Future of migration for existing applicants

[Guest SimonB]

I like the thread and MAs here might note there is more going on in public forums than on the MIA member forums. Something to do with Walt Disney presenting the latter...

 

Alas, the solution to the processing issue lies with the government and in migration the only pressure groups are big business and the media. When big business says jump then then the govt make changes but there is still rising unemployment in Australia (alas this is true) and the media in Australia are incredibly primitive - there are two holding companies that run all the mass market media in Australia. Currently the media are beating up migrants with scare stores about refugees (they should check out what is going on in the EU and imagine what it would be like if Terra Australis wasn't an island) and they are pulling out false statements about 420,000 migrants entering Australia in the last year. The fact is Australians themselves don't care about migrants stuck in the pipeline at all (why should they..?) and the media are not helping change that view.

 

I surmise that until unemployment picks up nothing will change in processing times. The govt will gain nothing and lose plenty by giving back the migration application fees.

 

This a big picture realistic view and If I am wrong please let me know

[Guest proud2beaussie]

they are pulling out false statements about 420.000 migrants entering Australia in the last year.

Where did you read this then? I read a lot of newspapers and watch a few news bulletins but I have never seen that claimed,can you substantiate that?

[Guest SimonB]

"Paul Braddick, head of property and financial systems analysis at ANZ, said the housing industry and policy authorities have a lot of work ahead to ensure supply issues don't further skew house prices.

 

Migration added 439,000 people to Australia's population in the year to March 2009, the strongest increase on record, he said. But dwelling completions are forecast to fall below 130,000 in the year ahead, he said."

 

Record house prices worry RBA | The Australian

 

http://www.marke****ch.com/story/australian-home-prices-surge-to-record-2009-11-02

 

The Next Boom | realestate4u

 

I correct myself the figure reported was 439,000.

[McKlaut]

"Paul Braddick, head of property and financial systems analysis at ANZ, said the housing industry and policy authorities have a lot of work ahead to ensure supply issues don't further skew house prices.

 

Migration added 439,000 people to Australia's population in the year to March 2009, the strongest increase on record, he said. But dwelling completions are forecast to fall below 130,000 in the year ahead, he said."

 

Record house prices worry RBA | The Australian

 

http://www.marke****ch.com/story/australian-home-prices-surge-to-record-2009-11-02

 

The Next Boom | realestate4u

 

I correct myself the figure reported was 439,000.

If it's about the effect on housing prices than the number might be correct because everybody who arrives in Aus has to rent or buy something and it's not related what visa on hand PR or Temp. And according the minister himself in the July radio program the total intake was about 600 000. So, 400 something should be a net intake.

 

Nevertheless, it's a poor picture. In fact migrants and temp. tourists, students are the great money source for Aus. Guys, let's stop going there and will see Australian recession. It's easy to see the adverse side and forget about the other.

[George Lombard]

The hidden variable in Australia's migration planning is the return of Australians overseas. Due to the effects of the GFC in other places I understand that there are record numbers returning, and that they're often cashed up, ie sustaining the local property market as well as the value of the A$. And they must have known about this some time ago, see Frozen-out expats return to Australia for jobs or Ex-pat Aussies returning from UK likely to boost local markets - Hotspotting.com.au | Helping Real Estate Investors find the Next Big Thing .

 

Cheers,

 

George Lombard

[Guest A Covington]

My husband and I emigrated to Aus in March of this year. My husband is a carpenter but because he had to get a licence, which involved a lot of money and re train at college, he did not proceed in the carpentry field. Its ridiculous, you come out here on the strength of your skills then cant use them once you get here. He is doing something totally different now. This is a big problem talking to other migrants. No one I know who emigrated here on the basis of their skill is currently working in that same field.

[Guest Glenn Pereira]

No one I know who emigrated here on the basis of their skill is currently working in that same field.

 

If I read correctly the Senate report of the past. TRa did mention 70percent do not re-validate their assessment through TRA.

 

Regards

Glenn

[Guest Gollywobbler]

No one I know who emigrated here on the basis of their skill is currently working in that same field.

 

If I read correctly the Senate report of the past. TRa did mention 70percent do not re-validate their assessment through TRA.

 

Regards

Glenn

 

Hi Glenn

 

I read a presentation to Engineers Australia in late 2008. The speaker said that 65% of migrants who nominate Engineer do not join Engineers Australia once they have moved to Oz and it seemed to be generally agreed that the majority of Engineers do not continue with Engineering post-migration.

 

In WA in 2009 alone I know a Bricklayer, a Painter & Decorator and a General Plumber who have all moved to Perth or close to Mandurah. All three are British and all are Poms in Oz members.

 

The Bricklayer nominated Bricklaying for his WA sponsored sc 176 visa. He is a qualified VET Teacher as well, though. He is now teaching Bricklaying at Silver Trowel in Perth and says that moving to Oz is the smartest move he has ever made. I mentioned that the pay for Brickies doing FIFO rosters in Karratha is very good at the moment/ He said he is being paid enough to have a reasonable lifestyle in and around Perth and he said he has heard that most skilled tradies decline to go to Karratha.

 

Certainly I know of an Aussie Welding Teacher who has declined $250,000 a year to go and take charge of the Welding needs on the Woodside/Pluto LNG plant project near Karratha. He has a 5 acre plot near Mandurah and his brother told me that the Welder values his work/life balance more than he values the salary on offer in the Pilbara region.

 

The Painter & Decorator obtained his WA spnsored sc 176 visa in late July 2009. He is now in Perth and had no difficulty securiing a job as a Painter & Decorator with a contractor in Perth. He is not tempted by beter pay in hte Regions because his girlfriend is on a Student visa t a college in the Perth CBD.

 

The Plumber is a darling but he has less self-confidence than the other two, I suspect. He has had absolutely bo luck with getting a job. He says that all the Plumbing contractors insist on the full Plumbing licence for WA (which would take time to getand is not cheap to obtain.) They all inssist on a minimum of two years' local work experience as well I am tld.

 

When I last heard from the Plumber 3 or 4 months ago he had secured a full time job working in a hardware store. He said the pay is considerably less than he was earnng as a Central Heating Engineer in the UK but at least he is bringiing home a regular wage which is better than nothing.

 

The Brickie is delighted with his new job so we can forget about him. The Painter & Decorator is ruled by his head not his heart. He says there is plenty of commercial work around so he is painting commercial premises for his boss from Monday to Friday. He says a lot of development is zoned for the northern suburbs in Perth so he is looking for a house north of the river.

 

The Plumber is a very gentle soul. He has settled down towards the Perth Metro/Peel border. I suspect that new build and refurbs might not be plentiful around there. Also my sister lived south of the river, 17kms from the Perth CBD. She says that if she has o drive to the CBD for a 9am appointment on a weekday, she has to leave home at 7am to avoid traffic jams in the approaches to the bridges across the river. It would be a long journey for the Plumber complete with his tools, I suspect.

 

I've also heard that things are much tougher for construction tradies in QLD than in WA. I am told that new jobs are thin on the ground arund Brisbane. A Construction Site Manager has managed to get a job runing development site. An Electrician who moved to QLD in August says that the job-scene around Brisbane is much harder than he was expecting. A Quantity Surveyor was able to find work in QLD easily doing QS work in the genional area t the South of Surfers Paradise.

 

Teachers and Nurses seem to be winning because both groups can get emplyer sponsorship easily. The employers are well organised and understand the drills with the various visas, have done it before, knw what DIAC will require and so forth. When the prospective migrant is a bative English speaker, DIAC seem to be prety co-operative to judge from the feedback from members on here.

 

I think, though, that if the Government wants emplyer-sponsored vias to be the migration option of choice for the future, the Government will have to do as follows:

 

1. Streamline and simplify the processes for all employer sponsored visas.

 

2. Go on a charm offensive with Aussie employers, to teach them about the possibility of sponsoring migrant workers and to encourage them to give it a go.

 

What percentage of Aussie employers would be eligible to sponsor a migrant worker, though?

 

Cheers

 

Gill

[Guest eurosyl]

The speaker said that 65% of migrants who nominate Engineer do not join Engineers Australia once they have moved to Oz

I am a fully qualified engineer (as well as a fully qualified ICT person). I never saw any need to join an engineering association in my own country, I do not see any need to either join EA or ACS here. I think that the multitude of people that move here would see this in the same way. You don't need these organisations to do your work in Australia.

 

I was completely oblivious tho about the associated fees and costs for requalification of licences for some trades in Australia, and the way that people are supposed to accept low paid positions in apprentice roles before they can do whatever they have been doing for many years in their own country. I very much doubt that I would have made a move to a far away country (altho I had an alternate motive) if that meant that tho your skills are recognized you are not able to work in that skill. Starting in a new country is already a big adventure.

 

I have been rethinking all that has been posted on the forums and the absolute migration disaster the Ozzie gov is in right now. My guess is that their full motive to steer so strongly on employer sponsored visas is that it is possibly their only way to get skilled people into Australia with a reasonable guarantee that these persons will actually work in the nominated skill. And shortage in those skills will eventually encourage employers to sponsor such applicants.

 

Sylvia

[Guest Glenn Pereira]

Hi Gill,

 

"1. Streamline and simplify the processes for all employer sponsored visas.

 

2. Go on a charm offensive with Aussie employers, to teach them about the possibility of sponsoring migrant workers and to encourage them to give it a go. "

 

You are absolutely right , 70 percent tradesperson who migrate do not end up in their occupation.

 

The Government will have to provide incentives to Employers to provide Employment sponsorship.

 

Leaving Public Servant to finalise policy is a disaster.

 

Like Microsoft who appoint Hackers to find "loop holes" in their Operating system, DIAC muSt appoinT selected "hackers" to find fault in the system prior to the announcement. I am sur ethey coudl sing a "confidential agreement" with the Immigration Hackers".

 

 

On Friday I sent a proposal of the "job ready test" to the Minsiter because I was worried on the present draft proposal which would land the Government in the same mess 3 years later.

 

 

Regards

 

Glenn Pereira

[Guest The "legdes"]

I just worry for those coming on employer sponsored visas. They give up everything but he employer risks very little. If the employer changes his mind the family are left high and dry...so many end up having to go back to the UK even if they have bought a house here etc. There are such examples every week. People need to acknowledge there is a risk and the govt needs to make employers more responsible.

[Guest The "legdes"]

My husband and I emigrated to Aus in March of this year. My husband is a carpenter but because he had to get a licence, which involved a lot of money and re train at college, he did not proceed in the carpentry field. Its ridiculous, you come out here on the strength of your skills then cant use them once you get here. He is doing something totally different now. This is a big problem talking to other migrants. No one I know who emigrated here on the basis of their skill is currently working in that same field.

 

We emigrated in Sept on my husbands engineering skills. He walked into a job and had his choice of positions. No requalification was required at all. It was a case of can you show us what you can do. I guess there's no bluffing it in that trade. So there's one person who is doing what they were intended to.

 

However, in the UK he was also qualified in bricklaying and plastering. To do those trades here he'd have to requalify. The easiest option for that seems to be to be taken on undersupervision and then get the licensing authority come and watch you work. You also need a card for working on any construction site first...similar to in the UK.

 

I agree...if Oz is desperate for the tradies...and certainly in SA they are ..then they need to either certify us before we leave the UK so we have the recognised quals before we arrive or recognise the quals we've got. Unless they do this they are going to continue to struggle and imigrants will continue to return back to the UK feeling their skills have not been recognised.

[mr luvpants]

I know that no one has a crystal ball and I know its pure speculation but what are the chances of the next round of changes requiring people to work at their nominated jobs for a certain period of time before they get PR even if they are on a 176 or 175?

 

JOHN

[connaust]

It is clear, if not for most recent debacle, that DIAC needs to invest more in analysis and development of MIS Management Information Systems (meaningful and understood by all stakeholders), not just a processing system. When the new student visa system was introduced in 2001 it appeared to be designed with MIS mind, as all systems should, but more for an internal audience.... still does not give clear picture of actual student numbers and difficult to understand data (and a lot of window dressing that boosted the industry e.g. candidates being counted multiple visa starts, but same course).

 

Unfortunately we do not see much objective population and housing data, nor hear diverse opinions on property except from the "industry" who pay media a lot of money for advertising. According to real estate pages (quoting real estate industry) migration (although much processing ceased as announced late Sep?), and high end population estimates have been given as reason for rising property prices of late and in future, but figures "promoted" in media are an absolute high end "estimate" based on an "historical high and maximum rate" (WHV, 457, student visas, GSM etc. would have been dropping?).

 

However, as an economics journalist admitted recently, along with stimulus package etc., property owners/buyers, plus older generation with their wealth in property, have been looked after at all costs by previous and present Australian governments (especially as super and shares went south in recent years). Appears to be much concerted promotion (from industry and media), resources (from govt.) and interest rate management by RBA, go into attempts at maintaining property sales and value, or at least the perception that one should get into property now?

 

The flow on effects of (fast) decreasing property prices propped up by debt are too scary to contemplate.....solution? More skilled migration, regional development and better urban planning.....

[Guest s0089339]

hi McKlaut

 

mine is same situation, everything in the document section is Met and the medical says medical requirements finalised, but no visa granted.

 

i applied for DD 880 (onshore) in august 2007.

 

do ya reackon that i am affected by these new priority processing implementations starting on 23rd Sep,.

 

 

Thomas

[Guest s0089339]

I would suggest:

 

1. First of all, DIAC should finalise those applications which are decision ready, in other words, everything is "MET" and medicals "finalised".

 

2. Start processing every application in date of lodgement. Should they want to add priorities DIAC may give different time (or number of stuff) for different applications. Say, 40% time is devoted to CSL, 30% to State sponsored, 20% to old MODL and 10% to other. But, don't leave somebody in "limbo".

 

3. Last but not least, stop making changes with retroactive effect. Don't spoil Australian migration image.

 

hi McKlaut

 

mine is same situation, everything in the document section is Met and the medical says medical requirements finalised, but no visa granted.

 

i applied for DD 880 (onshore) in august 2007.

 

do ya reackon that i am affected by these new priority processing implementations starting on 23rd Sep,.

 

 

Thomas

[McKlaut]

hi McKlaut

 

mine is same situation, everything in the document section is Met and the medical says medical requirements finalised, but no visa granted.

 

i applied for DD 880 (onshore) in august 2007.

 

do ya reackon that i am affected by these new priority processing implementations starting on 23rd Sep,.

 

 

Thomas

Hi,

Although I don't know your particular situation and I'm not a migration expert but according to DIAC's FAQ your visa type is subject to this new priorities. So, I think yes, you are effected.

[Guest Gollywobbler]

I know that no one has a crystal ball and I know its pure speculation but what are the chances of the next round of changes requiring people to work at their nominated jobs for a certain period of time before they get PR even if they are on a 176 or 175?

 

JOHN

 

 

Hi John

 

I am conscious that nobody seems to have dealt with your query.

 

I know that your wife Lisa is a recently qualified Nurse who needs to complete a full year of post qualification work experience before she will be eligible to apply for a GSM visa.

 

Meanwhile you need immediate PR in Oz because you want to join QLD Police or similar, for which you must be a Permanent Resident.

 

I don't think the Minister has any wish to obstruct any well-qualified applicants in the medical profession. He has told DIAC to fast track all applicants whose occupations are on the CSL. Whatever method they use to achieve this, I don't think the Minister will agree to alter or dilute a principle which he holds dear.

 

When will Lisa become eligible to apply for a GSM visa, please?

 

Cheers

 

Gill

[Guest brads]

I would suggest:

 

1. First of all, DIAC should finalise those applications which are decision ready, in other words, everything is "MET" and medicals "finalised".

 

2. Start processing every application in date of lodgement. Should they want to add priorities DIAC may give different time (or number of stuff) for different applications. Say, 40% time is devoted to CSL, 30% to State sponsored, 20% to old MODL and 10% to other. But, don't leave somebody in "limbo".

 

3. Last but not least, stop making changes with retroactive effect. Don't spoil Australian migration image.

 

 

I agree with everything you say BUT I am an old MODL and applied for my visa 13 months ago, I think they STRONGLY have to consider the dates of the application. Some state sponsors have only been waiting for a couple of months, and even though I agree they need to be looked at, other applicants have been waiting a lot longer than me and I'm 13 months (not including the time to get my TRA). When I applied there was no CSL listing so for people on the MODL list I have been pushed back time and time again.

I want to emigrate to Australia and I WILL WORK IN MY SKILL because I love it!!

 

I think all visas granted there should be some way of tracking that applicants do then go on to work in the skill they emigrated under. Obviously sponsored applicants are checked but are CSL??? Katrina :arghh:

[Guest sananddav]

I think they should process all the people who have received their SS before 23 sept 09, then look at those who have had SS since. The States obviously want/need these people, so why stop them. The people of Oz are scared of us taking their jobs, but it does not seem to both anyone that we have all paid so much money already, to be told may have to wait until 2012, who gets the interest I wonder not me..... also most of us would be renting and we all have to be able to sustain ourselves financially so again Oz gains. Tell me who to email and I will. thanks for thread.

[briggs]

Hi,

 

We got granted the 475 visa in July 2009. We are deciding to go in Feb 2010.

Are any of these changes going to effect our visa?

 

Thank you

[merlino]

Hi,

 

We got granted the 475 visa in July 2009. We are deciding to go in Feb 2010.

Are any of these changes going to effect our visa?

 

Thank you

 

No it won't

[Guest Glenn Pereira]

I think some decisions have been made last week by DIAC.

 

Two of our on shore clients, not on the Critical list, have been requested to provide the outstanding documents, so that the visa could be finalised and granted.

 

regards

Glenn Pereira

[merlino]

I think some decisions have been made last week by DIAC.

 

Two of our on shore clients, not on the Critical list, have been requested to provide the outstanding documents, so that the visa could be finalised and granted.

 

regards

Glenn Pereira

 

Glenn, care to share the visas they were on? State sponsored etc?

[Guest Jamie Smith]

I'll ask other agents on the MIA forum if they are seeing the same thing.

 

Hopefully, just hopefully, the Minister has agreed to finalise cases that were all complete except for visa grant as at 23/09. I think the legal changes required to allow a refund as a goodwill gesture were too hard to make and might be seen as setting a precedent for future changes. DAIC know they'll get sued at the drop of hat if refunds are permitted now and not in the future (a good reason to use an agent, to help keep DIAC/Minister honest!).

 

This is the easier and more expedient way out, and hey, it's kinder to everyone including DIAC staff than just doing a refund.

 

If this is indeed a change of mind by the Minister, watch for the trumpeting of his own generosity on the basis of fairness, when in truth it is his ethical obligation to allow this decision making.