Court of Appeal condemns marriage rules

The Court of Appeal in a test case, has condemned the marriage visa rules requiring applicants to be over 21 years of age, as being arbitrary and disruptive.

The rules were introduced to clamp down on forced marriage but instead have been criticised as far too stringent and have affected the plans of applicants between 18 and 21 years.

The Immigration Minister is considering an appeal to the Supreme Court.

For more information on UK marriage visa rules, see ;

http://www.commonwealthimmigration.com/immigration-consultants-uk.htm

Tier 1 General scrapped for overseas applicants

The Tier 1 General visa category has now been closed to overseas applicants. This is a result of the overall quota for this category up to April 2011 being reached.

Applicants based in the UK (on a work visa etc..) will still be able to apply until April 2011.

For more information on applying for UK work visas, please see our website;

http://www.commonwealthimmigration.com/visas_countries.html#United Kingdom

Immigration Cap unlawful - rules High Court

The temporary immigration cap introduced by the government this year has been ruled unlawful by the High Court today.

The government did not allow sufficient time for Parliamentary scrutiny (as required under legislation) before introducing the cap.

This may now lead to legal challenges by affected parties.

see

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-12022613

Tasmania launches State Migration Plan

The state government of Tasmania has now launched their State Migration Plan.

Tasmania is keen to attract migrants and have included a comprehensive list of occupations in construction, healthcare, trades, IT and many other sectors.

However for many occupations you need to have a job offer or interest from a Tasmanian employer.

For the full list of occupations, please see;

http://www.development.tas.gov.au/__data/assets/file/0019/30538/GSM_Occupation_List_STMP.pdf

If you wish to move to Tasmania or any other area of Australia, then please complete the assessment form on our website;

http://www.commonwealthimmigration.com/australia.htm

Australia - immigration changes to benefit Actuaries ?

A new points system for Australian immigration has been proposed by the Immigration Minister. The early signs are that it will make it easier for Actuarial professionals to qualify.

The current system currently awards Actuaries less points than many trade occupations – something that the Immigration Minister is keen to change.

The proposed new system would remove this occupational weighting and replace it with a system much more focused on qualifications, experience and English language ability.

Degree qualified Actuaries would only need one year of experience to meet the general entry requirements for this occupation. Then, they would be assessed on a points system for age, English language ability, experience and other factors.

Furthermore, Actuaries are in shortage in Australia. So much so, that the state government of New South Wales has included the profession on their list of occupations that they wish to attract.

Although the new system has yet to be signed off and would not come into effect until July 2011, we think many of the proposed changes are likely to be introduced.

If you are interested in moving to Australia, then please contact us through our website;

www.commonwealthimmigration.com

Western Australia and Queensland launch State Migration Plans

The governments of Western Australia and Queensland have now launched their State Migration Plans.

While Queensland only has a few specialist professional occupations on their list, Western Australia (WA) has a much more comprehensive list.

However, the WA criteria are more restrictive than before. Increased English language requirements and greater work experience are now required for applicants.

WA is the powerhouse of the Australian economy with lower unemployment and higher growth than any other state. If you are interested in moving to Western Australia or Queensland, please contact us through our website;

http://www.commonwealthimmigration.com/immigration-advice-australia.htm

UK Post Study Work visa to be scrapped ?

A major new consultation has been launched by the UK government on reforming the student visa system.

Several new proposals are included as part of the consultation including stricter entrance requirements and limitations on in-country student visa extensions.

Most importantly, the 2 year Post Study Work visa is earmarked for abolition. This is the work visa, that many graduates obtain allowing them to work in the UK and then switch to a Tier 1 or Tier 2 work visa.

This would be a major development and would affect many overseas students with plans to work in the UK.

For more information on the consultation, please see

http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/newsarticles/2010/dec/16student-visa-system

Australia - new occupations on skills list

The following occupations have now been included on the Australian Skilled Occupations List ;

Chief Executive or Managing Director
Advertising and Public Relations Manager
Art Administrator or Manager
Conference and Event Organiser
Liaison Officer
Jewellery Designer
Web Designer
Food Technologist
Biotechnologist
Education Reviewer
Network Administrator
ICT Systems Test Engineer
Fisheries Inspector
Primary Products Inspector
Fitter and Turner
Snowsport Instructor

These occupations are included on the version of the list for occupations that can be sponsored by a State government through a State Migration Plan.

For more information on migrating to Australia, please see our website;

http://www.commonwealthimmigration.com/immigration-consultants-australia.htm

Tier 1 quota for December reached

The monthly quota for Tier 1 General visas for December has been reached on December 6th.

To recap - overseas applications for this visa category are subject to a monthly quota. Once the monthly quota is reached no more visas can be issued in this category until the next month.

The monthly quota is being reached earlier and earlier every month - i.e. Oct 21st, Nov 12th, Dec 6th.

Perhaps in January the quota will be reached almost straightaway due to the December backlog.

For more information on applying for Tier 1 General visas please see our website;

http://www.commonwealthimmigration.com/immigration-consultants-uk.htm

UK – TIER 1 GENERAL VISAS TO BE ABOLISHED

The UK Border Agency have announced that the Tier 1 General visa category will be abolished after April 2011.

This will apply to new first-time applicants both in the UK and applying from overseas.

This will NOT affect those who have already secured a Tier 1 General visa and wish to apply for an extension in the UK. This will still be possible, as normal.

However, this is a major policy change which will greatly affect the plans of many applicants. Already the number of overseas applicants for Tier 1 (General) visas is starting to impact on processing times.

UK based extension applications will need to be prepared thoroughly, as a refusal will mean the applicant will not have the current option to re-apply as a new applicant.

We advise anyone interested in applying for a Tier 1 (General) visa either in the UK or overseas, to look at starting this process immediately, before this category is closed.

For advice on applying for UK visas or citizenship, then please visit our website

www.commonwealthimmigration.com

Biometric ID cards for Tier 1 and Tier 5

From December 14th, the UK Border Agency will be requiring all UK based applicants for Tier 1 and Tier 5 visas to provide their biometric details when applying.

Biometric details include fingerprints and a digital photograph.

For more information on the biometric process see;

http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/documents/visitingtheuk/identity_cards_for_foreign_1

For information on the services we provide see our website ;

http://www.commonwealthimmigration.com/visas_countries.html