13 June 2008

Immigration information officers heading for Illawarra

The Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) is sending officers to the Illawarra region on New South Wales on June 17. The officers will be providing immigration information to employers, businesses, local industries and families of migrants.

A departmental spokesman said the “face-to-face” approach for providing immigration information has proven successful in many other regions of Australia.  It facilitates discussion about immigration-related issues, and the local community can have many queries clarified that may not be answered so clearly on the departmental website or over the phone.

“These appointments attract a range of people, from small business owners to famers, community groups to individuals, who might want information or just someone to talk them through a complex matter,” said the DIAC spokesman.

The spokesman added, “In the past, the most popular topics related to citizenship, working visas, visas for family members overseas, and how to propose  and sponsor refugees.”

Issues of immigration are becoming increasingly important for communities around Australia, particularly with the Government actively campaigning for Australian immigrants to fill the labour and skills shortages in the workforce. 

Australia needs skilled workers: anyone interested in migrating to Australia should complete an online assessment to see if they qualify for skilled migration to Australia.

Anyone interested in taking a working holiday to Australia should confirm their eligibility by taking Visa Bureau’s online assessment.