Australia and New Zealand Immigration News

A record number of people became citizens this year on January 26, Australia Day, the ABC broadcasting network reported.

Around 12,000 people became citizens in 275 ceremonies on the public holiday commemorating the establishment of the first British settlement in Australia in 1788. Government officials are encouraging others who are eligible to take the step. About 900,000 people, including 300,000 from the United Kingdom and 200,000 from New Zealand, fall into this category.

Passengers and crew on all airlines that regularly fly to Australiaare now being screened overseas prior to boarding, Australia'sDepartment of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs(DIMIA) reported on January 24.

This represents an extension ofthe Advance Passenger Processing system, a technology that enablesDIMIA to verify travelers' authorizations to enter Australia. It alsoallows for cross checking against other systems such as the MovementAlert List, a database of people and their travel documents that are ofconcern to the Australian immigration authorities.

New arrivals from India are making up an increasing proportion of migrants to Australia, the Sydney Morning Herald newspaper reports.

According to a publication called The 2005 Year Book of Australia, released on January 20 by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), the proportion of permanent arrivals from India stood at 6.2 percent in 2003, compared with just 1.8 percent in 1983. In 1983 there were 41,000 Indian-born residents of Australia, while now there are 120,000, with 6,000 additional settlers every year.

An increasing proportion of permanent Australian immigration applications are made by people already in the country temporarily for study or skilled employment, according to Australia's Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs (DIMIA).

Many people may be surprised to know that British and American nationals make up the greatest number of overstayers, according to a new report released by Australia's Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs.

Applicants for Australian visas will be able to put their medical data online, the first time this technology has been used anywhere in the World, Australia's Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs (DIMIA) announced January 14.