Immigration to Australia

One of the countries that have been popular with many people planning immigrations is Australia. In fact, this can be easily proved by the long lines of Australian immigration applicants getting their visas in the embassies daily. However, the status of immigration in the country seems to be on the verge of change. According to the latest statistics, long term immigration to the land down under has actually gone down by a significant level. In a tally provided by the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) long term stay arrivals for the month of February dropped by around 44 percent as compared to the numbers posted in January. The DIAC further added that the number of permanent residency arrivals also fell by almost the same mark for the the month.

One of the biggest contributing factors that officials say affected the number of immigrants coming to the country were the recent changes made by the immigration department to the Skilled Migration Program. These changes involved removing more than a hundred low level positions from the Skilled Occupation List to make way for more high level positions. The department said that these moves were necessary in order to cope up with the shortage of high level workers that the country is currently experiencing. However, many experts said that the move is likely to affect the number of immigrants coming to the country. They said that many of the people coming in to Australia do so by getting low level positions. They added that the removal of these jobs from the list effectively stops a large number of applicants from coming into the country.

Experts also said that these changes also severely affected the number of foreign students enrolling in the country. Since many of these students are taking vocational courses in preparation for filing of permanent residency in the country (which was trhe norm before), the removal of these positions from the list meant that their opportunities have now been cut. Furthermore, they said, the stricter skills requirements have also greatly limited the number of applicants that will be able to enter the country.

Another major factor that many say contributed to the decline in immigration to Australia in the last few months is the stricter security measures that are being implemented by the DIAC on applicants. One of these is the proposed issuance of biometric visas to applicants coming from so called high risk countries.those applicants coming from these countries have said that these moves are seemingly done to prevent them from entering the country, a claim that the DIAC has refuted. However, the immigration department is optimistic that migration rates will be up again in the coming months. They also added that the initial effects of the changes are only temporary and will likely wane down from here on.

With all the happenings going on with regards to Australia immigration visa, business visa holders, as well as others who want to travel there are worried how these will affect their chances of getting in. and with the elections in the country just a few months away, many of them are crossing their fingers that the policies would become favorable to them.

One of the most crucial of the many issues on immigration that is being closely monitored, not only by incoming foreigners but also the local people, is the so called big Australia policy. What this is basically is an attempt to attract more people to move into the country and increase its population. While the country is a large one, with an area of over 7.6 million square kilometers, it has a relatively small population of only a little over 22 million.

One of the biggest reason why some people thing that the big Australia policy is much needed by the country is because of its economy. The Australian economy is actually one of the fastest growing in the world today. In fact, there are a lot of new businesses being opened in the country yearly. However, because its population is small, Australia can not cope up with the labor demands of its economy. Thus it regularly gets workers from the thousands of immigrants that move in to the country each year.

The policy has, in fact, been espoused by former Prime Minister John Howard during his term. Howard's policies with regard to immigration was rather lax at that time, allowing a lot of foreigners to enter the country and work. In fact, it was during his time that Australia experienced one of its largest immigration booms for some time.

Interestingly, current Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, who succeeded Howard, was initially also for the big Australia policy. However, once elected, he quickly changed his views and decided that a big population would not be in the best interest of the country. Thus, upon his ascension to the Prime Minister position, the Department of Immigration and Citizenship immediately began changing its regulations in that direction.

And those that go against the policy does have valid reasons to do so. One of their biggest contention is that a bigger population would not really do much for the country, but instead contribute to the faster depletion of its resources. Many critics of the policy are also concerned about the quality of incoming workers, as many of them are not qualified for the positions needed by the country, thus creating the current worker shortage in some industries.

It is unlikely that the issue would be resolved any time soon. And for the meantime, all the would be immigrants can do is wait as to what happens next.

Why do I need an Australian immigration lawyer when all I want is a visa? As specialist Australian Immigration Lawyers right here in Sydney, Australia, we are often asked ‘why does a person need an immigration lawyer when all they want is a visa?’ which, can be done by a Migration Agent.

The answer is a simple one: With Australian immigration law being as strict as it is, it costs more to fix an incorrect Australian visa application than it does to do it right the first time. In a visa application every question and answer matters and are all vital for visa in Australia being accepted. The quality and strength of submissions, evidence and documents put in support of a visa application, can be the difference between being granted a visa for Australia or being refused one.

 An Australian visa subclass is a creature of law, knowing that immigration law for the specific country (in this case Australia) and how it applies to a client’s factual situation is the key to making a strong and appropriate visa application. If a client is truly confident and feels they can trust and rely on their lawyer, they are more comfortable to tell the full and true story. It is only then the immigration lawyer or migration agent can advise accurately as to the appropriate application, the next best step or strategy or application to the court. Of course the knowledge of immigration law, professionalism and expertise that an accredited specialist has is the cornerstone.

We know people that have wasted thousands of dollars pursing useless actions in courts or that have been forced to leave Australia when, if advised correctly and followed the right strategy, they could have been granted a visa and ultimately gained permanent residence and Australian citizenship.  What is why the Migration Agents Registration Authority is advertising in community newspapers, advising people that they should always get a second opinion, to make sure they have explored all the available options and been given the best immigration advice and corrective visa strategy.

What is the cost of hiring an Immigration Lawyer?

The next important question is cost. When hiring an immigration lawyer, you and the lawyer agree a price up front and the immigration lawyer sticks to that price! There are no hidden costs, no surprises and definitely no tricks. More importantly, if you get it right first time, you avoid spending thousands of dollars just any problems that will occur with an incorrect visa application.  Getting the appropriate visa or subclass and avoiding refusal or deportation is essential to continuing or starting your life in Australia. 

Having your matter dealt with by specialists is to ensure that you that you obtain the best and desired out come and don’t waste money on unwarranted, unnecessary or unattainable applications. Your future in Australia depends on the quality of the migration advice and assistance you receive. By using an Australian Immigration Lawyer you are assured of ethical, professional accurate and up-to-date Australian immigration advice.