Working while studying in Australia

Posted on June 5, 2014 by Azhar

If you are an international student working in Australia, it is important you know your rights, entitlements and protections in the work place.
Do you know:

• it is illegal for an employer to treat you any differently to other workers based on your gender, religion, culture or nationality?
  
• you may be entitled to higher pay for working at night, on the weekend or on a public holiday?
• your employer is not allowed to fire you if you are away from work temporarily because you were sick?

The Fair Work Ombudsman provides a free service to all people working in Australia. contacted for assistance if you have any concerns about your treatment at work.

They have a range of information available on their website to help you understand your work conditions, and can be


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Latest visitor visa statistics now available

Posted on June 20, 2014 by Azhar

Australia continues to draw high levels of interest from international visitors according to the latest departmental report.
The department has granted more than 3.1 million visitor visas this financial year to 31 March 2014, which is nearly 6 per cent higher than last year.
Interest from Asia continues to rise significantly with tourism visa applications from China up 22 per cent (to more than 380 000 applications),

Malaysia up nearly 26 per cent (to more than 187 000 applications) and applications from India up 19 per cent (to more than 102 000 applications).
The report also outlines some key initiatives of the Visitor visa programme including the introduction of a three-year validity, multiple entry visa for Chinese business visitors to enable them to engage in important bilateral trade and investment activities along with the opening of new Australian Visa

Application Centre (AVAC) in additional countries, including India in June 2014.
Visitor visa quarterly reports are located on the department’s website at: www.stallionimmigration.com. These results aren’t unexpected as changes were made to the Visitor visa programme last year to make it easier to apply. Also the expansion of online visitor visa applications in May 2014 means it is now possible for visitors from an additional 51 countries and regions to apply for their visitor visa online.

Watch this space for further posts about the Visitor visa programme.

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More students eligible for simpler, faster visas

Posted on June 25, 2014 by Azhar

For the first time students enrolled in advanced diploma level courses at low immigration risk providers will be able to access streamlined visa processing (SVP) arrangements.
SVP will benefit eligible students through simpler and faster visa processing.

It will make study in Australia even more attractive to overseas students, while at the same time ensuring that immigration risk is appropriately managed.
These changes will benefit Australia’s vocational education and training (VET) and higher education sectors, supporting the sustainable growth of international education in Australia and boosting the economy.

It is expected that the extension of SVP to low immigration risk providers offering advanced diploma courses will commence in early 2015, pending legislative changes.

For more information see:
www.stallionimmigration.com

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Skilled migration helping regional businesses

Posted on August 8, 2012 by Azhar

A medium-sized steel fabrication business in Broome, servicing the vast Pilbara and Kimberly regions in Western Australia, faced a challenge not unfamiliar to many regional employers around Australia—recruiting and retaining skilled workers to help the business grow and meet its customers’ needs.
In the shadow of the resources boom, the company also experienced competition for workers with nearby mining projects

.
Alongside investing in training and development for local workers, including building opportunities for local Indigenous workers, the 457 program helped the company grow while building a culturally diverse and inclusive workforce.
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Employer sponsored visa categories,

including the 457 visa program, have the highest processing priority, which means skilled workers can be deployed more quickly into the Australian workforce where they are most needed. Access to skilled workers is critical for regional businesses to prosper, which in turn supports the local community and economy.
The 457 program enables Australian employers in both regional and metropolitan areas to sponsor overseas skilled workers for temporary residence in Australia for a period of up to four years, filling skilled vacancies in their business where the local labour market cannot meet demand.

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Skills for the mining boom – Enterprise Migration Agreements

Posted on June 7, 2011 by Azhar

Mining boom Mark II brings an unprecedented level of investment and opportunity to Australia. The National Resources Sector Employment Taskforce conducted extensive research and consultation finding that there will be serious skills shortages in the resource industry.
The simple fact is this: there will simply not be enough Australian workers to get the job done. For example, there is $380 billion of new investment planned for resource projects – this is projected to lead to a shortage of 36 000 tradespeople by 2015. This impact will not just be felt in the outback of Western Australia and Queensland but also in our major cities as workers are attracted to jobs in mining.

To meet this important challenge, the government will implement all of the recommendations of the National Resources Sector Employment Taskforce report. One of these 31 recommendations is to introduce Enterprise Migration Agreements (EMAs).
These agreements will be one way to help the resource sector meet its skills needs in the coming years. EMAs are not a new visa, but an umbrella agreement to bring in temporary skilled workers from overseas. These agreements will include:
• Training measures to reduce the reliance on overseas workers, and increase the skills of the Australian workforce.

• Evidence that there are genuine skills shortages in the local area.
• Demonstrated efforts to use Australian workers first.
EMAs will be for ‘mega’ projects only. These projects will need to cost at least $2 billion to build and employ more than 1500 workers. It is crucial that construction on these projects is not delayed due to the lack of key skilled workers. This is because each additional job in the resources sector may lead to a further three jobs in other industries. Skills shortages in the resources sector can quickly spread to our major cities.

Access to overseas workers under EMAs will help to ensure the workforce needs of these projects are met, ensuring economic and employment benefits for all Australians can be realised. This will be done without undercutting local wages.
This is because all overseas workers employed under EMAs will be on 457 visas. The 457 program is efficient for business without undermining local opportunities. Subclass 457 visa holders must be paid at least as well as an Australian doing the same job.
The average salary for a 457 visa holder working in the mining industry is $122 000.

This does not take into account any allowances or bonuses. Subclass 457 visa holders must be paid superannuation.
Each EMA project owner will also have to demonstrate the genuine need for overseas workers. However, requiring each and every contractor to repeat this process would be a waste of time and create unnecessary red tape.



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Subclass 457 changes: a labour agreements perspective

Posted on August 21, 2013 by Azhar

It has been a year of change for the subclass 457 visa program. In our previous blog post about the 457 program in July, Kate wrote about the changes to the subclass 457 visa and how they will affect Australian businesses. In this blog post we will review the changes from a labour agreements perspective.

While the majority of changes to the subclass 457 visa will affect sponsors under the standard business sponsorship program, there are some changes that will apply to new and existing labour agreements.
About three per cent of all subclass 457 visas are granted under labour agreements. At June 2013 there were 162 labour agreements in effect and a further 71 under negotiation.
Some of the legislative changes that affect both labour agreement sponsors

and their sponsored workers include:

• Commencement of work—sponsored 457 visa holders must commence work with their sponsor within 90 days of arriving in Australia.
• Finding a new sponsor—subclass 457 visa holders who cease employment with their sponsoring employer have 90 days to find a new sponsor or depart Australia.
• English language requirement—occupational English test score of ‘B’ in each of the four test components is now accepted for 457 visa applications, bringing this element of the subclass 457 program into alignment with the Employer Nomination Scheme.
• English exemptions—-occupation based exemptions to the English language requirement have been removed, with the assessment of generalist occupations strengthened.
  
• Skills assessments—applicants nominated in a generalist occupation, such asprogram and project administrator and specialist manager not elsewhere classified, must now undertake a formal skills assessment.

More information about the 1 July subclass 457 visa reforms is available on our website.
Existing and prospective labour agreement sponsors should also note that the temporary skilled migration income threshold increased from $51 400 to $53 900 on 1 July 2013.
For more information about labour agreements, visit the department’s website or email the specialist team for your industry:

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Changes to the subclass 457 visa

Posted on July 3, 2013 by Azhar

Reforms to the subclass 457 visa commenced on 1 July.

How will the changes affect Australian businesses?
The changes will not adversely affect the majority of employers who are using the program appropriately. The changes will, however, strengthen the government’s capacity to identify and prevent employer practices that are not in keeping with the purpose of the subclass 457 program.
If the department has any concerns that an employer is not committed to training Australians, or a nominated position may not be genuine, then they may be requested to provide additional justification before a sponsorship or nomination can be approved.

 
Sponsors are also required to understand their new obligations.
How will the changes affect current subclass 457 visa holders?
There will be no adverse effects on existing visa holders. However, visa holders should note the changes to the English language and skills requirements if they plan to change employment, change their occupation or seek a further subclass 457 visa.
How will the changes affect subclass 457 visa applicants?
All subclass 457 visa applications lodged before 1 July 2013 but not finalised, will be subject to the new visa requirements. Your case officer will request further information if required.
All subclass 457 visa applications that are lodged after 1 July 2013 will be subject to the new visa requirements. The majority of subclass 457 visa applicants

will not be affected by the changes.
In some circumstances further evidence to demonstrate claims for a subclass 457 visa may be required. Visa applicants should note the changes to the English language and skills requirements.
Are there changes to how subclass 457 applications can be lodged?
All subclass 457 sponsorship, nomination and visa applications must now be lodged online. Paper applications are no longer accepted.

For more information on the changes please visit the department’s website.


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