Sponsorship Australia

You have no doubt heard the news about the changes to the immigration processes in Australia. 

From our understanding, the Migration Occupations in Demand List in Australia (MODL), has been abolished, as of today, February 8, 2010.  Senator Chris Evans, the Australian Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, announced HUGE changes to the Australian immigration process, which in some cases has meant that visa applicants will have their application refused and visa fees refunded. 

The changes to the General Skilled Migration (GSM) program for Australia, as described on the Australian Immigration website, are as follows:

• the outcomes of a review of the Migration Occupations in Demand List (MODL)
• the replacement of the current Skilled Occupation List (SOL) in the second half of 2010
• offshore GSM visas made before 1 September 2007 would be capped and ceased
• priority processing arrangements
• skills assessment requirements for GSM applicants nominating a trade occupation.

Who Will These Changes Affect?

If you lodged an offshore GSM application before September 1, 2007, and are still awaiting a decision, you may have your visa application cancelled and have your fees returned to you.  The number of offshore GSM visas to be granted were capped today, February 8th, 2010; which means that once that number of granted visas has been reached, the remainder of applications will be cancelled.

Other groups affected by the changes to the GSM are:

• Higher Education, Post Graduate Education, and VET sector student visa holders as at February 8, 2010
• People who are considering applying for a GSM visa

Groups who are not affected by the changes to the GSM:

• Current GSM applicants (except for the above mentioned applicants who lodged their applications before September 1, 2007)
• Skilled – Graduate (subclass 485) visa applicants and holders as at 8 February, 2010, yet to apply for a permanent or provisional GSM visa (provided they apply for their permanent or provisional GSM visa before December 31, 2012)

Changes to Processing Arrangements

There have been changes made to the priority processing times, which affect the following visas from February 8, 2010:

• Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS)
• Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (RSMS)
• Specific General Skilled Migration visas (GSM) (please visit this webpage to learn more: http://bit.ly/9CULwU)

The good news for those who are applying for sponsorship, whether employer sponsored or regional sponsored, is that your applications will be given the highest priority.  Not far behind these visa applicants, are those who are on the Critical Skills List.  For full details on the changes to priority processing, and who it affects, visit: http://bit.ly/9CULwU .  Click here to check the Critical Skills List for Australia.

GSM visa subclasses which are now exempt from priority processing are:

• Skilled—Recognised Graduate (subclass 476)
• Skilled—Graduate (subclass 485)
• Skilled—Designated Area—Sponsored (Residence) (subclass 883)
• Skilled—Regional (subclass 887)

What this means, is that these GSM visa subclasses will be processed in order of when they are received.

The reason behind a lot of these changes, is so that Australia can received the skills that they require most, fastest; so that the Australian skilled migration program is “responsive to the current economic climate and the needs of the Australian economy” (Australian Government – Department of Immigration and Citizenship, “Changes to Priority Processing“, February 8, 2010).

Good news for Computing and IT Professionals wanting to apply for jobs and emigrate to Australia: if you have a specialisation that is listed on the MODL, your application will be given the fourth highest processing priority.  Check the MODL now.

From my understanding, foreign Accountants will find it tougher to emigrate to Australia, however, those who score a minimum of 7.0 (Proficient English) in all four components of an International English Language Testing System (IELTS) test, are eligible for priority processing under the CSL.  To improve your IELTS score now, click here.

Changes to the CSL include a focus on prioritising visa applicants who are medical professionals, such as Dentists, Pharmacists, Registered Nurses and Midwives, and other medical professionals; as well as Engineers, Gas Fitters, Secondary School Teachers; and a handful of other professionals.  Click here to read the entire list.

Please note that the CSL is only effective in the interim, while the MODL is being reviewed.  The CSL will therefore be revoked when the new Skilled Occupations List (SOL) is made effective in mid 2010. For more information, click here.

Job Sponsorship in Australia

There is much talk about what this will mean for those foreign nationals who are wanting to emigrate to Australia, and it appears that job sponsorship in Australia may be the route for skilled persons to follow.  This change could have a positive effect on Australian employers, causing them to be more open and willing to sponsor overseas nationals, especially now that there will be less people emigrating to Australia independently, which will surely decrease the availability of skilled candidates in Australia.  

With an increased number of overseas nationals applying for job sponsorship in Australia, we highly recommend that you position yourself as favourably as possible, ensuring that you have a competitive CV and cover letter for applying for job sponsorship in Australia.  Click here now to find out whether your CV is currently competitive in Australia.

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