News

Sunday World
With the Irish construction industry continuing to take a battering and more job losses expected; many construction workers are looking at what options exist for them to work overseas. Australia is welcoming all Irish trades and professionals – including bricklayers, carpenters, plasterers, architects; engineers and everything in between. ...

The Labour Department has reported that the demand for skilled workers rose from November 2009 to January 2010. The information is based on vacancies posted on the nation’s three largest recruitment Web sites. ...

Skilled Visa applicants to Australia were recently surprised by the new policies that the Australian Department of Immigration and Citizenship suddenly announced. These changes affect not only immigrants having visa applications that are yet to be processed, but even applicants in the final stages of their visa processing. ...

High ranking Australian government officials are proposing a national regulator to combat the growth in “migration scams” affecting one of Australia’s biggest industries – education.
The international education industry in Australia is a multi-million dollar sector, attracting some 386,523 students through the Australian immigration system in the year to 30 June 2009. ...

In 2010 the federal officials plan a near five time increase in the inspections of companies hiring H-1B visa holders.
U.S. ...

New business visa regime has been negotiated between Canada and India. Going into effect immediately the Indian businessmem will be able to get a visa for Canada in just 24 hours. ...

There will be extra funding for the tourism industry in 2010. The Australian government hopes that contributions from industry partners and the territory governments would help the amount of money to be spent promoting Australia to grow. ...

The government in Wellington announced that Taiwanese passport holders will be due a three months visa free stay in New Zealand, if their purpose of travel is holiday, business or family reunion. Facilitating Taiwanese entrance in the country will be seen as an incentive for them to travel more to New Zealand and spend more, while on holiday. ...

According to a recent survey conducted by Gallup, Singapore is on the top of the list of immigration destinations. The report says that Singapore’s population may jump from 3.6 mil to more then 12 mil if all who want to settle in Singapore are actually permitted to do so. ...

Housing business in Canada is expected to rebound in 2010 from this year’s decline. The low interest rates and the high immigration to Canada will support the housing demand during the next year. ...

New International Migration Settlement research shows that the immigration to New Zealand contributes significantly the per capita income. If the New Zealand government fails to keep the current levels of immigrants the GDP may drop by more that 10% in the next 10 years. ...

According to the Australian Property Monitors the property prices across Australia continue their rise with the highest rates measured in the state capitals. The interstate and overseas migration continues while at the same time the business and consumer confidence is back. ...

New Zealand MP involved in an immigration scandal will no longer be investigated due to the lack of sufficient evidence. Mr. ...

Canada’s Governor General Michele Jean is on a European tour. On a joint press conference with the Slovenian President she said that the Canadian’s Immigration system is under huge pressure due to a rise in refugee claims among Czech nationals. ...

New Zealand's oil and gas industry is struggling to find enough skilled local people to fill vacancies according to leading professional in the field
Ten occupations, most of them in the oil and gas sector, have been added to the Department of Labour's immediate skill shortage list.
They include geologists, geophysicists and earth science technicians.
This allows employers to look overseas without having to search locally first. This is great news for people in this sector looking to migrate to New Zealand.
You need a visa to enter and work in New Zealand. ...

Melbourne Police officers raid in the house of a 24-year-old woman, seizing her PC and documents. The charges against her are for producing and distributing fake documents used by temporary residents in the country to apply for Skilled Visas in Australia. ...

British Home Office migration committee recommends that Indian professionals entering the country on inter-company transfer visa, should no long be permitted a permanent settlement in UK. This is all in line with the new policy of the British Home Office to ensure that the British workers are preferred over those coming from countries outside of the EU. ...

Since the recession began there are massive changes to the emigration patterns, shows a recently released report of the Central Statistics Office.
For the first quarter of 2009 65,000 left the country (of these 18,000 Irish nationals). ...

More concerns over the revision of the skilled migration program by DIAC.
Official statistics show that the mining and the energy industry is very likely to face skills shortages in the next 12-18 months, if the skilled visa application requirements are not reviewed. ...

Australian immigrants have been hailed as helping to save Australia from the financial downturn.
Recently a report by a well-known accountant firm announced that jobs in mining and tourism were being lost in Queensland because domestic migrants were heading to the Northern Territories. ...

Owners of fast food chains in Canberra and Sydney, said immigration policy changes to the 457 business visa from September, had derailed their long-standing bid to recruit Filipinos store managers for their business.
Despite offering above-award wages for the positions they are failing for years to attract local applicants. ...

At a Senate committee hearing immigration officials admitted, that less Indians are applying for Australian student visas. No figures are published yet, as they are still being compiled. ...

The Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) have introduced further changes concerning the priority that they are processing resident visa applications. These changes will affect all permanent resident applications especially those whose occupation are not on the current critical shortage skills list. ...

According to the latest statistics from the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC), the number of Working Holiday Makers doing harvest work to gain a second year visa leapt by 84 per cent in the year to June 30 2009.
More then 21,000 WHMs applied successfully for a second year in 2008/2009. The year before there were 11,800 applications. ...

The Department of Foreign Affairs said, that no Filipinos have been affected by the ongoing UK immigration authorities’ drive against the illegal migrants. The Filipinos in the UK are “generally law-abiding,” and so far, no Filipino has been arrested or detained, said the DFA in its recent statement. ...

Unveiling details of the new test, Immigration Minister Chris Evans said "I want people applying to Australian citizenship to know things such as under Australia's domestic law, domestic violence is illegal, that you're not entitled to hit women in Australia."
However, in a "non-testable" section of the new citizenship book, prospective citizens will be able to learn about the Don, Dick Smith, Eddie Mabo and even lesser-known figures such as gynaecologist Catherine Hamlin.
Under the new regulations, people with physical or mental disabilities will not have to sit the test, while others who need help will be able to take a citizenship course.
Children will gain citizenship only after they have been granted permanent residency. For people who spend a lot of time outside the country to become citizens, like elite athletes, pilots and cruise ship crews, there are new relaxed regulations.
The pass mark of the new citizenship test is set to 75 per cent. ...

Nearly 49% of 55 to 64-year-olds want a gap year and explore the world. Almost half of older workers would like to take time off to broaden their horizons. ...