Looking For Work In Australia
The ranks of Australia’s skilled workers have been boosted by almost 78,000 in the past year in an effort to solve the country’s skills shortage.
It’s the largest intake of skilled migrants since the late 1980s. Australian Immigration Minister Amanda Vanstone said the government had responded to the shortage by bringing record numbers of skilled migrants to the country. The Australian Government has made over 97,500 Skilled Visas available for 2005-06.
In recent months over 150,000 jobs have been advertised weekly, and unemployment is at the lowest level in the last 10 years. Australian Government statistics confirm 89% of Skilled Independent Visa holders gain employment within the first six months.
A total of 18,700 migrants took advantage of the state-specific and regional migration program, with 7,100 settling in Victoria and almost 5,000 calling South Australia home – an increase of almost 140 per cent in SA on 2003-04 figures.
When it came to specific skills, the biggest increase came in the form of doctors, with 260 migrating to Australia in 2004-05 – this is a 300% increase on previous year.
A Senior Migration Agent from National Visas said that accountants, nurses and trades-people, including mechanics, electricians and builders, are among the most sought-after skills wanted by Australian employment groups.
If you plan to find work in Australia you should consider under what entry program you fall, such as academic, training, sport, family visiting, religious work, retirement, media, medical, research, business, holiday work, or employee exchange program. You are not allowed to work on a visitor or family visa. Students are allowed to work full time during the semester breaks.
They are looking for specific types of skills and limit the number of people who can obtain permanent residence. The government has a 76-page instruction manual for obtaining visas and residence allowance in the country. They prefer people under 45, fluent in English, and well qualified. UK citizens are able to get employment faster than most foreigners since many of the Australians have worked and lived in the UK before.
IT and health personnel are recruited from around the world. Although the government expects written proof of qualifications, persons working in the IT field can provide a four years employment history as an alternative to qualifications.