Phil Down Under II
20 August 2010
Property guru Phil Spencer from C4’s ‘Location Location Location’ is taking his property finding and negotiating skills along with a large dose of English charm, down under. He’s heading to the other side of the world to help emigrating Brits find their perfect home in Australia.
In each episode, Phil will be helping one British couple navigate their way through the Australian property system. Phil will help find, survey and negotiate the deal on their dream pad. From harbour-side homes in Sydney and Beach pads in Byron Bay to Ranches in the Outback and Retreats in the Rainforest, no property search is too daunting for Phil.
For the return of this exciting series we are on the hunt for people who are looking to emigrate to Australia before the end of 2010. They must be available and able to buy in November/December 2010. They must have secured approval from the FIRB (Foreign Investment Review Board) without which they can’t buy property in Australia. If they’ve got the papers and they would like the help of a dedicated team who will assist them find the house of their dreams all they have to do is follow this link http://www.meontv.co.uk/PhilDownUnder and fill in the application form.
Emigrating to Melbourne? We offer airport pickups / meet and greet services, furnished rental accommodation, suburb tours and settlement assistance.Furnished rental accommodation available in Mordialloc, Melbourne, Victoria
6 August 2010At only $450 per week (all utilities included and free airport pick up subject to conditions) We offer a self-contained modern apartment within the boundaries of our house which we built in 2009. The apartment consists of a large bedroom with a double bed, table and two chairs and a tv, a kitchenette (microwave, fridge, toaster, kettle), a bathroom with shower, toilet and basin and an outdoor deck with a table and chairs for your use. It has its own private entrance, so you may come and go as you please.
For further information take a look at: Mordialloc Furnished rental accommodation
Skilled Migrants in Victoria Job Seminars
6 August 2010The seminars will be held in Melbourne and regional Victoria, and will feature a panel of experts to answer questions and cover topics including:
- an overview of the labour market in Victoria for each occupation
- how to prepare for work in Australia
- how to write a resume for an Australian employer
- where workers for each occupation are needed most in Victoria.
Migrants who attend will also have the opportunity to network with a range of industry professionals, recruiters and other industry experts.
Please note that these seminars are for skilled migrant visa holders only. Other interested parties are advised to email seminars@holmesglen.edu.au for further information.
Upcoming seminars
The following seminars are scheduled for 2010:
- Teachers seminar - Wednesday 18 August. Click here to register.
- Engineers seminar - Wednesday 1 September. Click here to register.
- Generic seminar - Thursday 16 September. Click here to register.
- Science professionals seminar - Wednesday 6 October. Click here to register.
- IT professionals seminar - Wednesday 20 October. Click here to register.
- Accountants seminar - Tuesday 16 November. Click here to register.
All enquiries, please email seminars@holmesglen.edu.au
Emigrating to Melbourne? We offer airport pickups / meet and greet services, furnished rental accommodation, suburb tours and settlement assistance.State Migration Plan for Victoria Australia – Update
6 August 2010On 8 February 2010, the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) announced that new arrangements would be introduced for state and territory governments to nominate applicants through the state sponsorship program. The new arrangements require state and territory governments to develop a State Migration Plan which identifies occupations and skill sets eligible for sponsorship, supported by labour market evidence.
Due to the forthcoming federal election, the Victorian Government State Migration Plan will be implemented no earlier than 1 September 2010.
Information about the plan and the sponsorship eligibility list will be available on this website when they are complete. Only occupations included on Victoria’s sponsorship eligibility list will be considered for sponsorship.
Introduction of ANZSCO
On 1 July 2010, DIAC introduced the ANZSCO occupation standard into its business processes and systems, and this will replace the former Australian Standard Classification of Occupations (ASCO). The Victorian Government will also implement the ANZSCO occupation standard across all skilled visa sponsorship applications in its records. For further information on the transitional arrangements please see DIAC’s website: www.immi.gov.au/employers/anzsco/
Emigrating to Melbourne? We offer airport pickups / meet and greet services, furnished rental accommodation, suburb tours and settlement assistance.General Skilled Visas Processing Times – Pomsinoz
6 August 2010The migration agents keep up to date with the latest developments in the migration process. To see the latest follow the link here: Pomsinoz Migration Agents
Here is an email one of our members received.
Thank you for your email of 21 July 2010 to the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Senator Chris Evans, concerning changes to the Skilled Migration Program, including the implementation of State and Territory Migration Plans. Your email has been referred to me for reply.
As you are aware, on 8 February 2010, the Minister announced the development of individual State and Territory Migration Plans to allow jurisdictions to prioritise skilled migrants of their own choosing. This recognises that each state and territory has different skills requirements. The Department is currently working with state and territory governments to develop the Plans, which will be subject to Ministerial approval prior to implementation.
On 17 July 2010, the Prime Minister of Australia, the Hon Julia Gillard MP, announced that a federal election would be conducted on 21 August 2010, and as such, the Australian Government has assumed a caretaker role. Under caretaker guidelines, it is convention for the government to avoid making major policy decisions that are likely to commit an incoming government. Implementation of State and Territory Migration Plans, therefore, will be a matter for the incoming government to consider at a time after the election.
Similarly, other proposed changes to the Skilled Migration Program will be a matter for the incoming government. This would include the possible implementation of any outcomes from the Department of Immigration and Citizenship’s review of the General Skilled Migration Points Test.
Thank you for writing on this matter.
Yours sincerely
Peter Speldewinde Assistant Secretary Labour Market Branch
Rental Property Shortage in Melbourne over the last 5 years
6 August 2010A review of the state of the rental market over the past decade highlights the problems that every renter knows: the rental market is in a severe state of imbalance, with too few homes and increasing rents.
A few facts will help to show this. In April the vacancy rate for Melbourne was 1.6 per cent, bringing to 64 the number of months since it was above two per cent, in December of 2005. Over this time the vacancy rate was, on average, 1.4 per cent compared with an average of 3.6 per cent in the first half of this decade.
Similar vacancy rates were reported in regional Victoria – except for the first half of the decade, when there were fewer vacant rental homes than in Melbourne.
It is clear that a fundamental shift occurred in the rental market five years ago, when the State’s population started to increase – an increase that has not been met by a commensurate increase in new homes.
From the perspective of a renter, that shift is best expressed in the increase in rental costs. According to the Victorian Office of Housing, in the first half of this decade the Metropolitan Rent Index increased by 20 per cent and then by 45 per cent in the second half.
Rents have not risen to the same degree in regional Victoria, with a 32 per cent increase in the Regional Rent Index in the first half the decade compared to 26 per cent in the second half.
The only solution to this problem is an increase in the construction of new homes in existing town centres and in the city’s growth corridors.
Emigrating to Melbourne? We offer airport pickups / meet and greet services, furnished rental accommodation, suburb tours and settlement assistance.Moving to Australia – What do the Australians ask of us?
6 August 2010Australia is a very multi cultural country but you do hear now and again that Australians don’t like the poms in oz. This is not true at all, here are some ideas on how to integrate easier.
1) Do NOT complain about Australia – Australians are very proud of their country. You have to remember that no where is perfect and if the UK was so perfect you wouldn’t be contemplating
this move Down Under. If you can accept that not everything will be perfect in Australia then you will be happy. Remember you don’t want to sound a whinging pom.
2) One of the worst mistakes poms can make is when they start saying things like, we do it this way in ther UK, this is better in the UK, I prefer the UK because…
It may be true, but if the UK was so good why did you leave? If you keep going on about how good things were back home you may be told to head off back there.
We all miss things from back home and there are probably things we hate about our new country. When you just arrive it can be quite hard to focus on the positives of Australia and to remember
the negatives about the UK– but that is what you need to do if you want to make Australia home.
3) Learn Aussie Rules and barrack for Collingwood – no seriously, Australians love their sport and you need to start barracking for Aussie Teams (ok maybe we should make an exception for the Ashes)Don’t rubbish the Australians when it comes to ANY form of sport. There is no other nation when it comes to cricket, rugby,
4) Stop complaining about the weather, the Brits are known for complaining when it’s raining or cold but then also complain when the sun comes out to play.
5) Don’t live in Ghettos, yes unfortunately the Brits are well known for sticking together, if other nationalities did this in the UK there would be an outcry.
Aussies understand that it may be easier to make friends with your fellow poms, but you need get out there and start mixing with the Aussies and get involved with your local community
6) Australians are happier for Britons to emigrate to Australia than most other countries, the reason being is that we speak English, we share the same values and are
keen to adapt to the Australian way of life. So get involved in your new country, embrace the Australian way off life.
7) Another reason why us Poms are generally better accepted than any other race in Australia is because
we are either bringing skills or money to the nation and are not a drain on the nation’s resources.
Australians are confused about why we choose to make Australia home
but choose to keep hold of their British passport. When it comes time for you to make the choice, why don’t you
choose Australian citizenship if you really want to be a citizen of Australia?
9) Don’t take things personal. The Aussies love to have friendly banter with the Brits and just because they call you a pom does not mean they don’t like you. After a couple of years in Oz you will start referring to yourself as a Pom.
10) Remember to love your new life! You chose Australia for very good reasons – from the way of life offered to the work/life balance
enjoyed, from the weather and climate to the economic climate, from the employment landscape to the natural landscape – love where you’re
living and let it be known that you’re happy to be in Australia and living the Australian way of life. After all, if you genuinely
don’t like it, you are free and encouraged to leave!
Australian Dollar weekly news
25 June 2010Last week’s UK data were uninspiring but did no great damage. News that the Chinese yuan could strengthen helped SE Asian currencies and the Australian dollar.
It was not quite five-a-day for sterling but the British economy managed to put together the best part of a handful of statistics every day. Monday’s economic growth and deficit estimates marked the first outing of the shiny new Office for Budget Responsibility, a triumvirate of economists whose task is not to lie about the country’s fiscal position in a way that politicians might be tempted to do. The figures were heartening. Growth projections for the economy in the next couple of years, although lower than those of the Labour government, were credible. It also transpired that Britain’s borrowing needs could be smaller than Alistair Darling had feared.
Tuesday’s inflation figures came in on the low side of expectations. The consumer price index went up by +3.4% in the year to May, less than the +3.5% analysts had predicted and less still than the previous month’s +3.7%. Wednesday’s employment data looked good on the surface, with the rate of unemployment ticking down to 7.9% and a 31k reduction in the number of dole claimants. There was also modest excitement at news of 5k more people with a job. However, those 5,000 jobs were among 61k part-time appointments; the number of full-time jobs fell by 56k. More than a million people are in part-time positions because they cannot find full-time work.
Thursday’s retail sales data provided another interesting social comment. Sales were +0.6% higher in May but the Office for National Statistics drew attention to the uplift cause by the football world cup. There was concern that the footy-related sales (shirts, St George’s flags with ‘ENGLAND’ across the middle of them, television sets) would mean an upturn in British imports and further deterioration of the trade balance. Friday’s money supply and public sector borrowing figures showed the number of mortgage approvals still stalled at a low level and another £16 billion of government borrowings in May.
A four-day week in Australia made no appreciable difference to the AUD, in that the week began with the Reserve Bank of Australia’s meeting minutes instead of investors spending Monday looking forward to them. The minutes contained no bombshell; rather, the RBA’s message was that there would be no change to interest rates until at least August. Whilst conscious of the dangers of a Euroland-inspired austerity slowdown the RBA is more concerned with domestic inflation. A high number in July could yet provoke an August rate increase. Dwelling commencements (housing starts) and Residex’s house price index both slowed the pace of their previous increases but maintained what analysts described as ‘solid’ growth.
At the weekend, news that the People’s Bank of China (PBOC) would loosen its hold on the Chinese yuan was positive for the currencies of regional suppliers and trading partners, including the Australian and NZ dollars. The renmimbi has been held at 6.83 yuan to US$1 for nearly two years. Prior to the financial crisis the Chinese authorities had supervised a progressive revaluation that allowed it to strengthen from 8.25 to 6.83 over a period of three years. This latest announcement, that the PBOC will ‘strengthen the flexibility’ of the exchange rate suggests a resumption of that earlier strategy.
By far the most important event for sterling this week will be Tuesday’s budget (or ‘emergency’ budget as the chancellor chooses to describe it). George Osborne and his colleagues have gone out of the way to manage expectations downwards for this fiscal responsibility fest. Their aim is to make us grateful if we come out of the exercise still able to put food on the table. No doubt it will be a tougher budget than Britons have seen for many a long year. Nor can there be much doubt that a robust show of prudence will help to preserve the country’s triple-A credit rating. The worry, however, is that the budget might be so harsh as to undermine investors’ confidence in the economic recovery.
We should know by the middle of the week what the market thinks of it all. Until then, there is little point in speculating about Mr Osborne’s plans. Buyers of the Australian dollar should go into Tuesday with a 50% hedge of their total requirement and should consider on Wednesday what to do about the balance.
For more information and expert guidance on the currency markets go to www.moneycorp.com where you can open a free, no obligation Trading Facility.
Emigrating to Melbourne? We offer airport pickups / meet and greet services, furnished rental accommodation, suburb tours and settlement assistance.Open an Australian Bank Account before departure
5 June 2010National Australia Bank (NAB)
Whether you are moving to Australia to live, work, study or for a working holiday, we understand that you have lots of things to consider. That’s why we have kept the setting up of your banking in Australia, before you leave home, simple.
Opening a bank account before you leave home means that you can transfer your money to Australia, so that it’s all ready for you when you arrive. It also means you have a way to have your salary/wages paid in Australia!
Choose the NAB
Known locally as NAB, we are an international financial services organisation that provides a comprehensive and integrated range of financial products and services which we have been doing for over 150 years.
Making it Easy
Our team of migrant and expatriate banking experts can help you set-up your Australian bank account, transfer funds into your new account and help you with any banking questions you may have. They are there to help make your move as simple as possible.
Prior to arrival in Australia we will arrange an appointment for a face to face meeting with one of our specialised bankers, who are located in most major cities and understand the unique needs of a newly arrived migrant.
On arrival in Australia your dedicated banker will:
• identify you and activate your account so you can access your funds. This is simple, just ensure you meet with your banker within 6 weeks of arriving in Australia and have your passport with you.
• have your debit cards ready for you at the meeting.
• talk to about any additional banking needs you may have and take you through a comprehensive suite of NAB’s banking benefits and services and highlight how we might be able to assist you to make the right decisions for your current and future financial position.
A Full Service Account with No Monthly Fees
The standard account we offer for newly arriving migrants is our full service everyday banking account, NAB Classic Banking that provides:
• No monthly account servicing fee.
• No opening or minimum balance requirements.
• No overdrawn fees.
• ATM access in eight different languages.
• National branch network.
• Access to over 3,100 NAB ATMs and rediATMs Australia-wide without paying additional ATM fees.
• NAB Visa Debit card included at no extra cost, which means that you can access your own money online, over the phone and overseas wherever Visa is accepted.
• Unlimited access via NAB Branches EFTPOS and NAB Visa Debit as well as NAB telephone, internet, mobile/cell and SMS banking.
All of this means a great experience, less headaches and more money in your pocket.
Open an Account Now
It’s easy to apply online at www.nab.com.au/movingtoaustralia
It takes about 10 minutes,
And we’ll have your account opened with in 5 working days.
Australian Migration Amendment (Visa Capping) Bill 2010
27 May 2010The Migration Amendment (Visa Capping) Bill 2010 amends the Migration Act 1958 (the Act) to give the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship greater power to effectively manage the migration program.
The number of places in the skilled migration program available to applicants who are not sponsored by an employer continues to decline, as the government’s priority is to support demand driven—that is, employer sponsored—migration. At the same time, the number of pending applications continues to grow as the demand for general skilled migration visas exceeds the number of places available in the program.
The general skilled migration visa program has also become dominated by applicants nominating a limited number of occupations even though there are some 400 occupations that are acceptable for general skilled migration purposes. This has made it difficult for the program to deliver the broad range of skills needed in the Australian economy and the Australian labour market.
In the 2007-08 program year, of the 41,000 general skilled migration visas granted, more than 5,000 went to cooks and hairdressers. Further, there are currently 17,594 valid applications which have been made by people nominating their occupation as a cook or hairdresser which have not yet been finalised.
This matter is currently being addressed through priority processing arrangements. Under these arrangements, applicants that are sponsored by an employer, nominated by a state or territory government authority, or have an occupation which is in critical demand in Australia have their application processed before other applications.
However, these arrangements alone do not address the problem of large numbers of valid applications that continue to be made by applicants who are not sponsored and who are nominating occupations that are not in demand. Currently there are 147,000 primary and secondary applicants for general skilled migration visas waiting in the pipeline for a visa decision.
Amendment to ‘cap and terminate’ measures
To address these issues, the bill proposes to introduce a power by which the minister may cap visas and terminate visa applications on the basis of certain characteristics.
Currently, the Act gives the minister the power to make a legislative instrument in a certain class or subclass to cap visas and terminate applications for that class or subclass. The proposed amendments will enable the minister to cap visa grants and terminate visa applications based on the class or classes of applicant applying for the visa.
In particular, the proposed amendments will allow the minister to make a legislative instrument to determine the maximum number of visas of a specified class or classes that can be granted in a financial year to visa applicants with specified characteristics. Similar to the current power, the amendments will also allow the minister to treat outstanding applications for the capped visa as never having been made.
Characteristics that may be specified include the occupation nominated by the applicant, or the time at which the applicant made their application. The characteristics will be objective, and relate to information that is provided to the department when an application for a visa is made.
The characteristics that will be specified will depend on the purpose of the particular determination to cap and terminate visa applications and will be consistent with Australia’s international obligations. For example, if the determination is made for the purpose of limiting the number of applicants in the skilled migration program with the same nominated occupation, then a cap would be placed on applications which nominate that particular occupation.
To terminate a visa application is different to a decision to refuse a visa application. When an application is terminated it is taken not to have been made. Applicants who are affected by a cap will have their visa application charge refunded to them. Further, a visa application which has been terminated is not subject to merits review.
Application to the general skilled migration visa program
The amendments proposed in this bill not only provide a power to cap general skilled migration visas and terminate general skilled migration visa applications but are broad enough to allow other classes of visas to be capped. This provides the government with a tool for the targeted management of all aspects of the migration program which will be available as the need arises.
The exception to this will be protection visas. The minister cannot make a cap and terminate determination in relation to protection visas.
However, the primary policy imperative of the proposed amendments is to allow the minister to end the ongoing uncertainty faced by general skilled migration applicants whose applications are unlikely to be finalised because their skills are not in demand in Australia.
The proposed amendments will better address Australia’s skills shortages by limiting the number of general skilled migration visas able to be granted to applicants whose occupations are in oversupply, thereby leaving more spaces in the program available to applicants whose occupation is in demand.
This will allow the Australian government to deliver a skilled migration program that is more tightly focused on high-value skills that will assist in meeting the medium- to long-term needs of the Australian economy.
The government’s intention is to establish a realistic balance between providing the skills Australian employers need and ensuring the maximum opportunities for Australian citizens and permanent residents in a changing employment market.
This amendment is just one in a package of reforms the government is currently making to the skilled migration program to ensure that it is able to target skilled migrants with the high-value, nation-building skills that Australia needs.
Conclusion
This bill represents an important step in achieving the government’s objectives of a flexible skilled migration program that can be adapted to the economic and business cycle and the needs of Australian business and industry.
Debate (on motion by Mr Robert) adjourned.
http://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo
