20,000 immigration applicants to be rejected - news article

[april]

Read this article this morning: australia-rejects-20000-migrants

highlight from the article:
All general skilled migration applications lodged before September 1, 2007 - when English and work experience requirements were easier - will have their applications withdrawn and application fees totalling $14 million refunded.

The government will also abolish the current list of skills in demand, which contains 106 occupations, and review the points test used to assess migrants to improve selection.

The Immigration Minister, Chris Evans, said last year 170,000 people applied to live and work permanently in Australia as skilled migrants, but there were just 108,100 place available.

I recommend reading the whole article.

Opinions anyone?

[JDavenport]

Is there not some speculation about a snap general election in Oz? Could just be the Labour government trying to cut off the Liberal's favoured ground - might be more spin than substance. On the other hand, with world economics still shaky, control on immigrants is not unusual (although, ironically, I think it's usually counter productive economically).

[amaslam]

There is talk about a double-dissolution Federal election. However Immigration policy is not the trigger for this.

Climate change policy (specifically the Emissions Trading Scheme) is the main trigger based on the continuation of a block by the Liberal party.

The Immigration changes will go through, main factors responsible is the labour (actual labour not political labour) projections in the medium-long term.

Originally Posted by JDavenport

Is there not some speculation about a snap general election in Oz? Could just be the Labour government trying to cut off the Liberal's favoured ground - might be more spin than substance. On the other hand, with world economics still shaky, control on immigrants is not unusual (although, ironically, I think it's usually counter productive economically).

[kaz101]

Even though the money will be refunded that doesn't take into account the fact that people put their lives on hold while applying for visas.

That some people may have quit jobs, sold houses etc.

It amazes me that they can decide to do that without looking at individual cases but I'm assuming that they feel that they don't have the time to do that.

By the way the info on Veronika's website it slightly different in that the number of cases will be capped which is different from what is reported there.

Regards,
Karen

[akash_san2002]

Thanks for info.

Does it affect the people who already got PRs?

Thanks,

Originally Posted by april

Read this article this morning: australia-rejects-20000-migrants

highlight from the article:
All general skilled migration applications lodged before September 1, 2007 - when English and work experience requirements were easier - will have their applications withdrawn and application fees totalling $14 million refunded.

The government will also abolish the current list of skills in demand, which contains 106 occupations, and review the points test used to assess migrants to improve selection.

The Immigration Minister, Chris Evans, said last year 170,000 people applied to live and work permanently in Australia as skilled migrants, but there were just 108,100 place available.

I recommend reading the whole article.

Opinions anyone?

[amaslam]

No, once you have your PR that's it. The only thing you need to monitor is the Resident Return Visa and those rules do not change that much.

Originally Posted by akash_san2002

Thanks for info.

Does it affect the people who already got PRs?

Thanks,

[riversandlakes]

This is pretty radical. When's the last time they cancelled applications in batch? One can say this is a populist act.

I read that a dissolution may not happen soon. The opposition seems to be riding high as predicted by some in the press. There's still over a year before the current session of parliament expires.

[anj1976]

hmmm.. i guess the minister knows, if they dont pay back, no one would want to come to australia. was speaking to OH about the same thing, Au immigration fee is the highest and they r returning it but hwat about the time gone into it. for us its already been 2 years since our assessment and a year half since our application. I am loosing hope really, since i read about the capping of pre sept 2007 apps. i am sept 2008 applicant.
It was a thought that came on mind that we should look for options, maybe the freezing canada.. will decide in april if australia is worth our time

[amaslam]

There's the NZ option too, I don't think the waiting is as bad. Without priority I'm think it still takes 2-3 yrs minimum to get an AU PR.

Originally Posted by anj1976

hmmm.. i guess the minister knows, if they dont pay back, no one would want to come to australia. was speaking to OH about the same thing, Au immigration fee is the highest and they r returning it but hwat about the time gone into it. for us its already been 2 years since our assessment and a year half since our application. I am loosing hope really, since i read about the capping of pre sept 2007 apps. i am sept 2008 applicant.
It was a thought that came on mind that we should look for options, maybe the freezing canada.. will decide in april if australia is worth our time

[Gaurav]

Without priority processing the waiting for AU visa is worthless, as u say it may take 2-3 years........ who knows after this time the applicants may be sacked again, here DIAC changes their norms before every 6 months.

Hope the new SOL is justified, managers,medical practitioners,Trade-persons n IT guys all cover under 1 roof and no complicated filters applied. Visa distribution be also fast track (<6 monhs) as they have reduced the 20,000 overloaded applications.

Originally Posted by amaslam

There's the NZ option too, I don't think the waiting is as bad. Without priority I'm think it still takes 2-3 yrs minimum to get an AU PR.