Skilled Migrants Essential to the Development of Australia`s Economy

Released on = June 6, 2007, 1:00 am

Press Release Author = AI

Industry = Internet & Online

Press Release Summary = Employer sponsored migration was up 17 percent, from 13,020
to 15,230 visas issued, and State/Territory sponsored visas were up 94 percent. In
fact, more than 68 percent of the total number of visas approved in 2005-06 were
issued under the Skill Stream.

Press Release Body = Australian businesses have been able to identify and attract
much needed skills with greater success under the Government\'s Migration Programme
in 2005-06. Due to improved targeting by the Government of skilled migrants there
has been a 500 per cent increase over the previous year in the number of Skilled
Independent migrants with occupations in short supply in Australia. "Skilled
migration is critical to Australia\'s future. It is not overstating it to say that
skilled migrants are the engine room of the economy," the Minister says.

Employer sponsored migration was up 17 percent, from 13,020 to 15,230 visas issued,
and State/Territory sponsored visas were up 94 percent. In fact, more than 68
percent of the total number of visas approved in 2005-06 were issued under the Skill
Stream.

The immigration target in 2005-06 was set an upper limit of 143,000 and 142,930
visas were issued under the programme. The upper limit for the 2006-07 Migration
Programme has been set at 144,000 places which includes 97,500 places in the Skill
Stream and 46,000 in the Family Stream. The Programme will continue to focus on the
skills that business and industry are looking for but will also meet legitimate
close family reunion needs. Therefore, there has been an increase in the size of the
Family Stream with 3000 extra places becoming available, 1000 of these being for
spouse visas. The increased demand for spouse visas is driven by two main factors -
the increasing global mobility of young Australians and the larger sponsorship base
created by the increased skilled migration intake.

The health sector has become the nation's top user of temporary skilled migrants
(457 visa holders) with 5,680 primary visas (excluding dependants) being granted to
temporary skilled migrants in 2005-06 to work in the health and community services
sector - most of them nurses and doctors. The sector takes over from the property
and business services sector as the biggest user of temporary skilled migrants.
About 20 percent of 457 visa holders obtain permanent residence which highlights the
success of the temporary skilled migration programme.

In September 2006, nine new professions were added to the Migration Occupations in
Demand List (MODL). Regular adjustments to the MODL help to address ongoing
shortages in the skilled Australian labour market by ensuring individuals with
specialist skills who are in demand are selected for migration to Australia.

In order to ensure that the migration programme is delivering the maximum benefits
to Australia, the Government continuously fine-tunes the selection methodologies. As
the key aim of the skilled programme is to select migrants who will find skilled
jobs quickly it is recognised that good English and relevant work experience are
essential to achieving this result. Therefore, in order to give migrants the best
chance of success in the Australian labour market the Government has increased the
base level of English language proficiency, increased the allocation of bonus points
to applicants who achieve English language scores at above the base level and also
will now place greater emphasis on skilled work experience as a factor in the points
test.

Visa for Australia and Australia Visa Application made easy!Australian Working Visa
made possible to easily have one!Visit Australia Immigration at
http://www.nationalvisas.com.au for further details!

Web Site = http://www.nationalvisas.com.au/working/workingholidayvisas.htm

Contact Details = ADDRESS:

3/118 Church Street Hawthorn, Victoria Australia 3122

PHONE:

+61(0) 3 9697 4922

FAX:

+61 (0) 3 9815 1544

E-MAIL:

webmaster@nationalvisas.com.au

  • Printer Friendly Format
  • Back to previous page...
  • Back to home page...
  • Submit your press releases...
  •