09 October 2007

Skilled workers flocking to Australian immigration

Australia is welcoming record levels of immigration, with numbers expected to top 160,000 people for the 2007-08 year under the official Australian immigration programme. Foreign students are also gaining Australian residency visas, adding to levels of Australian immigration that have not been seen since the 1960s.

Australia is welcoming record levels of immigration, with numbers expected to top 160,000 people for the 2007-08 year under the official Australian immigration programme. Foreign students are also gaining Australian residency visas, adding to levels of Australian immigration that have not been seen since the 1960s.

Statistics show that immigration is accounting for over half of the country's population growth as people are attracted by the lifestyle and career opportunities in a booming economy.

Melbourne's Herald Sun newspaper reports that several hundred immigrants are streaming into the city every week. However, the state of Victoria has announced an ambitious target of increasing Victoria's share of skilled Australian immigration from 26.8 per cent to 28.5 per cent by 2011.

State Premier John Brumby said that skilled migration has made Victoria a "better, stronger and fairer society". He went on to explain that the booming economy has to deal with an ageing workforce and a growing skills shortage, while the country is competing for skilled workers with other countries.

The Australian economy is hungry for more workers and more consumers and government's immigration policy is focused on attracting skilled migrants through a points based Australian visa system.

Australia needs skilled workers: Anyone applying for an Australian visa should begin by completing the Australian Visa Bureau's online Australian visa application to see if they meet the Australian visa requirements.