HomeAustralia is one of the world’s most popular destinations for tourists. It is also one of the best places in the world in which to work, study, or live. VisasUnless you are an Australian citizen or New Zealand citizen, you need to obtain a visa before travelling to Australia. The visa requirements for Australia are complex and change frequently, often three or four times a year. So it is important if you are applying for a visa that you are aware of all the specific visa requirements that you must meet in order to be successful, if these are not met the visa cannot be granted. New data has recently revealed that almost 650,000 visa applications had been rejected since 2004 – that is, about 400 visa refusals a day! If you lodge a visa application in Australia and it is refused, it may be difficult to lodge a further application if you do not hold a substantive visa. The Migration Act allows only a few such applications to be made, so the general rule is that if you have had a visa application refused and you do not hold a substantive visa, you will need to go overseas before you can lodge another application. People located living or working illegally may face serious consequences (including, detention, removal and exclusion periods from Australia) while employers of illegal workers can face fines and possible criminal charges. Migration SpecialistTravelling South Migration Services is a boutique migration practice specialising in helping people with their Australian visa application. We provide advice and solutions to people interested in visiting, migrating, working or studying in Australia. Our point of difference is highly personalised attention and great value for money. We have an in-depth understanding of the needs of both business and individuals. We ensure that applications have a high chance of success and that this very important process is handled carefully and properly. You may not be aware of the difficulties and potential pitfalls associated with visa applications, we aim to make the process as straightforward and as simple as possible. Not everyone is eligible to migrate to Australia. If migrating to Australia is something you dream of doing then you should contact us to see if you are eligible. Migration ProgramThe 2011/12 Migration Program planning level is set at 185,000 places. This is an increase of 16,300 places from 2010/11 planning levels. The majority of the increase (12,000 extra places) is allocated to the Skill Stream to help meet the expected increase in demand for skilled migrants given strong employment growth and a tightening labour market conditions. There are also additional places (4,050 extra) in the Family Stream to meet growing demand and additional places (1,000 extra) for the Humanitarian Stream. Allocations for parents have been redistributed with the Contributory Parent category being reduced by 1,000 to 6,500 and the (non-Contributory) Parent Category being increased by 1,000 to 2,000. The government’s new Enterprise Migration Agreements will allow large mining and infrastructure firms to negotiate tailored guest worker schemes for foreign labour, as long as they implement training programs for local workers too. Minister Bowen also announced reforms to make it more efficient and effective in sourcing highly skilled migrants for Regional Australia to address skills shortages. The government plans to fast-track permanent residency for those who have been in regional Australia using the temporary business visa (Subclass 457) and for those whose employers will sponsor them for a further two years. Priority Processing Arrangements From 1 July 2011, processing priorities (with highest priority listed first) are: - Applications from people who are employer sponsored under the RSMS program or who have applied for Skilled – Regional (Subclass 887) visa (Priority Group 1)
- Applications from people who are applying under ENS program (Priority Group 2)
- Applications from people who are nominated by State/Territory government agency for occupation specified on that agency’s State Migration Plan (Priority Group 3)
- Applications from people who have nominated an occupation on Schedule 1 of the Skilled Occupation List in effect from 1 July 2011 (Priority Group 4)
- All other applications (Priority Group 5)
State Migration PlansVictoria, the Australian Capital Territory, the Northern Territory, Queensland, Tasmania, Western Australia, South Australia and New South Wales have now all released their State Migration Plans. The plans are agreements between individual States and Territories and the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship. They specify an overall number of applicants that each State and Territory can nominate and in what skilled occupations they can be nominated. State Migration Plans list a broader range of occupations than are listed on Schedule 1 of the current Skilled Occupation List (SOL). Speak to a Registered Migration Agent today for migration advice at a sensible price.If you are thinking of living and working in Australia, now may be the best time to apply. Why wait call us today on 9349 8545 or 0416 084 889. Do it now! Australia needs more skilled people! A good time to migrate! Maroubra Office: | City Office: | 77 Moverly Road
Maroubra NSW 2035 | 255 The Broadway
Broadway NSW 2007 |
Disclaimer: Australian immigration law and policy is complex and constantly changing. Every effort is made to ensure information on this website is current and accurate but cannot be guaranteed. The information provided is general only and we take no responsibility for any adverse consequence which may arise from any action taken on the basis of information provided in this website. We recommend you consult our Registered Migration Agent before proceeding with any visa application. | 
