Potential migrants face strict changes to Australian visas

Experts are urging people to apply now for a permanent Australian visa in advance of a rule change that will make the process even more complicated. The changes, which will take effect from 1 July this year will introduce the Skilled Migrant Selection Register (SkillSelect) which is a new Australian visa programme. This will replace the existing skilled migration programme and will reform the way Australia selects skilled migrants for visa processing. Applicants will now be ranked in order of points, occupations required at that point in time and date of registering their interest in applying. Edwina Shanahan, Manager at www.visafirst.com has already noticed an increase in applications so far this year. She said: “The idea is to select the “best and brightest” but in reality, it will enable DIAC to pick and choose what people they want to let in to the country on a permanent basis”. According to visa experts, the new changes will mean that even if people meet the specific criteria there will be no guarantee that you will be invited by DIAC to apply for a visa . SkillSelect will give the Australian Government more control over who they let into the country, but will also create significant uncertainty for intending skilled migrants. In particular, it will impact those interested in independent, family, state or territory sponsored and business skills migration. The process is based on an electronic two-stage process where intended migrants must initially submit an expression of interest (EOI) and only then will you be invited to apply for a skilled migration visa by DIAC. Edwina slammed the new selection process, adding,“This will create significant uncertainty for people interested in applying – they could spend a lot of money to meet the criteria (skills assessment, English language test) and may never be invited to apply for the actual visa. Then after 2 years of waiting in a pool of interested applicants for an invitation their details would be removed from the DIAC system”. She concluded by reminding people that anyone interested in applying for permanent residency that time is running out and they should seriously consider getting underway with their application, before the new changes are implemented. Edwina added, “This includes those that are on working holiday visas and those on sponsorship visas who may wish to remain on in Australia on a permanent basis”. Source:http://insideireland.ie/2012/01/09/potential-migrants-face-strict-changes-to-australian-visas-48749/