Posts with tag: migration
New Skilled Occupation List - Steady as She Goes
The Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) announced earlier this week the new Skilled Occupations List (SOL) that applies from 1 July. The list was unusual only by virtue of the extent of the lack of change. The following occupations are to be removed from the SOL
- Hospital Pharmacist
- Retail Pharmacist
- Aircraft Maintenance Engineer (Avionics)
- Aircraft Maintenance Engineer (Mechanical)
- Aircraft Maintenance Engineer (Structures)
There were no additions.
We were expecting the occupation of Accountants to remain on the skilled occupations list but only those who are professional Accountants and Auditors.
We thought that some types of Accountants might be removed from the list because of the publicity surrounding the large number of Accountants that Australia grants residence visas to each year (40% of skilled migrants in the previous migration year were Accountants). However all Accountants remain on the Skills List. It would appear from their inclusion on the 1 July list that Australia still wants Accountants!
You can view the new SOL on the following link:
Many of our regular readers would know that the Skilled Occupations List is significant in that only applicants nominating occupations on the SOL can submit independent subclass 189 visas. These visas are called independent because one does not need to be sponsored by a family member nor State government in order to be able to apply.
The vast majority of skilled applicants do not have occupations on the SOL but have occupations on the Consolidated Skilled Occupations List (CSOL). If your occupation appears on the CSOL you need to obtain sponsorship from a State government. There are eight States and Territories sponsoring various occupations which they select from the CSOL and SOL depending upon the needs of the economy of that particular State.
To view the current CSOL for July 2012 to 2013 (this includes the current combined SOL – Schedule 1 and CSOL – Schedule 2 occupations) please visit:
http://www.immagine-immigration.com/do-i-qualify/australia-immigration-policy/CSOL/
The above list will be updated once the new list is announced on 1 July.
Essentially State Governments do an audit of their economy in the months leading up to 1 July and then publish these lists. The lists show which occupations are in demand in that particular State for the new immigration year. They do not, however, indicate how many places are available for each particular occupation.
Most States require you to have completed the English language test [IELTS] and obtain a positive skills assessment from one of the skills assessing authorities to confirm that you are, in fact, suitably qualified for the occupation that you nominate before you can apply for State sponsorship.
Most people make the mistake of waiting until such time as their occupation appears on a State Sponsorship List and they then arrange to do their skills assessment and sit the IELTS test. It usually takes three or four months to complete the skills assessment and IELTS test and by that time a particular State may have filled its quota of that particular occupation and that occupation is then listed is unavailable.
If this happens one has to wait until such time as it becomes available or consider applying to a different State if your occupation appears on another list and you are willing to settle in that State.
The new immigration year starts on 1 July and now is the ideal time to be completing IELTS tests and obtaining skills assessments so when the new lists are produced these formalities have been complied with and you are in the best position to take advantage of the new State Sponsorship Lists.
The assessment as to which is the correct occupation to nominate is probably one of the most important and difficult aspects of a General Skilled Migration visa as each of the skills assessing body’s have different assessment criteria.
I should add that, for those occupations that have been removed from the SOL, don’t be too depressed, your occupations will still be added to the CSOL and will be available through state sponsorship.
We will be presenting free seminars in Singapore and South Africa in June and for those interested in attending the seminar registration can be made through the following page of our website http://immagine-immigration.com/seminars/.
See below for schedule of forthcoming seminars.
Forthcoming seminars :
South Africa
Johannesburg
Seminar will be held on Thursday 13 June at 7pm at the Michelangelo Hotel
Consultations will be held on 14, 15, 16, 24, 25 and 26 June in Auckland Park.
Durban:
Seminar will be held on Monday 17 June at 7pm at the Riverside Hotel
Consultations will be held on 18 and 19 June at the Endless Horizons Boutique Hotel.
Cape Town:
Seminar will be held on Thursday 20 June at 7pm at the Commodore Hotel
Consultations will be held on 21 and 22 June at the Commodore Hotel
Singapore
Seminar will be held on Saturday 22 June at 11am at the Holiday Inn, 11 Cavenagh Road
Consultations will be held on 23, 24, 25, 26, 27 and 28 June at the Holiday Inn.
To book for the free seminar please go to www.immagine-mmigration.com/seminars.
Seminars are free to attend. Should you wish to book a consultation there is a charge – to book consultations please contact Ruth on ruth@immagine-immigration.com
The Australian Dollar
Notwithstanding having completed a BCom degree, majoring in Economics, I only “got” interest rates when I acquired my first mortgage. I can safely therefore say that I am no economist and feel on uncertain ground writing a blog on the value of the Australian dollar but I couldn’t help but consider the implications of the softening Australian dollar on migrants.
The Australian dollar is currently trading at 0.96 against the US dollar having been as high as $1.05 earlier this year.
I remember when we emigrated from New Zealand to Australia in 2008. Like most migrants our house was our biggest asset and in retrospect we couldn’t have put our house on the market at a worse time (during the first months of the global financial crisis). We received an offer on the house which was less than we wanted and agonized over the decision until I realized that the New Zealand dollar was very favourably priced against the Australian dollar at that time and the gain in the favourable exchange rate would more than compensate for a lower sale price.
Many of my friends chose to retain property New Zealand and rent in Australia in the hope that the property market in New Zealand would recover and they chose to rent out their properties in New Zealand and in turn had to forgo the opportunity of purchasing property in Australia. All the while putting up with the hassle of obtaining tenants for their homes and managing the process remotely.
When we transferred the proceeds of the sale of our property the New Zealand dollar, was buying 0.87 Australian dollars. The exchange rate subsequently fell to a low of 0.78, more than compensating for the softer sale price.
Why has the Australian dollar fallen in value?
1. Partly because of an 18 billion dollar budget deficit for the next financial year announced earlier this month.
2. The dollar's fall has been exacerbated by a rally in the US dollar against all major currencies amid expectations of a softening in its quantitative easing (money printing) program.
3. The carry trade which is where global investors who have the ability to borrow cheap money in the US or Japan, Britain or Europe and can do so at rates not too far from zero, using those funds to park cash in higher-yielding countries such as Australia and New Zealand.
4. The reduction in the Official Cash Rate (OCR) to 2.75 % - the lowest level in history
5. Lower worldwide commodity prices as the Chinese economy slows down
Whilst a lower Australian dollar does have some immediate benefits for migrants making the immigration process cheaper and Australian housing [amongst other things] more affordable a heavy fall in the dollar, rather than a gradual decline, would be a clear signal of a fragile economy and a deterrent for would be migrants. So it’s a delicate balancing act, a softening in the currency is good because it makes Australian goods and services cheaper provided the economic fundamentals remain sound.
The Australian economy will only be in a perilous state if the commodity boom has run its course and if China is really in trouble, and the global economy more broadly is turning down. This doomsday scenario is hardly likely to occur and Australia’s fundamentals appear strong. Inflation remains at a healthy 2 – 3% and unemployment remains at 5 – 6%.
Recent data shows the Chinese economy accelerating and jobs growth is surging in the US, hardly signs that the economic environment is deteriorating.
Ultimately the Australian dollar is going through a long overdue correction due to a combination of lower than expected economic growth, a fall in short-term interest rates and a fall in the terms of trade as global iron ore and coal prices adjust to rising supply and the reversal of capital flows.
Over the last few years I’ve really enjoyed the purchasing power of the Australian dollar. It’s made traveling abroad for Australians a lot more affordable but has made exporting product more expensive. As our product is Australia you can view the correction in the Australian dollar as a discount in consumer terms.
We were delighted to note that the Australian dollar fell not only against the American dollar but also against the relatively weak South African Rand and the Singapore dollar as well. The Rand strengthened from 9.71 in late March to a recent 9.22 and as far as the Singapore dollar is concerned it fell from 1.3 on 13 April to 1.21 yesterday.
If I knew how far the Australian dollar would ultimately fall I wouldn’t be sitting at my desk on Monday and you’d find me in a different career. No one ever immigrates for profit and the experience is sure to set you back financially several years. You have to accept that you are never going to get the best possible price for your house and never be able to obtain the most favourable historic exchange rate but if realizing your assets enable you to fulfil your dream of immigrating to Australia they should be viewed as having served their purpose.
For most migrants, attempting to understand the whims of the currency market is a bit like trying to understand how the immigration process works. You can read a lot, get a lot of opinion but frankly you are better off handing it over to someone who knows what they are doing. Just like you would plan out your move to Australia and when to take the couch, ship the pets and relocate your family, taking a strategic approach to your currency ‘relocation’ is always a smart idea.
Most banks offer very simplified currency products that usually consist of a single one off deal based on your decision that the time is right. They generally wont offer much by way of advice (unless you have shares in a Fortune 500 company) and don’t reveal the tools that they have at their disposal to manage your currency transfers. For example one way to approach your currency needs is to set a ‘Market Order’ whereby you identify a reasonable price you want to achieve and then when the market hits that price your deal is done, whether you are asleep or out fishing.
A good Foreign Exchange broker will analyse your needs, evaluate your objectives and provide relevant and useful advice to try and achieve those goals. They should be realistic about that advice and give you a practical solution to maximise your currency gains and hopefully minimise potential losses.
Foreign Exchange brokers will also charge a lot less for their service than a bank, typically offering prices at 1.5 to 3% better than a retail banking institution, which on larger transfers can mean savings of tens of thousands of dollars. Rates vary between brokers, but often the advice you get is worth more than just the exchange rate. However like Immigration Advisers, Foreign Exchange Brokers are not all created equal. We know some very good ones who assist our clients with their financial migration, offering sound, practical and valuable advice.
Forthcoming seminars :
South Africa
Johannesburg
Seminar will be held on Thursday 13 June at 7pm at the Michelangelo Hotel
Consultations will be held on 14, 15, 16, 24, 25 and 26 June in Auckland Park.
Durban:
Seminar will be held on Monday 17 June at 7pm at the Riverside Hotel
Consultations will be held on 18 and 19 June at the Endless Horizons Boutique Hotel.
Cape Town:
Seminar will be held on Thursday 20 June at 7pm at the Commodore Hotel
Consultations will be held on 21 and 22 June at the Commodore Hotel
Singapore
Seminar will be held on Saturday 22 June at 11am at the Holiday Inn, 11 Cavenagh Road
Consultations will be held on 23, 24, 25, 26, 27 and 28 June at the Holiday Inn.
To book for the free seminar please go to www.immagine-immigration.com/seminars
Seminars are free to attend. Should you wish to book a consultation there is a charge – to book consultations please contact Ruth on ruth@immagine-immigration.com.
What's in a Name
Growing up I always thought of my surname as a bit of a curse and often wondered whether I came from a long line of Lipschitz' (or should it be Lipshi?) or whether some customs official with a nasty sense of humour changed my grandfathers surname from Jones to Lipschitz.
Highly unlikely since my paternal grandparents hailed from Lithuania and prior to that, possibly Germany. Perhaps then my grandfather had the Lithuanian equivalent name to Jones prior to the whimsical humour of a customs official.
I have spent my life spelling my surname to people and to compound matters my first name, Myer, isn’t that common either. If people do know it they know it as a girls name and I often have correspondence addressed to me as Ms.
So I do have some baggage with my name. I'm not going to tell you my middle name because you might think my parents were having an acid trip (it was the 60's) when I was born.
Just in case you think I'm getting too comfortable on this metaphorical couch let me reassure you there is a point.
The point is that on a recent 24 hour stopover in Switzerland I was amazed how easily everyone understood and pronounced my surname. There were none of those awkward pauses when I have to finish the pronunciation of the name by adding " schitz" after they get as far as Lip.
From the receptionist at the hotel to the check in clerk at the airport prior to my departure everyone was Herr Lipschitzing me in Zurich. Even the counter staff at Starbucks got my first name correct when they named my cup. Yes I know ordering Starbucks in Switzerland looks bad but that's another story for another couch.
At the departure lounge I even heard that another Lipschitz was late for his flight to London over the intercom. I had to refrain from shouting "run Lipschitz you tardy bastard, you are letting the team down". I was starting to think that there are so many of us we are taking over the world. Today Zurich airport tomorrow...
The only other time I felt like this was when I emigrated from New Zealand to Melbourne 5 years ago. Like most migrants desperate for a sign that they are doing the right thing (particularly those of us dumb enough to do it at the height of the GFC) I noticed, on my first day in Melbourne, my first name Myer emblazoned in font 100,000,000 on the side of a large building. It's a sign, it’s a sign I thought to myself. God is showing me in a not too subtle way that the move to Melbourne was a good one. It was about as subtle as a burning bush in Collins Street but good on you Big Guy I thought to myself.
I subsequently found out it wasn't through divine hand that my name ended up on the side of a building but rather it was the MYER department store. Apparently this other Myer was also a migrant but changed his name to Myer which leads me to believe that he must have had a really, really bad first name. Sadly - no relation.
So why am I ranting (as my wife unkindly says). Although this might come across as some self indulgent piece of prose better delivered to a psychologist than an audience of would be migrants it does have relevance to you so please don't rush me. Man this couch is comfortable, pass me another cushion Doc.
So when I consulted with a very nice young Israeli on my recent trip and he tells me that he is thinking of changing his surname from Arabic to English (he is Jewish) and do I think it's a good idea a wave of baggage descends faster than on a conveyor belt at Oliver Tambo International Airport (OK , much faster).
His name did not contain any of the names Osama, Bin or Laden but it was unmistakably Arabic. Would this impact on his chances of getting employment in Australia he wanted to know.
I thought back to another Israeli client of mine who immigrated to NZ with my help many years ago. He was born in India and had the type of unpronounceable surname with so many guttural consonants that are so foreign to the NZ tongue. He told me that after a month in NZ and hardly any interviews he decided to change his name to something more English. Short of inspiration he looked to the bottle and found both inspiration as well as his new name - Johnny Walker! As Mr Walker the interviews started rolling in with a job offer soon thereafter.
I relayed the story to my young Israeli and after much laughter he confessed his love for whiskey as well. I bade the soon to be known Mr Daniels goodbye.
Was I facilitating a betrayal of his culture and heritage or making a difficult process easier. I prefer to think the latter.
It's not racist for employers to want to employ people that they feel will fit into the work culture, relate better to their colleagues and customers and so people with more English sounding names do have an advantage. But that's not to say that people with more foreign sounding names can't overcome these initial obstacles, they can as soon as employers discover the person behind the strange name.
After all, what’s in a name?
Forthcoming free seminars :
South Africa:
Johannesburg: Seminar to be held on Thursday 13 June at the Michelangelo Hotel at 7pm
Consultations will be held on 14, 15, 16, 24, 25 and 26 June in Auckland Park.
Durban: Seminar to be held on Monday 17 June at the Riverside Hotel at 7pm
Consultations will be held on 18 and 19 June at the Endless Horizons
Cape Town: Seminar to be held on Thursday 20 June at the Commodore Hotel at 7pm
Consultations will be held on 21 and 22 June at the Commodore Hotel
Singapore:
Seminar to be held on Saturday 22 June at 11am at the Holiday Inn, 11 Cavenagh Rd
Consultations will be held on 23, 24, 25, 26, 27 and 28 June.
To book please go to our website – www.immagine-immigration.com/seminars
'I have 150 points, where do I start?'
Occasionally we hear from a potential client stating that they have scored 150 points on the skilled migration test, giving them sufficient amount of points to qualify and wish to start the process for migrating without the need for a consultation. Please forgive my scepticism when someone tells me that they have scored 150 points and meet the criteria when the highest score possible is 125 points. The vast majority of our clients struggle to reach 70 points.
At IMMagine we have a policy that we do not accept a client without first conducting an eligibility assessment so we can be sure that they do in fact meet the requirements (our visa success rate is better than 99%). So when you tell us that you don’t need an assessment, we would be foolish and unprofessional not to insist that we do our own check.
If you ever doubt the importance of an initial consultation prior to starting the migration process, you should think about the costs involved in migrating to Australia, and how difficult it actually is to qualify and be certain you meet the specific requirements.
You will note on our website that we do not have a self eligibility assessment available to our clients, unlike a number of other immigration agency firms. We find that these do not help anyone accurately assess the eligibility for migration to Australia as the assessment needs to be more in depth than just a self-assessment points test and a few questions. We find that the self-assessment tests do more harm than good.
When going through the process of migrating one does not just deal with the department of immigration. There are several other decision making bodies concerned namely:
- Skills Assessing authorities, with different requirements for each occupation
- State Governments – In Australia, we have three levels of government and in many cases, you will need to deal with two of them.
- English Language testing
Whilst the self-assessment test gives an overview for the criteria under which points can be allocated , more often than not, those who are not familiar with the legislation upon which the points test is based, will inevitably calculate the points incorrectly, usually overstating what can be claimed. Over claiming points in an expression of interest leads to an automatic decline of the residence visa application.
Self-assessment tests do not cover the requirements of the other important decision-making bodies listed above. You will also not understand the pitfalls and obstacles that can and will occur during the process, nor will you get a holistic assessment of your eligibility to qualify for a variety of visas to Australia.
There are several reasons for inaccurate self assessments including:
- Nominating the incorrect occupation
- Overstating English language ability
- Overstating work experience points, particularly where experience is not in the nominated occupation
- Not understanding the differences between the two occupation lists, namely SOL and CSOL particularly in the context of state sponsorship/family sponsorship
- Not understanding skills assessment and state sponsorship criteria
I can assure you that I have met many candidates who are working in an occupation on the skills list but would have absolutely no chance of meeting the skills assessment requirements. Unqualified Accountants is one that springs to mind. Unfortunately the skills assessment is a compulsory application in the migration process under points tested visas.
The migration process is so confusing with the Australian Migration Legislation being the second most difficult law in Australia behind the Tax Laws. We have met a number of people who have attempted the process themselves, spent money on filing fees, only to have had an application refused because they either didn’t meet requirements or miscalculated their eligibility assessment.
Declined applications can have serious consequences and can lead to applicants being prevented from filing further applications or character issues.
We have helped some of these applicants who filed their own application, only to have it declined, obtain positive results however it makes life a lot more stressful (and expensive) if the job isn’t done correct the first time round.
I always say that the best money you can spend in the migration process is the initial consultation simply because you know from the start if you can actually meet the criteria or not. If you don’t then you’ll save yourself a lot of money in immigration costs.
If you do meet the criteria, then the investment in the process is well worthwhile as Australia is one of the best countries in the world to live.
Forthcoming seminars :
South Africa – April 2013
Johannesburg: Thursday 18 April at the Michelangelo Hotel – 7pm to 8.30pm
Consultations: 19, 20, 21, 28, 29 and 30 April.
Durban: Monday 22 April at the Endless Horizons Boutique Hotel – 7pm to 8.30pm
Consultations: 23 and 24 April
Cape Town: Thursday 25 April at the Commodore Hotel – 7pm to 8.30pm
Consultations: 26 and 27 April
Singapore – April 2013
Singapore:
Saturday 27 April at the Holiday Inn – 11am to 12.30pm
Consultations: afternoon of 27 April, whole day 28, 29, 30 April, 1, 2 and 3 May.
Israel – May 2013
Tel Aviv
Sunday 5 May at the Park Plaza Orchid Tel Aviv Hotel at 7pm
Consultations: 6, 7 and 8 May.
The seminars are free to attend but there is a charge for consultations. You are not obliged to book a consultation.
To book for the free seminar go to : http://www.immagine-immigration.com/seminars/
To book for a consultation contact Ruth on ruth@immagine-immigration.com.
A Tough Decision
I know just how tough the decision to migrate can be [the process is even tougher!] but also, of equal importance, is the timing of the decision to migrate. The experience of a recent client emphasized this point to me.
I consulted with Claire [not her real name] in South Africa late last year. She was 49 then, married with two children at School. Whilst she is not wealthy she is comfortable and her daily existence is good. She has a well-paid professional job. She hasn’t been personally affected by violence and crime in South Africa and doesn’t have any concerns about her immediate safety.
She is, however, concerned about the future in South Africa. In particular she is concerned about whether her two children will get jobs because of affirmative action programs, and is concerned that the lack of effective government in South Africa is leading that country to become another Zimbabwe.
There is no pressing need to immigrate, yet she feels she is being irresponsible for not at least securing the opportunity to do so at some point in the future. Particularly since her 50th birthday was, at the time of the consultation, six months away. She realizes that once she turns 50 she is not going to qualify for a General Skilled Migration visa.
She does have family in Australia – her brother-in-law and his family - and she has visited them several times in the past.
On each visit she takes note of the freedoms that they and their children enjoy but there are downsides as well. The poor exchange rate between the Rand and the Australian Dollar makes it impossible to consider purchasing the same size property in the same socioeconomic suburb.
She does realize that the General Skilled Migration visa would be valid for a period of five years and that she doesn’t need to immigrate immediately.
I don’t hear from Claire for several months and then receive an SOS asking me for help because her Expression of Interest hasn’t been selected from the pool. It is five days before her 50th birthday.
She needs to obtain State Sponsorship and receive an Invitation To Apply for residence before her 50th birthday. I’m not sure whether I can obtain State Sponsorship in five days. It usually takes two – three months. I contact the Manager at the relevant State Department and make an impassioned plea for urgent consideration. I’m advised that there are no guarantees but urgent consideration will be given, however, the application has to be submitted with at least two clear days notice to allow them to consider the application.
After 48 hours Claire advises me that she and her husband cannot come to an agreement as to whether to apply and she is, therefore, not going to make the decision without his commitment. I receive a call on the day before her 50th birthday to the effect that whilst she and her husband cannot come to an agreement she’s going to make a unilateral decision to apply .… if it still possible. I get the call at 3pm on the day prior to her birthday.
Once again I make an impassioned call to the Manager of the State sponsorship program. No promises but we are advised if we can submit to fully documented application within an hour consideration will be given. It took us approximately 1.5 hours to do so and I had three staff members doing bits and pieces but we managed to get it done and received the fantastic news that our client had been Invited To Apply for permanent residence approximately 5 hours before her 50th birthday.
The timing of the decision and subsequent Invitation To Apply is significant in the context of actually being able to migrate to Australia. By making the decision:
- She can migrate to Australia under the General Skilled Migration program with her husband and two children.
- She will be young enough to ply her trade and skill in Australia and earn income in Australian dollars. The Australian dollar is very strong and comparable wages are generally better.
- Her children will complete their secondary education in Australia for free, and will have lower costs for tertiary education as compared to international students.
- She and her family can apply for Australian citizenship after 4 years, therefore, having duel South African and Australian citizenship.
- Being an Australian citizen allows one to reside in another country for as long as they want without it affecting their ability to return to live and work in Australia.
- The exchange rate between Australian dollars and South African Rand is significant in that she can go back and enjoy the pleasures of the country that she may not have been able to afford to do previously, e.g. African safari’s, luxury hotels, tourist stuff, etc.
If Claire had decided to not apply when she did, but still harboured dreams of making it to Australia at a later date:
- She would not qualify for General Skilled Migration or Employer Sponsorship as the cut off age is 50 years old.
- She would continue to work in South Africa and occasionally visit family in Australia, or take some holidays.
- She would remain uncertain of her children’s future.
- She would have to rely on one of her children qualifying for General Skilled Migration to Australia. Not an easy task.
- If they do qualify, her and her husband can apply as a parent, but would be required to pay a lump sum of ($42,000 each – total $84,000) to the government. This is not paid back to them.
- She would not spend any working years in Australia, and may not have a suitable nest egg for a comfortable retirement.
- She runs the risk that only one of their children could migrate to Australia and face the heartbreak of leaving a child behind.
I still don’t know whether her husband is on board but at the very least she has preserved her options and will qualify for a permanent residence visa. She has undoubtedly made the correct decision, in my opinion, and I’m sure that in time she and her husband will agree.
Just imagine if she had slept in the day before her birthday. The option of this life changing decision would no longer be available.
Forthcoming seminars :
South Africa – April 2013
Johannesburg: Thursday 18 April at the Michelangelo Hotel – 7pm to 8.30pm
Consultations: 19, 20, 21, 28, 29 and 30 April.
Durban: Monday 22 April at the Endless Horizons Boutique Hotel – 7pm to 8.30pm
Consultations: 23 and 24 April
Cape Town: Thursday 25 April at the Commodore Hotel – 7pm to 8.30pm
Consultations: 26 and 27 April
Singapore – April 2013
Singapore:
Saturday 27 April at the Holiday Inn – 11am to 12.30pm
Consultations: afternoon of 27 April, whole day 28, 29, 30 April, 1, 2 and 3 May.
Israel – May 2013
Tel Aviv
Sunday 5 May at the Park Plaza Orchid Tel Aviv Hotel at 7pm
Consultations: 6, 7 and 8 May.
The seminars are free to attend but there is a charge for consultations. You are not obliged to book a consultation.
To book for the free seminar go to : http://www.immagine-immigration.com/seminars/
To book for a consultation contact Ruth on ruth@immagine-immigration.com.
Teachers and the Theory of Convergent Evolution
My fellow Director, Iain MacLeod is a fan of the theory of convergent evolution in other words the process whereby organisms not closely related independently evolve similar traits as a result of having to adapt to similar environments or ecological niches.
In an immigration context one could paraphrase this theory to, say given a similar set of circumstances, two individuals faced with certain variables will reach similar conclusions.
I recently returned from a trip to South Africa and my colleague, Kane Downs recently returned from a trip to Singapore and Malaysia. We found that after comparing notes we were giving similar advice to certain types of individuals to obtain teaching qualifications.
I was advising him of the growing number of young South Africans affected by affirmative-action programs who couldn’t obtain offers of employment because of their skin colour and were thinking of immigrating to Australia. Kane was giving similar advice to Malaysians and underemployed Singaporeans.
Under the General Skilled Migration visas [in other words the pathway that exists for those who do not have offers of employment in Australia] it’s difficult to obtain a skills assessment from one of the designated skills assessing authorities without having work experience.
Skills assessing authorities such as VetAssess, Australian Computer Society and Trades Recognition Australia all require applicants based overseas to have a component of work experience in addition to relevant qualifications. There are, however, some skills assessing authorities such as those for Teachers and Accountants that do require a postgraduate component of work experience in order to obtain a positive skills assessment.
To those degreed people who haven’t obtained any work experience or may have work experience in occupations that are not represented on the Skilled Occupations List or State sponsorship lists and are younger than 45, I have been of late advising them to obtain a postgraduate certificate of education which qualifies them to be Teachers.
If they have good English language skills and are qualified to be Secondary School Teachers they can usually earn sufficient points to qualify for a General Skilled Migration visa.
To give you an example:
A 30-year-old applicant with a degree level qualification obtains a one year postgraduate Certificate in Education entitling him to work as a Secondary School Teacher or alternatively any of the following:
- Early Childhood (Pre-Primary School) Teacher
- Secondary School Teacher
- Special Needs Teacher
- Teacher of the Hearing Impaired
- Teacher of the Sight Impaired
- Special Education Teachers nec
He could score the following points:
- Age – 30 points for falling in the age group 25 – 32
- Qualifications – 15 points for a degree level qualification
- Work experience – 0.
- English language ability – 10 points if a score of at least 7 in each band on the academic version of the IELTS test is achieved; or 20 points if 8 is the minimum score in each band
- State sponsorship – (if required) is worth 5 points if one applies for a permanent residence visa; or 10 points if one applies for a provisional residence visa
Total potential score:
1. 65 points if maximum points obtained for English language ability or
2. 60 points if only 10 points obtain for English language but five points for State sponsorship.
3. Applicants aged less than 45 years of age can still be eligible for a General Skilled Migration visa but would need maximum points for English language.
60 points is the pass mark for a State-sponsored visa and is sufficient at this point in time to qualify for an independent non-State-sponsored visa.
To those of you reading this thinking that this isn’t logical you need to bear in mind the three Golden rules that apply when considering immigration policy namely:
• Assume nothing
• Suspend all logic
• And just when you understand the rules they go and change them.
Just because you are working in a particular occupation doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to be nominated in that occupation and it is also not a requirement under the General Skilled Migration visas that you need to work in the nominated occupation when you migrate to Australia.
I’m sure that over time, as more and more teachers migrate to Australia, this loophole will become plugged, just as it is about to be plugged for Accountants http://www.immagine-immigration.com/immagine-australia/our-blog/post/last-chance-accountants/ but teaching qualifications do remain a viable means to qualify for a General Skilled Migration visa for those with excellent English language ability but limited work experience.
One must remember that qualifying as a Teacher does not guarantee that you will qualify for migration to Australia however, for those who are keen and do not have any options, this may be a very good option whilst it is available. Before jumping in to the next available teaching course, I would suggest you find out the specific requirements needed to qualify as a teacher by having an assessment with us.
Forthcoming seminars :
South Africa – April 2013
Johannesburg: Thursday 18 April at the Michelangelo Hotel – 7pm to 8.30pm
Consultations: 19, 20, 21, 29, 30 April and 1 May.
Durban: Monday 22 April at the Endless Horizons Boutique Hotel – 7pm to 8.30pm
Consultations: 23 and 24 April
Cape Town: Thursday 25 April at the Commodore Hotel – 7pm to 8.30pm
Consultations: 26 and 27 April
Singapore – April 2013
Singapore:
Saturday 27 April at the Holiday Inn – 11am to 12.30pm
Consultations: afternoon of 27 April, whole day 28, 29, 30 April, 1, 2 and 3 May.
Israel – May 2013
We are in the process of booking a seminar in Israel in early May 2013. Please email ruth@immagine-immigration.com if this is of interest to you.
The seminars are free to attend but there is a charge for consultations. You are not obliged to book a consultation.
To book for the free seminar go to : http://www.immagine-immigration.com/seminars/
Last Chance for Accountants?
Accountants, by all accounts, have had a good run as far as far as Australian immigration policy is concerned but is their Indian summer about to end on 1 July 2013?
There is speculation that the occupation of Accountant will disappear from the Skilled Occupations List (SOL) from 1 July of this year. In this regard we refer you to a newspaper article that appeared in The Australian Newspaper which appears at the end of this blog.
The effect of culling Accountants from the SOL would be that they would be relegated to the Consolidated Skilled Occupations List (CSOL).
The principal difference between the two lists is that if one’s occupation appears on the SOL one can, subject to scoring sufficient points, apply for the skilled independent 189 visa or the family sponsored 489 visa. For those with occupations on the CSOL one needs State Sponsorship.
There are eight States or Territories in Australia that publish lists of occupations they are prepared to sponsor for the forthcoming immigration year which runs from 1 July to 30 June. In order to apply for State sponsorship one needs to sit an IELTS [English language] test and obtain a positive skills assessment for a specific occupation before they could apply for State Sponsorship.
As part of a State Sponsorship application they would need to sign an agreement agreeing to live and work in that particular State for a period of two years.
At this point in time you would be excused for thinking ….. so what, Accountants could still qualify for General Skilled Migration visas even if their occupation is relegated to CSOL and you’d be right in that Accountants will, subject to obtaining State Sponsorship, qualify for general skilled migration visas however:
- Family members wouldn’t be able to act as sponsors
- Accountants will not be able to migrate to any part of Australia but will be bound to settle in the State that sponsors them and this may necessitate being removed from family members/friends already located in Australia.
- Eligibility would be subject to a State sponsoring your occupation in addition to meeting the additional criteria for State sponsorship. Most States would want to be satisfied that there are genuine reasons for you choosing that particular State and that you have researched your employment options in that particular State. State sponsorship involves more than obtaining a positive skills assessment for an occupation on a State sponsorship list
- State sponsorship lists change. You never know how many “Accountants” each particular State is going to sponsor.
- It will become critical to choose the correct type of Accountant for the purposes of the skills assessment because State sponsorship lists differentiate different types of Accountants . For example you might find that someone qualifies for a skills assessment for two occupations, namely External Auditor and General Accountant. There is no point in obtaining a positive skills assessment as an External Auditor if the State in which you are prepared to settle does not sponsor this occupation.
- With regard to 4 above, you may find that by the time you obtain your skills assessment the particular State that you had in mind might have closed its doors to the occupation that you have had assessed by the skills assessing authority, necessitating you to find a second State. In this regard it’s going to be more difficult to substantiate that there are genuine reasons for you choosing the second choice State if you have already failed to obtain sponsorship from your initially preferred State.
In short I think Accountants will always qualify for a General Skilled Migration visa but instead of traveling first-class to Australia they will be traveling economy. Accountants, welcome to the rest of us!
(see article below forthcoming seminars)
Forthcoming seminars :
South Africa – April 2013
Johannesburg: Thursday 18 April at the Michelangelo Hotel – 7pm to 8.30pm
Consultations: 19, 20, 21, 28, 29 and 30 April.
Durban: Monday 22 April at the Endless Horizons Boutique Hotel – 7pm to 8.30pm
Consultations: 23 and 24 April
Cape Town: Thursday 25 April at the Commodore Hotel – 7pm to 8.30pm
Consultations: 26 and 27 April
Singapore – April 2013
Singapore:
Saturday 27 April at the Holiday Inn – 11am to 12.30pm
Consultations: afternoon of 27 April, whole day 28, 29, 30 April, 1, 2 and 3 May.
Israel – May 2013
We are in the process of booking a seminar in Israel in early May 2013. Please email ruth@immagine-immigration.com if this is of interest to you.
The seminars are free to attend but there is a charge for consultations. You are not obliged to book a consultation.
To book for the free seminar go to : http://www.immagine-immigration.com/seminars/
Below is a story which appeared in “The Australian” on 23 January 2013.
Change in migration list adds up to fear BY: JOHN ROSS From: The Australian January 23, 2013 12:00AM
UNIVERSITIES fear another crash in international enrolments as a debate rages about whether accountants should stay on a key migration priority list. The federal government and the Finance Sector Union say Australia is awash with overseas-born accountants. They say the profession should be removed from the 192-strong Skilled Occupation List, which governs eligibility for independent skilled migration. But accountancy bodies say demand for accountants is outstripping supply, while institutions fear the move could jeopardise up to $2.5 billion in revenue. They fear a re-run of 2009, when skilled migration reforms precipitated a downturn that has stripped $3bn a year from education exports.
Latest figures suggest about 28,000 foreigners study accountancy at degree level, representing 12 per cent of about 230,000 overseas higher education enrolments. But the International Education Association of Australia said far more were at risk. It said accountancy was effectively interchangeable with the broader field of management and commerce, which attracts one in two international higher education students. "Many segue into accounting once they find their feet and work out the finance and tax systems," said IEAA executive director Phil Honeywood. "Accounting is the professional end game of a business degree." With international higher education tuition fees totalling $5bn a year, accountancy alone could be bringing in between $600 million and $2.5bn in fees.
The Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations said qualified accountants are in surplus and that all three categories - general, management and taxation accountants - should be removed from the Skilled Occupation List. "Employer sponsored migration is more appropriate to meet labour market needs," it said.
Mr Honeywood said the move would create "enormous perception problems. It will indicate that Australia doesn't need any more accountants. "Students who had hoped to get employer sponsorship will no longer see us as a study destination." Monash University demographer Bob Birrell said Australia hosted about 60,000 25 to 34-year-old foreigners with management and commerce degrees. Just 30 per cent worked in management or professional positions, compared to 67 per cent of their domestic equivalents. "We do have a very substantial stock of these people in Australia," he said.
Tomorrow bureaucrats, the FSU, business deans, private colleges, peak industry bodies and representatives of the big four accountancy firms will thrash the issue out at a Canberra focus group convened by the Australian Workforce and Productivity Agency. AWPA reviews the Skilled Occupation List annually and proposes changes to the federal government. It has flagged accounting as an occupation being considered for removal. It expects to forward its advice to the Immigration Minister in March or April, with the new list likely to apply from early July. AWPA chief executive Robin Shreeve said people shouldn't jump to conclusions about the new list. "We put a lot of research into this and we do a lot of data mining," he said. Mr Shreeve said tomorrow's meeting demonstrated that AWPA had an open mind and was "exploring every avenue".
Source: The Australian
Singapore Bursting at the Seams?
I have just read a recent article about the Singaporean government wishing to increase the population to 6.9 million by 2030. Singapore currently has a population of 5.3 million people on 697 km² of land. After speaking with many local Singaporean’s over the past few years, already there is disgruntlement over the enormous population increase over the past 50 years (1.6million in 1960 to 5.3million in 2012).
Increasing the population by 1.6 million people does not seem like a huge amount when compared to the size and population in Australia. In fact there is plenty of room in Australia to accommodate significantly more than the entire population of Singapore. And there is enough room for every one of our 22 million people to have a substantial backyard.
However, it would be interesting to know where in Singapore an extra 1.6 million people could fit in.
I could imagine a whole new advertising campaign describing Singapore to be the new Venice of the East. Although population will grow, unfortunately land does not and I will not be surprised if we do, in fact, one day see Venetian style canals off the coast of Singapore to accommodate the population increases.
Already Singapore is one of the most densely populated countries in the world. Population density sees 7680 people per square kilometre in Singapore. I’m sure many of you riding trains in the morning or going through shopping malls in Orchard Road would probably think this is a fair estimate.
Already we can see a large number of developments and high-rise buildings as we travel from the airport to our humble hotel that reflects an already large urban population. And buying a landed property is now fast becoming a luxury of the rich.
Looking at Australia’s population density, we see 2.86 people per square kilometre. Granted, the cities will definitely be more densely populated however we at least have the chance to drive a short way out of the city for a breath of fresh air and some quality alone time. And with new housing estates being developed in all major cities that include house and land packages, there is a healthy choice for all between inner-city apartment living and roomier suburban life.
In fact there is nothing better than making a lot of noise in your own home without Mrs Johnson banging on the floor below with a broom telling you to shut up. Or going to your mates place to play some backyard cricket whilst enjoying a barbecue on the back porch. Or getting back to nature and camping out in many wondrous and natural places that Australia has to offer. Those of you in countries such as South Africa and the United States would know how nice little bit of space is when you need to get away from the hustle and bustle of urban life.
How do Singapore and Australia compare to other countries when it comes to Population Density?
Malaysia - 88.7 per sq km
South Africa - 40.2 people per sq km
United States - 34.3 people per sq km
United Kingdom - 260.6 people per sq km
India – 366.6 people per sq km
Japan - 349.4 people per sq km
China - 140.4 people per sq km.
There’s been talk for years that China is the most overpopulated country in the world. However, figures suggest that this is not the case and Singapore must certainly be feeling the strain of a larger population in such a small area.
Forthcoming seminars :
South Africa – February 2013
Cape Town: Thursday 14 February at the Commodore Hotel – 7pm to 8.30pm
Consultations: 15 and 16 February
Singapore and Malaysia – February/March 2013
Singapore:
Saturday 23 February at the Holiday Inn – 11am to 12.30pm
Consultations: afternoon of 23 February, whole day 24, 25, 26, 27, 28 February and 1 March
Kuala Lumpur:
Saturday 2 March at the DoubleTree by Hilton, , The Intermark – 11am to 12.30pm
Consultations: afternoon of 2 March, whole day 3, 4 and 5 March
South Africa – April 2013
Johannesburg: Thursday 18 April at the Michelangelo Hotel – 7pm to 8.30pm
Consultations: 19, 20, 21, 27, 28 and 29 April.
Durban: Monday 22 April at the Endless Horizons Boutique Hotel – 7pm to 8.30pm
Consultations: 23 and 24 April
Cape Town: Thursday 25 April at the Commodore Hotel – 7pm to 8.30pm
Consultations: 26 and 27 April
The seminars are free to attend but there is a charge for consultations. You are not obliged to book a consultation.
To book for the free seminar go to : http://www.immagine-immigration.com/seminars/
The Nons
The “Nons” vote with their feet
I had a very interesting consultation recently in Malaysia with a Malaysian of Indian ethnicity wherein she introduced me to a term that I was unfamiliar with. She referred to herself as a “Non.”By this she meant that she is a “Non Malay” even though she is a Malaysian citizen, in other words she is not regarded as an ethnic Malay or non Bumiputra.
This term prompted me to reflect that the Non’s (whether they are ethnic Chinese or Indians living in Malaysia) or Whites, Coloureds or Indians living in South Africa (the equivalent Nons of South Africa) tend to make up the majority of our clients.
These Nons of both countries probably have a lot more in common than they think. They are both disadvantaged by affirmative action programs in Malaysia and South Africa respectively. I would, at the outset of this post, like to declare my position as an official fence sitter. I am categorically not against affirmative action programs and I make this point because I know that it is a contentious issue and many of you would be relishing the opportunity of shooting me, the humble observer, with your poisoned emails. So please don’t, I bleed easily.
Most people who have a consultation with me are curious as to the reasons why their fellow countrymen are choosing to leave. They probably attended one of our free seminars and have been amazed at the number of people sitting in the seminar and wondering whether their fellow countrymen were leaving their respective countries for the same reasons that they are.
I have to say that the number one driver of migration for the Nons in Malaysia is affirmative action programs. They express their feelings as being a stranger in their own country. A feeling of marginalization. As far as I can remember it’s been driving the Nons from Malaysia [probably since the advent of the New Economic Policy] in the early 1970s following the race riots of 1969.
As far as South Africa is concerned the main motivation driving migration from South Africa in the 1990’S had to be crime and violence but of late I have to say that affirmative action programs are the single greatest driver for South African Nons.
Don’t get me wrong I do understand the arguments for affirmative action and its place in social justice and economic development and that there is little point in [a South African context] giving previously disadvantaged population groups under apartheid the vote without giving them better education, better employment opportunities and for the country to achieve a more diverse workforce that is broadly representative of the national population to promote economic development and efficiency in the workforce.
In Malaysia it was introduced to achieve social justice and communal peace and quotas of Bumiputra were reserved in-state universities, schools, in granting scholarships, public sector employment, employment quotas in the private sector and tendering of government contracts to name some. The nature of NEP has been altered over the years with some of the stricter requirements being softened or even eliminated but there is still a strong sentiment by the Non’s in Malaysia that they have been marginalized and excluded from the opportunities available to greater society which is motivating them to consider leaving.
It requires a selfless individual to sacrifice their opportunities for the greater good of society for social/economic reengineering through affirmative action policies. Undoubtedly there are individuals like this in Malaysia and South Africa who do understand the benefits of affirmative action and are prepared to sacrifice their immediate well-being for the greater good of society but more and more Nons in these respective countries are not and are voting with their feet in choosing Australia as a migration destination.
The belief in a "fair go" is a key part of Australian culture and Australian society, related to the support for the underdog. This can be seen in equal opportunity legislation which ensures people are not excluded from jobs or positions by their race, gender or sexual orientation.
Forthcoming seminars
South Africa
Johannesburg: Thursday 7 February at the Michelangelo Hotel – 7pm to 8.30pm
Consultations: 8, 9, 10, 18, 19, 20 February
Durban: Monday 11 February at the Endless Horizons Boutique Hotel – 7pm to 8.30pm
Consultations: 12, 13 February
Cape Town: Thursday 14 February at the Commodore Hotel – 7pm to 8.30pm
Consultations: 15 and 16 February
Singapore and Malaysia
Singapore:
Saturday 23 February at the Holiday Inn – 11am to 12.30pm
Consultations: afternoon of 23 February, whole day 24, 25, 26, 27, 28 February and 1 March
Kuala Lumpur:
Saturday 2 March at the DoubleTree by Hilton, , The Intermark – 11am to 12.30pm
Consultations: afternoon of 2 March, whole day 3, 4 and 5 March
The seminars are free to attend but there is a charge for consultations. You are not obliged to book a consultation.
To book for the free seminar go to : http://www.immagine-immigration.com/seminars/
“ So, what is Adelaide like?”
I get this a lot, prospective migrants inquiring as to a local context for a particular destination in Australia whether it be Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney or Kalgoorlie?
With this question in mind I spent a small portion of my holiday visiting Adelaide. Why Adelaide? My immediate response is “why not?” but this sounds a bit defensive. From an immigration perspective South Australia [of which Adelaide is the capital] is an attractive proposition.
Because the vast majority of our clients will require state sponsorship and South Australia sponsors one of the biggest arrays of occupations of any state it has immediate attraction. In fact, that list of occupations available for sponsorship just got longer. This past week South Australia added 33 occupations to its list of occupations available for sponsorship and the list appears below.
South Australia is also attractive because it includes Adelaide in the definition of “regional” for the purposes of the 489 visa. Therefore, unlike most states in Australia the capital city of South Australia is not excluded for a 489 visa meaning that the applicant can live and work in Adelaide on a 489 visa. This is quite different from a 489 visa sponsored by the states which exclude Perth, Sydney and Melbourne from areas in which applicants can live and work for a period of two years.
I had no preconceptions in mind as to what Adelaide was like and must confess to being very pleasantly surprised by Adelaide. I found the architecture to be a mixture of modern and colonial in a friendly juxtaposition of contrasting styles. I found the city to be neatly organized in a logical grid system, plenty of parks and enough of a commercial hub to feel part of the international community [Adelaide has 1.1 million people] but still not living in a rat race.
I was surprised by Adelaide’s charm.
If pressed to find an equivalent city I have to say Cape Town comes closest. Apart from the obvious comparisons given the viticulture industries in both South Australia and the Cape some of the streets have a similar feel.
The architecture is obviously different, Cape Town having a distinct Cape Dutch feel with an influence of British colonial architecture. Adelaide doesn’t have the Cape Dutch influence but does have the colonial architecture and the city has a similar size and feel.
Don’t make the mistake of going to Adelaide looking for Cape Town. It’s not Cape Town and has a quaint charm all of its own.
If you want to find out more about what South Australia has to offer I suggest you look at the South Australian Government website which gives a very good overview as to the economy, weather, cost of housing etc.
On my trip I managed to meet with a representative of Immigration South Australia [a State Government organization] and was told that one of the selling points of Adelaide is quality of life for families, providing a good work life balance with quality education, affordable housing and internationally recognized qualifications. The vast majority of our clients are looking for this lifestyle and if this appeals to you give some thought to migration to South Australia.
Forthcoming seminars :
South Africa
Johannesburg : Thursday 7 February at the Michelangelo Hotel – 7pm to 8.30pm
Consultations: 8, 9, 10, 18, 19, 20 February
Durban: Monday 11 February at the Endless Horizons Boutique Hotel – 7pm to 8.30pm
Consultations: 12, 13 February
Cape Town: Thursday 14 February at the Commodore Hotel – 7pm to 8.30pm
Consultations: 15 and 16 February
Singapore and Malaysia:
Singapore:
Saturday 23 February at the Holiday Inn – 11am to 12.30pm
Consultations: afternoon of 23 February, whole day 24, 25, 26, 27, 28 February and 1 March
Kuala Lumpur:
Saturday 2 March at the DoubleTree by Hilton, , The Intermark – 11am to 12.30pm
Consultations: afternoon of 2 March, whole day 3, 4, 5 and 6 March
The seminars are free to attend but there is a charge for consultations. You are not obliged to book a consultation.
To book for the free seminar go to : http://www.immagine-immigration.com/seminars/)
The following occupations have been added to the State Nomionation Occupations List
ANZSCO OCCUPATION
133511 Production Manager (Forestry)
134111 Child Care centre manager
135112 ICT Project Manager
135199 ICT Managers, nec
139999 Specialist Managers nec
142114 Hair or Beauty Salon Manager
149411 Fleet Manager
149913 Facilities Manager
224711 Management Consultant
224712 Organisation and Methods Analyst
225212 ICT Business Development Manager
234112 Agricultural scientist
234311 Conservation Officer
234312 Environmental Consultant
234313 Environmental Research Scientist
241111 Early childhood (pre-primary school) teacher
251111 Dietitian
252112 Osteopath
252211 Acupuncturist
252214 Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioner
252299 Complementary Health Therapists nec
253314 Medical Oncologist
253315 Endocrinologist
253324 Thoracic medicine specialist
254211 Nurse Educator
254311 Nurse Manager
261212 Web Developer
271111 Barrister
312112 Building Associate
312114 Construction Estimator
312911 Maintenance Planner
342411 Cabler (Data and Telecommunications)
411411 Enrolled Nurse
