Synch1: Australia Jobs Immigration Migration Laws Change

By Barbara Morganstern

Canberra --- April 14 .....The Ministry for Australia Immigration and Citizenship will make it easier for English speaking UK applicants to emigrate to Australia.

As of September 1, 2007, additional points will be granted to candidates for immigration to Australia who are willing to take a Standard English language proficiency test, meaning more points for more Brits.

"Before these Australia immigration laws were changed applicants born in the United Kingdom, (UK) were not required to take an International English language test (IELTS) test, says Mira Flomin, CEO of Synch1 Australia Immigration Consulting.

"Applicants were effectively granted a maximum of 20 points for English language ability based on ancestry. With the new changes in Australia immigration and migration law, Australia jobs applicants can now qualify for 25 points if they achieve a score 7.0 of above in the IELTS test."

This is a clear signal from the Australian Government that being a English speaker is as important as having valuable and in demand skills. Australia has been pursuing migrants with a high level of skills and education, but want to place a renewed emphasis on communication in the workplace and community. The Australia economy is growing and needs people who can enter the workforce immediately.

Immigration to Australia is competitive, and what may seem like only 5 points in the grand scheme of things, will mean the difference between thousands of nurses, bricklayers, engineers and IT specialist being able or unable to emigrate Down Under. It's good news for those who were previously on the threshold; these changes will make a significant difference to the overall number of UK applicants able to emigrate anywhere they chose in Australia.

The Australia Minister, Kevin Andrews, announced the changes amid a restructuring of the Australian Skilled Migration Program. The changes stem from a series of reports aiming to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the country's migration program.

In addition to the language change noted above, work experience criteria as well as the total number of visa sub-classes for Australia have diminished.

The English language threshold requirement for all GSM visas will increase.

The points test will be adjusted to benefit applicants with advanced Australia tertiary qualifications, Australia skilled work experience and strong English language skills.

The changes also include major structural reforms 15 skilled migration visa subclasses will collapse into nine including: subclasses , English language, work experience, skilled graduate visa and new visa subclass options.

The Australia immigration and migration points test will be adjusted to award more points to applicants with very strong English language skills

An applicant with proficient English will score 25 points from 1 September.

The candidate with competent or vocational English (if applicant has trade occupation) or competent English (if the applicant applied for a Skilled Regional Sponsored visa) will score 15 points.

To gain the maximum of 25 points the applicant will have to score a minimum of 7.0 on the IELTS (International English Language Testing System) in each of the four components or an equivalent level in an OET exam (where sat as part of the skills assessment).

Fifteen points will be awarded if the applicant: holds a passport from the UK, US, Canada, New Zealand or the Republic of Ireland, have a minimum score of 6.0 in each of the four IELTS components and has an equivalent level in an OET exam (where OET exam was sat as part of skills assessment).

As of 1 September 2007 GSM applicants who have completed at least 12 months skilled work experience in Australia in their nominated occupation or closely related occupation will be awarded 10 points. Work undertaken before the completion of your degree, diploma or trade qualification will not be considered.

Recent work experience for offshore GSM visas will be the same for all applicants. The two year study requirement in the past six months must be met and the applicant will have to demonstrate that he/she has been employed in a skilled occupation for at least 12 out of the past 24 months.

GSM applicants will only be able to claim MODL points if they have been employed in that occupation or closely related occupation for at least 12 months in the past four years.

A temporary visa will be introduced to give overseas students who have completed two years of studying Australia and do not qualify for a permanent GSM visa the opportunity to remain in Australia for a further 18 months to gain additional skills that they need.

This visa is not subjected to any restrictions on work and study.

In order to be eligible for Skilled – Graduate Visa (Subclass 485) a person must fulfill the following criteria: hold, or have held within the previous 6 months, an eligible student visa, have met the 2 year study requirements within the previous 6 months, have applied to have their skills tested in their nominated skilled occupation, have competent English, OR vocational English where applicant who has applied to have their skills tested in a trade occupation.

After you have been granted the Skilled – Graduate Visa (Subclass 485) you may apply for a: provisional Skilled – Regional Sponsored (Subclass 487) visa, permanent Skilled – Independent (subclass 885) visa, permanent Skilled – Sponsored (subclass 886) visa, a employer sponsored visa.

These may be applied for during the period when the Skilled – Graduate Visa is valid.

"With the many changes now taking place in Australia immigration and migration law, I would like to share some of Synch1 Australia Immigration Consulting practical and expert experience regarding Australia visas and permanent residence in Australia. Also provide some valuable tips for securing jobs in Australia, employment sponsorship and work visas for Australia," says Flomin who heads the professional immigration department of Synch1 Austrlia Immigration Consulting.

"Having worked and consulted for many years in the business of representing skilled business people from Europe, the Middle East, Asia and North and South America for permanent residence in Australia which leads directly to citizenship and the much desired Australian passport, we are always faced with a multi million dollar question: 'Can you organize a job for me first then I am sure that I will come to you to represent me in my application for the Australia visa or Australian permanent residence."

In this case, Synch1 Australia Immigration would advise the candidate that in Australia it goes the other way around.

"First, the immigrant candidate has to have a valid Australia visa and preferably the top of the range permanent residence which is almost equivalent to citizenship and then they stand a chance of securing a job and good employment in Australia," says Flomin.

"Australia employers tend to prefer an applicant who has graduated from an Australian university or Australian academic school course, because it is easier for them to assess the verbal, non-verbal and labor skills of the person rather than relying on overseas intuitions that are unknown to the average potential Australian employer."

"Another option, if permanent residence is out of reach would be studying in Australia," says Flomin.

"Entering into academic university and or specialized labor studies, becoming an Australian student in one of the many professions currently in demand that grant 60 points is one of the ways of securing permanent residence in Australia. Of course the studies have to be chosen well in advance and what Synch1 Australia Immigration Consulting does is long term migration planning - looking in depth into the applicants' circumstances, age, marital or partnerships, existing work labor skills, work experience and financial ability. We provide professional consultation for our clients as to what they would like to achieve in Australia and how soon.

Synch1 Australia Immigration Consulting receives hundreds of phone calls from people that are already in Australia who are on a Australia Tourist visa (on that visa they take a commitment just to travel and not to approach any employer, to be genuine tourists) trying to get as many job interviews as they can with Australia employers.

Indeed, many of them are very highly skilled and they manage to get to high level Australian employers and even to be accepted or almost to be accepted."

Flomin states that once the Australian employer hears that they do not have a visa and they expect the Australia employer to organize an employer sponsorship for them, the employer usually gives up very fast and at that stage they prefer to look for a local employees.

"There are three steps in the application process to bring in staff from overseas to Australia," says Flomin. "First there is sponsorship. Australia employers wishing to bring staff from Asia, Europe, North and South America to Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane need to seek approval as business sponsors. When they apply for approval for business sponsors they need to provide details showing that their business is of good standing, explain how Australia benefits from their business employing overseas personnel and demonstrate the commitment of their business to training Australian residents or introducing new technology or business skills."

Flomin adds: "Australia employers must also meet a number of undertakings in relation to their overseas employees. The employer needs to nominate each of the positions they wish to fill with a temporary resident. The position must meet a minimum skills threshold also remunerate a minimum salary level which currently is circa 41,850$AUD. For IT professionals the minimum salary requirement is circa 53,700$AUD."

"The person identified to fill the nominated vacancy must apply for a visa to enter or remain in Australia. They will need to demonstrate that they have the skills that match the nominated vacancy and must be offered employment at not less than the salary indicated in the nomination application.

The requirements for Australian employer sponsorship are extremely strict and if the employer is not a large company then there is a very high probability they would not sign on the documents needed to apply for such a sponsorship."

Flomin admits that sometimes employers are asked to disclose all the financials in order to get a license to sponsor any overseas worker and of course many of them prefer to give up unless they are absolutely desperate for some specific skill or specific worker. Flomin states that this is very rare.

"Of course, there is the time factor as well, our experience from present cases and past clients applying for Australia immigration, migration and citizenship has shown that also the time an employer sponsorship for an overseas job applicant is as long as a skilled migration normal application. Meaning, that over all the time frame can be about 18 months.

We have seen cases were an applicant has chosen to apply for both employer sponsorship via the employer and at the same time they qualify for a skilled migration application.

Once the applicant gets the positive reply for skilled migration for a permanent residence visa ( the best Australian visa - top of the range ) then the Australian immigration law is such that what governs the situation is the last visa received. Meaning that if they got the much desired permanent residence and then the employer sponsorship immediately after, then the employer sponsorship will be the one overriding the permanent residence. That would be quite a big disaster for the applicant because the employer sponsorship is the lesser visa and it's only a temporary Australian visa."

Flomin provides the following advice to avoid an expensive and unsuccessful immigration experience to Australia.

She says to work only directly with qualified MARA (Migration Agents Registration Authority) and MIA (Migration Institute of Australia) agents that are fully licensed and trained and bound by the strict professional ethical codes in Australia.

To choose a firm of migration agents or migration lawyers that does a full in depth personal examination of the complete circumstances of the applicant before they quote and suggest to continue with any Australian visa application.

Australian immigration and visa applications processes are very intricate and tricky and need proper planning in advance - suggest not to be tempted for any online free test via any software online ( no one ever migrated to Australia via any automated software ) or even not a fast test in person by any migration agent or lawyer - unless everything is examined properly in writing and in depth and the consulting / representing firm provides a detailed assessment written consultation in writing that they can also personally follow through themselves not just consulting. Proper migration planning is essential in this case.

The migration agents should provide you with a detailed clear quote and letters of advice and itemized fees schedule - so that as an applicant you are absolutely clear right from the start what are the legal fees ( for the legal representation ) and what are the extras one should expect ( disbursements ): medical tests for each member of the family, application costs for various bodies of the Australian government or DIAC (Australian immigration department now called Department of Immigration and Citizenship)

According to Flomin there is excellent news awaiting those who are serious in applying for immigration, migration and citizenship in Austrialia.

"Too few graduates are arriving in the workforce to address Australia's skills shortage, despite a growing reliance on overseas-trained professionals to fill the gap," says Flomin.

"To choose a firm of migration agents or migration lawyers that does a full in depth personal examination of the complete circumstances of the applicant before they quote and suggest to continue with any Australian visa application is critical for the candidates success."

Australian immigration and visa applications processes are very intricate and tricky and need proper planning in advance - suggest not to be tempted for any online free test via any software online (no one ever migrated to Australia via any automated software) or even not a fast test in person by any migration agent or lawyer - unless everything is examined properly in writing and in depth and the consulting / representing firm provides a detailed assessment written consultation in writing that they can also personally follow through themselves not just consulting. Proper migration planning is essential in this case.

"The migration agents should provide you with a detailed clear quote and letters of advice and itemized fees schedule - so that as an applicant you are absolutely clear right from the start what are the legal fees (for the legal representation) and what are the extras one should expect ( disbursements ) medical tests for each member of the family, application costs for various bodies of the Australian government or DIAC," says Flomin.

The Australian immigration department is now called the Department of Immigration and Citizenship.

"Graduate shortages are particularly acute in the Australia health sector, law and engineering. An author of a newly released report, Andrew Norton, a research fellow at the Center for Independent Studies and a former higher education adviser to former Australia Education Minister David Kemp, looked at Australian graduates between 1995-2004," says Flomin.

"Across a range of occupations in Australia, particularly in the health-related professions, there are serious shortages of workers with the appropriate qualifications," Norton said.

Much of the shortage in the health sector - nurses, pharmacists, dentists and physiotherapists - was due to increased demands from an ageing population, an expected spike.

However, he said: "While there has been an increase in the absolute number of people graduating in health-related courses, there has been a slight decline in the proportion of graduates overall."

The report also showed there is a high demand for health-related courses. Almost 7000 students missed out on a university medicine place last year, while more than 4000 hopefuls failed to secure a health place and almost 3000 missed out on nursing.

Norton said a reliance on overseas graduates had masked the extent of the skills shortage. The report found that while the number of overseas-trained nurses who arrived in Australia between 2002 and 2006 was almost 8000, each of those five years recorded a nation-wide shortage of nurses.

It is the same story with overseas-trained engineers and accountants. Almost 7000 engineers arrived in Australia in the five years to 2006 but the number of migrant graduates could not offset the demands of a resources boom. And despite more than 10,500 accountants recruited from overseas during the period, a skills shortage was recorded in that profession.

Norton said many of the labour market shortages occurred in areas that were expensive to train at a tertiary level.

Synch1 is an Australia immigration consultancy organization that specializes in representing applicants from all over the world wishing to immigrate to Australia. Synch1 Australia Immigration Consulting specializes in providing online applications for Australia immigration and Australian visas.