Australia Foreign Labour Force...

Australia is consistently searching for skilled migrants, especially since unemployment is at its lowest in the past few years. The Australian migration programme provides various work visas which allow applicants in with various skills and capabilities. Actually, the Australia Visa is used to fill labour shortages in the country and it makes many skilled migrants choose Australia as their destination country.

Australia Visas are categorised in to various groups, one of them being the Skilled Independent Visa. The Skilled Independent Australia Visa is designed to offer work visas to people with qualifications and skills to fill the shortages in the labour force of Australia and thus contribute to its economy. Those applying for the Skilled Independent Visa are required to show that they have qualifications and expertise at a job on the Skilled Occupation List (SOL). Also they are tested on their ability to satisfy the visa criteria and to pass with at least 120 points on an assessment. Successful applicants obtain permanent residence in Australia which will allow them to live and work in the country without any problems.

There is also the Skilled Sponsored Australia Visa. This visa is designed to offer work visas to people who meet the qualification and skills that are needed for the growth of Australia’s economy but do not meet the pass score needed to obtain it. Those who are interested in the Skilled Sponsored Visa must obtain sponsorship from a relative already residing in Australia or be recommended by a participating State or Territory government. They are assessed and should meet a pass score of 100 points in addition to showing their qualification and skills of a profession on the SOL.

In addition, there is also the Skilled Regional Sponsored Australia Visa. This visa is designed to provide work visas to people who can’t meet the Skilled Independent Visa pass score. Applicants of the Skilled Regional Sponsored Visa must obtain sponsorship from a relative living in Australia or recommendation from a participating State or Territory government. Those applying must also demonstrate qualifications or skills of an occupation on the SOL, and are supposed to meet the pass mark of 100 points. Under the Skilled Regional Sponsored Visa, applicants ought to be ready to live for 2 years and work for at least a year in a specified regional area of Australia. This visa is only applicable for up to 3 years but also provides a way to permanent residence.

General Information on Immigration Law...

Immigration law is a term that refers to a government policy held by a nation and it controls the whole phenomenon of the movement of people between countries. As regards foreign citizens, immigration law relates to the law of nationality of the individual, which controls the legal status of the individual.

Immigration law differs from state to state and also in accordance with the prevailing political environment at a particular time. This is because attitudes and sentiments swing from the deeply inclusive to the widely inclusive of fresh immigrants. They are also influenced by the political relationships of countries. The immigration law that regards citizens of a particular country is controlled by the international law. In this law, mandate is given that countries permit rightful entry to their own citizens. This is also held by the United Nations International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

In some countries, immigration laws can be rather strict and they govern the entry and internal rights. Such rights include the length of stay in the country, the right to take part in government and its issues, and the process of naturalization of individuals. Through this immigration law, a person can become a citizen.

For example, immigration laws in the United Kingdom allow British citizens who are overseas to have identical and legal rights to the citizens in the UK, differentiated only by title. British citizenship may be acquired rightly by those born in Britain or its overseas territories or may be availed rightly for those to whom a parent is a British or British Overseas citizen.

What Is PBS Sponsorship?...

In the United Kingdom the PBS Sponsorship system is used to decide who will and won’t enter the country.  This is a system that is based on points.  It is used by any person who wants to sponsor an individual i.e. bring that person into the country to work.  The sponsor must apply for permission which is granted in the form of a licence.  There are two kinds of sponsors, either A or B.  This is for those who want to sponsor individuals who are not EU nationals.  The application for a sponsorship licence must be made to the Border Immigration Agency.  Once a licence is granted, the sponsor has the full responsibility of making certain all the requirements of the Agency are constantly upheld.

Depending on how much ‘risk’ is involved in the application of the sponsor, most will be graded with an A rather than a B.  If a sponsor is not keeping up with the requirements of the Border Immigration Agency then he or she can be demoted from an A to a B.  In such a case the sponsor who has been demoted is allowed to give his or her side of the story.  The demoted party will be afforded the chance to get back their A grade in a set time period.

Businesses, organisations or individuals who do not comply with the regulations can be treated as criminal or civil.  It will depend on the situation.  These regulations protect the sponsor as well as the employees.  It is a criminal offence to ‘knowingly’ provide employment to migrant workers illegally.  A sponsor can be fined or be given a prison sentence of up to two years.

Learning about Work Permits...

Countries around the world all have similar rules for entry by visitors.  A passport is necessary for travelling around the world for pleasure.  If you are travelling to another country for a short time – usually less than 3 months – and don’t intend to work while there you won’t usually need anything except your official current passport. Those who want to work in another country, however, will need a special visa or work permit from that country.  Work permits generally allow the applicant to live and work in the country for a specific period of time.  There are typically several categories of work permits that are available. These range from temporary work permits for students to permanent work permits for workers with high skills or education.

The work permits often range in the amount of time that you are allowed to stay in the country to work.  The longer and more permanent the work will be the more stringent the rules for application for the work permit are.  Most countries issue visas based on a point system.  The point system assigns points based on your age, education or skills, previous work experience and knowledge of the country’s language and customs.  You must attain a specific number of points in order to qualify for an application for a work permit or visa.  You usually apply for the work permits or visas in your own native country at the embassy of the country you will be visiting.  It can take several months to more than a year for the application to be processed, so it is important to apply early.

Canada Visa for Business People...

Canada has a great and welcoming business environment and is known as a great attraction for many entrepreneurs from many countries around the world. It welcomes people with bright ideas who want to invest and to establish businesses in the country. As a result, Canada offers a wide range of Business visas to bring in business persons with experience, capital and assets, to help in the boosting of Canada’s strong and thriving economy.

Among the Canada visas offered by the country are the Federal Investor visa which allows people with fresh ideas and capital to be integrated into the Canadian economy and as a result Canada provides a business environment where the ideas can thrive. This visa attracts foreign investors who wish to invest their capital in Canada. This programme is designed to bring in successful entrepreneurs who have the ability of investing in Canada for at least five years.

To be eligible for the Federal Investors visa, one must show a number of years of successful business experience, must have a net worth of at least 800,000 Canadian dollars, legally obtained of course, and must make an investment of 400,000 Canadian dollars.

Some of the benefits are: as a business class visa owner one will have the right to use Canada’s first rate communication facilities, a highly skilled workforce, taxation incentives and close access to the larger North American market. Also as a permanent resident, one will have the right to live and work and practice business ventures in Canada as you wish, one will have access to government subsidised health care, subsidised education and the ability to apply for citizenship once one satisfies the residency requirements.

The Federal Self employed visa is for those applicants who are able to provide work for themselves upon their arrival in Canada. To qualify for this visa, one is required to have the appropriate skills, have a required amount of legally obtained funds and meet the requirements of a points-based evaluation.

Working in Australia...

Australia immigration presents a wide range of opportunities for migrants who are looking for a fresh start in life, and according to a certain report, new migrants bring in millions of dollars to the commonwealth budget and the economy each year. The encouraging economic impact is particularly evident for skilled migrants, which reflects on the migrant’s labour contribution and thus higher incomes for the country. Also, the said migrants contribute to the economy with wide spending on goods and services. This shows how important the migration programme is to Australia since it helps in their economic growth, as well as the injection of skills and labour in the Australian businesses.

Over the past few years, statistics show that there has been an increase in Australia’s immigration. In fact, 2007-2008 has been the biggest since the 60s. The 2007-2008 migration programme consisted of over 100,000 places in the skilled migration system and over 45,000 places in the family migration system. Over 10,000 refugee visas were also granted. The 2006-2007 migration programme shows an increase of 7%, which was actually 158,960 places, and 66% were skilled migrants. The 2008-2009 migration programme is estimated to total to over 200,000 visa grants, with over 130,000 set aside for skilled migrants, over 10,000 for refugee and humanitarian migrants and over 56,000 places allocated to the family system.

It is more evident that those looking for Australia immigration use agents compared to migrants of other countries. Close to 60% of migrants are now using an immigration consultant for their application. Most applicants say that waiting is the hardest part of the process. Thus immigration consultants are used more since they help applicants in avoiding delays and with quicker processing.

South Africa Immigration Requirements...

Immigrants wishing to relocate to South Africa on a permanent basis need to fulfil certain requirements before they can be granted permanent residency. Those seeking permanent immigration to South Africa must be of unquestionable character, able to exist in a multicultural environment and should possess unique skills which are in short supply in the country.

Immigrants who are not in South Africa make applications from their country while those already in South Africa make their immigration to South Africa applications at the Home Affairs office closest to them. This group of immigrants are classified into four categories.

• Immigrants who have previously been awarded temporary work permits.
• Relatives and spouses of South African citizens who are in the country legally on temporary permits.
• Immigrants been sponsored by blood relatives who are in South Africa legally.
• Those who have been granted temporary permit waivers.

There are various categories under which one can apply for permanent residency. Some of these include investors, retirees and skilled professional.

Documents required by the Home Affairs office include marriage/divorce certificates, death certificates, the current temporary permit and documents from police offices vouching for you.

Once one attains permanent residency, one is accorded all the rights accorded by South African law except the right to take part in South African elections and the right to a South African passport.

Since permanent residency is granted to those wishing to settle permanently in South Africa, once the status is attained an immigrant should not leave South Africa for periods exceeding three years without having given prior notice to the Home Office. Failure to give such a notice could lead to the cancellation of the permanent residency status.

Citizenship in the UK...

You have to possess a claim to UK citizenship based on ancestry otherwise you will have to apply for naturalization either after living in the UK for six years or via naturalization after three years living in the UK as a spouse of a person with citizenship. You have to pass the ‘Life in the UK Test’ before you can apply for UK citizenship.

If you are not married to someone with UK citizenship the requirements for naturalization are as follows: you should be eighteen years old or older and are of sound mind; you must be of good character; you should be able to communicate in the English language and you should intend to live in the UK.

The requirements for naturalization as a spouse of someone with UK citizenship are:

• You must have been living in the U.K at the beginning of the three year period
• On the date that you submit your application with the Home Office you must have permanent residence or have been given indefinite leave to remain in the UK
• During the three year period you must not have been outside UK for more than nine months
• During the last twelve months of the three-year period you must not have been outside the UK for more than ninety days
• You must not have been in breach of any UK immigration rules at any time during the three-year period of residence in the U.K.

If you want assistance with your naturalisation application (based on having permanent residence), there is an enquiry form for you to complete online.

Canada Study Permit for Students...

Canada study permits are available for international students wishing to study in Canada. This application is only meant for persons who are not Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada and who want to study temporarily in Canada. This permit is only issued if the application is accepted. Also, it may be required to for a person wishing to get a study permit to also have a temporary resident visa to visit Canada.

Every year, over 130,000 students from all over the world are awarded Canada study permits. Nearly all those international students require study permits but there are some exceptions. Study permits are not required in circumstances such as: if the course or programme being studied has a duration of 6 months or less; for the family or staff of a foreign representative to Canada or a minor child already in Canada, whose parents have legal status in Canada other than a visitor status.

The Canada study permit is a document issued by the Citizenship and Immigration Service of Canada that allows students to study in Canada for a limited time, with a specific programme in a specific Canadian educational institution. The study permit is issued if the applicant has received an acceptance document from a qualified Canadian educational institution and has sufficient funds to pay for tuition and living costs. In some cases, applicants are required to undergo a medical examination and also provide police clearance certificates.

Citizenship and Immigration Canada allows international students to work in Canada in limited circumstances. The international students are required to have enough funds to sustain them while they study.  In various cases, students may work in Canada as they study. They can work on campus without a work permit, they can also work off campus without a work permit or in internship programmes where work experience is part of the educational study.

Requirements for a Work Permit...

A work permit is a legal authorization that allows a person to take up employment in another country where they do not hold citizenship. Applying for a work permit depends on the work a person intends to do:

• Commercial or business arrangements
• Entertainment (such as music and film)
• Sport
• Students who want to learn and work
• Work experience
• Training programmes for students
• Sectors based schemes
•  Investors

Work permits may not be issued to a person whose residence permit has already been issued on the condition that they have a legitimate income and can ensure their subsistence. An applicant is also supposed to submit the application for a work permit personally to the regional department of the Migration Board and Citizenship.

It can also be extended if the holder is a valid residence or the residence permit is extended and they have an employer at the time of the extension of the work permit.

If a person wishes to extend the work permit, they are supposed to submit an application for the extension of the work permit, at the latest, two months before the valid permits expires. An extension of a temporary permit will not be granted if the residence permit has already expired.

In addition, a work permit cannot exceed the period of validity of the residence permit. Musicians can also have a work permit depending on how long they intend to work in a certain country.