Australia and New Zealand Immigration News

Australia's Department of Immigration and Citizenship released new figures showing a significant decline in the number of migrants settling in Western Australia. The data further reveals the major skills shortages facing the state and, specifically, the WA mining industry.

Australia's Department of Immigration and Citizenship has announced they will be hosting two informational sessions in London for skilled workers in the UK to enable them to find new opportunities to emigrate and work in Australia.The informational meetings, entitled "Skills Australia Needs", will be on 25-26 February 2012 and will give Australian employers the chance to discuss potential employment and sponsorship opportunities with pre-screened UK skilled workers.

Australia is expected to face a serious shortage of professionals and tradespeople within the next 15 years; According to an analysis of retirement patterns in by the Australian Bureau of Statistics many Australians will be reaching retirement age over this period. This means Australia will need to recruit more and more overseas skilled workers to address the looming workforce shortage. In particular Australia needs health, engineering, and education professionals.

The Australian Department of Immigration and Citizenship is continuing its outreach program this month with planned events in the New England and Queensland region to discuss immigration issues and explain the skilled migration visa and immigration system to employers and Subclass 457 visa holders.

Australia and Argentina signed a work and holiday visa agreement this week, allowing young people to enjoy an extended holiday in the two countries, announced Australian Immigration officials.The Memorandum of Understanding for the Australian Work and Holiday Subclass 462 visa and the equivalent Argentinian visa was signed yesterday by the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Chris Bowen, and the Argentine Ambassador to Australia, His Excellency Mr Pedro Villagra Delgado, at Parliament House in Canberra.

Australian Immigration Minister Chris Bowen announced on Wednesday, the government is doubling the period of time a skilled worker can stay in Australia to work for accredited businesses to six years; There will also be priority processing for applications for certain employers under changes to the 457 visa system.