Richard Gregan Discusses Australian Emigration Opportunities

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Due to the economic slowdown, there have been more enquires from overseas, particularly Europe, USA, India and the UAE .

Richard Gregan

Over the last decade, Australia's strong economic performance has resulted in significant economic growth, low inflation, low unemployment and low interest rates. The Australian economy is open and competitive, aided by a dynamic private sector and a skilled workforce.

Due to the recent economic slowdown (world wide), the Immigration Minister, Chris Evans, has decreed there will be reductions to Australia's skilled migration program by some 18,500 effective immediately for this year (ending 30/06/2009). But, Minister Evans also admitted, there are still plenty of areas where Australia is very sadly lacking in skills and must continue to import the end products of other nations' investment in education and training. (WA Today 18/03/2009)

The reduction will come from removing most of the trades from the Critical Skills List. This in no way impacts on a migrants eligibility for migration; it will just result in more lengthy processing queues.

This reduction in visa numbers only applies to the GSM (general skilled migration) program. Permanent residency visas and the fast tracking of visa applications continue to be available to skilled individuals under the Employer Nomination Scheme and the Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme. Migrants who have an occupation on a State or Territory Government's occupations list (each State has its own occupations in demand list), and are accepted for sponsorship, will also be treated as priority.

Our present priority is to identify those, of our clients, who have an occupation on a State or Territory Government's occupations list, and advise that they apply for sponsorship to decrease the time they are now likely to wait for a visa. All other visa applications are still eligible; they now may wait longer for their visas.

These latest developments have certainly not impacted on the number of enquiries we have had for permanent migration; in fact, due to the economic slowdown, there have been more enquires from overseas, particularly Europe, USA, India and the UAE .

Although the numbers of enquiries have increased, the actual decision to start the process of migration is slightly less. Prospective migrants are mainly concerned about selling their properties as very often, the proceeds from the sale of their property is used to finance their move overseas.

There are many other factors that sway people into moving overseas from the UK; Australia is often regarded as a safer, healthier and more secure environment for young families; there are certainly more opportunities/better rates for tradesmen; many dont agree with our current immigration policies, and of course a better climate.

Australias rapid rate of expansion will, for the foreseeable future, look to seek expertise from other Nations. As the population grows, so does the infrastructure.