Australia to increase skilled migrant visas

Updated on: Friday, May 27, 2011

Australian government plans to increase visas in skilled migrant category that was targeted by cookery and hairdressing students by almost 30 per cent under its 2011-12 migration programme.

According to a report in 'The Australian' newspaper, the program projected over 29.6 per cent increase in independent skilled migrants, lifting the number of places to 44,350.

The government had been scrutinising this category after visa grants scam to low-skilled overseas students came into light, the report said.

The report quoted Monash University researcher Bob Birrell as saying that the extra spots were good news for former overseas students waiting for a decision on migration applications.

The government said the queue had shortened from 150,000-plus in May last year to just below 132,000 in April this year.

A tougher points test emphasising advanced skills and superior English starts on July 1.

Immigration Minister Chris Bowen spokesperson said it would take time for applicants under the new points test to make their presence felt in the system.

"While it is not possible to predict accurately, it is likely that initially a large proportion of skilled independent visas will be granted to people who are assessed under the old points test," she said.

These could include former overseas students whose professions, such as accountancy, were on the new, better targeted occupation list, Birrell said.

Universities Australia chief executive Glenn Withers said more places in the independent category, together with the new points test, would help universities replace retiring academics and hang on to promising post-graduate students.

When the new points test was foreshadowed last November, they had been working to reduce the dominance of the independent skilled category, departmental officials said.

"In 2006-07, the independent category was about 55 per cent of the (entire skilled] migration program. That's come down now. We're projecting it's going to come in at about 30 per cent in 2010-11, they added.

But in the 2011-12 program, the share allocated to the independent category rises to 35.2 per cent. And the employer-sponsored category gets only a modest 4.19 per cent increase to 46,000 places.

"That's quite striking in the light of rhetoric about favouring employer-sponsored migrants," Birrell added.

Bowen's spokeswoman said, "The decision to balance skilled migration planning levels between employer-sponsored and independent migration reflects macroeconomic conditions, the need for skills in key occupations, and the likely demand for various visas. Priority continues to go to employer-sponsored categories.

Australia to increase skilled migrant visas

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