Migration book launched
Ricky Sawi, author of a newly released book Living the Immigrant Dream, is helping the Filipino Migrant Catholic Chaplaincy by donating 50 percent of the book sales to its Emergency Fund. According to Fr. Loi Viovicente, Chaplain of Melbourne Filipino Migrants, the funds will be used to help calamity victims in the Philippines. Ricky, through the invitation [...]
Stop exploitation of migrant workers
Migrante Australia has commenced a nationwide campaign for justice for disadvantaged 457 visa workers. Spokesperson for Migrante in WA, Ms Carmelita Baltazar, said that over 450 petition signatures from community members and supporters all across WA have been emailed to Hon Min Brendan O’Connor earlier this week to draw his attention to the predicament of [...]
Skilled visa reform targets investors and entrepreneurs
The Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Chris Bowen MP, and the Minister for Financial Services and Superannuation, Bill Shorten MP, recently announced new Federal Government reforms to attract successful investors and entrepreneurs to Australia. Mr Bowen said the government would introduce a new visa program, the Significant Investor visa, targeting migrants who could make an [...]
New Immigration Rules allocate places to best and brightest migrants
Intending skilled migrants who want to come to Australia will have to ask permission to apply from 1 July 2011. From 1 July 2011, applicants for the Independent Skills category, Family Sponsored, State/ Territory Sponsored visa, Business Skills will have to lodge an online Expression of Interest ( EOI ) and wait for an invitation before they can make [...]
Training centre for overseas Filipino nurses inaugurated
“The greatest resource of the Philippines is its people. They are great and fantastic people,” says the Honourable Robert Smith, President of the Legislative Council in the Parliament of Victoria, during his speech at the formal inauguration of the Australian Centre of Further Education (ACFE) last 15 July at its training centre in Queen St, [...]
New hope for skilled migrants
By LITA MAHLE Australia’s new Prime Minister, Julia Gillard said that the major reform to the Australian skilled migration program that came into effect on 1 July 2010 will help provide needed skills and workers for the Australian economy. She stresses that she is not about to close down the shutters in immigration but rather [...]
ACFE offers program for overseas nurses
Filipino Nurses Australian Accreditation The Australian Centre of Further Education (ACFE) is now accredited by the Nursing Board of Victoria (NBV) to offer the Initial Registration for Overseas Nurses (IRON) Program in Melbourne. The IRON Program is open to nurses trained and registered overseas who intends to practice in Australia. The IRON Program is required [...]
Business groups warn Department of Immigration of skills shortages
By LITA MAHLE Business groups are warning the Department of Immigration that unless the skilled migration program is overhauled, looming shortages of skills are inevitable. The Australian Financial Review has reported that mining and the energy industry face severe shortages if the government does not urgently review the newly introduced program. Head of major companies [...]
Immigration Dep’t releases new skilled occupation list
Cooks, hairdressers removed from list 17 May 2010– The Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) has just released the new Skilled Occupation List (SOL) which will come into effect from 1 July 2010. The new SOL provides for 181 occupations compared to the earlier list of 408. The list, prepared by Skills Australia, now focuses [...]