kangaroo Island on the way.

Both coach tours and four-wheel drive tours are available, with most tours collecting passengers from their accommodation, the airport or the ferry terminal. Bike riding and hiking are also possible for those with the energy, but beware that Kangaroo Island is large and the necessary level of fitness is required for these options.

Large luxury vehicle and passenger ferries operate between Cape Jervis on the South Australian coast and Penneshaw on Kangaroo Island (travelling time 45 minutes).

There are four departures daily, with extra services at peak times. Bus connections are available to/from Adelaide to Cape Jervis, and to/from Penneshaw to American River and Kingscote on the island. Regional Express operates a 30-minute air service from Adelaide to Kingscote Airport, located 13km from Kingscote.

Because of its relative isolation, Kangaroo Island has experienced much less impact from European settlement than than the South Australian mainland. Half the bushland on Kangaroo Island remains untouched since the time of British navigator Matthew Flinders named the island in 1802, and more than a third of the Island has National Park or Conservation Park status.

This pristine bushland supports a rich wildlife population of wildlife and makes Kangaroo Island on of the best places in Australia to see wildlife in its natural environment.

Kangaroo Island was separated from mainland Australia about 10,000 years ago. In that time, some species have evolved differently from their mainland counterparts.

This is evident for example in the Kangaroo Island Kangaroo (a subspecies of the Western Grey Kangaroo common in south-eastern Australia) which is today smaller, darker and has longer fur than its mainland counterpart.

The now endangered Glossy Black Cockatoo is also a unique Kangaroo Island sub-species, as is the small marsupial carnivore the Sooty Dunnart.

Similarly, King Island’s plants have evolved in isolation to the point where at least 45 species are endemic (found only on Kangaroo Island) including several eucalypts. The total absence of feral creatures such as foxes and rabbits helps ensures the integrity Kangaroo Island’s bushland ecosystems.

In recognition of Kangaroo Island’s unique plant and wildlife species (some of which are either threatened or unique to the island), National and Conservation parks were declared across the island very early in the history of its European settlement.

Kangaroo Island’s National Parks provide access to spectacular coastline scenery, unique geological formations, fascinating history and abundant wildlife. There are four major parks: Flinders Chase National Park (walking trails and spectacular rock formations), Kelly Hill Conservation Park (limestone caves and hiking), Seal Bay Conservation Park (Australia’s largest accessible colony of sea lions) and Cape Willoughby Conservation Park (first lighthouse in South Australia).

Miguel Scaccialupo writes regularly on Outback Tour topics, including Alice Springs Tour destinations and Kangaroo Island Tour itineraries.

Getting Down under » immi

Happy Holidays Everyone!

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