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We are taking the opportunity to remind everyone that the State Department is now accepting applicants under the electronic diversity visa lottery program. The entry period is from:
12:00PM EDT (GMT -4) on October 2, 2009
To
12:00PM EST (GMT -5) on November 30, 2009
Please note that applications will not be accepted outside this period of time. If you miss the entry period this year you will have to wait for about a year to apply again.
According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics population clock the population of Australia is now over twenty-two million. One of the major factors contributing to population growth is the increase in levels of immigration in recent years. The ABS estimates that Australia's population increases at rate of one birth every one minute and 44 seconds, and one immigrant every one minute and 53 seconds.
On 30 September 2009 the UKBA made various policy announcements covering the Tier 4 student visa. This is ahead of the sponsorship management system for Tier 4 of the points-based system going live on 5 October 2009. Sponsors are educational institutions such as schools, colleges and universities. The announcements cover the following:
On 17 September 2009 The UK Border Agency confirmed that phase 3 of the student Tier 4 of the points-based system for immigration will start on 5 October 2009.
The UK Border Agency announced that it will start issuing national identity cards after the new year to Tier 2 skilled migrants, three months ahead of schedule. Theissuing of cards will also be speeded up for migrants under Tiers 1 and5 of the points based system who will now be issued cards sometime in 2010, rather than 2011.