December 09

First of all, greetings to you all for the festive season. This is our last and probably the most valuable newsletter of 2009. With several immigration policy changes that have taken place in New Zealand, Canada, Australia and UK, I think it would be worth you reading this one in its entirety. Also, in additional to detailing the changes in the policies, here's a quick round up to help you choose the right destination for you.

AIMS GLOBAL Education Roadshow in Moga, Punjab

AIMS GLOBAL Education Fair for one full day in Moga on 20th December, 2010. FREE Entry. For Registration contact AIMS GLOBAL Head Office, Chandigarh on 0172-5015369 or 5026369 or 98763 00018 or send your email at aimsglobaledu@gmail.com. Fair Coordinator is Mr. Bhagwan Singh, Business Associate Mobile No 98725 06789. Register now

CANADA:

Canada Announces Three Year Graduate Work Visa
A programme that allows international students to work for up to three years after graduation just might increase Canada's recruitment competitiveness.

The Canadian Post-Graduation Work Permit Program has already proved popular and is attracting a flood of applications. International students, immigration advocates, student advisers and universities have long called for more attractive post-graduation working conditions and welcomed the scheme.

Allowing students to work three years after graduation has closed the gap between international students and Canada wanting qualified immigrants. Many students who previously wanted to increase their eligibility for permanent residency had to go to the US to work and then return to Canada to apply.

Canada uses a points system in deciding who best qualifies to be a citizen and a simple university degree, without post graduation work in Canada, earns few points. The new programme takes those who have worked during the post-graduation period out of the points system and either passes or fails them although an overwhelming number, more than 95%, have passed.

According to the 2009 Survey of International Students, half the students surveyed said post-graduation work opportunities in Canada were an important factor in choosing to study in the country.

Read the full article HERE.

Update on the Action Plan for Faster Immigration

In 2008, as part of the Action Plan for Faster Immigration, the Government of Canada made changes to the way we select skilled workers. Applicants in the federal skilled worker category must now meet a set of eligibility criteria before they can be processed. If applicants don’t meet the criteria, they are not processed and their application fees are refunded.

The changes were made to meet three main goals:
1. Reduce the backlog of applicants in the federal skilled worker category
2. Reduce wait times
3. Improve labour market responsiveness

Reducing the backlog:

When the criteria took effect on February 27, 2008, more than 630,000 people in the federal skilled worker category were waiting for a decision on their application. As of the end of September 2009, this number stands at just under 425,000, a reduction of 33%. This reduction is significantly higher than planned as the Department had originally forecast a 33% reduction over five years.

Approximately 240,000 people have applied since February 27, 2008, and are subject to the new eligibility criteria. Of these, about 135,000 have not yet received a decision on their application. Taken together, the current number of applicants in the federal skilled worker category (those who applied before and after February 27, 2008) is now 12% lower than when the criteria took effect. Since February 27, 2008, the changes brought about by the Action Plan allow CIC to limit the processing of federal skilled worker applications to those that meet the eligibility criteria. Because not all 135,000 people will meet the criteria, not all will be processed.

Under the old system, every application had to be processed. Now that we are no longer obliged to process every application received, the key factor leading to backlog growth has been eliminated. At the same time, the backlog of applicants who applied before February 27, 2008, and who are not subject to the criteria has stopped growing, and will continue to be drawn down over time.

Reducing wait times:

In the 2008 budget, CIC received additional resources of $109 million over five years for the implementation of the Action Plan. With these funds, the Department created the Centralized Intake Office in Sydney, Nova Scotia, which is helping to reduce the administrative burden on visa offices abroad and free up their resources for processing.

As a result of these and other changes to increase efficiency, under the Action Plan, people get an initial idea of their eligibility within months instead of years. Within this time frame, applicants who meet the criteria are instructed to send a completed application for processing at the visa office that serves their country of origin. Applicants who don’t meet the eligibility criteria are not processed and are issued a refund.

Before the changes were introduced, federal skilled worker applicants waited as long as six years for a decision on their application because of the large number of people in the processing queue. People applying now under the federal skilled worker program can expect to receive a decision within six to twelve months.

NEW ZEALAND:

Students changing course of study and/or education provider
Changes to policy have been made to ensure that students changing their course/and or education provider are doing so for genuine reasons and that they continue to meet student policy requirements. The revised policy applies whether you apply for a variation of conditions or a further student permit.

Please note the following:
“Any change to the study conditions (course/education provider/location) will require approval from Immigration New Zealand, including if you wish to study a different course at the same provider; same course at a different provider; or a different course at a different provider”.

Students who withdraw or stop attending the education provider endorsed on their student permits before being granted a variation of conditions or a further student permit will be considered as ‘breaching their permit conditions’. Applicants who breach their permit conditions may not ordinarily be granted further permits (or a variation of conditions). If a student changes his/her course and/or education provider before obtaining approval to do so, this may affect the outcome of the application. Furthermore, all applications to change provider within the first week will be considered against the original statement of purpose and rationale for approval given at the overseas INZ office. However, each case will be decided on its own merits on a case-by-case basis. If the application is declined the student is liable to have his/her permit revoked and be required to leave New Zealand or be removed. A student cannot start attending the new course and/or education provider until he/she obtains formal approval from Immigration New Zealand.

All student permit holders who will not be completing the course endorsed on their student visa or permit, and who wish to change their course of study and/or education provider are required to meet the new policy. Students who are progressing on to further study, for example a student in Year 13 who is progressing on to tertiary studies, or a tertiary student who has completed their course and wishes to undertake another tertiary course, will not need to meet the new policy.

Further information on the changes to this policy can be obtained by clicking:
http://www.immigration.govt.nz/migrant/general/generalinformation/news/studentpolicychanges.htm

NZ introduces a new policy for business migrants
Enterpreneur Plus Category provides a faster track to residence for migrants who can demonstrate they have been actively participating in business and contributing to New Zealand’s economic development. The main requirements under this category are:

• successfully established a business in New Zealand
• been 'self-employed' in your business
• transferred at least NZ$0.5 million through the banking system to New Zealand
• invested at least NZ$0.5 million in your business
• created a minimum of three new full-time jobs for New Zealand citizens or residents (this is in addition to existing staff if you purchase a business)
• a minimum English language ability of IELTS 4
• met health and character requirements.

Contact us now for more information.

Changes to the long term skilled shortage list
The following occupations have been removed from the LTSSL: • Boat Builder and Repairer
• Fitter and Turner
• Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Mechanic
• Fruit or Nut Grower (Orchard Manager)
• Market Gardener (Crop Production/Agronomist Manager)
• Mixed Crop Farmer (Grower Manager)

The following occupations will be added to the LTSSL:
• Physicist (Medical)
• Life Scientist (Regulatory Toxicologist)
• Medical Oncologist
• Supply and Distribution Manager (Procurement Professionals)
• Diesel Motor Mechanic

Several other occupations have been edited as well.

Silver Fern visa to target talented graduates
The Government's new Silver Fern visa will attract young highly skilled people to work long term in New Zealand, Minister of Immigration, Jonathan Coleman has announced recently. "Two permits will be available under this policy: a nine month ‘job search' permit, and a two year work permit once skilled employment is secured. The policy is designed so that people who meet the requirements upfront will be likely candidates for residence under the Skilled Migrant Category. There will be an initial limit of 300 places and the policy specifically targets people aged between 20 and 35 years old. The Silver Fern policy will be implemented in April 2010.

Read more here.

Essential Skills Policy new minimum income requirement

From 30 November 2009, applications for a visitor or student visa/permit for dependent children of Essential Skills work visa/permit holders will need to include evidence that the parent meets a minimum income threshold of NZ$33,675 per annum gross in order to live with them in New Zealand, unless the parent held a work permit on and before 30 November 2009.

This threshold has been introduced to ensure a basic standard of living for temporary migrant families while they are in New Zealand and to ensure that the living standards of migrant workers do not fall below those families supported by the income support system. Unlike residents, temporary migrants are not eligible for government benefits.

INZ have provided some questions and answers about the minimum income requirement.

UK:

Pearson Test of English

Pearson Test of English (PTE Academic) is a new international English test to assess English language proficiency. This test is approved by the UK Border Agency and delivers real-life measures of test takers' language ability to universities, higher education institutions, government departments and other organizations requiring academic-level English. Students who do not have a TOEFL/IELTS score can alternately give the Pearson Test of English (Academic).

institutions that recognize this test on their website link
http://pearsonpte.com/PTEAcademic/RecognizingInstitutions/Pages/UKInstitutions.aspx

For your information, the PTE scores equivalency with IELTS and TOEFL can be found on the link,
http://pearsonpte.com/Testme/Pages/Scores.aspx

PTE Academic costs between $150 USD and $210 USD depending on where the student chooses to take the test. The list of test centers can be found on the website
http://pearsonpte.com/Testme/Pages/TestCenters.aspx

For further information on the Pearsons Test, kindly go through the link http://pearsonpte.com/Pages/home.aspx.

AUSTRALIA :

Australia Raises the Financial Bar for International Students

The Australian government has raised the amount of money students must prove they have to support themselves from $12,000 to $18,000 per year.

The $12,000 requirement has not changed since 2001 and was widely criticized for misleading students on the cost of living, particularly in larger cities like Melbourne and Sydney.

From next year, students will have to prove the increased requirement. Immigration minister, Chris Evans, said the requirement has been increased to better reflect the cost of living. "International students can supplement their income through part-time work in Australia, but the primary focus of a student visa is to study and students shouldn't rely on part-time work to meet their expenses," he said.

The move is a bid to crackdown on poor international students, mainly from India, entering the country after being recruited by unscrupulous education agents. There has already been a steep drop in visa approvals in the wake of the Department of Immigration and Citizenship cracking down on fraudulent agents in India.

AIMS GLOBAL team:

We would like to take the opportunity via this last newsletter for 2009 to introduce you to the team at AIMS GLOBAL. Thank you all your everlasting support through 2009 and we look forward to a continued business relationship in 2010 (and beyond!)

Amar Manchanda, Founder & Director		Arunima Dhingra, Director
Ritu Chauhan, Manager		Sunita Pundir, Senior Counsellor
Nimisha Tripathi, Senior Counsellor		Ritika Kaushal, Counsellor
Sheetu, Counsellor		Naveen, Marketing Executive