News
Demand for migrants still strong
Time may be hard, but immigrants are still very much needed in Australia.
This was the very clear message which came out of a Continuing Professional Development (CPD) meeting – a conference which Registered Migration Agents must attend ten of each year to keep abreast of the latest developments - held last week.
According to the Brisbane state manager of the department of Immigration and Citizenship, who was speaking at the CPD gathering, while close to 120,000 new work-ready immigrants may arrive in Australia each year, by the time the number of people leaving Australia is added to baby boomers starting to retire from Australia's workplace there is still a 40,000 shortfall of workers.
This is one of the reasons given for the recent shift in the priority order in which applications are now processed, with applicants with job offers, state/territory sponsorship or with skills on the newly implemented Critical Skills List (CSL) set to receive expedited processing.
However, it has been hinted that more changes will be announced over the course of the year.
The DIAC representative suggested that the Rudd government is looking to implement a four-year plan rather than focusing on an annual plan. What's more it was announced that the department is looking at standardising English, and reviewing the points scheme and the Migration Occupations on Demand List (MODL).
According to registered migration agent David Watkins: "There is also a rumour around the Industry, not confirmed, that the occupations of 'hairdressers and 'cooks' are to be removed from the MODL."
25 March 2009