Tougher Immigration Rules by the Australian Government

In the current scenario of global slowdown, the local Australian citizens and residents have been suffering on account of high unemployment. Thus, a major initiative has been taken by the Australian government regarding its policy on immigration. The permanent general skilled migrant quota has been cut down by 14 percent so as to cater to the country's own shortage for employment. This was expected by the government, sooner or later. The 14% slash means 18,500 less immigrants. Hence, the total immigrants come down to 1, 15,000. Along with this, certain categories such as building and manufacturing trades which includes carpenters, bricklayers, metal fitters, plumbers and so on have been removed from the Critical Skill List. This would mean less competition for the local citizens for the already minimal employment opportunities.

However, the Australian government has ensured that the industries and the employers can still open doors to skilled immigrants. This would now be determined by the need for such professionals in specific industries where it is not being able to be catered to by the locals. Such needs are reflected by occupations listed in the MODL and Critical Skills List. Since, the MODL and Critical Skill set will be under constant review, changes can always be done to reflect future changes in the labor market.

The following points would be given due emphasis from now on -

• The general skilled migrant programme would be continued but would be highly labor market specific.
• The programme would now focus on the industry requirements.
• A candidate applying for immigration without a sponsor from an employer would be given priority only if he comes under the categories mentioned in the Critical Skills List.
• This form of focus would ensure quality and the right skills that would help the Australian economy rise from the slowdown.
• To meet the urgent skill requirements, the applications of the employer sponsored permanent migrants would be processed ahead of the others so as to ensure no loss in the economy.
• Hence, emphasis is being given to those working on the temporary visas and around 36,000 permanent visas could be granted this year.

This is clearly an indicator of the current scenario in Australia which is just an example of the outcome of the global meltdown in the developed nations. Having said so, the open list still encourages Engineering, Accounting, IT and Health professionals to apply and to take advantage of this opportunity as soon as possible. A seasoned immigration specialist will take them through the critical assessment and the visa application stage.

Ajay Sharma is an immigration expert who provides his valuable advice to people seeking immigration in countries like Canada, Denmark, USA, Australia and many others. With years of experience under his belt, he is the principal immigration consultant of ABHINAV.com, which is in business since 1994. Over the years, Abhinav has continually stood the test of time and has helped its clients in accomplishing their relocation dreams to foreign lands, successfully and smoothly.