Australian citizenship test goes into effect
Friday, October 26, 2007
The new Australian citizenship test for permanent residents wishing to become Australian citizens commenced on 01 October 2007. Unlike the United Kingdom, migrants applying for permanent residence under schemes such as General Skilled Migration and the family streams are not required to take the test.
The test, comprised of 20 multiple choice questions, is computer based and drawn from a resource booklet released by DIAC entitled 'Becoming and Australian Citizen'.
"We believe that it is important for new citizens to demonstrate that they have at least basic English and they understand the responsibilities and privileges of being an Australian citizen," said Immigration Minister Kevin Andrews.
"Australian citizenship provides for an overriding commitment to Australia, our laws, our values and our community. A citizenship test provides the means of ensuring that prospective citizens have such an understanding," he added.
According to the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC), 33 people sat the test on the first day in Queensland and Victoria. Reports state that most applicants found the test to be easier than they expected, and that one person failed.
"Everyone's passed except for one person who got a high percentage but failed on one of the values questions," said a DIAC spokesperson. Final pass and fail figures for the first day are expected to be available soon.
74 more people are expected to sit the test the on 02 October 2007 at DIAC offices in Sydney, Adelaide and Perth.
"The pass mark for the test is 60 per cent, including answering correctly the three mandatory questions about the responsibilities and privileges of Australian citizenship," Andrews said.
"For those who have not passed the test, a print out of their results will give them information about their test results. This will help them to prepare to sit the test again. People can sit the test as many times as they need to in order to pass," he added.
The citizenship test is only for applicants 18 to 59 years of age. People with mental or physical handicaps that keep them from understanding the nature of their application will also not be required to sit the test.
Test sites will be located in all Australian capital cities and in major regional centers.
The test, comprised of 20 multiple choice questions, is computer based and drawn from a resource booklet released by DIAC entitled 'Becoming and Australian Citizen'.
"We believe that it is important for new citizens to demonstrate that they have at least basic English and they understand the responsibilities and privileges of being an Australian citizen," said Immigration Minister Kevin Andrews.
"Australian citizenship provides for an overriding commitment to Australia, our laws, our values and our community. A citizenship test provides the means of ensuring that prospective citizens have such an understanding," he added.
According to the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC), 33 people sat the test on the first day in Queensland and Victoria. Reports state that most applicants found the test to be easier than they expected, and that one person failed.
"Everyone's passed except for one person who got a high percentage but failed on one of the values questions," said a DIAC spokesperson. Final pass and fail figures for the first day are expected to be available soon.
74 more people are expected to sit the test the on 02 October 2007 at DIAC offices in Sydney, Adelaide and Perth.
"The pass mark for the test is 60 per cent, including answering correctly the three mandatory questions about the responsibilities and privileges of Australian citizenship," Andrews said.
"For those who have not passed the test, a print out of their results will give them information about their test results. This will help them to prepare to sit the test again. People can sit the test as many times as they need to in order to pass," he added.
The citizenship test is only for applicants 18 to 59 years of age. People with mental or physical handicaps that keep them from understanding the nature of their application will also not be required to sit the test.
Test sites will be located in all Australian capital cities and in major regional centers.
More Kiwis than Brits move to Oz
Monday, October 22, 2007
The number of New Zealanders crossing the Tasman increased by nearly 5000 in the past year, outstripping the United Kingdom as the largest source of permanent migrants to Australia. Department of Immigration statistics released today show 23,906 New Zealanders migrated to Australia in the 2006-07 financial year, up from 19,033 the previous year.
The number of UK migrants remained steady at 23,223 in 2006-07, having topped New Zealand for the previous three years.
Numbers of New Zealanders migrating to Australia annually has almost doubled in the past four years, with just 12,366 Kiwis crossing the Tasman in 2002-03.
The biggest trans-Tasman drain happened in 2000-01 when 26,106 New Zealanders migrated to Australia, before a pronounced dip in the next two years in the wake of the terrorist attacks in the United States.
A study of more than 300 New Zealand migrants this year by PhD graduate Dr Alison Green, of Queensland's Bond University, cited economic benefits, a better climate, wanting a change, and a sense of adventure as factors in their move.
But while Kiwis generally said they were "highly satisfied" with their new lives in Australia, they retained a strong sense of loyalty, Dr Green's study found.
"They largely consider Kiwi culture to be distinctly different from Aussie culture, are fiercely patriotic, and often view New Zealand as better," she said.
In releasing the statistics from a report documenting settler arrivals between 1996 and 2007, Australian Federal Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Kevin Andrews, said New Zealand and the UK accounted 33.6 percent of all settler arrivals in the past year.
The report said the next largest source countries were India (13,496 settlers, up from 11,286 the previous year), China (12,009, up from 10,581) and the Philippines (5561, up from 4871).
- stuff.co.nz
The number of UK migrants remained steady at 23,223 in 2006-07, having topped New Zealand for the previous three years.
Numbers of New Zealanders migrating to Australia annually has almost doubled in the past four years, with just 12,366 Kiwis crossing the Tasman in 2002-03.
The biggest trans-Tasman drain happened in 2000-01 when 26,106 New Zealanders migrated to Australia, before a pronounced dip in the next two years in the wake of the terrorist attacks in the United States.
A study of more than 300 New Zealand migrants this year by PhD graduate Dr Alison Green, of Queensland's Bond University, cited economic benefits, a better climate, wanting a change, and a sense of adventure as factors in their move.
But while Kiwis generally said they were "highly satisfied" with their new lives in Australia, they retained a strong sense of loyalty, Dr Green's study found.
"They largely consider Kiwi culture to be distinctly different from Aussie culture, are fiercely patriotic, and often view New Zealand as better," she said.
In releasing the statistics from a report documenting settler arrivals between 1996 and 2007, Australian Federal Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Kevin Andrews, said New Zealand and the UK accounted 33.6 percent of all settler arrivals in the past year.
The report said the next largest source countries were India (13,496 settlers, up from 11,286 the previous year), China (12,009, up from 10,581) and the Philippines (5561, up from 4871).
- stuff.co.nz
Small businesses advocate Australia immigration to address skill shortage
Friday, October 19, 2007
Small businesses in Western Australia and other parts of the country are being forced to close because they can't find enough skilled people with trade and technical experience, reports Perth's Sunday Times. Both local authorities and the federal government recognise that Australian immigration is the only answer to the labour shortage.
The owner of a steel security company, Ian Saggers, told the Sunday Times he was closing his business because he has not been able to find anyone to train his staff to use the equipment. This is despite owning what is potentially a multimillion-dollar turnover business.
Skilled tradespeople such as machine operators are being lured to the high-paying jobs offered by mining operations in the north. Many trades are on the Migration Occupations in Demand List (Australian MODL), entitling applicants for an Australian visa to extra points.
Immigration Minister Kevin Andrews recently acknowledged: "The reality in Australia today is we've got the lowest unemployment rate for 33 years, in states like Western Australia and Queensland in particular, it's almost impossible to find some workers, in particularly skilled areas, and we're crying out for workers, without which we wouldn't be able to continue to run the economy of Australia."
Western Australia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI) chief executive John Langoulant told the Sunday Times they are calling for increases in the number of skilled workers being brought in from overseas.
"The chamber has been working with government and employers to develop innovative ways to solve the problem,' he said. "The chamber advocates the use of skilled immigration schemes to help industry and business meet their growing short-term labour needs. However, improvements can be made to the present system by allowing more overseas skilled workers to enter the country.'
The owner of a steel security company, Ian Saggers, told the Sunday Times he was closing his business because he has not been able to find anyone to train his staff to use the equipment. This is despite owning what is potentially a multimillion-dollar turnover business.
Skilled tradespeople such as machine operators are being lured to the high-paying jobs offered by mining operations in the north. Many trades are on the Migration Occupations in Demand List (Australian MODL), entitling applicants for an Australian visa to extra points.
Immigration Minister Kevin Andrews recently acknowledged: "The reality in Australia today is we've got the lowest unemployment rate for 33 years, in states like Western Australia and Queensland in particular, it's almost impossible to find some workers, in particularly skilled areas, and we're crying out for workers, without which we wouldn't be able to continue to run the economy of Australia."
Western Australia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI) chief executive John Langoulant told the Sunday Times they are calling for increases in the number of skilled workers being brought in from overseas.
"The chamber has been working with government and employers to develop innovative ways to solve the problem,' he said. "The chamber advocates the use of skilled immigration schemes to help industry and business meet their growing short-term labour needs. However, improvements can be made to the present system by allowing more overseas skilled workers to enter the country.'
16,000 Indians seek to make Australia home
As many as 15,865 Indians sought permanent residence in Australia under the skilled migration programme in 2006-2007, making them the second largest group in the category after Britons. The figure seems to belie fears that freed terror suspect Muhammad Haneef's case would deter prospective Indians from making Australia their home.
Partha Mukherjee, an alumnus of the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, and Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, came to Australia three years ago with his wife under the skilled migrant programme.
He says, "I had power, position and wealth in Mumbai, but chose to migrate to Sydney for the quality of life this country offers. I wanted a balanced work and family life." Mukherjee works as an engineering consultant and teaches international business at the university.
However, his three children are doing their schooling and college in India. He says, "I feel if you really want to achieve high, India and the United States offer more opportunities for success."
India ranks second amongst the top five countries of origin for skilled stream entrants. Britain leads the way with 24,800 skilled migrants coming Down Under, followed by India (15,865), China (14,688), South Africa (4,293) and Malaysia (3,838).
Despite steady economic growth for the last decade or so, Australia is facing a serious skills shortage with the ageing workforce retiring in greater numbers.
The top occupation for skilled stream entrants is accountancy (10,688), followed by computing professionals (4,044) and registered nurses (2,088). Other top professions included mechanical engineers, civil engineers, marketing specialists and general managers.
A growing number of people also want to bring their spouses back to Australia and form a family and live here. A total of 50,079 family stream visas were granted for the year, representing 33 percent of the total migration programme.
For instance, Mamta, 29, came to Australia last year on a spouse visa, which she got six months after getting married. Her husband, an electrical engineer, had come to Sydney four years ago under the skilled migrant programme.
India ranks third with 3,634 migrants coming here under the family stream. Britain once again leads with 6,540 family stream entrants followed by China (6,037), Philippines (3,098) and Vietnam (3,040).
Joe Hockey, the federal minister for employment and workplace relations noted, "The inclusion of architects and quantity surveyors among Migration Occupations in the Demand List (MODL) will be welcomed by employers, particularly those in the resources and construction industries.
"Changes to the MODL will also benefit Australia's international competitiveness as a provider of high quality aircraft maintenance and servicing."
The MODL includes 38 managerial and professional occupations, one associate professional occupation, 10 computing specializations and 46 trade occupations. Occupations and specializations identified on the MODL gain extra points for people applying for a points-tested General Skilled Migration visa.
The average age of skilled stream entrants (primary) is 31 years. Out of a total of 148,200 permanent visas granted during 2006-07, 97,920 were permanent skilled visas, representing 66 percent of the total migration programme.
Australia is competing for skilled workers with other developed countries in Europe, the US, Canada and New Zealand.
Partha Mukherjee, an alumnus of the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, and Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, came to Australia three years ago with his wife under the skilled migrant programme.
He says, "I had power, position and wealth in Mumbai, but chose to migrate to Sydney for the quality of life this country offers. I wanted a balanced work and family life." Mukherjee works as an engineering consultant and teaches international business at the university.
However, his three children are doing their schooling and college in India. He says, "I feel if you really want to achieve high, India and the United States offer more opportunities for success."
India ranks second amongst the top five countries of origin for skilled stream entrants. Britain leads the way with 24,800 skilled migrants coming Down Under, followed by India (15,865), China (14,688), South Africa (4,293) and Malaysia (3,838).
Despite steady economic growth for the last decade or so, Australia is facing a serious skills shortage with the ageing workforce retiring in greater numbers.
The top occupation for skilled stream entrants is accountancy (10,688), followed by computing professionals (4,044) and registered nurses (2,088). Other top professions included mechanical engineers, civil engineers, marketing specialists and general managers.
A growing number of people also want to bring their spouses back to Australia and form a family and live here. A total of 50,079 family stream visas were granted for the year, representing 33 percent of the total migration programme.
For instance, Mamta, 29, came to Australia last year on a spouse visa, which she got six months after getting married. Her husband, an electrical engineer, had come to Sydney four years ago under the skilled migrant programme.
India ranks third with 3,634 migrants coming here under the family stream. Britain once again leads with 6,540 family stream entrants followed by China (6,037), Philippines (3,098) and Vietnam (3,040).
Joe Hockey, the federal minister for employment and workplace relations noted, "The inclusion of architects and quantity surveyors among Migration Occupations in the Demand List (MODL) will be welcomed by employers, particularly those in the resources and construction industries.
"Changes to the MODL will also benefit Australia's international competitiveness as a provider of high quality aircraft maintenance and servicing."
The MODL includes 38 managerial and professional occupations, one associate professional occupation, 10 computing specializations and 46 trade occupations. Occupations and specializations identified on the MODL gain extra points for people applying for a points-tested General Skilled Migration visa.
The average age of skilled stream entrants (primary) is 31 years. Out of a total of 148,200 permanent visas granted during 2006-07, 97,920 were permanent skilled visas, representing 66 percent of the total migration programme.
Australia is competing for skilled workers with other developed countries in Europe, the US, Canada and New Zealand.
South Africans sought to fill skills gap
Thursday, October 18, 2007
SOUTH Africans are to be recruited to fill council jobs in Western Australia as statewide skills shortages sparked by the booming mining sector threaten to decimate local government services.
The move comes on the heels of a new survey showing that difficulties attracting and retaining staff in the state are having a negative or very negative effect on a record 71 per cent of businesses.
State Local Government Association president Bill Mitchell said the shortage was so serious that the prospect of councils having to reduce services was "a very real possibility and probability".
Long delays for planning approvals and engineering work were likely if skilled staff could not be found.
Mr Mitchell said councils taking part in the South African recruitment drive would pay success fees of about $4000 for every vacancy filled but considered it well worth the money. The association gave a shopping list of 80 jobs to recruiters, who will travel this week to South Africa hunting for town planners, engineers, accountants and environmental health officers.
Local government is Western Australia's third-biggest employer, with about 14,000 jobs, but Mr Mitchell said more than 10 per cent of jobs were unfilled as the sector competed with the booming resources industry.
The latest Commonwealth Bank-Chamber of Commerce and Industry business expectations survey found a record 76 per cent of businesses were worried about labour shortages, and many reported having to pay higher wages and incentives to keep staff.
Mr Mitchell said many councils were helping to pay HECS debts for new employees as one of a range of incentives.
In the September quarter, the index of non-wage labour costs surged to its highest level since the survey began in December 1997, and 38 per cent of respondents said they expected to raise prices in the next quarter as a result.
West Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry chief economist John Nicolaou said overcoming labour shortages must now be a priority for the state and federal governments. "While shortages are still most pronounced among skilled workers and professionals, critical shortages have now also been observed among lower-skilled labouring jobs and junior workers," Mr Nicolaou said.
With business expansion and growth set to continue at a rapid pace, he said, labour shortages would remain a problem for some time. More than 40 per cent of respondents reported they wanted to hire more staff in the coming quarter.
Western Australia's record low unemployment rate of 3.1 per cent is causing problems for the state Government, which has more than 900 vacancies advertised. Last month alone, more than 3300 new jobs were created in the state.
Police have been forced to recruit overseas to cope with a shortfall of about 120 officers. The force's recent recruitment drive in South Africa attracted about 300 applications, which are now being worked through.
Police Minister John Kobelke said that in the past 18 months more than 270 officers had been recruited from countries including Britain, Ireland, South Africa, Singapore, Denmark and The Netherlands.
Mr Mitchell said councils would spend about $200,000 this year promoting local government as a career that offered a better quality of life for workers than the resources industry.
"You can get big money in the mining sector, but you need to weigh up lifestyle with a job that is two weeks on and two weeks off against what we offer - like flexible hours, childcare, job-sharing and the like."
- Amanda O'Brien, The Australian
The move comes on the heels of a new survey showing that difficulties attracting and retaining staff in the state are having a negative or very negative effect on a record 71 per cent of businesses.
State Local Government Association president Bill Mitchell said the shortage was so serious that the prospect of councils having to reduce services was "a very real possibility and probability".
Long delays for planning approvals and engineering work were likely if skilled staff could not be found.
Mr Mitchell said councils taking part in the South African recruitment drive would pay success fees of about $4000 for every vacancy filled but considered it well worth the money. The association gave a shopping list of 80 jobs to recruiters, who will travel this week to South Africa hunting for town planners, engineers, accountants and environmental health officers.
Local government is Western Australia's third-biggest employer, with about 14,000 jobs, but Mr Mitchell said more than 10 per cent of jobs were unfilled as the sector competed with the booming resources industry.
The latest Commonwealth Bank-Chamber of Commerce and Industry business expectations survey found a record 76 per cent of businesses were worried about labour shortages, and many reported having to pay higher wages and incentives to keep staff.
Mr Mitchell said many councils were helping to pay HECS debts for new employees as one of a range of incentives.
In the September quarter, the index of non-wage labour costs surged to its highest level since the survey began in December 1997, and 38 per cent of respondents said they expected to raise prices in the next quarter as a result.
West Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry chief economist John Nicolaou said overcoming labour shortages must now be a priority for the state and federal governments. "While shortages are still most pronounced among skilled workers and professionals, critical shortages have now also been observed among lower-skilled labouring jobs and junior workers," Mr Nicolaou said.
With business expansion and growth set to continue at a rapid pace, he said, labour shortages would remain a problem for some time. More than 40 per cent of respondents reported they wanted to hire more staff in the coming quarter.
Western Australia's record low unemployment rate of 3.1 per cent is causing problems for the state Government, which has more than 900 vacancies advertised. Last month alone, more than 3300 new jobs were created in the state.
Police have been forced to recruit overseas to cope with a shortfall of about 120 officers. The force's recent recruitment drive in South Africa attracted about 300 applications, which are now being worked through.
Police Minister John Kobelke said that in the past 18 months more than 270 officers had been recruited from countries including Britain, Ireland, South Africa, Singapore, Denmark and The Netherlands.
Mr Mitchell said councils would spend about $200,000 this year promoting local government as a career that offered a better quality of life for workers than the resources industry.
"You can get big money in the mining sector, but you need to weigh up lifestyle with a job that is two weeks on and two weeks off against what we offer - like flexible hours, childcare, job-sharing and the like."
- Amanda O'Brien, The Australian
Option to work in Australia after studying
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
STUDENTS keen to gain solid work experience after graduation can now look to doing so Down Under.
Under new regulations introduced recently, students in Australia who have met certain criteria can work for up to two years in the country.
This applies to students who:
have successfully completed the principal course of study for which their student visa was granted, and want to undertake a period of supervised work experience for professional registration either in Australia or in their home country; or have successfully completed the principal course of study at the diploma or higher level for which their student visa was granted, and want to undertake a supervised occupational training programme in a closely related field for up to 12 months.
Subject to meeting a number of conditions, these students can apply for an occupational trainee visa subclass 442 to work in Australia.
“What this means is that students will be able to remain and work in Australia upon graduating so that they can gain relevant work experience which will hold them in good stead on their returning to Malaysia and joining the workforce,” said Studylink Sdn Bhd senior education adviser Tony Tan.
According to him, the new regulations also provide for the visa subclass 485, which allows overseas students who do not meet the criteria for a permanent General Skilled Migration visa to remain in Australia for 18 months to gain skilled work experience or improve their English language skills.
They may apply for permanent residence at any time if they are able to meet the pass mark on the General Skilled Migration points test. One of the main conditions of this visa is that students must have studied for two or more years in Australia.
On job opportunities in Australia, Tan notes that as the mining industry is Australia’s largest single exporter, it also has the biggest and widest range of job vacancies, ranging from those in engineering to others in science-based fields like geology, environment, chemistry and geophysics.
Students graduating from business streams, he adds, are very highly sought in the same industry, and there are also numerous vacancies in accounting/finance, business administration, marketing, health and safety, human resources, information technology and even law and public relations communications.
Meanwhile, the Australian Education Roadshow is on again, with universities from Australia, government and private schools, TAFE institutions, and hotel and language schools sending representatives to meet Malaysian students.
Organised by Studylink, the fair will be held at the Sheraton Hotel, Subang on Sept 20, Armada Hotel, PJ (Sept 21), Seri Pacific Kuala Lumpur (Sept 22), Trader’s Hotel, Penang (Sept 23), Syuen Hotel, Ipoh (Sept 24), open day at Studylink office, SS15, Subang Jaya (Sept 25), Seri Pacific Hotel, Johor Baru (Sept 26), Katerina Hotel, Batu Pahat (Sept 27), Classic Hotel, Muar (Sept 28), and Equatorial, Malacca (Sept 29).
All application fees to institutions will be waived during the 10-day roadshow.
- the star online
Under new regulations introduced recently, students in Australia who have met certain criteria can work for up to two years in the country.
This applies to students who:
have successfully completed the principal course of study for which their student visa was granted, and want to undertake a period of supervised work experience for professional registration either in Australia or in their home country; or have successfully completed the principal course of study at the diploma or higher level for which their student visa was granted, and want to undertake a supervised occupational training programme in a closely related field for up to 12 months.
Subject to meeting a number of conditions, these students can apply for an occupational trainee visa subclass 442 to work in Australia.
“What this means is that students will be able to remain and work in Australia upon graduating so that they can gain relevant work experience which will hold them in good stead on their returning to Malaysia and joining the workforce,” said Studylink Sdn Bhd senior education adviser Tony Tan.
According to him, the new regulations also provide for the visa subclass 485, which allows overseas students who do not meet the criteria for a permanent General Skilled Migration visa to remain in Australia for 18 months to gain skilled work experience or improve their English language skills.
They may apply for permanent residence at any time if they are able to meet the pass mark on the General Skilled Migration points test. One of the main conditions of this visa is that students must have studied for two or more years in Australia.
On job opportunities in Australia, Tan notes that as the mining industry is Australia’s largest single exporter, it also has the biggest and widest range of job vacancies, ranging from those in engineering to others in science-based fields like geology, environment, chemistry and geophysics.
Students graduating from business streams, he adds, are very highly sought in the same industry, and there are also numerous vacancies in accounting/finance, business administration, marketing, health and safety, human resources, information technology and even law and public relations communications.
Meanwhile, the Australian Education Roadshow is on again, with universities from Australia, government and private schools, TAFE institutions, and hotel and language schools sending representatives to meet Malaysian students.
Organised by Studylink, the fair will be held at the Sheraton Hotel, Subang on Sept 20, Armada Hotel, PJ (Sept 21), Seri Pacific Kuala Lumpur (Sept 22), Trader’s Hotel, Penang (Sept 23), Syuen Hotel, Ipoh (Sept 24), open day at Studylink office, SS15, Subang Jaya (Sept 25), Seri Pacific Hotel, Johor Baru (Sept 26), Katerina Hotel, Batu Pahat (Sept 27), Classic Hotel, Muar (Sept 28), and Equatorial, Malacca (Sept 29).
All application fees to institutions will be waived during the 10-day roadshow.
- the star online
