May 2006
Monthly Archive
Fri 19 May 2006
South Australia is seeking to recruit up to 70 more British police officers. The move follows two successful UK recruitment drives that have attracted more than 180 British officers to South Australia.
Applications close at 5.00 pm central Australian winter time on Wednesday, 14 June 2006.
Applicants who are invited to undertake the entrance examination/psychological testing will be advised by Friday, 23 June 2006 (UK time).
Entrance examinations will be conducted in London on Saturday, 1 July.
Applicants who are short-listed for interviews / physical assessment will be advised on 19 July 2006.
Interviews and physical assessment testing will be conducted in London from 21 to 30 August 2006.
Offers of positions will be made on 1 September 2006.
Applications are open to officers who are currently serving in the UK and:
- have a minimum 3 years continuous police service, within the last 5 years, following graduation
- are not over 45 years of age
“This drive is not just about overcoming skills shortages in a tight labour market, it’s about making the South Australian community safer,” Immigration Minister Amanda Vanstone said today.
“I’m told the recruitment programs have been successful with the UK police sent to metropolitan and country areas.
“UK officers have a similar policing style to that in Australia so that they can be operational quickly after arrival.
“Most of the recruits are being employed under the Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme which attracts English-speaking people under 45-years-old.
“Australia has a strong economy and an ageing workforce. Skilled overseas workers who meet the skill and experience requirements of employers and state and territory governments are urgently needed for a range of jobs.
‘There is a particular demand for skills in the mining and resources industry, building and technical trades and engineering.”
Australia’s global recruitment campaign for skilled workers would return to the UK and Ireland in October, after a series of skills expos in Shanghai, Hong Kong and Manila this month.
Last year more than 16,000 people attended skilled migration expos in the UK, Europe, India, Melbourne and Perth. Another 16 international and domestic expos are scheduled this year.
Sun 14 May 2006
The Trade Skills Training Visa (471) was introduced in November 2005.
In April Kim Beazley, leader of Australia’s opposition Labor Party, said that he would like to abolish these foreign apprenticeship visas, which were “ruining the job prospects of young Australians”.
“The Howard Government brought in the Trade Skills Training Visa (subclass 471), giving apprenticeships to unskilled migrants, rather than young Australians.
“This has to stop. We must train Australians first and train Australians now. This is the only way we can give young Australians every chance to succeed.
“I support immigration. But immigration is no substitute for training young Australians.”
The government has now responded. The Minister for Immigration, Senator Amanda Vanstone, asked, “Why is it okay to bring in a very large number of overseas university students, but not okay to allow in limited circumstances young overseas people to learn a trade in Australia?”
“Overseas apprentices in Australia will not displace local Australians. They will be paid in accordance with Australian law and will, in fact, assist in ensuring trade-training remains available in regional areas.
“All visas have to be approved by Regional Certifying Bodies, which are appointed after consultation with state governments, and draw on local knowledge to ensure that interests of the community are protected.
“Among the many safeguards, the Regional Certifying Bodies have to check that the employer has tried to fill the position by advertising within Australia.
“Sponsoring employers have to have a good training record and many will be group training companies which are typically not-for-profit, community organisations.
“The Government’s decision to allow entry of foreign apprentices in certain circumstances was taken to help regional group training companies remain viable and thus keep offering trade training to young Australians.
‘It will also help Australian businesses in regional and remote areas who have trouble getting young Australians for the task.
“The simple fact is that Australia is not going to be flooded with overseas apprentices; the strict conditions simply don’t allow for this.”
Tue 9 May 2006
The government has announced that family stream places will be increased by 4,000 - to 46,000 - in the period 2006 – 2007.The intention is to meet an increased demand for partner places in the annual immigration programme. Demand is increasing because of:
- the increased mobility of young Australians bringing partners back from overseas
- the increased volume of young, single migrants
- the increased number of foreign nationals coming to Australia for tourism, for working holidays and to study.
Note: Australia’s annual migration programme of up to 140,000 places in 2005-06 included 42,000 places for the family stream and 98,000 for the skilled/special eligibility stream.
Currently 4.8 million people born overseas are living in Australia.
People born in the UK make up the largest migrant group with 1.1 million people (or 6% of the total Australian population). Other major groups are New Zealand (2%), Italy, mainland China and Viet Nam (each 1%).
Tue 9 May 2006
The government has announced that the increased numbers in this year’s immigration programme - 20,000 extra places - will be maintained next year.
The migration programme in 2006-07 of up to 144,000 places will be made up of 97,500 places in the Skill Stream and 46,000 places in the Family Stream.
“This year we have worked extremely hard to increase the proportion of skilled migrants sponsored by employers or States and regions,” said the Minister for Immigration, Amanda Vanstone
“We have done this by matching skilled migrants with employers through a number of avenues including skills expos; the availability of Regional Outreach Officers; and for the first time this year Industry Outreach Officers.”
- Employer sponsored migration is up 22 percent. In the nine months to the end of March 12,000 employer sponsored visas were granted.
- State sponsored and regional migration (SSRM) visas is up 50 percent over the same period.
- The number of migrants with occupations on the Migration Occupations in Demand List (MODL) will quadruple to almost 40,000 people. Numbers were approximately 10,000 in 2004-05.
“The figures demonstrate that we are matching skilled migrants to areas of need better than ever before,” Senator Vanstone said.
“This is why these migrants are performing exceptionally well in the labour market. We intend to further refine that matching in the upcoming financial year.”
Mon 8 May 2006
“Skilled migrants with general skilled migration visas are achieving higher levels of labour market success than ever before.”
This was the conclusion reached in an independent evaluation of the general skilled migration categories carried out by three of Australia’s leading immigration experts *.
Australia already has the best skilled migration programme in the world, but we cannot afford to stand still,” Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs, Senator Amanda Vanstone said. “Our competitors are busily copying us, and new players are entering the game. We are all driven by demography and the need to address an increasing range of skill shortages.“The key aim of our skilled programme is to select migrants who will find skilled jobs quickly. The evaluation has confirmed categorically that good English and relevant work experience are essential to achieving this result.”To give migrants the best chance of success in Australia the government plans - in the second half of 2006 and in the first half of 2007 - to:
- increase the base level of English language proficiency which must be demonstrated by applicants for general skilled migration visas
- increase the allocation of bonus points to applicants who achieve English language scores at above the base level
- place greater emphasis on skilled work experience as a factor in the points test.
* Dr Bob Birrell, Associate Professor, Lesleyanne Hawthorne and Professor Sue Richardson.
Mon 1 May 2006
The minimum salary that employers must pay temporary skilled workers in Australia has been increased to be $41, 850 for most professionsThis is an increase of more than 7 percent from last year’s level.The minimum salary does not override normal Australian employment conditions. If awards or workplace agreements demand a higher salary, then the higher salary must be paid.“These measures ensure foreign skilled workers are paid salaries reflecting their skills,” said the Minister for Immigration, Amanda Vanstone.
The Minister said she believed the vast majority of employers were in fact paying well above the minimum salaries.
“The average salary of business long stay visa holders – commonly referred to as 457 visas – is currently $65,000.
“This reflects the fact that overseas workers are sought to fill genuine skill shortages in Australia and that, as a consequence of that shortage, wages in those trades and professions are being driven up.”
Minimum salary levels have been set since 2001 to deter employers from recruiting low-paid overseas workers to the detriment of Australian workers.
“In the IT sector, the minimum salary level for workers would be $57,300 – an increase of 12.9 per cent,” the Minister said.
“For highly skilled senior manager positions applying for permanent migration, which does not require an assessment of skills, the minimum salary will be increased to $165,000 a year.”
The Minister also announced the Government would make changes to regional concessions allowed under the 457 visa scheme, including setting an absolute minimum for salaries in regional areas of at least 90 per cent of the standard minimum level.
“This change, from 1 July, 2006, will ensure salary levels approved by regional certifying bodies are at least the minimum acceptable in the Australian context for a skilled worker.”