Australian skilled immigrants win immigration changes

Australia, 13th March: Australian immigration rules will change enabling easier process to become Australian permanent residents.

According to Australian immigration minister Chris Bowen, changes to Australian visa process will be beneficial for skilled immigrants having Australian 457 visas.

These Australian visas allow skilled immigrants to work in Australia temporarily. And with changed Australian visa norms, skilled immigrants will be able to gain Australian permanent residency.

New Australian visa rules ease immigration for skilled workers--New rules for Australian skilled immigration will come into effect from July 2012.

And under these rules, qualification criteria will be changed for skilled immigrants aspiring to immigrate to Australia. Foreigners wanting to come to Australian under Australia 457 visa scheme will no longer be required to clear a skills test.

Moreover, the condition of having a second English will also be abolished for becoming permanent residents of Australia. Streamlining the process of Australian 457 visa process is aimed to ensure optimum economic growth by offsetting the effects of ageing Australian population, Bowen informed.

Such reforms will facilitate potential migrants as well as businesses to use Australian permanent employer-sponsored visa scheme while keeping efficiency and security of Australian visa process intact.

Tougher norms for foreigners without Australian work experience—Meanwhile, the government of Australia has introduced tougher rules for foreigners without prior Australian work experience wanting to make application for Australian permanent visas.

Giving details about new immigration rules, immigration minister Bowen said clearing a Basic English language test will become mandatory for all skilled immigrants wanting to come to Australia directly.

Since, regional Australia and metropolitan Australia is facing shortage of skilled immigrants, hence, majority of skilled migrants wanting to come and work in Australia will be getting jobs in such regions.

And regional Australia does not have easier access to training in English language, he maintained.

Other changes in the making—Apart from the above changes, Australian government intends to introduce two new Australian visas to take the place of six Australian permanent employer-sponsored visas currently in effect, immigration minister stated.

And there are plans to include current three Australian sponsored occupation lists into a single list, i.e. including employer nomination, subclass 457 and State and Territory sponsored general skilled migration lists will be clubbed into one list.