Job openings aplenty Down Under

The impact of the global recession on Australia is easing off and there will be more job opportunities for Sri Lankan migrants, said Consultant, Australian Migration Consultancy, Sanath Vidyananda.

He said that Australia will recover from the recession by end of the year and there would be an economic revival paving the way for more employment with the growth in the industrial sector. "Most Sri Lankans who migrate under General Skilled Migration (GSM) have obtained employment and have settled down in within a short period. Possessing job skills, experience and competency in English are vital requirements for the success in migration", Vidyananda said.

"The changes to GSM English language requirement for trade occupation has made a positive impact on migrants to obtain skilled employment shortly after they arrive in Australia", he said.

The aim of the GSM program is to select migrants who, because of the skills they posses, are more likely to finds skilled jobs within a shorter period. A high level of English language ability is essential to achieve this objective.

The English language requirement for GSM applicants nominating a trade occupation has been increased to a minimum of 6.0 (competent English) in each of the four components of International English Language Testing System (IELTS).

The increase in the IELTS score brings the English language requirement for trade occupations in line with the other jobs for GSM visas with trade occupations previously exempt from GSM changes introduced in September 2007.

The increased English language requirement will apply to all new offshore GSM applications lodged after July 1, 2009 with Australian Standard Classification of Occupations (ASCO) level 4 nominated trade occupations.

The increased English language requirement for onshore GSM applicants will apply from January 1, 2010.

Vidyananda said that in response to the continued economic slowdown the Australian government has decided that the permanent skilled migration intake for 2009-10 will be 108,100 places.

In line with the directive visa applications under the permanent GSM program will be processed giving priority to employment sponsorship, state or territory sponsorship, an occupation on the Critical Skills List (CSL), an occupation on the Migration Occupation in Demand List (MODL) and all other applications in date of lodgement order.

"It remains open for the Australian government to make further adjustments to the skilled migration program in line with the economic and labour market needs" he said.

Those aspiring to migrate to Australia could log on to www.australianmigrationconsultancy.com to obtain information.

(LF)