Australia and New Zealand Immigration News

Australia launched a multi-million dollar global tourism campaign in Shanghai on 4 June targeting Chinese visitors.The Australian government announced they will spend AUD$170 million over the next three years to boost tourism. Australian Tourism Chief Executive Andrew McEvoy said the government chose Shanghai to launch the "Nothing Like Australia" campaign; Australia is popular among wealthy Chinese people.

Australia is encouraging wealthy immigrants to move to the country with the announcement of a new visa called the Significant Investor visa. The new visa will grant visas to immigrants who can make an investment of at least AUD$5 million in the Australian economy."The significant investor visa will provide a boost to our economy and help Australia to compete effectively for high net worth individuals seeking investment immigration," Australian Immigration Minister Chris Bowen said.

Foreign workers have continued to immigrate to Western Australia on 457 temporary work visas sponsored by construction and mining industry employers in order to address Australia's severe skills shortages. Australian immigration figures show that the number of visas granted for foreign workers going to Western Australia increased by 88 percent to 13,250 in the first 10 months of this financial year.

More young people from Hong Kong and Taiwan are taking advantage of Australia's Working Holiday visa (Subclass 417 visa) attracted to Australia's strong economy and high wages.

From 1 July, the Australian government is set to relax immigration laws which will lead to the admission of more immigrants with disabilities and a pre-existing medical conditions. Australian immigration has what is called a significant cost threshold to decide whether or not an immigrant with disabilities or an illness will be too much of a burden on the Australian health system.

The Australian Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) announced that organisers at the Australian job fair in Houston, Texas have reached their US target enrolment for attendees. The Australian Skilled Migrants job fair, taking place this month, was set up for US workers in gas, oil, mining and construction to meet Australian recruiters from about 20 major resources companies, as well as to meet with Australian immigration officers.