scrudu

Most likely BS, but have any of you heard rumors of DIMIA slowing down the number of Visas to be issued as a result of the economic downturn there? I read a letter on the Metro today (yes, I know not the most high brow or trustable of newspapers) to that effect, saying they'd stop issuing visas in Jan 09. Just wanted to confirm it's only a rumor

letusenjoy79

I hope and pray it is a rumour

AndyR

If its true then I want a refund of my visa app and I'll be off to Canada with my AUD$20million (i wish).

Pollyana

Itsa a rumour thats been posted several times in the last few weeks.

AndyR

Worrying though.

JAJ

A rumour regarding January 2009. But you can be almost sure that if the recession persists and unemployment increases, skilled migration will be cut back during 2009 or 2010.

mark213

Theres alot of discusssion on 457s right at the moment going first, PRs will follow thereafter i expect

scooby3

Any change will be work specific...if you are in Healthcare etc...it will be fine Global shortage not just Australian...but as the commodoties sector etc...slows down a number of trades etc will be taken off the wanted list..the OZ immigration system is designed to turn the tap on or off as need dictates....interestingly the UK have just modelled their new system on it. So yes there will be changes...thats inevitable.

letusenjoy79

Any change that is going to come is a welcome step. Moreover noyhing is going to be done with a retrospective date, be sure. Even if one is in process, he/she needs to hurry

grantvt

I have been watching and worrying about this since the economic crisis started all the way back with the collapse of lehman brothers.

I have read that Australia is in a good position and may avoid a recession but at the end of the day they may well decrease the number of visas but I'm not sure if anyone will know until it actual happens.

Skilled visas were increase by 31 000 last year so there was clearly a skills shortage of some sort that may now be affected by the crisis.
A comforting factor is that major industries in Australia have warned that cutting the number of visas is not a good idea in terms of the Australian economy.

If they decease the numbers and you have applied I assume (I hope) you may still get your visa but it will just take longer.

AndyR

As long as anyone with a visa app in at the moment still gets processed fairly this should be OK.

Would be a bit unfair to come Jan and then say "OK we're not issuing anymore PR visas for now". Everyone who's already started would be up **** creek with all the money invested etc and properties sold ready. I for one would be fuming. Think I may start seriously looking at Canada as an alternative just in case it all goes pear shaped.

Dorothy

That's precisely why DIAC tell people NOT to sell property or quit jobs, etc. until a visa is granted. Just take a look at the $100,000 investment scheme and how that affected the people who applied prior to that being removed.

If you think Canada is any easier to get into I think you're in for a surprise. PR in Canada now is taking ~3 years. Take a quick read of the Canadian immigration section of this site for more info. Besides, Canada is a very different place to Australia, so if it's the Australian lifestyle you're looking for, again, I think you'll be in for a surprise.

AndyR

No not what I meant at all.

What i meant by this was, we are emigrating anyway so sold our house earlier this year before it bombed on the market (we would be in serious neg eq now else). I have been trying to get into the USA for 10 years without luck so we decided on Oz as my skills were in demand. If Oz doesn't work out anyway through the visa not coming through, fair enough. We have already researched Canada anyway so if Oz didn't work out we would go that way instead on a Working Holiday with Bunac and then search for work etc, go temp work visa if we can find a job and go from there.

We want a change in lifestyle/culture/climate so either is fine.

What I meant by the post was, it would be a bit unfair on people if DIAC decided to not grant any more visas when people have already forked out the visa fees / IELTS / meds / pccs and like me put jobs in jeopardy asking for references for the visa app, only to yank it all away like this. Hope it doesn't come to this but if it does I won't be happy. Would be in the same position as we are now anyway as we haven't made any special changes JUST for Oz. We are making changes for whatever happens.

benlast

Most of the criteria that are applied to a visa application are checked at the time of application. According to http://www.immi.gov.au/skilled/gener...-in-demand.htm:

So if the MODL is changed in response to economic circumstances, it would affect those who have not yet applied, but not those whose applications were already in progress.

If they restrict the number of visas they're granting, or change any priority that they apply to different applications... well, that's the way it works now; it's not possible to predict how long an application will take to be processed.


Cheers
b

letusenjoy79

Absolutely agree with you