Stories From The Shadows

  The land of Australia, renowned for its breathtaking landscapes and robust economy, has emerged as a beacon for individuals seeking new horizons. In this article, we embark on a journey design for engineers. We will explore the intricate world of Australian immigration. Engineers from around the globe are increasingly drawn to the land down under. Australia attracts them because of its vibrant job market and high living standards. In this comprehensive guide, we unravel the path to Australian immigration for engineers, shedding light on the demand for their skills, the migration process, earning potential, the pursuit of Australian citizenship, and the myriad social benefits that await them. Join us on this odyssey to discover the opportunities that Australia offers to engineers and their families. Demand for Engineers in Australia Australia has a continuous demand for skilled professionals, and engineers are no exception. The Australian government recognizes the important ...

My full name is 40 letters long. As anyone who has watched a Sri Lankan cricket match would know, many of us have long names. This is because most have given names sandwiched between a lineage name and a surname. My lineage name, the first of my names, is Liyanamohottilage. If you asked my name, I would tell you it’s Minoli. But anywhere “official” insists on the name as written on my passport – even though their systems can’t handle it; they can’t pronounce it; and contrary to what the system assumes, my first name isn’t my given name. I was warned of “the name problem” before moving to Australia. Family and friends warned me that any time I interact with a service I would need to spell out my name and pronounce it multiple times. This process is repeated any time I am handed on to someone else. I’ll be fine, I said. I’ll just ask them to use my preferred name. Surely a country as multicultural as Australia would have figured this out, I thought. My first encounter with the name probl...

The Subclass 491 visa is a skilled migration visa program in Australia designed to facilitate the migration of skilled workers and their families to regional areas of the country. This visa offers several key features and requirements, which we will outline in this explanation. Please note that immigration policies and visa subclasses can change over time, so it's important to verify the most up-to-date information from the official website of the Australian Department of Home Affairs or consult with a qualified migration agent for current details on this visa program. Who Can Apply for the Subclass 491 Visa? The Subclass 491 visa serves as an invitation to skilled workers who aspire to contribute to the growth of regional Australia . To be considered for this visa, you must fulfill the following prerequisites: Nomination or Sponsorship: Secure a nomination from an Australian state or territory government agency or receive sponsorship from an eligible family mem...

A showdown in Congress over spending cuts and the budget appears headed for a shutdown of federal government operations on October 1st, 2023, and could significantly slow down immigration processing. House Republicans appear to be barreling toward a government shutdown, unable to agree on a spending bill. The so-called Freedom Caucus in the House simply refuses to agree to any bill that doesn’t cave to their demands. Bills over which they are currently fighting cannot possibly pass the Senate. Government funding ends on September 30. All But Essential To Be Furloughed If the government agencies close for budgetary reasons, all but "essential" personnel are furloughed and are not allowed to work. The following is an overview of how immigration-related agencies could likely operate during this shutdown. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is a fee-funded agency so if the government shuts down, it is generally business as usual...

The federal government is inviting thousands of Canadians to apply to sponsor their parents and grandparents starting Oct. 10 — but many say its recent approach is leaving qualified Canadians behind, and could be making the immigration department vulnerable to ineligible applications. Under the parents and grandparents program (PGP), the department only invites people to apply if they've formally submitted an interest in entering their names into the lottery system. The problem for many, is the immigration department has not accepted new interest-to-sponsor (ITS) forms since 2020. Usually, there's an opportunity to do that each year. "It is good for those who were lucky enough to get their names into the hats, basically in 2020," said Jatin Shory, a refugee and immigration lawyer in Calgary. "But our biggest issue definitely, definitely, definitely comes for those who would qualify now if a brand new intake cycle opened up, but who are now just being left behind....

Australia is taking in more than 1,500 people a day as immigration surges and the birth rate plunges during a housing affordability and cost of living crisis. A record 454,400 migrants moved to Australia in the year to March, on a net basis, taking the population to 26.5million. The influx of international students and skilled migrants meant Australia took in more foreigners than it did in 2008 during the mining boom. Overseas immigration made up 80.7 per cent of Australia's population growth, with the total of 563,200 new arrivals including the nation's net birth rate of 108,800. That equated to 1,543 new people a day in a nation already struggling with a rental crisis, unaffordable houses and high inflation. The Australian Bureau of Statistics data showed that before departures were factored in, 681,000 migrants arrived over the year, marking a 103 per cent increase in the permanent and long-term overseas intake. The number of people moving overseas permanently rose by 8.8 pe...

Employers hired almost 65,000 more workers in August, many more than expected, improving the prospects that the economy will avoid a hard landing but also raising the possibility the Reserve Bank may hike interest rates again. The unemployment rate last month was 3.7%, the Australian Bureau of Statistics said on Thursday. Economists had forecast the economy would add 25,000 jobs in August, which would have left the jobless rate at July’s reported level of 3.7%. Of the 64,900 extra jobs recorded in August, all but 2,800 of them were part-time roles. Hours worked fell 0.5% but remained 3.7% higher than a year earlier. Those looking for work increased 0.1 percentage point from a revised 66.9% in July, a lift that contributed to the jobless rate remaining unchanged despite the jump in jobs. “The participation rate also increased, up to a record high of 67% in August, which, together with the high employment-to-population ratio [of 64.5%], continues to reflect a tight labour market,” Bjorn ...