The Australian immigration minister has released figures which show that there were 12% more Temporary Work (Skilled) (Subclass 457) visas granted in February 2013 than in the same month in 2012.
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Australia and New Zealand Immigration News
Items tagged with "Australia and New Zealand Immigration News":
Rupert Murdoch, the international media mogul, has criticised the Australian government's public pronouncements on skilled work based immigration saying that they have been 'disgraceful and racist'.
As of 23rd March, the Australian government has reduced the number of visitor visa subclasses from nine to five. Australian immigration minister Brendan O'Connor said it would simplify the system and eliminate red tape.
The new Australian immigration minister Brendan O'Connor, has announced that he has evidence that one of the country's main temporary work visas is being abused by Australian companies to undercut Australian workers and has announced a crackdown. Mr O'Connor said that some Australian firms were employing people on Temporary Work (Skilled) Standard Sponsorship (Subclass 457) visas (better known as '457 visas') claiming that their roles were skilled when they were not.
After an unexpected reshuffle of the New Zealand government's cabinet in January, the new immigration minister, Michael Woodhouse, gave a speech on 14th February to the New Zealand Association of Migration and Investment in Christchurch.
Australia's population grew by 1.6% or 359,600 people in the year to the end of June 2012. 58% of that rise was caused by immigration. The population reached 22.7m in July, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics. Last year, the Australian population grew by only 1.14%. This coincided with a period when levels of immigration were lower than normal. In 2009, the Australian government curbed immigration in response to the global economic slowdown.