The Australian immigration visa schemes in the following categories were suspended from 8 May 2010 to 30 June 2010:

Subclass 175 – Skilled Independent;
Subclass 176 – Skilled Sponsored;
Subclass 475 – Skilled Regional Sponsored.
The suspension was lifted from 1 July 2010; You can again make applications under the above categories.

Australian immigration has substantially reduced the number of occupations that come under the skilled migration program from the previous 400 occupations to the current 183 occupations. Immigration Minister Chris Evans says that that the changes will help provide the skilled workers needed by the Australian economy. The Australian Government says that the list includes managerial, professional, technical and trade occupations. Immigration Minister Evans also had the following to say:

'The government's reforms to the skilled migration program are delivering the workers our economy need to the regions where there is real demand.'

'We have already seen the rate of employer and state-sponsored skilled migrants increase from 29 per cent in 2007–08 to 55 per cent this current year.

'And the latest figures illustrate businesses are already using the new system to recruit the skilled workers they need to meet demands in Western Australian and Queensland.'

Western Australia and Queensland has seen increases in the percentage share of skilled migrants emigrating to these particular states:

12 per cent of permanent immigrants emigrated to Western Australia in 2004–05. In the period 2008–09 it had gone up to 16 percent.

There has also been an increase in the percentage of skilled workers emigrating to Western Australia under the employer sponsored program. The percentages have gone up from 16 percent in 2007–08 to 24 percent in 2008-09.

Immigration to Queensland increased from 17 per cent in 2004–05 to 20 per cent in the period 2008–09.
Immigration Minister Evans also had the following to say:

'The government's reforms are not just bringing in the skilled migrants Australia actually needs but the demand-driven focus means migrants are increasingly working in the occupations and regions that will most benefit the Australian economy.'

'The Labor Government recognises the special needs of the growing Western Australian and Queensland economies. The reforms to the skilled migration program are delivering tangible results for employers both big and small.'

Australian immigration has transitional arrangements that may benefit former and current overseas students at the time the changes were announced on 8 February 2010. If you do not come under the transitional arrangements you will need to apply under the independent immigration scheme or on the basis of employer nomination.

Australian Skilled Occupation List for 1 July - Full details announced.

Australian immigration has released the full skilled occupation list to be introduced from 1 July 2010. This provides full details of the points awarded for the General Skilled Migration visas and 457 visas from 1 July 2010.

Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO) will from 1 July 2010 replace ASCO Australian Standard Classification of Occupations and "is a system developed to collect, publish and analyse occupation statistics across government agencies." This will be used to provide data for all visa, immigration and citizenship programs.

Australian Immigration Skilled Occupation List

This list effective 1 July 2010. Applicants for Australia's General Skilled Migration programme must have experience in an occupation listed below.

Accounting and Finance

Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing

Engineering

Shipping

Communications

Information Technology

Health Care & Medical Industry

Aircraft Maintenance Trades

Education

Architecture

Surveying and Valuing

Social and Community Services

Science and Research

Construction and Building

Automotive Trades

Metal and Machinist Trades

Construction Trades

Electrical Trades

General Trades

Immigration Minister Chris Evans has said recently that changes to the skilled migration system will help Western Australian business find the Migrants that they need to fill their skilled labour needs.

Immigration Minister Evans spoke recently to the Western Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry Workforce Summit in Perth and had the following to say:

'The Rudd Government inherited a system driven by the large number of people who want to come to Australia rather than the needs of the Australian economy.'

'There were thousands of cooks and hairdressers placed in the queue ahead of highly skilled occupations such as of doctors, nurses and engineers.

'This was an unsustainable system that was bad for our economy. The Rudd Government has implemented sweeping reforms to create a demand-driven migration system which targets the skills we need to meet the shortages in the local labour market.'

Employer and state-sponsored immigration has seen an increase from 29 percent in 2007 to 2008 to 55 percent in the current year. Western Australian businesses are increasingly using the new system to employ new workers. Immigration Minister Evans also had the following to say:

'In the last financial year, Western Australia accounted for a quarter of all Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS) grants.'

'Western Australia's share of the ENS market grew from 16 per cent in 2007–08 to 24 per cent in 2008-09.'An increasing proportion of skilled immigrants have decided to emigrate to Western Australia and Queensland. In the period 2004-05, 12 per cent of all permanent immigrants decided to emigrate to Western Australia. This has increased recently to 16 percent and is likely to increase further.

Immigration Minister Chris Evan in his speech had the following to say:

'The Rudd Government recognises the special needs of the growing Western Australian economy and the reforms to the skilled migration program we have driven are delivering tangible results for employers both big and small,' Senator Evans said.

'We are working with the Barnett government to finalise the state's migration plan which will provide priority processing for specialist workers identified by the government.

'A demand-driven skilled migration program will deliver migrants with the skills our economy needs and ensure businesses can access the specialist workers needed to meet skills shortages.'

Recent changes to the Australian immigration system include the following:

A new shorter skilled occupation list.
Tougher regulations covering the temporary worker 457 visa.
New State and territory migration plans.
Overall, it has become more difficult to come under the Australian skilled migration scheme. An immigration system with a smaller number of people meeting the immigration requirements for Australia may not necessarily be in the long term interests of Australia.

Recently Australian immigration has introduced legislation, the Migration Amendment (Visa Capping) Bill 2010, that it is hoped will enable the Australian Government to have greater flexibility when setting immigration caps. The new Bill proposals are that the immigration minister could decide to end applications early, if for example it was felt that that there were enough applicants in a particular occupation. This will it is hoped enable the immigration minister to better target occupations that it is felt are needed by the Australian economy in the medium to long term.

Australian immigration stresses that they are currently not considering a new immigration cap. Australian immigration also says that if a student applies for General Skilled Migration and due to the cap the visa is not granted this will not affect the current student visa.

Australian immigration routes still available for chefs and cooks.

Australian Immigration Minister Chris Evans has said recently that that there are still a number of immigration options available for highly qualified chefs and cooks. Immigration Minister Evans went onto say:

'The removal of the classifications for chefs and cooks from the Skilled Occupation List will not affect the ability of restaurateurs to bring in qualified staff to meet demand in the industry.'

'We have reformed the skilled migration system to allow employers to target the skills they need in their businesses.

'Employers can nominate chefs and cooks on 457 visas, employer-sponsored visas and the new State migration plans.'

The Immigration Minister said that in the one year period to 30 April 2010 employers had recruited about 1,000 cooks on chefs on employer-sponsored visas. In the period 2007-08 420 cooks and chefs had been sponsored.

'Despite more than 4000 chefs and cooks being granted visas under the independent skilled migration program in 2007-08, there were critical shortages in the industry,' Senator Evans said.

'Clearly the majority of these people were not working as either cooks or chefs.

'The changes we have introduced will ensure that only those who have real jobs to go to in the industry will be granted visas.'

Immigration Minister Evans said that the Government was wanted to focus on employment based migration to Australia. On 31 march 2010 there were 3210 cooks and chefs in Australia working on employer-nominated 457 visas. It is also possible for States and Territories to include cooks and chefs for inclusion in their own immigration programs. Immigration Minister Evans went onto say:

'The Government has streamlined the processing arrangements for the employer and state-sponsored visa programs to make it easier and quicker for employers to recruit workers from overseas.'

Australian work visa holder salary rates on the up.

Australian immigration minister Chris Evans has recently made a number of comments on the Australian subclass 457 work visa. The Australian Government in their news report provides details of increases in salary rates amongst Australian 457 visa holders. However, they also said that employers should first try and find Australians to fill vacancies before using the temporary skilled migration program to recruit overseas employees. The Australian Government says that the priority should be to provide training and job opportunities for Australians.

The Immigration Minister in his announcement had the following to say:

90 per cent of temporary skilled immigrants in the period 2009 to 2010 on subclass 457 visas are managers and professional workers.

The average total salary package for all new temporary skilled visa holders is almost $100,000. This represents an increase of $10 000 compared to the same period in the previous year.

The salary rates in Western Australia are higher still. The average salary package for new subclass 457 visa holders is $114 800. In the mining industry the rate is higher still at $165,500.

The Australian Government also mentioned the "worker protection laws", which were introduced on 14 September 2009. This includes the requirement to pay overseas workers at the same salary rates as would normally be paid to Australians for similar work.

Overall the last year there has been a reduction in the number of Australian work visas issued. In January 2010 the number of 457 work visas issued was 45 per cent lower than January 2009 and 6 per cent lower than December 2009. The total number of Australian visa 457 holders at 71,290 went down 13 percent in the year to January 2010.