Skilled American workers to fill labour shortages

The Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills, Science and Research, Senator Chris Evans, Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Chris Bowen MP, and the United States Ambassador to Australia, Jeffrey Bleich, today announced measures to assist linking Australian employers with skilled workers in the US to fill skill shortages in key sectors

http://www.minister.immi.gov.au/media/cb/2012/cb184743.htm

40 hours per fornight for student work entitlements

From 26 March 2012, the Migration Regulations 1994 ('the Regulations') are amended to: •provide that student work entitlements are measured as 40 hours a fortnight instead of 20 hours a week •provide unlimited work rights for Subclass 574 (Postgraduate Research Sector) visa holders if they have commenced their masters degree by research or doctoral degree.

http://www.immi.gov.au/legislation/amendments/2012/120324/lc24032012-04.htm

SkillSelect

SkillSelect is an online system that enables skilled workers interested in migrating to Australia to record their details to be considered for a skilled visa through an Expression of Interest (EOI). Intending migrants could be found and nominated for skilled visas by Australian employers or state and territory governments, or they could be invited by the Australian Government to lodge a visa application

http://www.immi.gov.au/skills/skillselect/

Changes to Points Tested Skilled Migration Visas

The Australian Government has proposed changes to the points based skilled migration visa program, which are scheduled to commence from 1 July 2012. These changes will include the merging of the six existing points tested skilled migration visa subclasses into three subclasses

http://www.immi.gov.au/skilled/general-skilled-migration/pdf/points-tested-visas.pdf

University’s educational business partners who are participating in the SVP

"From 24 March 2012, in recognition of the universities' good track record, student visa applicants enrolled in Bachelor, Masters or Doctoral degrees at participating universities, regardless of their country of origin, will be treated as though they are lower risk, similar to the current Assessment Level 1

http://www.immi.gov.au/students/_pdf/students-streamlined-unis.pdf