“A technical fault occurred shortly after the Silver Fern opened which enabled people to submit applications after all the places had been filled,” said Rob Stevens, Immigration New Zealand’s service support general manager.

According to Stevens, roughly 4000 people were logged on to the website to apply for the visa; All the visas were used up less than half an hour after Immigration New Zealand started accepting applications. Then an email was sent to 630 applicants informing them that they had “successfully submitted” their applications and that their payment had been accepted. Hours later a second email was sent out to correct the original email that said: “We regret to advise you of a technical fault … and that your application was accepted in error.” Applicants were told to apply again “when the quota reopens about this time next year”.

Stevens confirmed that the first 300 applications received would be processed, while the visa applications that were accidentally approved after the quota was filled would be cancelled and the money refunded.

“We have obtained the exact time that each payment was confirmed from the payment system, and used this to determine the first 300 applicants,” Stevens said. “We are resolving the problem with our IT vendors to identify why it occurred and to prevent it from happening again.”

Since the Silver Fern Visa scheme was launched in 2010, the visa quota has been filled within 30 minutes of becoming available each year. Visa holders will be granted a nine month work visa allowing them to work for any employer in New Zealand. If they obtain skilled work, they can progress to the two-year Silver Fern Practical Experience work visa.

In order to be eligible for the visa you must:

• be between the ages of 20 and 35 years old
• apply from outside New Zealand
• hold a recognised bachelors degree, higher qualification, or a recognised trade qualification with a minimum of two years of work experience in that trade
• meet the English language requirements
• have a minimum of NZ$4,200 available funds to meet your living costs while you are in New Zealand.
• not have been previously granted a Silver Fern Job Search visa.

Once a Silver Fern Job Search Visa holder finds skilled employment, they can apply for a two year Silver Fern Practical Work Experience Visa. There will be no annual limit to the number of people who can apply under the Silver Fern Practical Experience visa but only visa holders of the Silver Fern Job Search Visa can apply; This in effect limits the number of people who can apply for the Silver Fern Practical Work Experience Visa.

Eligible applicants must:

• have a full-time job offer for at least 12 months
• have a position that meets our skill requirements in an occupation at skill level one, two or three on the Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO).
• hold occupational registration if that is a requirement for the job.

Global Visa Support offers a variety of programs in New Zealand. Please check our New Zealand page for more information: http://www.globalvisasupport.com/nz.html

The figures from DIAC reveal that in the 12 months to 21 February 2012, 34 percent of foreign workers on 457 visas in Queensland were working in these boom industries, which are currently experiencing significant labour shortages. There is high demand to for those experienced in resources industries to immigrate to Queensland. In 2011 Queensland Mining Expos attracted 50,000 expressions of interest over three months, according to Mining Industry Skills Centre CEO Derek Hunter.

And DIAC says the demand for talented foreign workers is only increasing, with UK workers being in greatest demand, followed by the US and India. Nearly 1,360 construction workers arrived in the past 12 months on 457 Temporary business visas, according to DIAC. That number is more than double the 670 construction workers that arrived the previous year. Also, foreign workers entering the mining industry increased from 560 to 1,180 in the same period.

However not everyone believes this is a positive thing for Australia or immigrant workers. Construction Forestry Mining and Energy Union construction state secretary Michael Ravbarcor said the use of the Australian 457 visas was a way to “bring in foreign workers who (businesses) can exploit by paying lower wages”.

“Their employer can threaten to cancel their visa and ship the 457 worker home if they bring up any concerns of safety or wage conditions,” Ravbarcor claimed, adding that that the Housing Industry of Australia and Master Builders Queensland both believe the skills shortage was exaggerated.

DIAC’s figures show that Queensland immigrant construction workers have been earning a total of $124,400 a year on average. Also, Mine workers on the Australian 457 visa earned a total of $131,900 a year on average.

Chamber of Commerce Industry Queensland advocacy general manager Nick Behrenscor claims that Queensland needs more workers because Australian skilled workers do now wish to move to regional areas.

“They don’t want to go west, they want to stay on the eastern seaboard and aren’t prepared to relocate to regional Queensland,” he said. “The process is very stringent, you cannot source a 457 visa if there are people to fill the position.”

Global Visa Support offers a variety of programs in Australia. Please visit our Australian page for more information: http://www.globalvisasupport.com/australia.html

According to the announcement, under the new Federal Skilled Worker visa program, Canadian immigration will create a separate and streamlined program for skilled tradespersons to make it easier for them to immigrate to Canada. Skilled trade includes occupations in construction, transportation, manufacturing and service industries. Currently, skilled tradespersons are especially in high demand in the natural resources and construction sectors.

Under the current system, Federal Skilled Worker visa applicants are assessed against a 100-point grid, with a pass mark of 67. This points process takes into account things like the applicant’s language ability, education, work experience, age, and whether they have a job offer in Canada. For this reason, parts of the criteria, such as educational background, have traditionally favoured professionals and managers more than skilled trades. Ultimately, skilled tradespersons only make up 3 percent of all Federal Skilled Workers entering Canada.

The proposed changes to the visa program would establish a better process for skilled tradespersons to be assessed on things like practical training and work experience rather than formal education. Skilled trades applicants will still be required to meet minimum language requirements.

“Above all, our Government remains focused on promoting economic growth and long-term prosperity,” said Kenney. “Attracting skilled tradespeople is important for maintaining Canada’s momentum in the global economy.”

If the proposed changes are approved, Canadian immigration will announce a full list of the changes later this year.
Study Migrate offers a variety of programmes in Canada. Please visit our Canadian page for more information: http://www.globalvisasupport.com/canada.html

The L-1 visa is used for intra-company transfers of employees from foreign offices to US offices.

The labor union AFL-CIO and the IEEE-USA professional organisation sent letters to Washington DC this week warning the government against undermining US worker protections in the L-1 visa by accepting changes recommended by more than 60 firms and organizations. The AFL-CIO and IEEE-USA claim that if these changes are passed then the US runs the risks of expanding the visa’s use in offshore outsourcing.

Last month several IT tech firms in India sent a letter to President Obama asking him to relax the L-1 visa rules now used to define “specialized knowledge.” They also claimed that there are “unprecedented delays and uncertainty” when applying for L-1 visas.

Under current immigration rules, “specialized knowledge” is defined as “beyond the ordinary and not commonplace within the industry.” In other words, the employee must be more than simply skilled or familiar with the employer’s interests.

The definition was set up to keep companies from using the L-1 visa as a substitute to the H-1B visa. Critics claim that offshore companies are using the L-1 for the same reason they use the H-1B visa in order to move work overseas. While larger overseas IT firms are claiming that the US is rejecting higher amounts of visa applicants because immigration officials are interpreting “specialized knowledge” in ways that are outside the law.

USCIS has said that they are currently reviewing the guidance it gives applicants regarding “specialized knowledge” and whether any changes are needed.

The IEEE-USA maintains that Congress was “quite clear that the strict enforcement of a strong ‘specialized knowledge’ requirement would exclude from the L-1 visa program outsourcing companies whose business models are based on workers acquiring skills, knowledge and contacts in the United States for the purpose of moving American jobs overseas.”

In the letter IEEE-USA sent to Alejandro Mayorkas USCIS, the organisation points out that some of the companies seeking changes in the L-1 visa “specialized knowledge” definition are outsourcing firms.
Also, while the H-1B visa has a cap of 85,000 visas per fiscal year, the L-1 visa isn’t subject to a cap or the prevailing wage requirement applied to the H-1B.

Global Visa Support offers a variety of programs in United States. Please visit our USA page for more information: http://www.globalvisasupport.com/usa.html

Visa applicants will be required to provide evidence that they will be staying in the UK for no longer than the six months their visa is valid for. Also they must agree that they will not take any other form of employment and must demonstrate that they have enough money to support themselves and the cost of their return journey.

“While you are in the UK, you will not be allowed to undertake a course of study; or marry or form a civil partnership, or give notice of marriage or civil partnership,” said the UKBA document.

“Accreditation for the [non-EU] Games Family doesn’t impose any immigration status. It is to give them access to the Games and then we expect them to leave,” a Home Office spokesperson added.

Nearly 20,000 people will be granted a UK visa for the Olympics; It is expected that there will be heightened security during the 16-day Games, which begin on 27 July 2012.

Some international athletes with criminal convictions may have difficulty entering the UK. Also, the UKBA stated that anyone on the UN and European Union travel ban list will automatically be refused entry to the UK.

Athletes and officials will have their fingerprints and face-scans taken when they arrive. A temporary terminal is being built at Heathrow to try to reduce the strain on immigration officials and to enable the visa checks to take place.

Global Visa Support offers a variety of programmes in United Kingdom. Please see our UK page for more information: http://www.globalvisasupport.com/uk.html
 

“Our Government is building an immigration system that is focused on economic growth and ensuring that all Canadians, including immigrants, are able to contribute to their maximum capacity,” said Kenney. “By having their foreign education credentials assessed before their arrival to Canada, foreign skilled workers will have a better sense of how their credentials fit into the Canadian labour market and will be able to contribute their full skill set to the economy more quickly.”

The new process would let visa applicants know how their education credentials compared to Canadian credentials and it will give immigrants a sense of how Canadian employers are likely to value their education before they arrive in Canada. It is hoped that this new process will help eliminate applicants who do not meet the education requirements. The government also believes that this is an important step in helping to address the problem of immigrants arriving and not being able to work in their field.

Although, it is important to note that this credential assessment would not mean that Federal Skilled Workers would automatically find employment in Canada or within their desired occupation. It also won’t guarantee that immigrants will automatically be licensed to practice in a regulated occupation.

“Internationally trained workers make an important contribution to Canada’s job market and the economy,” said Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development. “That’s why our Government is working in partnership to improve foreign credential recognition so that skilled newcomers can put their knowledge and skills to work sooner.”

Those interested in immigrating to Canada under the Federal Skilled Worker program must meet the following requirements:

• You must have a valid offer of arranged employment, OR
• You must have one year of continuous full-time paid work experience in at least one of the occupations listed on the Shortage Occupation List, OR
• You must be an international student enrolled in a PhD program in Canada (or have graduated from a Canadian PhD program within the past 12 months) and meet certain criteria.

Global Visa Support offers a variety of programs in Canada. Please visit our Canadian page for more information: http://www.globalvisasupport.com/canada.html

This follows a written ministerial statement from 15 March 2012 that outlines a number of changes to the Immigration Rules, including the closure of the Tier 1 Post Study Work route on 6 April 2012. The following changes will be made to the maintenance requirement for Tier 2 visa applicants:

• Tier 2 Visa Applicants: Increased from £800 to £900
• Dependents of Tier 2 applicants who have been in the UK for less than 12 months: Increased from £1,600 to £1,800
• Dependents of Tier 2 applicants – all other applications: Increased from £533 to £600

If you plan to make a Tier 2 visa application on or after 14 June 2012, you must ensure that you have the correct funds held in your account as soon as possible. The funds will need to be held in your bank or savings account for a 90 day period prior to the date of your visa application. For this reason, the UKBA has delayed the implementation date until 14 June to allow immigrants sufficient time to hold these funds for 90 days, prior to submitting a visa application.

The UKBA has stated that these increases are in line with cost of living rises in the UK.

Other Tier 2 changes that will go into effect 6 April 2012 include:

• Introducing a new minimum salary requirement of £35,000 for Tier 2 general and sportsperson migrants who wish to settle here (indefinite leave to remain or permanent residence) from April 2016 (with exemptions for those in PhD level and shortage occupation categories).
• Introducing a ‘cooling-off period’ across all the Tier 2 routes. Tier 2 migrants will need to wait for 12 months from the expiration of their previous visa before they may apply for a further Tier 2 visa. Although, it is important to note that many Tier 2 visa holders can still apply for indefinite leave to remain if they meet all of the requirements including showing that they meet the new minimum pay requirement of £35,000.
• Introducing new post-study arrangements for graduates switching into Tier 2.

Global Visa Support offers a variety of programs in United Kingdom. Please check our UK page for more information: http://www.globalvisasupport.com/uk.html

The report stated that from 30 June 2010 to 30 June 2011, there were over 30,000 patients treated at Victorian hospitals who were not Australian citizens. Parnis’ fear is that the increase may be due to growth in “medical tourism” wherein individuals travel to a foreign country for a medical procedure. The concern is that as not all Australian visa applicants are required to have medical insurance, some patients may leave the country without paying their bills.

Currently, individuals on student visas and skilled workers and their dependents on 457 subclass visas are required to have health insurance as part of their entry conditions. It is not a requirement for Australian tourist visa applicants to have proof of health insurance. However, forcing visit visa holders to have medical insurance may put off people from visiting Australia and have a detrimental effect on the tourist industry.

Parnis’ says that requiring health insurance for all visa categories would be a positive step for the medical industry.

“If people have the means to come to Australia on an international holiday they should have the means to make allowance for their own healthcare,” said Parnis.

Australia has Reciprocal Health Care Agreements with several countries including the UK, Ireland, New Zealand and Italy, wherein citizens of these countries can access medical care in Australia in the same way as permanent residents. Although it is important to note, according to the report, most international patients seeking medical care in Australia were not from countries that fall under this agreement.

Global Visa Support offers a variety of programs in Australia. Please visit our Australian page for more information: http://www.globalvisasupport.com/australia.html

This is a really significant change from the current Australian immigration system. It is likely that fewer people will qualify under the new scheme because under the new scheme you will not only need to gain enough points but, in addition, Australia immigration will decide whether or not you will be allowed to submit an application. This is compared to the current system wherein if you gain enough points under the particular visa scheme you are likely to get in.

From 1 July 2012, all new prospective Australian skilled migration visa applicants will have to submit an EOI and wait for an invitation before they can lodge their visa application. For those who have lodged a visa application before that date, Australian immigration will process the application in accordance with any priority processing direction in effect at that time.

Australian visa applicants will be selected based on their points test score in a number of selection criteria. All prospective visa applicants will be required to meet the relevant English language requirements and obtain the necessary skills assessment prior to their EOI submission. However, unlike now you will have to also be approved by SkillSelect to obtain your visa. This brings in greater uncertainty compared to the current system.

The SkillSelect system will affect applicants for the following Australian skilled visas:

• Independent Skilled Migration (subclasses 175 and 885)
• State Sponsored Skilled Migration (subclasses 176 and 886)
• Business Skills (subclasses 132, 161, 162, 163, 164, 165, 890, 891, 892, 893)
• Employer Nomination Scheme (subclasses 121 and 856)
• Regional Sponsored Nomination Scheme (subclasses 119 and 857)
• Subclass 457 Temporary Business (Long Stay) visa (subclass 457).

Remember if you wish to apply for a skilled immigration visa you should start preparing now so that you are ready to submit your application before 1 July 2012.

Once the new system in implemented, SkillSelect will begin issuing invitations to eligible applicants in August 2012. Invitations will be issued to the highest ranking EOIs in descending order. The date and time of submission of the completed EOI may be used to separate those who score equally, so apply as soon as possible. Australian immigration will also announce a cap for occupations to limit how many people are selected from a certain occupation group. This ensures that the migration program is not dominated by a narrow range of occupations.

Global Visa Support offers various Australian programmes. Please check our Australian page for more information: http://globalvisasupport.com/australia.html