subject: Changes To Expect In Australian Immigration [print this page] 2010 was a big year for the whole Australian immigration scene. And with all the changes and events that has occurred this year, a lot of people certainly felt overwhelmed. However, it seems to be not over yet, as there are already a lot of new things that visa applicants can expect this year.
According to the Department of Immigration and Citizenship, they are still going to implement a lot of new changes to the various visa programs. They have also said that they will also be assessing the effectiveness of the previous ones that they have implemented. This in turn will be used to determine the additional work that are needed to be done in the programs.
One of the new changes that skilled migration applicants can expect for 2011 is the reorganization of the skills point assessment. Here, the DIAC said that they have opted to reorganize the points assessment in order to better suit the needs of the employers. One of the areas that the department has focused on greatly is English language proficiency, as they have noted that many of those who were able to pass the previous assessment turns out to have only below average skills. The department also said that it has increased the age limit for the skilled migration visa, which is now pegged at 49 years old, in order to attract more skilled professionals. These changes are expected to be effective by July of this year.
Another thing that many visa applicants would also likely be watching out for is the inclusion of biometric identification in the application process. The new technology was, in fact, already tested in some visa subtypes last year. And since the results looked promising, the department said that they will be implementing the new system for all visa types by next year.
On the other hand, many foreign students are also looking forward to the review that will be conducted by the DIAC on the student migration program. It should be noted that the initial changes made by the department on the program in 2010 caused quite a stir as both the students themselves and the foreign student sector felt that these are severely hampering their opportunities. In response to these concerns , the department said that they will be conducting a review of the policies in order to determine which ones need to be changed accordingly.
And while these changes will certainly be significant for next year, the department says that its overall thrust would still be the same as this year. They added that their priority is still getting more skilled workers.
