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Australian Immigration Law Specialist

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New Australian skilled migration points test favours older, more experienced workers with higher English language skills wanting to emigrate from UK and Ireland

From 1 July 2011, a new points test will apply to all applications for migration to Australia in the General Skilled Migration visa subclasses.  Under the new test, many UK and Irish residents who may not have been eligible for skilled migration to Australia in the past may now have a chance to emigrate.

Significant features of the new test are

• The preferred age group is raised from 18-25 to 25-32. For the first time, applicants aged 45-49 can also apply.
• Work experience beyond the previous 3 year limit earns extra points.
• For the first time, non-Australian educational qualifications earn extra points.
• High-level English language skills are favoured.

Very importantly, for anyone who may have missed out under the previous test, all occupations on the Skilled Occupations List are given equal weight.  This could improve the chances of some applicants with paraprofessional or semi-professional occupations such as the ones listed below, especially if they have 3 to 8 years of work experience:

Actuary  Agricultural consultant  Agricultural scientist  Audiologist  Cartographer  Chemist  Civil engineering draftsperson  Civil engineering technician  Construction project Manager  Dental hygienist  Dental therapist  Electrical engineering draftperson

Electrical engineering technician  Forester Internal auditor  Land economist  Landscape architect Medical administrator  Other Spatial Scientist  Project Builder  Psychotherapist Radiocommunications technician  Ship's engineer

Ship's master  Ship's officer  Special education teachers nec  Special needs teacher  Teacher of the hearing impaired  Teacher of the sight impaired  Telecommunications network planner  Telecommunications technical officer or technologist  Urban and regional planner  Valuer  Welfare centre manager

The Australian government has already announced that the selection system will change again in 12 months' time. The new "SkillSelect" model will require applicants to lodge an Expression of Interest (EoI) and wait to be invited to apply for a visa. Despite having to spend a large amount of money preparing the EoI, applicants will not know in advance what the required pass mark will be. This may be your last chance!

Copyright © 2011 Michael Jones, Solicitor

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