Australian Immigration News September 09

Upcoming Australian Immigration Seminars

We will be conducting five Australian Immigration Seminars in September 2009.  Available seats are filling fast.  To avoid disappointment please reserve your seat now.

SINGAPORE:

Singapore

Seminar 5 September – Orchard Hotel (12.30pm to 2pm)
Consulting: Afternoon of 5 September, whole day 6, 7 and 8 September

 

MALAYSIA:
Kuala Lumpur:
Seminar 8 September – Renaissance Hotel, Kuala Lumpur (7.30pm to 9pm)
Consulting: 9, 10 and 11 September

 

SOUTH AFRICA:

Johannesburg:
Seminar 15 September – Hilton Hotel, Sandton (7pm – 8.30pm)
Consulting: 16, 17, 18 and 20 September

Cape Town:
Seminar 24 September – Commodore Hotel (7pm – 8.30pm)
Consulting: 25 and 26 September

Durban:
Seminar 30 September – Riverside Hotel (7pm – 8.30pm)
Consulting: 1 and 2 October

Today’s Treasure Is Tomorrow’s Trash (and Vice Versa) - Changes To The Migration Occupations In Demand List (modl)

Being in an occupation on the MODL list is often (but not always) a key determinant to applicants chances of qualifying for a skilled migrant visa as it can add 15 points to an applicant's score, often being the key factor in qualifying for Australian permanent residence or not.

The MODL lists those occupations and specialisations identified by the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations that are in short supply.

The Australian Government is currently reviewing and evaluating the MODL and has called for submissions from the public. The evaluation process will be a major step in constructing a framework for migration which will meet Australia's longer term economic, social and demographic needs.

The MODL review will assess the central skills targeting mechanism for the General Skilled Migration (GSM) program. The MODL was introduced to target the GSM program, to applicants who had skills in occupations and specialisations in short supply in Australia.

The review, lead jointly by the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations and the Department of Immigration and Citizenship will examine and report on the following:

• The role and purpose of the MODL in targeting skill needs in relation to the GSM program, to complement the supply of tertiary qualified Australians;
   
• A proposal for a new methodology and structure for the MODL to meet its intended purpose, taking account of: 
   
  • the long term needs of the Australian labour market;
  • skill supply through domestic tertiary education.
• The implications for policy and administration of any proposed changes to the MODL arrangements;
   
• The implementation of the Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO) for migration purposes and the implications and timing of its application to MODL and the Critical Skills List

If you are thinking of lodging an application under the General Skilled Migration program, the IMMagine Australia team advise that you do so as soon as possible; because, if changes are made to the MODL, you might find you are no longer eligible for the program.

Windows of opportunity open and close for migrants indiscriminately as and when immigration policy changes. Changing the complexion of the MODL list is a key factor in determining who is going to be tomorrow's trash or treasure in immigration policy terms.

The current MODL is as follows:

Update On Processing Of General Skilled Migration Applications

The Global Economic Crisis has impacted on the Australian economy, including an increase in unemployment. The migration program is one of the ways the Australian government uses to assist the workforce by addressing skills and labour shortages, and, as such, is continually reviewed and assessed to ensure the program delivers the economic and social needs of Australia.

Earlier this year, the Australian Minister of Immigration and Citizenship introduced priority processing of certain applications for visas in the General Skilled Migration program. The priority processing direction gives priority processing to permanent applications in the following order:

• employer sponsorship
• state or territory sponsorship
• applicants with an occupation on the Critical Skills List (CSL)
• an occupation on the Migration Occupations in Demand List (MODL)
• all other applications

The new priority processing direction gives priority processing to provisional applications in the following order:

• state or territory sponsorship
• family sponsorship where the applicants occupation is listed on the CSL
• all other applications

The Department is unable to estimate how long it will take to process visas, including those which have already been lodged. Unfortunately, this will affect even those applications that are in their final stages of processing. The visa processing standards relate to normal processing conditions and are only a guide for the majority of applications. They do not take into account the new priority processing measures.

As the economic situation changes, the government will review its measures to ensure that the program targets and objectives are achieved. These measures only affect the skill stream of the migration program. The IMMagine Australia team will continue to monitor this situation and will keep you updated with any Changes.

Buying Property In Australia As A Foreigner

It is the aim of the Australian government to increase the supply of housing in Australia and therefore foreigners cannot normally get approval to buy houses, flats or units which have been occupied.

Foreigners can normally get approval to buy vacant land -- as long as continuous construction occurs within 12 months. Foreigners can normally get approval to buy existing residences for redevelopment -- as long as this will increase the supply of housing.

In order for foreigners to purchase property they need to apply to the Foreign Investment Review Board (website is www.firb.gov.au).

When applying for approval you need to give the address of the property you intend to purchase. You should not sign agreements before you receive foreign investment approval unless the contract is conditional on such approval.

Approximately 7500 foreign residents and businesses receive approval each year to purchase property in Australia with residential real estate comprising more than 92% of applications received each year by the foreign investment review Board.

The Shipping News - Take It Or Leave It?

If you are reading this newsletter, then you areprobably currently considering the big move Down Under. One of the many realities facing migrants is the question of what to do with your home full of furniture and memories. Ship the whole lot, scale down and take only the important bits, or leave the whole lot and start over in Australia?

The good news is that it is now more economical to move your possessions to Australia than it has been for a long time. Due to the world economic downturn in shipping volumes and the subsequent competition for cargo, shipping lines are now offering (hard-bargaining) removal companies ocean freight rates that have not beenseen foryears. No doubt, there will be a "correction" in rates as soon as shipping volumes pick up again, but for the short term at least, there has never been a better time to pack & ship everything, including the kitchensink.

For example, a standard 6 metre/20ft container (for an average 3 bedroom home load) from Cape Town to Sydney is currently costing +- SAR 32 000; anda 12 metre/40ft container ( for a larger home load ) is currently costing +- SAR 59 000. That is +- Aus$ 4900 and Aus$9000 respectively, excluding optional transit insurance.

When compared to the alternative of selling up and replacing household goods overseas (see for example http://www.ikea.com/, http://www.sleepinggiant.com.au/and http://www.buyguide.com.au/) one soon realises that as expensive as moving may be, the alternative is even more costly.

The extra value added in biting the bullet and shipping one's household goods becomes even more apparent when considering the comfort derived from being surrounded by familiar things in an unfamiliar environment, especially true for children settling in a new country.

Naturally one's financial situation will ultimately determine what a migrant can afford to ship, but hopefully the factors mentioned here will make that bitter pill just a little easier to swallow.

Contributed by Adrian Schultz, Director of EconoFreight International Movers , Cape Town, RSA. For queries or quotations please feel free to contact Adrian at adrian@econofreight.co.za or call (from SA) 0861-MOVING (668464)