March 31, 2023
Immigration has steadily increased with government figures revealing that 650,000 migrants are expected to arrive this financial year and next.
Immigration has steadily increased with government figures revealing that 650,000 migrants are expected to arrive this financial year and next.

Australia will be hit by a record population boom with 650,000 immigrants arriving in just two years.

Australia could see strongest population growth in two years

New data shows 650,000 migrants coming this year and next. Immigration has steadily increased with government figures revealing that 650,000 migrants are expected to arrive this financial year and next.

A sudden population boom is likely to put more pressure on the national housing crisis, resulting in record rents as too many tenants compete for too few units.

But it would also alleviate labor shortages that have caused chronic vacancies as employers struggle to find staff for positions, particularly in the retail, care and retail sectors. healthcare, hospitality and tourism.

The revised migration data comes after only 300,000 migrants landed in the country during the three-year lockdown and pandemic shutdown.

Treasury officials in 2019 predicted that a total of 1.2 million migrants would arrive in the country by the end of 2024, but that number has now been revised down to 950,000.

Latest analysis shows the country will see 650,000 migrants start a new life in Australia by the end of financial year 2024.

At least 350,000 are expected to move to Australia this financial year and another 300,000 over the next 12 months. 55,555 The previous two-year record was 577,000 migrants in 2008 and 2009 under Prime Minister Kevin Rudd.

A sudden increase in population will provide financial returns to the government with increased consumer spending and taxes to support economic growth.

But it will exacerbate the housing crisis, with a housing supply unable to meet tenant demand, while soaring interest rates and high cost of living have dented property sales. produce.

Rapidly increasing immigration will bring Australia’s population to 27 million by June next year and is expected to reach close to 30 million by 2033, according to the Department of Finance’s projections.

More than half of migrants are expected to have arrived in Australia as part of the post-Covid boom of skilled workers, international students and people on working holidays.

During the first three months of this financial year, from July to September 2022, a record 106,000 migrants arrived in Australia, The Australian reports.

They were part of a wave of 304,000 immigrants to the country in the year to September when borders reopened following the closure of Covid-19 restrictions in Australia.

This is the largest population increase since March 2009, but it will be eclipsed by the expected influx of migrants over the next 15 months.

Jim Chalmers has revealed that net outbound migration for this financial year is expected to be 350,000, a 50% increase from that expected in the October budget and January annual demographic report.

He said the sudden growth will be a key element of the Albanian government’s second budget, which is due in six weeks and will focus on reducing the cost of living.

Treasury Secretary Steven Kennedy told a Senate hearing last month that temporary migration has recovered faster than expected.

“The net outbound migration figures are artificially inflated this year due to an increase in the influx of international students and those on working vacations,” said Dr. Kennedy.

“Along with widespread employment easing demand, an increase in net outbound migration is expected to help alleviate labor and skills shortages, particularly for the hospitality and retail.

Large numbers of active migrants, tourists and holidaymakers are expected to boost government spending, taxes, and demand for services.

In particular, the influx of migrants has raised concerns about Australia’s housing shortage and limited rental market.

“Bigger isn’t better, it’s just bigger,” says economist Chris Richardson.

‘ Good for the construction industry. We haven’t built enough houses yet.

“Covid has pushed us into smaller households, but we definitely need more supply.”

After 10 consecutive rate hikes, National Australia Bank economists say rents are up around 11 per cent in major cities.

“This contributes to a tightening of the rental market as vacancy rates fall to around 1% or less in most cities,” NAB said. Government sources claim the migration peak is temporary and will return to the 10-year pre-Covid annual average of around 230,000 migrants after 2024.

January 4, 2023

The record finds covid restrictions resulted in 85, 000 fewer individuals emigrating to Australia in 202021, the 1st net loss since the 2nd world war. 

Australia has lost 473, 000 potential migrants therefore covid19, but net inward migration is now on track to rebound to pre-pandemic levels of 235,000 individuals a year the Centre for Population has found. The treasurer, Jim Chalmers, stated the center’s 2022 statement, to be launched on Friday, confirmed migration was “part of the solution” to abilities and labor shortages.

The record finds that covid19 wander restrictions resulted in the loss of 85, 000 individuals in 2020 – 2021, Australia’s 1st net migration loss since the 2nd world war. Afterward, borders reopened in delayed last year, and a “sharp enhance in drifting arrivals” resulted in a net influx of 150,000 in 2021-2022, it stated. This is on track to double to 235,000 in 2022-23, the pre-pandemic trend level. “Had the epidemic not occurred, cumulative net abroad migration was expected to be 473, 000 persons higher across 2019-20 to 2025-26, ” the record found.

Migration to Australia rebound to pre-pandemic level

On the regime reimposed pre-flight covid-19 testing for passengers from mainland China, elevating fears that trade, migration, and the arrival of international learners perhaps yet again be disrupted, but more importantly trade and education groups – other than the commerce Council of Australia – gave careful encourage for the degree. The 

STUDY VISA for MIGRATION to AUSTRALIA

Group of 8th universities’ chief executive, Vicki Thomson, stated it may “impact learners reverting to study”, but it had been taken “in the finest interests of our learners and the broader Australian community”. The chief executive of the Australian Commerce and Industry, Andrew McKellar, stated: “Given the evolving situation in China, the government’s decision to require a negative test on departure is appropriate and accepted by business.” “With the Chinese border only just reopening it will take some time before we see international arrivals from China return to their pre-pandemic levels.” “As such, we don’t expect testing requirements will have any great impact on our local tourism operators.”

It was the revert of international students that guided the migration rebound in 2021, the centre’s record found, with 122, 000 more in Australia in Oct 2022 than in Dec last year, containing 36, 000 more Chinese Students, up 90 % .

SKILL MIGRATION

Offshore student visa grants from January to September 2022 were the highest ever, whereas working holiday visas additionally surpassed 2019 levels. At September’s jobs and talents summit, the Albanese’s Australian Government enhanced the enduring migration cap from 160,000 to 195,000, a decision the record stated “further strengthened” the revert of family and skilled visa arrivals.

Statistics launched on Monday showed Australia’s fertility rate rebounded to pre-pandemic levels in 2020-21, up to 1.66 babies per woman. The record acclaimed “significant uncertainties” in projecting migration patterns, containing the “upside risk” of fewer individuals leaving Australia than forecast and the “downside risk” that more may depart.

It stated that “movement restrictions in student source countries” affected student numbers in particular. As the economy recovers from the worst of the pandemic, crippling labour and skill shortages are hindering both our businesses and our economy, according to Chalmers.

He declared that the government would make sure the economy had enough skilled workers.

“Australia’s migration environments must be long-lasting, serve the interests of the country, and not serve as a stand-in for domestic workforce development and training.”

Early in 2023, the government will release a report on its review of the migration program. Through that review and the upcoming employment white paper, Chalmers pledged to “build a bigger and better-trained workforce in 2023.”

January 1, 2023

New Australian government planning to bring some changes to Australia’s immigration rules this year. Here’s what is expected and what’s going to come in 2023.

The new Australian Federal government lead by Australian Labor’s Anthony Albanese has already made some significant changes to Australia’s migration policies and already started tackling the on-going visa backlog since coming into office in May 2022.

It is expected that there could be even more changes in 2023, with the government promising to look at the effectiveness of skilled migration occupation lists, which some believe are outdated.

Department of Immigration has been already announced that skilled visas will be increased from 79,600 to 142,400 in 2023.

The last update to the current Skilled Migration Occupation List was made on 11 March 2019 then the COVID-19 pandemic had just started.

After winning the election, the Australian government announced an increase to the Australian permanent migration numbers in 2022/23 from 160,000 to 195,000 places for skilled and family visas. The October budget revealed the number of skilled visas available as part of the program is almost doubled from 79,600 to 142,400.

The Australian Federal government also announced changes  to Temporary skill shortage (TSS) subclass 482 visas that would allow people to apply for permanent residency, the removal of age restrictions on 457 visa holders, and expanding the eligibility for subclass 462 working holiday maker visas.

Here are five key Australian visa opportunities in Australia for 2023.

1. State-sponsored Permanent Visas

According to Australian Department of Home Affairs spokesperson, it had set a planning level of 31,000 places for state and territory nominated visas (subclass 190) in 2022/23, as well as a further 34,000 places in the regional category (subclass 491), the majority of which are nominated by state and territory governments.

There will be another 5,000 visas for the business innovation and investment program (subclass 188).

Former Department of Immigration secretary Abul Rivzi stated the quantity of visas to be hadthru the country and territories is ready to dramatically growthway tothe biggerlocal allocation. “What I’m noticing is some of the states are actually struggling to deliver quickly enough and so a lot of them are making changes to make their systems faster,” Mr Rizvi said.

Some of the skilled visas available in the Australian Federal Government 2022/23 budget.

Back in 2018/19 before the COVID-19 pandemic dramatically impacted Australia’s migration numbers, about 25,346 state and territory nominated visas were granted and just 647 skilled regional visas.

States and territories have increasingly relaxed many of their criteria, including their skilled occupation lists, to make it easier for people to apply for state-nominated visas.

One of the biggest advantages of a state-sponsored visa is not being tied to a particular employer – although applicants have to be younger than 45 years old and have to also find their own jobs.

Most recently NSW changed the requirements for its visa applicants .

“Previously published points scores and work experience guides for the Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190) have been removed due to increased availability of the Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189) by the Department of Home Affairs,” a notice on the NSW Government website  states.

Mr Rivzi said he expected much higher numbers of people would also be granted Skilled Independent visas (subclass 189) this financial year, compared to the last two years when COVID-19 shut down Australia’s borders.

2. Change to processing of visas

Skilled visa applications for teachers and healthcare workers are now being assessed in just three days after the government stopped using the Priority Migration Skilled Occupation List (PMSOL) to rank applications.

Ministerial Direction No. 100, introduced on 28 October 2022, set new rules for applications to be prioritised. Applications are now being decided in the following order of priority:

1. Healthcare or teaching occupation applications;

2. For employer-sponsored visas, applicants nominated by an Approved sponsor with Accredited Status;

3. Those for a designated regional area;

4. For permanent and provisional visa subclasses, visa applications that count towards the migration program, excluding the Subclass 188 (Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional)) visa;

5. All other visa applications.

Within each category, priority is given to applicants located outside Australia for provisional and permanent skilled visa applications.

3. Easier family reunion

The Albanese government has made it easier for families to reunite, introducing demand-driven partner visas in 2022/23.

This means there is no limit to the number of these visas issued. The department is estimating it will issue around 40,500 partner visas this financial year.

Child visas are also demand-driven and an estimated 3,000 visas are expected to be issued.

4. New visa for certain countries

A new visa will be introduced in July 2023 providing 3,000 places for eligible migrants from Pacific countries and Timor Leste.

Spots for the Pacific Engagement visa (PEV)  will be allocated by a ballot process each year.

These visas will be offered on top of the places available on Australia’s permanent migration program.

5. Priority processing for New Zealanders

New Zealanders living in Australia will benefit from priority processing of Skilled Independent (Subclass 189visa applications in the New Zealand stream.

The department has dropped certain visa requirements including that applicants must have lived in Australia for at least five years and that they meet certain taxable income thresholds as well as health criteria.

The department has stopped taking new visa applications from 10 December 2022 until 1 July 2023, in order to process the backlog already in the system.

Source: sbs.com.au

November 3, 2022

In an article published this morning by the Australian Financial Review, it was revealed that Migration Minister O’Neil introduced a clerical direction to change the rules for skilled migration to Australia.

It’s that Australia needs as important a tech gift as it can get, If there’s anything the recent data breaches endured by Optus and Medibank have shown. After all, the government does know we need thousands of tech workers by 2030.

According to the report, the direction removed 27 job places – including ICT security specialists – from the Priority Migration Skilled Occupation List (PMSOL).

Some have argued that Australia is formerly facing an extremity in having suitably good and educated people in the IT sector, particularly in cybersecurity. One of those is Liam Dermody, who’s security establishment Darktrace’s Red Team director.
“numerous observers are assuming that the huge number of breaches we ’ve had in Australia in recent weeks is fuelled by a chops gap and not having enough professed IT workers on the ground,” he said.

“That’s presumably a conception but clearly a part of the root cause. In light of that, we need professed settlers more than ever. ”
The decision to reduce the capability for settlers from coming to Australia, who retain the chops demanded to adequately cover our enterprises, is, according to Dermody, “thwarting, to say the least ”.

While O’Neil said the changes would speed up visa processing times across all orders including cybersecurity and tech, the AFR quotes both Tech Council of Australia master Kate Pounder and Council of Small Business Organisations of Australia principal Alexi Boyd as nonconcurring.

The Details of New Skilled Migration Rules for Australia

They rather expressed alarm at the unforeseen change made without assiduity discussion.
Per the AFR, job titles removed from the PMSOL related to tech and cyber chops include ICT security specialists, critic programmers, inventor programmers, software masterminds, and software and operations programmers. Other jobs removed include principal directors, accountants, masterminds, veterinarians, and cookers.

Loftiest precedence for employer- patronized visas will now go to healthcare or tutoring professionals.
“This skill deficit has been sluggishly growing for a number of times, only to be made mainly worse due to migration restrictions enforced during the epidemic,” Darktrace’s Dermody added.

“The Australian government recognizes this problem as it has listed ICT and Software and Application professionals in their top 20 skill list. ”
He said the decision doesn’t line up with the government’s current messaging to assiduity that assiduity isn’t doing enough to cover their systems from data theft.

October 11, 2021

Australia’s education minister Alan Tudge, has pledged a rapid increase in international students returning next year with hopes tens of thousands could be welcomed.

Alan Tudge on Friday told an international education conference the federal government was considering ways to rapidly expedite the return of students.

“Looking into next year, my expectation is that we will have very significant numbers coming in,” he said.

“I cannot put a figure on that just yet, but my hope would be that tens of thousands can return.”

Mr Tudge said limits would apply in the short-term but he remained hopeful caps would be scrapped to allow demand to drive student numbers rather than available places.

“When that occurs, I am confident that students will return in significant numbers.”

Australia will restart international travel from November with citizens and permanent residents the first priority for arrivals and departures.

Skilled migrants and students from overseas are expected to be next, ahead of tourists.

“These are all very promising and they are happening this year,” Mr Tudge said.

The education minister also wants a greater diversity of students entering Australia, which has largely relied on five countries but particularly China and India.

Mr Tudge said a concentrated market had financial risks and could also diminish local and overseas students’ experience.

“Some universities have responded to this through limits on international students and limits on proportion of students from any one country,” he said.

“We would obviously like to see universities themselves taking the lead on this, but we are also thinking deeply about policies to help facilitate this.”

He said a greater diversity of courses for international students should be more closely aligned with Australia’s skill needs so more people could become long-term residents.

International students to return to NSW from December 2021

NSW is expected to have around 500 international students return in December, while details around a South Australian plan are also being finalised.

From December 2021, a small, but increasing number of international students enrolled with New South Wales (NSW) education providers will have the opportunity to return to Australia to continue their studies on campus.

Under the pilot returns program, 500 students will return to the Australian state this year as part of the Australian Government-approved New South Wales International Student Arrivals Pilot Plan.

The plan sees 250 fully vaccinated students allowed to return to Australia in the first two weeks of December, followed by another 250 students in the second two weeks of that month.

Participating students must be fully-vaccinated with a COVID-19 vaccination recognised by Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) before they arrive in Sydney, and will be required to quarantine in purpose-built student accommodation in Sydney (regardless of which education provider they are enrolled with).

The selection of students for return to Australia, and the funding of the pilot program, will be managed and run by the New South Wales tertiary sector.

“This is an important milestone for NSW and reinforces the State’s standing as a world-leading study destination, especially for any international student considering NSW as the next place to learn and live in their education journey,” the announcement from Study NSW says.

The success of the pilot program will determine the next steps regarding its future expansion, which could involve school students by that stage.

The Australian Government continues to work closely with all of Australia’s states and territories on further development of student return and arrival plans.

International students could return to Victoria by the end of 2021

Here’s the latest news in Australia for international students — hundreds could return to Victorian universities by the end of the year.

In the latest news in Australia for students, hundreds of international students could reportedly return to Victoria by the end of the year following the state government’s approval of a plan to revive the 14 billion Australian dollar international education sector that has been badly affected by COVID-19.

Quoting a senior government source, The Age said 120 international students could be permitted to arrive in Victoria per week. Universities could cover the hotel quarantine costs under a plan to be sent to the Commonwealth for approval by the end of the week.

July 19, 2021

Every year, all States receive quotas from the government, based on which the states and territories nominate skilled and business migrants for the Skilled Nom­inated visa Subclass 190 and the Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa Subclass 491.

Australian states received allocations for their Skilled Migration Program designed to attract migrants.

Just like last year, the program will continue to respond to the challenges posed by COVID-19, with a strong focus on onshore applicants who can assist the jurisdictions in their post-pandemic economic recovery.

Australian states received allocations for their Skilled Migration Program designed to attract migrants. The General Skilled Migration Program (GSM) is aimed at attracting skilled workers to critical occupations who are ­­willing to migrate to Australia and improve the country’s workforce and meet the changing needs of businesses in its states and territories. ­

Here’s a state-wise update for the program year 2021-22:

New South Wales

New South Wales continues to be the state with the highest number of allocations for its skilled nomination program. It has received 4,000 places for Subclass 190 and 3,640 for Subclass 491, a significant increase from last year’s total which stood at 6,350.

Australian Capital Territory

The ACT has received 600 more places for its skilled nomination program this year as compared to the last.

Its skilled migration program remains closed to offshore applicants until the federal government reopens the international borders.

Victoria

Victoria has received a total of 4,000 places this year – 3,500 for Subclass 190 and 500 Subclass 491. This is marginally more than the previous program year.

However, this year, Victoria will focus on onshore applicants who are currently living and working in the state in one of the seven target sectors designated by the state based on their STEMM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics and medical) skills.

The seven target sectors include health, medical research, life sciences, digital, agri-food, advanced manufacturing and new energy, emission reduction and circular economy.

GSM

Western Australia

Priority will be given to those using their critical skills in Melbourne’s business precincts, namely, Parkville, Footscray and Docklands.

The General Stream of Skilled Migration in Western Australia is divided into two categories based on occupations: the WA Skilled Migration Occupation List (WASMOL) Schedule 1 and Schedule 2.

For more information about the requirements for WASMOL Schedule 1 and 2.

The state has expanded its occupation lists, but Mr Singh said the most noticeable change in the program is that applicants who apply for General Stream, do not have to be currently studying, working or living in the state to receive a nomination.

All they need is a job offer in the state to be eligible for this stream.

“The WA state nomination is unique and positive as it is open to applicants throughout Australia rather than limiting it to the state. Also, WA’s skilled occupation list is quite liberal with opportunities for trades like motor mechanic, chef, cook and painter. Applicants specifically from Victoria and Queensland will benefit from WA’s state nomination since the options for these occupations are limited in these states,” Mr Singh said.

The state has received 1,100 places for Subclass 190 and 340 for Subclass 491.

State and Territory nominated visa allocations for 2021-2022.

Department of Home Affairs

South Australia

South Australia’s skilled nomination program has received 2,600 places each for subclasses 190 and 491, a total of 1,200 more places than last year.

Mr Singh said the increased allocation would mean applicants will have more chances to secure a nomination.

“The number of allocations is quite promising as they stand at 5,200 spots for the 491 and 190 visas combined, and are only second to NSW. SA is unique in a way that unlike states like Victoria, it didn’t restrict invitations to critical occupations and the trend is likely to continue this financial year as well,” Mr Singh added.

The state’s general skilled migration program is scheduled to reopen on 20 July.

Queensland

Queensland has received the same number of places as the previous year – 1,000 for Subclass 190 and 1,250 for Subclass 491.

The state is currently finalising the criteria for its skilled nomination program, which is scheduled to open in late July.

Tasmania

Tasmania has received 1,100 places for Subclass 190 and 2,200 for Subclass 491, slightly more than last year.

The state will continue to assess applications for the Skilled Nom­inated visa in this program year which were not finalised by 30 June.

The Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa applications lodged before 20 March, which were not finalised in the last financial year, will also continue to be assessed in the current year.

The state is yet to open its nomination program for 2021-22.

Northern Territory

The Australian jurisdiction with the smallest skilled nominated program has been allocated 1,000 places, 500 each for Subclass 190 and Subclass 491, the same as the previous year.

While the NT program remains open for new onshore applicants, it is closed to overseas applicants. However, all existing applications will be assessed.

Disclaimer: This content is for general information purposes only and should not be used as a professional consultation by a qulaified migration agent. Contact us Registered Migration Agents to review your situation.

March 24, 2021

Prime Minister Scott Morrison and his Party now acknowledge that migration is crucial to economic growth and prosperity.

AFTER TELLING temporary entrants to “return to their home country” at the beginning of Covid19 pandame, just 12 months ago and cutting the Migration Program ceiling by 30,000 per annum to “bust congestion” as part of his 2019 pre-election plan, Australia’s Prime Minister Scott Morrison now says we must overhaul temporary migration in the post-COVID era to fill rapidly emerging skill shortages.

Recently the Minister for Immigration Alex Hawke said that:

“Convinced that the migration program will be a huge part of how we recover from COVID.”

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg says Australia has the “opportunity to attract some of the most skilled and highly qualified individuals from across the world”.


And with no reference to the Prime Minister telling temporary entrants to go home or cutting immigration to “bust congestion”, Chair of the Joint Standing Committee on Migration, Julian Leeser, said:

“Australia needs to replace the skilled migrants that left our shores as a result of the pandemic. Without the return of skilled migration, Australia’s economic recovery will be severely hampered and it will be harder to create more jobs for Australians.”

Why Australia is changing its immigration policy? No one believes congestion has been “busted” by the recent lockdowns or that cutting the migration program by 30,000 per annum would have busted congestion. That was just Scott Morrison making up a rationale for Dutton’s earlier cut to the program, as well as a bit of convenient dog-whistling.

And if immigration is to now be increased, how will that be done? There is great potential for the Government to make a mess of this, especially if done at the same time as the Department of Home Affairs is implementing a major IT upgrade. 

There are likely five main drivers for why the Morrison Government is proposing to increase immigration:

  • Ongoing employer anger at the changes Peter Dutton made in 2017-18 to employer-sponsored migration;
  • Recommendations of the Royal Commission on Aged Care will require a very substantial increase in the number of qualified aged and health care staff to bring aged care delivery to the proposed standard and to meet the increasing demands of a much larger aged care population. This increase cannot possibly be delivered solely by training more Australians;
  • Pressure from the agricultural and international tourism industries to address their workforce and related challenges;
  • Pressure from universities due to the number of university staff who have lost their jobs following a sharp fall in revenue from overseas students and the Government’s decision to not grant universities access to JobKeeper; and
  • Likely advice from Treasury that further ageing of Australia’s population over the next 10-20 years will make high rates of real economic growth impossible to deliver.

Employer-sponsored migration

Employer-sponsored skilled temporary entry visas declined significantly after the Global Financial Crisis (GFC) and then made a remarkable recovery as the stimulus into the Australian economy rapidly reduced unemployment.

The rise in unemployment from 2014 again resulted in a fall in skilled temporary visas. That decline continued as changes to this visa introduced by Peter Dutton plus a slowing in visa processing saw a large decline in 2017-18. While there was a short recovery in 2018-19, that was due to backlog clearance rather than an increase in applications. The decline continued in 2019-20 and there is likely to be a further fall in 2020-21 due to COVID.

Source: data.gov.au.

While he will not say so, the recommendations of Julian Leeser’s Committee are designed to undo many of the changes Peter Dutton made in 2017-18. But is that the most sensible way forward?

I managed Australia’s migration and temporary entry arrangements for over a decade and can attest that employers seeking to fill a genuine skill shortage are mainly interested in speed, flexibility and certainty.

They don’t want to be messed about by the kinds of bureaucratic delays Peter Dutton specialised in when they need to fill a key vacancy.

From a public policy perspective, the key risks employer-sponsored skilled visa design must address are:

  • Employer-sponsored visas being used to undercut job opportunities of Australians, especially for entry-level job vacancies given high youth unemployment amongst Australians without post-school qualifications;
  • Use of employer-sponsored visas to suppress wages and exploit overseas workers; and
  • Sponsoring employers avoiding their obligations to train Australians.

In this context, it is extraordinary that Leeser ignores the most important policy lever available. That is the minimum salary that every sponsor of a skilled temporary entrant must pay. An appropriately set minimum salary, with minimal scope to use “in-kind” non-cash benefits, effective enforcement and severe penalties for non-compliance, is by far the most effective way to minimise the key risks of skilled temporary entry.

From the checks I have been able to make, it seems the minimum salary requirement for skilled temporary entry may not have been substantially increased since 2013. If that is correct, we can only conclude that skilled temporary entry has been part of the Government’s agenda, as explained by former Finance Minister Mathias Cormann, to slow wages growth in Australia.

If the Government wants to overhaul skilled temporary entry to deliver the speed and flexibility employers desire, it must strengthen the minimum salary requirement, with an appropriate concession for employers in regional Australia.

If not, it will risk, for example, the large corporate aged care providers in Australia using skilled temporary entry to undermine the recommendations of the Royal Commission on Aged Care which wants to increase the qualifications and wages of aged care workers rather than to have them continue to be exploited.

To secure the large numbers of more qualified health and aged care workers that Australia will need, Australia will need to source many of these workers through the overseas students’ program. Attracting sufficiently qualified health and aged care workers directly from overseas will be difficult as countries in Europe, Japan and North America will be competing for the same workers.

In this regard, Leeser is right to propose more sensible pathways to permanent residence for overseas students and other temporary entrants. These are the same pathways Dutton made a mess of in 2017-18. For regional Australia, where the demand for qualified health and aged care workers will hit earlier and harder, the Government will also need to revisit the Regional Employer-Sponsored category that Morrison announced with his 2019 Population Plan.

Predictably, that category has turned out to be a total lemon.

Universities will need to switch the focus of their overseas student programs towards health and aged care, and away from the traditional focus on accounting and business. But at a time university finances are heavily stretched, that will be difficult.

The Government will need to assist universities to make the transition to health and aged care training for both domestic and overseas students.

Agriculture and international tourism industries

Both of these industries are pressing the Government for assistance with their labour needs.

Working holidaymakers and work and holiday visa holders have been a traditional source of labour used by these industries. But the number of these visa holders had been in steady decline well before COVID-19 hit, from a peak of around 180,000 in December 2013 to around 140,000 in December 2019, and less than 50,000 in December 2020 and continuing to fall fast.

This is despite a significant expansion in the number of countries with which Australia has a work and holiday agreement as well as expanded opportunities for these visa holders to secure further stay in Australia.

The decline prior to COVID is likely the result of extensive media and social media reports of exploitation of these visa holders, as well as the special “backpacker tax” that has been in place in recent years. Since COVID, with few arriving and large numbers leaving, it was inevitable their numbers would fall sharply.

Source: WHM ReportsDHA website.

The Seasonal Worker Programme has, to a small degree, offset the decline in working holidaymakers. However, this scheme has also been plagued by reports of exploitation and abuse, including an extraordinary 22 deaths of people while in Australia on this very small visa as well as serious complaints from some Pacific Island Governments.

Despite the risks of exploitation, the Government has steadily reduced regulations around this visa and shifted the cost burden from employers and labour-hire companies to workers. The farm lobby wants further deregulation and the creation of a U.S.-style agricultural visa, which has often been described as a new form of slavery.

source: independentaustralia.net

November 15, 2017

Australian economy is growing exponentially with spectacular economic boom in almost all engineering diciplines but espacially, Civil, Industrial, Mechanical, Mechatronics, and Production engineering sectors. Civil, Industrial, Mechanical, Mechatronics, and Production Engineers with relevant experience are in greater demand in Australia.
Australian Government has opened skilled migration visas for Engineers to reduce the serious shortages of overcome the delay in projects. Civil, Industrial, Mechanical, Mechatronics, and Production Engineers are in great demand in Australia.
The minimum entry requirement for these occupations is a bachelor degree or higher qualification. In some instances relevant experience is required in addition to the formal qualification.
Industrial Engineering Professionals (ANZSCO Skill Level 1) Investigates and reviews the utilisation of personnel, facilities, equipment and materials, current operational processes and established practices, to recommend improvement in the efficiency of operations in a variety of commercial, industrial and production environments. Registration or licensing may be required. Industrial Engineers may have specialization as Process Engineer.
Mechanical Engineering Professionals (ANZSCO Skill Level 1) Plans, designs, organises and oversees the assembly, erection, operation and maintenance of mechanical and process plant and installations. Registration or licensing may be required. Mechanical Engineers may have specialization as an Airconditioning Engineer or Heating and Ventilation Engineer.
Production Engineering Professionals (ANZSCO Skill Level 1) Plans, directs and coordinates the design, construction, modification, continued performance and maintenance of equipment and machines in industrial plants, and the management and planning of manufacturing activities. Production may have specialization as an Automation and Control Engineer.
Required Job Tasks for Civil, Industrial, Mechanical, Mechatronics, and Production Engineers 

  • Studying functional statements, organisational charts and project information to determine functions and responsibilities of workers and work units and to identify areas of duplication „
  • Establishing work measurement programs and analysing work samples to develop standards for labour utilisation „
  • Analysing workforce utilisation, facility layout, operational data and production schedules and costs to determine optimum worker and equipment efficiencies „
  • Designing mechanical equipment, machines, components, products for manufacture, and plant and systems for construction „
  • Developing specifications for manufacture, and determining materials, equipment, piping, material flows, capacities and layout of plant and systems „
  • Organising and managing project labour and the delivery of materials, plant and equipment „
  • Establishing standards and policies for installation, modification, quality control, testing, inspection and maintenance according to engineering principles and safety regulations
  • Inspecting plant to ensure optimum performance is maintained „
  • Directing the maintenance of plant buildings and equipment, and coordinating the requirements for new designs, surveys and maintenance schedules

Immigration to Australia for Civil, Industrial, Mechanical, Mechatronics, and Production Engineers
Industrial, Mechanical, and Production Engineers needs to prepare Competency Demonstration Report (CDR) before applying for Skilled Migration for Australia. Engineers Australia is the designated authority to assess professional and Para-professional qualifications in engineering for the purposes of skilled migration to Australia for most engineering occupations.
Occupational Categories to Assess Engineering Degree from Engineers Australia
Engineers Australia recognises three occupational categories within the engineering team in Australia:

  • Professional Engineer
  • Engineering Technologist
  • Engineering Associate
  • For migration purposes, an additional category of Engineering Manager is also recognised

Recognising Civil, Industrial, Mechanical, Mechatronics, and Production Engineering Qualifications in Australia
To recognise your Engineering qualification in Australia, you need to assess your qualification/ degree through Engineers Australia. There are two pathways to assess your qualifications. If your Engineering Qualification is recognized by Washington AccordDublin Accord or Sydney Accord, then you need not to prepare Competency Demonstration Report (CDR).
In other case you need to write Competency Demonstration Report (CDR) to assess your Engineering degree and finally to apply for Skilled Migration of Australia.
Degree Assessment from Engineers Australia
You need to submit your application with all relevant documents plus assessment fee. Following documents are required to assess your engineering degree through Competency Demonstration Report (CDR) pathway:

  • Application Form available at Engineers Australia‘s website
  • Declarations Page 
  • Three Career Episodes (CEs)
  • CV/ Resume
  • Continual Professional Development (CPD) Report  
  • Summary Statement (SS)
  • IELTS Result
  • Certified Academic Transcripts and Experience Letters

Note: Engineering degree assessment process may take up to 16 weeks from the date of receipt, however the time period keeps varying depending upon the work load.
English Proficiency Test
Minimum English requirement for your Engineering Degree Assessment through Engineers Australia is overall 6.0 band in IELTS or any equivalent English proficiency test (e.g. Cambridge/ TOFEL, etc.). Your band should not be less than 6.0 in any of the four modules; reading, writing, speaking, and listening. Both General Training and Academic version of the IELTS are acceptable.  Applicants who are native English speakers or who have completed an Australian undergraduate engineering qualification, or who have completed a Masters Degree or PhD program at an Australian university may be exempted from IELTS.
Application for Skilled Migration Visa as an Civil, Industrial, Mechanical, Mechatronics, and Production Engineer
Once you have received your positive skill assessment from Engineers Australia, it means that your qualification is recognized in Australia and you are eligible to work as an Engineer in Australia. After getting the positive skill assessment you can apply for your Skilled Migration Visa (Visa Class; 189 or 190 or 489). You are welcome to Australia along with your family after the approval of your visa application. Presently you can apply for your visa through EOI system on Australian Immigration and Border Protection website.
Visa Agency – Australia is helping engineers from all disciplines and particularly Industrial, Civil, Mechanical, and Production Engineers to review their Competency Demonstration Report (CDR). CDR samples are available that will help as a guideline. Competency Demonstration Report (CDR) is the most critical step for getting Australian Skilled Migration and we don’t recommend you to take any risk.

July 14, 2017
Tasmanian state government offer a new visa category that could provide visa-holders a pathway to Australian permanent residency.
Australia is proving to be one of the most popular immigration destinations in the world. With a total annual intake of nearly 200,000, the country evokes the interest of visa-seekers from all over the globe.
Apart from the Skilled Independent visa that allows visa-holders to settle anywhere in Australia, different Australian states and territories have their own immigration programs which are run in accordance with their particular skills and economic requirements, under which the states nominate eligible applicants for skilled migration.
Tasmania, an island state off Australia’s south coast has introduced a new visa category for overseas applicants which will allow them to live and work in the state for four years and also offers a pathway to permanent residency in Australia.

From 1 July this year, a new category for the Skilled Regional (Provisional) visa (Subclass 489) has been introduced for Tasmanian state nomination for overseas applicants. They are eligible to apply for this category as offshore applicants.


Visa subclass 489 allows visa holders to live and work in Tasmania for up to four years.

A state nomination from Tasmania adds 10 points to a skilled visa applicant’s overall score required to qualify for a visa under Australia’s Department of Immigration and Border Protection point test.
After having lived in the state for at least two years and worked full-time (35 hours per week) for at least one year during their stay, visa holders become eligible to apply for permanent residency in Australia.

In order to apply for this visa, an applicant is required to nominate an occupation from Tasmania’s Skilled Occupation List and provide sufficient proof of employment opportunities in the state. Applicants can also secure a genuine offer of employment from employers.
More information send your CV or contact us. 



 

 
 

May 4, 2016

migration-to-australia
Migration to Australia 2014 – 2015

The Australian government has announced that the migration programs for 2017 will remain for the fifth year in a row at its highest level – 190,000 permanent residency places.
Migration numbers according to categories will be

  • 128,550 for skilled migration (including General Skilled Migration, permanent Employer Sponsorship and Business Skills) and
  • 57,400 places for family migration.

The remaining places will include

  • 565 under the Special Eligibility stream and
  • 3,485 for Child category migrants.

This break down of the available permanent residency places remains exactly the same as the 2015-16 program year that is now nearing conclusion.
The official media release from the Minister for Immigration and Border Protection with these 2016-17 Migration Program figures can be found here
 

January 8, 2015

skilledmigrants

Visa applicants are concentrated in mining, manufacturing, construction and education. 

Companies would be allowed to bring employees to Australia for up to a year without applying for 457 skilled worker visas under a migration-rule revamp being considered by the government.

The Department of Immigration and Border Protection is proposing a new temporary entry visa for foreign workers that would not require the candidates to pass language or skills requirements. Nor would employers have to prove they cannot find an Australian to fill the position.
The proposed “short-term mobility” subclass of visas would be available for “specialised work which may include intra-company transfers and foreign correspondents”, says a proposal paper obtained byThe Australian Financial Review.
Fly-in, fly-out commuters, global partners or specialists who need to ­provide short periods of work or consultation to a company would be ­covered. The visa would allow for multiple entries.
The paper is part of a review announced in October and billed by the Abbott government as the biggest re-examination of skilled migration in 25 years. The government wants to cut red tape and give companies more flexibility to grow and compete for talent. ­But the changes would upset unions, which are mostly hostile to foreign labour.
Skilled migration researcher Bob Birrell said the government would be picking a big fight with white-collar unions and professional groups by allowing global companies greater scope to bring people in for short-term appointments.
“There are already significant problems with graduate employment in professions such as dentistry, computer science, medicine and engineering,” he said.
“Liberalisation such that being mooted is going to crash head-on with that situation. The government is going to have some angry professional associations on its hands.”
A short-term mobility category would replace the existing category 400 visa, which allows skilled or specialist entrants to work for up to six weeks.
There were 4587 visas of this type granted when it was first offered in 2012-13. That jumped to 32,984 in 2013-14. Applicants are concentrated in mining, manufacturing, construction and education.
Employer groups have been pushing for a less onerous visa than the 457 to allow them to bring in specialists for shorter-term projects. They say the six weeks offered under the 400 visa is too short and the department often re­directs applicants to 457 visas.
Australian Council of Trade Unions president Ged Kearney said with unemployment at a 12-year-high of 6.3 per cent, the focus should be on employing and training locals.
“The review of Australia’s skilled migration system must strengthen requirements for employers to advertise jobs locally before recruiting ­workers from overseas, not make it easier for companies to bypass Australian workers, university graduates and apprentices,” she said.
Mark Glazbrook, the managing director of Adelaide-based Migration Solutions, said the extended mobility visa would be eagerly welcomed. “The current policy settings and regulations are quite strict and don’t allow a lot of flexibility where there’s very specialised or unique work to be done,” he said.
“If you consider a big international- based company with Australian operations, if they have a specialised piece of equipment that’s in Australia and no one knows how to install it, they want to be able to bring someone, possibly on multiple occasions, on a genuinely temporary basis.”
The existing employer-sponsored 457 visa would be absorbed into a new “temporary-skilled” category, according to the proposal paper. It would continue to require candidates to meet English language, skills and labour market tests.
There would also be “permanent-independent” and “permanent-skilled” subclasses.
The “permanent-independent” subclass would be for “highly skilled individuals to independently apply for permanent residence to work in Australia”. It would replace existing distinguished talent visas.
Applicants in the permanent-skilled category would have to prove they are filling a genuine vacancy in the local labour market. This category would subsume the existing 186 and 187 visas.
“Competition for migrants amongst growth countries such as China and India, as well as our traditional competitors, will require that our skilled programs are no longer designed to passively receive migrants, but are designed to aggressively target ‘talented’ migrants in a highly competitive environment,” the paper says.
Australian Mines and Metals Association director Scott Barklamb said Australia would benefit from “mobile, highly skilled professionals who temporarily live and work where their specialised skills are most in need”. “Australians working in the resource sector often have opportunities to work and live temporarily all over the world and the Australian industry must similarly benefit from global engagement.”
In a submission to the government, Master Builders Australia said: “Some projects are shorter duration – for example three months – and going through the time-consuming and costly process of applying and securing 457 visa holders is not flexible enough.”
The “genuine-temporary-entrant” test that has been applied to student visas would be used for the short-term mobility subclass to prevent rorting.
The short-term mobility subclass would include a visa valid for three months or a year. Candidates for the shorter visa could be bought in at the invitation of an Australian company.
For the visa to be valid for up to 12 months, candidates would require a “statement of guarantee or undertaking from the Australian organisation detailing salary and any employment conditions reflective of the Australian standard for the duration of the stay must be provided”.
There is also a review of the integrity of the 457 visa system, the significant investor visa program and an inquiry into the Business Innovation and Investment Program.
The government said it would be premature to comment during the consultation period. A spokesman said the proposal paper was drafted by the department, not the government.
Dr Birrell said: “The main proposal is to free up temporary migration by creating a new set of visa subclasses for people coming in for less than a year,” he said.
“The implication is that this would not include the rules and regulations currently governing the 457 visa, including some labour market testing.”

SOURCE: The Australian Financial Review
By Joanna Mather
November 24, 2013

Overview of TRA Migration Skills Assessment /  May 2013

Purpose of the TRA Migration Skills Assessment Guidelines

These guidelines describe the TRA Migration Skills Assessment program and the requirements for applicantsseeking a skills assessment under the program.The primary audience for these guidelines is potential applicants for a TRA Migration Skills Assessment. Terms explained in the Glossary are bolded when they first appear in this document.

downloadThe TRA Migration Skills Assessment program is managed by Trades Recognition Australia (TRA). TRA is a business unit of the Department of Industry, Innovation, Climate Change, Science, Research and Tertiary Education (DIICCSRTE). TRA is the relevant assessing authority for certain occupations under the Migration Regulations 1994.

TRA operates seven separate skills assessment services. Six of these are for migration purposes. It is important that you select the program that provides you with the outcome you need.

If you are interested in applying for a TRA Migration Skills Assessment, it is essential that you:

  •  check that the nominated occupation in your visa application with the Australian Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) is one that is assessed by TRA through www.immi.gov.au/asri
  • check that this program is the appropriate program for your skills assessment (see below)
  •  read the eligibility requirements for a TRA Migration Skills Assessment before starting an application.
  • This program is for applicants seeking a skills assessment for migration purposes AND who are not required to seek skills assessment through one of the TRA assessment services below:
  • Provisional Skills Assessment – required by recently graduated international students in trades and related occupations, seeking a Skilled – Graduate (Temporary) Visa (Subclass 485)
  • Job Ready Program – required by recently graduated international students in trades and associated professional occupations, seeking a skilled migration permanent residency visa
  • Offshore Skills Assessment Program – required for trade applicants for permanent skilled migration visas whose country and occupation are managed through TRA approved registered training organisations
  • 457 Skills Assessment Program – required by trade applicants for temporary (subclass 457) skilled migration visas whose country and occupation require a skills assessment
  • TRA Migration Points Advice – required for certain skilled migration visas, for applicants who already have a successful skills assessment and require points advice for a visa application.

These guidelines do not provide information on visas or points requirements for migration. All enquiries about migration requirements must be directed to DIAC (www.immi.gov.au).

TRA reserves the right to amend these guidelines as needed. Information about changes to the guidelines will be documented in the ‘Document change history’ table on page 2.

TRA Migration Skills Assessment Summary

A TRA Migration Skills Assessment is an assessment of your qualification/s and employment to determine whether you have skills and experience comparable to Australian industry standards for your nominated occupation.

You should check with DIAC regarding the eligibility requirements for the skilled migration visa you seek before submitting an application to TRA for a skills assessment.

Program objective

The TRA Migration Skills Assessment program aims to ensure that your qualifications, skills and employment experience are comparable with and relevant to the Australian industry standards for a skilled worker in your nominated occupation.

Relevant legislation

TRA is the assessing authority for a range of trade and associate professional occupations under the Migration Regulations 1994.

Regulation 2.26B(2) of the Migration Regulations 1994 provides that “the standards against which the skills of a person are assessed by a relevant assessing authority for a skilled occupation must be the standards set by the relevant assessing authority for the skilled occupation”.

Program delivery

TRA is responsible for the delivery of the TRA Migration Skills Assessment program.

Fees payable for the TRA Migration Skills Assessment

TRA manages TRA Migration Skills Assessments on a cost-recovery basis in accordance with the Australian Government Cost Recovery Guidelines. Table 1 lists the fees payable by you (all amounts in these guidelines are in Australian dollars). All fees are paid to TRA unless otherwise specified. The fees paid to TRA do not attract Goods and Services Tax (GST)[1].

Table 1         Fee payable for the TRA migration skills assessment

Fee Type

Fee

When Payable Payment Method
STANDARD FEES
TRA Migration Skills Assessment

$1,000

Before you submit your application. Online by Visa or MasterCard credit/debit card.
OTHER FEES
TRA Migration Skills Assessment Review

$900

Only payable if you lodge an application for a TRA Migration Skills Assessment review.
The fee will be refunded if the original assessment outcome is overturned. based solely on the evidence originally provided in the application under review
Online by Visa or MasterCard credit/debit card.A Review Request Form is available from the TRA website. Refer to the TRA Review Policy available from the TRA website (www.innovation.gov.au/tra).

Paying fees

Payments for TRA services are made online by Visa or MasterCard credit/debit card through the TRA Online Portal (https://extranet.deewr.gov.au/trades/Interface/Pages/Security/Logon.aspx).
Online payments are processed securely using the Government EasyPay service operated by the Reserve Bank of Australia.
If you are unable to pay by Visa or MasterCard, please contact TRA about alternate payments methods.  Do not send your application form until we have advised you how to pay.
If your application is received without a valid payment, your application will be returned without being assessed.

Refunds

Refunds will not be provided if you choose to withdraw your application.
TRA provides refunds in other limited circumstances. The circumstances in which TRA will refund a payment are detailed in the TRA Refund Policy available on our website (www.innovation.gov.au/tra).

TRA roles and responsibilities

The roles and responsibilities of TRA in relation to the TRA Migration Skills Assessment include:

  • responding to enquiries about the program
  • notifying applicants of receipt and outcome of applications
  • assessing applications involving:
  • validating your qualification/s and assessing the comparability of your qualification with the Australian qualification required for your nominated occupation in Australia
  • validating that your employment claims are genuine, at therequired skilled level, and comparable with and relevant to the skill level required for your nominated occupation in Australia
  • providing advice about applications
  • conducting reviews when requested
  • responding to stakeholder feedback
  • managing the integrity of the program
  • adhering to the Australian Public Service Code of Conducthttp://www.apsc.gov.au/aps-employment-policy-and-advice/aps-values-and-code-of-conduct/code-of-conduct

Applicant roles and responsibilities

You must commit to the program by:

  • accurately and honestly completing the application and declaration forms required for the program
  • providing authentic, valid, relevant and sufficient evidence to support your claims of training and employment detailed in your application
  • paying the required fee for the skills assessment.

Authorised representatives for Migration Skills Assessment applicants

You are not required to nominate a migration agent or representative for a TRA Migration Skills Assessment, although you may.

If you are considering engaging an agent, you can find advice and information about the use of migration agents in Australia on the DIAC website at www.immi.gov.au/visas/migration-agents/migration-agents-in-australia.htm.

If you engage an agent or representative to assist you with your application, you must provide TRA with a signed Nomination of an Agent or Representativeform (or similar correspondence). This will allow TRA to provide information about your application to your nominated agent. TRA will not provide any information about your application to your nominated agent without your authority in writing to do so.

You must notify TRA in writing each time you appoint or change an agent or representative. This advice will replace any previous agent or representative details held on your TRA file.

The form is available under the contact us link on the TRA website (www.innovation.gov.au/tra).

Privacy

All personal information collected by TRA is protected by the Privacy Act 1988 (Privacy Act). Section 14 of the Privacy Act contains the Information Privacy Principles (IPPs) which prescribe the rules for handling personal information.

The Privacy Act defines ‘personal information’ as ‘information or an opinion (including information or an opinion forming part of a database), whether true or not, and whether recorded in a material form or not, about an individual whose identity is apparent, or can reasonably be ascertained, from the information or opinion’.

More information about the Privacy Act, including a copy of the full text of the IPPs, can be obtained from the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner’s website at: www.oaic.gov.au.

TRA collects personal information from applicants for the purposes of:

  • processing applications, verifying evidence provided with applications, and assessing whether applicants have suitable skills in a nominated occupation
  • conducting investigations and ensuring compliance with relevant laws, awards or standards and
  • ensuring compliance with the Commonwealth Fraud Control Guidelines (2002).

TRA may give some or all of the information it collects to DIAC, the Australian Federal Police, your employer/s, your supervisor/s, your nominated agent or representative, the organisations that issued your qualifications, TRA approved RTOs, agencies providing advice to TRA on qualifications such as UK NARIC, organisations or individuals providing in-country verification services, contractors, the Fair Work Ombudsman and other Australian and state/territory government agencies for the above purposes.

Applicants are responsible for ensuring the accuracy and validity of all information provided to TRA.

When you provide personal information in relation to the Department’s services, we will allow you access to your personal information and we will correct your personal information if it is inaccurate (subject to restrictions on such access/alteration of records under the applicable provisions of any law of the Commonwealth).

The information collected by TRA will not be used for any other purpose or disclosed to any other person or organisation unless such a use and disclosure is authorised under the Privacy Act 1988.

Complaints about breaches of privacy should be referred to:

Privacy Contact Officer
Legal Branch
Corporate Division
Department of Industry, Innovation, Climate Change, Science, Research and Tertiary Education
GPO Box 9839
CANBERRA ACT 2601
AUSTRALIA

Privacy complaints can also be made directly to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner.

False or misleading information

TRA will take reasonable steps to independently validate the information you supply in your TRA Migration Skills Assessment application.

You are responsible for ensuring the accuracy and validity of all information provided to TRA.

However, if TRA determines at a later date that information previously supplied is false, misleading, non-factual or simply incorrect, and that in relying on that information TRA has incorrectly assessed you as successful, TRA may write to you to advise that the assessment is no longer considered successful. TRA will advise DIAC accordingly.

TRA may refer such matters to the appropriate authorities for investigation where information provided to support an application is known or believed to be false.

NOTE: Penalties under the Crimes Act 1914 and the Criminal Code Act 1995 may apply for making false or misleading statements and providing false or misleading information or documents.

Certification of documents and statutory declarations

TRA must be able to validate, to its satisfaction, the content and authenticity of all documents that you provide.

Certified documents

Original documents must not be sent to TRA. All documents in support of your application must be certified copies of original documents.

A certified copy is a true copy of an original document that has been seen and certified by a person listed on the Australian Attorney-General’s website or a registered migration agent and annotated as follows:

 ‘I certify that I have sighted the original document and this is a true copy of it.’

This certification must be made on a copy of the original documentation and include the certifier’s name, title and registration number (where applicable), their original signature and the date. Copies of signatures will not be acceptable.

If a document has multiple pages, the first page must include the signature and date of the certifier, as well as the total number of pages of the document. Every page in the document must have the original initial of the certifier and the date.

If you have documents certified in Australia, TRA will only accept documents certified by an Australian registered migration agent or people who are listed in Schedule 2 of the Statutory Declarations Regulations 1993, which is available through the Australian Attorney-General’s Department website (http://www.ag.gov.au/Publications/Pages/Statutorydeclarationsignatorylist.aspx).

If you have documents certified outside Australia, certified copies are copies authorised, or stamped as being true copies of originals, by a person or agency recognised by the law of the country in which you currently reside or documents certified by an Australian registered migration agent.

Statutory declarations

A statutory declaration is a written statement that allows person to declare something to be true. Statutory declarations may also be referred to as an affidavit, sworn statement or similar legal declaration.

TRA will accept statutory declarations from applicants as a part of evidence sought for employment and/or qualifications. However, a statutory declaration on its own will not provide sufficient evidence to TRA of claims for employment and/or the attainment of qualifications.

All statutory declarations must:

·         be accompanied by additional third-party evidence that can be independently verified by TRA, and

·         include the reason why the statutory declaration is being provided instead of certified copies of original documents.

In all instances, the declaration must have your signature witnessed by a legal authority in the country where the declaration was made.

In Australia, all statutory declarations made in Australia must be signed by a person who is listed in Schedule 2 of the Statutory Declarations Regulations 1993, which is available through the Australian Attorney-General’s Department website (http://www.ag.gov.au/Publications/Pages/Statutorydeclarationsignatorylist.aspx).

If you are supplying a statutory declaration from outside Australia, statutory declarations must be signed and stamped by a person with authority to do so as recognised by the law of the country where the declaration is being made.

TRA Migration Points Advice

DIAC introduced a new migration points test for certain skilled migration visas on 1 July 2011. The points test recognises a range of skills and attributes.

TRA will expect that you have a successful skills assessment outcome before you lodge an application for Migration Points Advice with TRA.

TRA is responsible for providing advice for the points test about:

  • skilled employment, and
  • qualifications obtained in Australia and overseas

TRA is not responsible for awarding points.

The awarding of points for the skilled migration points test remains at the discretion of delegated officers of DIAC.

Detailed information about the points test is available on the DIAC website (www.immi.gov.au).

TRA Migration Skills Assessment requirements and processes

Overview of the TRA Migration Skills Assessment

The TRA Migration Skills Assessment involves an assessment of your qualification/s and employment history to determine whether they are comparable with Australian standards for a skilled worker in your nominated occupation.

TRA will assess documents you provide as evidence of your qualifications/apprenticeship and employment in your nominated occupation.

Purpose of the TRA Migration Skills Assessment

The TRA Migration Skills Assessment can be requested to meet the skills assessment requirement specified by DIAC for permanent skilled migration.

You should check with DIAC before submitting an application to TRA to ensure that you have selected the appropriate skills assessment for the visa you are seeking, and that TRA is the correct assessing authority for your nominated occupation.

Nominated occupation for the TRA Migration Skills Assessment

Your nominated occupation for the TRA Migration Skills Assessment must be:

Information about occupations in Australia is available from a number of sources including:

Eligibility for a TRA Migration Skills Assessment

To receive a positive TRA Migration Skills Assessment outcome you must provide documents to show that you:

  • are from a country and in an occupation covered by the TRA Migration Skills Assessment program
  • have a qualification comparable to the Australian qualification for your nominated occupation
    or
    have completed an apprenticeship comparable to the Australian apprenticeship for your nominated occupation
  • have completed three years of full-time (or equivalent part-time) paid employment in your nominated occupation at the required skill level
  • have completed at least 12 months of full-time (or equivalent part-time) paid employment in your nominated occupation, or in a closely related occupation where you are required to maintain your skill level for the nominated occupation, in the two years immediately before applying
  • have paid the $1,000 TRA Migration Skills Assessment fee.

The TRA Migration Skills Assessment process

You must adhere to the following process to be eligible for a successful TRA Migration Skills Assessment.

Complete application form

To apply for a TRA Migration Skills Assessment, you must complete a TRA Migration Skills Assessment Application Form available from the TRA website (www.innovation.gov.au/tra).

You can complete the application form online or you can save the form on your computer as a word document.

You must print the application form, sign and send it together with your required documents and evidence of payment of the required application fee. You must sign and date the form before you post it to TRA. Refer to section 1.7 for information about paying fees.

Your application must be decision ready for assessment by TRA.

Decision readymeans that your application has:

  • all the mandatory fields completed
  • all the required documents attached to the application form as evidence of the qualification and employment claims made in your application
  • been signed and dated by you.

You must also attach evidence of payment of the required application fee to your application.

It is your responsibility to ensure that your application is correct, accurate and complete before you submit it to TRA.

TRA does not contact applicants for additional information

If you engage an agent or representative to help you to complete the TRA Migration Skills Assessment application, you will be required to provide their details in Part 3 of the Application Form or notify TRA in writing by completing the Nomination of an Agent or Representative form available on the TRA website (or similar correspondence).

Skills assessment application fees

The TRA Migration Skills Assessment fee payable to TRA is $1,000. Refer to Section 1.7 for information about paying fees.

Supporting documents

You are required to provide the following documents with your application for a valid TRA Migration Skills Assessment:

  • a completed application form which is signed and dated
  • a certified copy of the biographical identity page of your valid passport. If your passport does not contain a photograph, you must also send a certified passport photograph of yourself
  • certified copies of
  1. your qualification and/or apprenticeship documents such as final certificates or diplomas relevant to your nominated occupation
  2. a full academic transcriptof results, including the start and end date of your qualification/award (resulting from either training and/or assessment)
  3. evidence of the nature and content of the qualification/award including subjects achieved. The evidence should describe the content of each subject and any machines, tools and equipment used
  4. contact details for the organisation issuing the qualification
  • certified employment statements that can be independently validated. Employment statements must include all the requirements in Section 2.8
  • evidence of payment of the application fee.

You must ensure that TRA receives all of the required documents with your application.

You may provide a statutory declaration with your application as partial evidence of your employment and/or qualification attainment. Refer to Section 1.14 for information about statutory declarations.

A statutory declaration will not be accepted on its own as evidence of employment or training. You must also provide some form of third party evidence that can be independently verified by TRA to support the claims made in the statutory declaration.

Certifying documents

You must have all documents certified by a certifying officer who meets the requirements set out in Section 1.14 of these guidelines.

Do not send original documents to TRA. TRA will not be liable for the return of original documents.

Translating documents

Documents submitted as evidence that are not in English must be in their original language accompanied by an English translation.

Translating Documents in Australia

If you have documents translated in Australia, acceptable translations may be obtained from translators accredited with the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters (NAATI). Details of these translators can be found in the Yellow Pages or the telephone directory under ‘Translations’ or on NAATI’s website at www.naati.com.au.

Make sure you check the translator’s accreditation by either calling NAATI on 1300 557 470 or asking to see the translator’s letter or certificate of accreditation as a translator in the language and checking the translator’s identification card from NAATI. Translations done by NAATI accredited translators must include the translator’s name, NAATI identification number and accreditation status.

Translating Documents outside Australia

If you have documents translated outside Australia, the translator must be approved by the authorities in the country where the translation is made. Ask your nearest Australian Embassy, High Commission or Consulate for advice if you are unsure.

Overseas translations must be on the organisation’s letterhead and include an official stamp and the translator’s name (all in block letters), signature and contact telephone number legibly printed below the signature.

This information is required so that TRA can contact the translator if necessary to verify the translated documents.

Assessment of your application

A TRA Migration Skills Assessment will generally be completed within 60 working days of receipt of the required documents.

A TRA Migration Skills Assessment will involve the following:

·         validation of documents provided by you

·         comparing the qualification documents you provide with the requirements for the relevant AQF qualifications/ apprenticeships in Australia

·         comparing your employment history with the requirements for a skilled worker in your nominated occupation in Australia

·         notifying you of the outcome of the assessment by letter.

The onus is on you, the applicant, to provide TRA with sufficient, valid documents to support your claims for a comparable qualification and employment at the required skill level.

You will not be successful in a TRA Migration Skills Assessment if the documents you provided to TRA:

·         are not relevant to your nominated occupation

·         contain insufficient detail for TRA to be satisfied that you meet the TRA Migration Skills Assessment eligibility requirements

·         cannot be validated to TRA’s satisfaction as being a true and accurate record of your qualifications and/or employment

or

·         are found to contain false or misleading information.

Review of Assessment

If you do not agree with an assessment outcome, you can lodge an application for a TRA Migration Skills Assessment review. A fee of $900 applies.

You will receive the Application for Review form when you are sent your TRA Migration Skills Assessment outcome letter after the assessment is finalised.

Further information can be found in the TRA Assessment Review Policy on our website: www.innovation.gov.au/tra.

Meeting the eligibility requirements: qualifications

Your qualification will be recognised as comparable to the relevant Australian qualification if TRA is able to validate that the qualification is:

·         at a level comparable to the Australian qualification required for the occupation

·         at a quality standard comparable to Australian qualifications

·         relevant to the nominated occupation.

In determining comparability of the level and quality standard of qualifications we will apply the relevant principles set out in the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) Principles and Processes for the Alignment of the AQF with International Qualifications Frameworks.

In summary, these principles include (but are not limited to) that:

·         the AQF will not be adapted to suit another nation’s or region’s requirement

·         alignment will usually be between the AQF and another national or regional qualifications framework, or if these do not exist, between the AQF and another national or regional qualifications system

·         there is a clear and demonstrable link between the qualifications levels in the AQF and the levels in the national or regional qualifications framework (or system)

·         national or regional qualifications frameworks and qualifications are based on the principles and objectives of learning outcomes and volume of learning that are comparable to the learning outcomes in the AQF

·         procedures for inclusion of qualifications in the relevant national or regional qualification framework or system are transparent

·         international experts are consulted to support and assist in the development of reliable outcomes.

For additional details see www.aqf.edu.au.

Documents required as evidence of a qualification

The following documents must be provided as evidence of a qualification:

·         a certified copy of the qualification

·         a certified copy of the academic transcript for the qualification

·         you may also wish to provide other documents which provide further detail regarding the entries included in the academic transcript.

You may provide a statutory declaration with your application as partial evidence of your training and qualification attainment. However, a statutory declaration alone will not be considered by TRA to meet the evidence requirements for qualification documentation. You must also provide some additional form of third party evidence that can be independently verified by TRA, for example a letter from an authorised person at the institution that issued your award.

To ensure a valid and reliable assessment of your qualification, statutory declarations and letters issued by training institutions must include the following details:

·         name and level of award

·         date award issued

·         start and end date of training period

·         name and contact details of issuing institution/authority

·         a list of the subjects you completed to be eligible for the award

·         any other details that may assist TRA to verify the qualification

Qualification is at a level comparable to an Australian qualification

To determine whether your qualification is at a level comparable to the relevant Australian qualification for your nominated occupation, we will refer to a range of Australian and international government and other authoritative sources.

We will require you to have completed a minimum of nine years of compulsory general education prior to undertaking and completing a qualification that includes a volume of learning comparable to the relevant Australian qualification for the occupation.

The level of an Australian qualification required for an occupation in Australia will generally be specified in industry-endorsed Training Packages. Occupations that we assess are generally at either an AQF level of Certificate III, Certificate IV or Diploma.

Qualification is at a comparable quality standard to an Australian qualification

To determine whether your qualification is of a comparable quality standard to the relevant Australian qualification for your nominated occupation, we will compare the vocational education and training system from the country where the qualification was awarded to Australia’s training system.

The central features of Australia’s vocational education and training system include:

·         a national qualifications framework

·         Australian laws to regulate vocational education and training (VET)

·         a formal, government managed system for assuring the quality and standard of qualifications issued by training providers·         a formal, government managed system for assuring the quality of training providers

·         national recognition of qualifications issued by registered training organisations

·         industry involvement in the training system.

In determining whether a qualification is of a comparable quality standard, we will consider whether the country’s vocational training system has:

·         a structured qualifications system or framework

·         a government-led system of training provider quality assurance

·         a government-led system for accrediting/endorsing qualifications

·         established relationships with industry/employer organisations to provide input into training provider delivery

·         formal recognition of the qualification in the country of issuance.

Qualification is relevant to the nominated occupation

To determine whether your qualification is relevant to the nominated occupation, we will assess your qualification and academic transcript to determine if the content of your qualification is comparable to the learning outcomes required for the relevant Australian qualification for the nominated occupation in Australia.

The evidence you provide should describe the content of each subject/component completed and any machines, tools and equipment you used to gain your qualification.

We will refer to Australian industry-endorsed Training Packages to determine whether your qualification is relevant to your nominated occupation in Australia.

Meeting the eligibility requirements: apprenticeships

An apprenticeship will be recognised as meeting the eligibility requirements if it is:

·         at a level comparable to the relevant Australian apprenticeship required for the occupation

·         at a quality standard comparable to Australian apprenticeships

·         relevant to the nominated occupation.

We will consider the following:

·         Was an award or qualification issued as a result of the apprenticeship?

·         Did the apprenticeship involve a combination of paid employment and off-the-job training?

·         Is the apprenticeship supported by approved government and industry bodies?

·         Was the content and duration of the apprenticeship sufficient to develop competence to a comparable standard?

Documents required as evidence of an apprenticeship

The following documents must be provided as evidence of an apprenticeship:

·         a certified copy of the apprenticeship qualification or award

·         a certified copy of the academic transcript for the apprenticeship qualification or award

·         evidence of paid employment during the apprenticeship, such as formal recognition that the employment is directly linked to the apprenticeship.

You may provide a statutory declaration with your application as partial evidence of your apprenticeship. However, a statutory declaration will not be considered on its own by TRA instead of the required apprenticeship documentation. You must also provide some additional form of third party evidence that can be independently verified by TRA, for example a letter from an authorised person at the institution that issued your award, an employment statement and evidence of paid employment during your apprenticeship.

To ensure a valid and reliable assessment of your apprenticeship, statutory declarations and letters issued by training institutions and employers must include the following details:

·         name and level of award issued upon completion of apprenticeship

·         date award issued

·         start and end date of training period

·         name and contact details of issuing institution/authority

·         a list of the subjects you completed to be eligible for the award

·         details of your employment and training arrangements

·         any other details that may assist TRA to verify the apprenticeship

Qualification or award resulting from apprenticeship

The qualification or award arising from the apprenticeship must be comparable to the relevant Australian qualification for your nominated occupation. Refer to Section 2.6 for more information about this.

Qualifications or awards must be granted through a government-regulated system.

The qualification or award must be relevant to your nominated occupation.

Combination of paid employment and off-the-job training

Your apprenticeship must have involved a combination of paid employment and off-the-job training.

Evidence of paid employment may include:

·         training documentation that lists the employer

·         payslips from an employer during the period of your apprenticeship training

·         employment statements from your employers stating that you were employed under supervision for the duration of the apprenticeship training.

Content of apprenticeship was supported by government and approved industry bodies

Your apprenticeship must have been awarded through a program that was regulated and quality assured by the government of the country where the apprenticeship was completed.

TRA will source evidence of involvement by government, employers, employees and/or education authorities in determining the content of the apprenticeship program. TRA recognises that countries may differ in the ways in which these parties are involved.

Duration of apprenticeship was sufficient to develop competence

To ensure an apprenticeship is of sufficient duration to develop competence it must include a period of employment and off-the-job training comparable to that required for an Australian apprenticeship.

Meeting the eligibility requirements: employment

Employment will be recognised as meeting the TRA Migration Skills Assessment requirements if it is:

·         paid, full-time (or equivalent) employment

·         relevant to the nominated occupation

·         performed at the required skill level for Australian industry standards

·         for at least three years, including 12 months in the last two years.

Documents required as evidence of employment

The following documents must be provided as evidence of employment:

·         employment statements for all employment claimed or a personal statement (if claiming self employment)

·         details of your employment history in your own words

·         other certified evidence of being employed such as pay slips, tax documents or superannuation documents

·         other documents listed in Section 2.8.7 if you are claiming self employment

·         you may wish to also provide any other evidence that can substantiate your claims for employment at the required skill level.

You may include a statutory declaration as partial evidence of your employment with your application. However, a statutory declaration will not be considered by TRA on its own as evidence of your employment. You must also provide an additional form of third party evidence that can be independently verified by TRA, for example taxation documents citing the name of the employer, or letters of appointment, past references, performance reviews, etc issued by an authorised person of the business.

To ensure a valid and reliable assessment of your employment, statutory declarations must include all the details listed in Section 2.8.6 (if an employee) and Section 2.8.7 (if self employed).

NOTE: If you are seeking recognition of employment undertaken prior to gaining an AQF qualification via a recognition of prior learning process (as described in Section 2.8.4), your evidence must also demonstrate that you were employed in directly related and relevant employment to the occupation for a period of not less than three years under the supervision of a tradesperson/employer.

Full-time (or equivalent) paid employment

Full-time (or Equivalent part-time) Employment

TRA considers full-time employment as ongoing employment working the required number of hours considered full-time in the country where the employment was undertaken. Fair Work Australia considers full-time employment in Australia as 38 hours per week, unless a particular industrial award specifies otherwise.

If your country of employment operates under different arrangements for full-time work from that required in Australia, you must provide evidence to TRA with your application that can be independently validated.

Acceptable evidence may include a statutory declaration from your employer or an extract from an official government website or document.

Note: Evidence of employment undertaken on a part-time basis will be considered and counted toward employment requirement on a pro-rata basis.

Paid Employment

Employment is considered to be paid when an employer pays you wages commensurate with the skill level required for the employment undertaken. If you are self employed, employment is considered paid if you charge fees commensurate with the skill level required for the services you provide.

TRA requires sufficient evidence of paid employment to verify that your employment was full-time (or equivalent part-time) and at the required skill level for your occupation in Australia.

TRA will require at least one primary source of evidence or a minimum of two secondary sources of evidence for each year and each period of employment being claimed. Additional evidence may also be requested.

Primarysources of evidence may include:

·         Tax records that cite the name of the applicant and the employer

·         Annual payment summaries/Group certificates that cite the name of the applicant and the employer

·         Pay slips that include the name of the employer, commencement date of the employment and year to date income information

·         Superannuation documents that cite the name of the applicant and the name of the employer

·         Annual/company returns (for self employed applicants) with an accompanying accountant statement

Secondary sources of evidence may include:

·         Pay slips (without details of commencement date or year to date income information)

·         Advice regarding wages paid in an employer statement (in accordance with Section 2.8.6)

·         A certified statement from your registered/certified accountant.

·         Letters from taxation offices that do not contain the name of the employer

·         Bank statements showing income deposited from employment

You may wish to provide other evidence to substantiate your claims of paid employment.

Employment is relevant and at the required skill level for your nominated occupation

TRA generally considers that skilled employment is undertaken after the issuance of a qualification which is formally recognised as comparable to the Australian qualification required for the occupation in Australia.

Employment will be considered relevant to your nominated occupation if your employment statement/s demonstrate that you have performed tasks comparable to those undertaken in the nominated occupation in Australia.

Employment will be considered at the required skill level for your nominated occupation if you provide evidence that you have worked in the occupation at a skill level comparable to a qualified tradesperson/technician in the occupation in Australia.

We will compare the statements provided by your employers and the written description of your work in your own words in Part 8 of the application form, with the tasks specified in the Australian Government agreed sources of the descriptions of occupations, such as the Australian New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO).

Applicants who hold an aqf qualification issued via recognition of prior learning

Some applicants may have been issued with an AQF qualification recently through a recognition of prior learning (RPL) process. This may be their first comparable qualification.

Skilled employment prior to the issuance of an AQF qualification may be recognised if the employment:

·         is directly related to the nominated occupation

·         commenced after the applicant’s 16th birthday

·         includes a minimum of three (3) years full-time (or equivalent) paid employment under the direct supervision of a tradesperson/employer (an informal training period) before an additional three years full-time (or equivalent) paid employment has been completed at the required skill level for the occupation.

Skilled employment undertaken prior to and after the issuance of an AQF qualification will be considered to meet the three year requirement.

employment for at least three years, with 12 months in the last two years

To ensure that you have the skills and experience to meet the requirements of a skilled worker in an Australian workplace you are required to demonstrate that you have undertaken at least three years of employment at the skill level required for the occupation.

To ensure that your skills are current, we require you to provide evidence that you have worked for 12 months at the required skill level in your occupation, or a closely related occupation where you are required to maintain your skill level for the nominated occupation, within the last two years.

Employment as an employee

For each period of employment you are claiming as an employee, you must provide an employment statement.

Every employment statement must be signed by a person authorised to make the statement. This person may have been your employer or a direct supervisor.

Every employment statement provided to TRA or a TRA approved RTO must be unique and include:

·         the name of the business

·         the nature of the business (for example, construction company, hotel)

·         a description/overview of business and the services/products provided by the business

·         the address of business where you worked

·         when you worked there, that is start date and end date of your employment

·         the nature of your employment (full-time, part-time)

·         your normal hours of work

·         your job title (occupation)

·         a detailed description of the nature and content of the work you undertook

·         a detailed description of the machines, tools and/or equipment you used

·         the name, position, telephone and email contact details of the person authorised to make and sign the statement

·         the length of time that the person signing the statement has been supervising you must also be clearly indicated.

·         All employment statements must be signed and dated, and on letterhead used by the employer’s business where possible. If you are unable to provide employment statements on letterhead you must provide us with an explanation of why this is not possible.

·         All employment statements must be certified.

TRA or a TRA approved RTO may contact an employer to validate the information provided in an employment statement.

TRA requires you to provide a contact telephone number for every person who supplies an employment statement for you. A mobile telephone number will not be sufficient as a primary contact number unless TRA or a TRA approved RTO can validate independently that the number and person providing the statement is linked to the organisation where you were employed.

If you provide a statutory declaration for a period of employment you must include all the details listed above in the statutory declaration.

Self-employment

TRA may consider self-employed work in your nominated occupation.

If you are or have been self-employed, you must provide evidence of trade, trade-related or occupation-specific self-employment.

Your application must include a personal statement on a properly signed statutory declaration, affidavit, sworn statement or similar legal declaration (with your signature witnessed by a legal authority in your country).

Your personal statement must provide the following details:

(a)    the exact commencement and completion dates of each period of self-employment

(b)   the occupation in which you were self-employed

(c)    the nature and content of the work tasks you personally performed

(d)   the number of staff you employed and their occupations, where relevant

(e)   a description of your workshop and the tools and equipment used

(f)     a list of three clients, with contact details, for each year of self employment you are claiming.

(g)    TRA will also require you to provide the following evidence of your self-employment:

(h)   a certified copy of your business registration certificate valid for each period of self-employment you claim

(i)      a certified statement on letterhead paper from your accountant or legal representative certifying the name and nature of your business, the exact start and end dates of your self-employment and the capacity in which you were self-employed

(j)     evidence of paid employment (see Section 2.8.2 B)

(k)    certified copies of at least three statements from suppliers confirming the purchase of materials and equipment relevant to the work you were performing through your self-employment for a range of different self-employment trading periods you are claiming

(l)      certified copies of at least three quotations/invoices or contracts for clients with details of the work completed, the client details and job location for work undertaken during the period of self employment claimed. You must ensure that these documents reflect the range of work that you have undertaken in your nominated occupation over the course of the self employment period claimed

(m)certified copies of references from three clients confirming full details of the work you did for them and the dates the work was undertaken. These references must be from different clients to those mentioned in (k) above, but these clients must be included in (f) above

(n)   evidence of any trade licensing or registration and the prerequisites to obtain the licence or registration, where relevant

(o)   any other documentation that provides support for the existence and purpose of the business. This may include information such as certified copies of advertising or promotional material (including internet advertising).

    Glossary

Term used in guidelines

Definition

academic transcript

A record of all learning leading to a qualification issued by an authorised training provider.

In Australia, this may be called a ‘transcript of results’, ‘record of results’, ‘record of achievement’ or ‘statement of results’.

applicant

A person who submits an application for a TRA Migration Skills Assessment.

assessing authority

A body or organisation approved by the Minister for Education or the Minister for Employment and gazetted by DIAC as responsible for undertaking skills assessments for migration purposes.

Australian and New Zealand Standard for Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO)

ANZSCO is a system developed by the Australian Bureau of Statistics to collect, publish and analyse occupation statistics across government agencies, and the standard to capture occupation information in all visa, settlement and citizenship programs.

ANZSCO is also used within skilled visa programs, where it is a requirement for visa eligibility, as the standard by which a visa applicant’s skills to undertake a specific occupation in Australia are assessed.

Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF)

A national system of qualifications encompassing all post-compulsory education.

Current

Currency is a rule of evidence in the vocational education and training system in Australia. Evidence of recent (current) employment enables verification by TRA that an applicant is currently performing to the required industry standard for the occupation in Australia.

decision ready

An application that is on the correct application form, is signed and dated, has the correct fee and represents an applicant’s most comprehensive and strongest case for a successful assessment outcome. TRA does not contact applicants for additional information.

Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC)

DIAC has responsibility for administering the Migration Act 1958 and associated regulations.

DIAC works in conjunction with DIICCSRTE to deliver skilled trades/technical people and professionals to Australia through the General Skilled Migration program.

Department of Industry, Innovation, Climate Change, Science, Research and Tertiary Education (DIICCSRTE)

The Australian Government department with portfolio responsibility for industry, innovation, climate change, science, research and tertiary education.

TRA is a branch within DIICCSRTE.

employment

Full-time, part-time or casual employment from which income is earned and in which there exists an employer–employee relationship.

level

Refers to the level of a qualification formally recognised within a national/regional qualification system/framework or international classification system

migration agent

In Australia, people who want to provide immigration assistance must be registered with the Office of the Migration Agents Registration Authority.

A registered migration agent can use their knowledge of Australia’s migration procedures to offer advice or assistance to a person wishing to obtain a visa to enter or remain in Australia. They can also assist people who are nominating or sponsoring prospective visa applicants.

nominated occupation

The occupation selected by an applicant for the TRA Migration Skills Assessment.

To be accepted by TRA, this occupation must be on a Skilled Occupation List or Employer Nomination Scheme Occupation List and be an occupation assessed by TRA.

primary source

Evidence that contain vital information for verifying paid employment claims. For example, tax records or pay slips that include the name of the employer and the start date of the employment, etc.

qualification

A qualification awarded as a result of study and relevant to an occupation assessed by TRA.

quality standard

The mechanisms within a country to assure the quality of vocational training qualifications and training providers

relevant

related to the Australian standards for the nominated occupation

required skill level

The level of skills and knowledge expected for a tradesperson to operate effectively in an Australian workplace as a skilled worker.

review

A request to re-examine an application when the applicant/ participant does not agree with an assessment outcome.

secondary source

Evidence that contain vital information for verifying paid employment claims. For example, tax records, employment statements, payslips, etc.

Trades Recognition Australia (TRA)

The relevant assessing authority, under the Migration Regulations 1994, for trade and related occupations.

validation

Quality assurance processes to substantiate the claims made in applications and supporting documentary evidence.

Visa

A document that gives someone permission to travel into a specific country and stay there for a set period.

Volume of learning

The volume of learning is a dimension of the complexity of a qualification. It is used with the level criteria and qualification type descriptor to determine the depth and breadth of the learning outcomes of a qualification. The volume of learning identifies the notional duration of all activities required for the achievement of the learning outcomes specified for a particular AQF qualification type. It is expressed in equivalent full time years.

Source: www.aqf.edu.au

 Acronyms

Acronym

Meaning

ANZSCO

Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations

AQF

Australian Qualifications Framework

ASRI

Australian Skills Recognition Information

CSOL

Consolidated Sponsored Occupation List

DEEWR

Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations

DIAC

Department of Immigration and Citizenship

DIICCSRTE

Department of Industry, Innovation, Climate Change, Science, Research and Tertiary Education

GST

goods and services tax

IPPs

Information Privacy Principles

NAATI

National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters

RPL

Recognised Prior Learning

RTO

Registered Training Organisation

TRA

Trades Recognition Australia

VET

vocational education and training

For further information on TRA information please contact www.visaagency-australia.com or write to [email protected]
If you are interested in Australian visas, contact International Education Agency – Australia (IEAA)  for information and advice on which visa is best suited to you. You can also try our migration services to see if you are eligible to apply for a visa to Australia.



[1] GST does not apply to the fees pursuant to Section 81-15.01 of the A New Tax System (Goods and Services Tax) Regulations 1999.

November 24, 2013

485-Visa-Granted-2014The Temporary Graduate (subclass 485) visa offers a great opportunity for recently graduated international students to gain valuable work experience after completing their studies. This work experience helps develop the skills graduates gained during their studies and also makes them more employable upon return to their home country.
It is important to note that applicants need to meet a number of eligibility requirements to be granted the temporary graduate visa. And if the visa is granted, temporary graduate visa holders are responsible for finding their own employment.
Applying for this visa
485-Visa-StatisticsMany international students make a decision to apply for the temporary graduate visa upon completion of their studies. Graduates can apply for this visa up to six months after completion of their studies.
There is no guarantee that, on the basis of having previously held a student visa, the applicant will meet the requirements to be granted a temporary graduate visa.
Any decision to apply for a temporary graduate visa is an entirely separate process to a student visa application. Depending on their individual circumstances, applicants may be eligible to apply for a temporary graduate visa through either the graduate work stream or the post-study work stream.
For information on the eligibility requirements for the temporary graduate visa, check out the Who Can Apply tab on the Temporary Graduate (subclass 485) visa webpage.
Finding a job
The temporary graduate visa allows recent graduates to spend time in Australia to gain practical work experience to accompany their Australian qualification(s). There are no restrictions on the type of employment that the temporary graduate visa holder may choose to undertake.
It is important to note that finding a job is the responsibility of the temporary graduate visa holder. The Australian government is not responsible for arranging employment—there are many organisations which offer assistance in job seeking, including through the Australian Government’s JobSearch website.
For further information on latest labour market test (LMT) information on selected 457 visa occupations please contact www.visaagency-australia.com or write to [email protected]
If you are interested in Australian visas, contact International Education Agency – Australia (IEAA)  for information and advice on which visa is best suited to you. You can also try our migration services to see if you are eligible to apply for a visa to Australia.

November 7, 2013

Education Minister Christopher Pyne: “We need new architecture in international education.” Picture: Ray Strange. Source: The Australian
EDUCATION Minister Christopher Pyne has promised to open the jobs market to more overseas students who have graduated from Australian universities, as a means of rehabilitating the stagnant $14 billion international education industry.
In his first speech on the industry since he was sworn in as minister, Mr Pyne said yesterday the Abbott government would move quickly to extend the streamlined visa process beyond universities to training colleges, and maximise career opportunities in Australia for the best foreign graduates of our universities.
Monash University researcher Bob Birrell said he was troubled by any policy changes that used migration or easier labour market access as a lure to sell education, especially if it encouraged a repeat of last decade’s boom in low-quality diplomas pitched at foreign students seeking permanent residency.
“We know from past experience there are literally hundreds of operators who are skilled in packaging courses that provide the cheapest possible entry,” Dr Birrell said.
Under the Howard government, which linked gaining an Australian tertiary qualification with permanent residency, thousands of students swarmed into low-level vocational diplomas and dozens of dodgy private colleges exploited the lax policy.
Mr Pyne acknowledged past abuses and said preventing any repeat would be “very much part of our planning, to get that right”.
“But Labor used a sledgehammer to break a walnut (following the excesses of the education-migration boom) and we don’t want to repeat that error. But we also don’t want to go back to a situation where people lose faith in the quality of education in Australia.”
Mr Pyne told the Australian International Education Conference in Canberra he would work with Immigration Minister Scott Morrison to maximise the international student market while maintaining visa integrity and educational quality.
Universities Australia welcomed Mr Pyne’s speech as showing the government’s intention “to turbo-charge international education policy against a backdrop of declining enrolments and export revenue”.
A report from accountancy firm Deloitte yesterday identified education exports as one of five “super-growth” sectors offering prosperity as the mining investment boom recedes.
At yesterday’s conference, attended by several hundred education delegates from around the world, Mr Pyne said Labor had presided over a decline in education exports from $18.6bn in 2009 to a little more than $14bn last year – “quite an achievement in a growing economy”.
He cited forecasts that the Asia-Pacific middle class would rise from 500 million to 3.2 billion by 2030, and that the number of young people in the world looking to study abroad would double to more than seven million by 2020.
The National Tertiary Education Union said last night it feared Mr Pyne’s proposal was part of a broader government strategy to avoid increasing taxpayer funding to universities.
Jeannie Rea, the union’s national president, said the government was seeking to increase international student fee revenue to universities rather than plug the direct funding gap faced by universities. “It becomes a cross subsidisation,” Ms Rea said.
 
Source: THE AUSTRALIAN , BERNARD LANE , OCTOBER 10, 2013 
 

September 8, 2011

resume mistakesGiven that 45 percent of human resources managers say they spend less than a minute, on average, on each job application they see, it’s understandable that some people might go overboard in trying to bring some individuality to their work history. But would you list your unique ability to do the moonwalk in the “special skills” section of your resume?
That’s actually not the wackiest resume mistake CareerBuilder uncovered in a survey of 2,600 employers nationwide, who were asked to recall the most unusual resumes they’d ever seen. It seems safe to assume none of these people were hired, but since CareerBuilder didn’t specifically ask, I guess there’s an outside shot that one of these tactics actually worked. (Although probably not the one about being arrested for assaulting a former boss.)
Here are the 15 oddest:

  1. Candidate said the more he was paid, the harder he worked
  2. Candidate said he had been fired from past positions, but still included those managers as references
  3. Candidate said getting an interview was important because he wanted an opportunity to show off his new tie
  4. Candidate listed her dog as a reference
  5. Candidate listed-yes, the moonwalk-as a special skill
  6. A husband and wife team looking to job share submitted a poem they had co-written
  7. Candidate listed ‘versatile toes’ as a selling point
  8. Candidate wrote that he would be “a good asset to the company” but somehow omitted the last two letters in “asset.”
  9. Candidate’s email address contained the phrase “shakinmybootie”
  10. Candidate mentioned that he had survived a bite from a deadly aquatic animal
  11. Candidate used first name only
  12. Candidate asked, “Would you pass up the opportunity to hire someone like this? I think not.”
  13. Candidate insisted that he be paid for the time he spent interviewing with the company
  14. Candidate shipped a lemon with resume, stating, “I am not a lemon.”
  15. Candidate included on his resume the fact that he had been arrested for assaulting his previous boss.

Lessons Learned
Can’t you be even a little imaginative in putting together your resume? No, says CareerBuilder’s vice president of human resources, Rosemary Haefner. “Creativity and personal touches may seem tempting to some job seekers, but many times, it’s a disqualifying distraction.”
Instead, Haefner suggests job seekers stick with the basics:

  • Stay relevant. Customize your resume to each individual position, highlighting the experience that makes you best-suited to that particular post.
  • Stay readable. If there’s no white space on your resume, reformat it to make it easier on the eyes. A wall of unbroken gray text is off-putting–especially if it’s the fiftieth resume someone’s seen that day.
  • Write a compelling professional summary. Ditch the ‘Objective’ line in favor of a two-sentence description of your relevant experience. This is the ‘hook’ that can convince a recruiter, HR pro, or hiring manager to spend a little more time on your application.
  • Proofread. It’s too easy for hiring managers to disqualify you based on a typo-if you don’t care about making sure your resume is perfect, what does that say about your level of conscientiousness? Proofread it yourself, and before sending it out, ask a few friends to proofread your resume for you.

What are your best tips for getting the attention of hiring managers? And which attention-getting ploys are sure to fail?
Source: Kimberly Weisul is a freelance writer, editor and editorial consultant. Follow her on twitter at www.twitter.com/weisul

Enter your email to get instant access to the Document

    Your information is 100% secure with us

    Enter your email to get instant access to the webinar recording

      Your information is 100% secure with us