Australia ETA Visa Requirement

The Electronic Travel Authority or ETA visa for Australia has got to be the easiest type of visitor visa to apply for and acquire online. This visa allows you to travel around Australia for twelve months on multiple visits. Each visit has a maximum of three months. Since it is only visitor visa, you cannot work in Australia but be able to study for a maximum of three months.

The application for an Australian ETA is processed immediately online and recorded on the Australian Government systems. You won't be needing a stamp or label on your passport because your ETA visa is electronically stored and checked before you board your flight to Australia.

ELIGIBILITY
Application for an ETA visa is only eligible for the following passport holders:

Andorra
Austria
Belgium
Brunei
Canada
Denmark
Finland
France
Germany
Greece
Hong Kong (SAR)
Iceland
Ireland
Italy
Japan
Liechtenstein
Luxembourg
Malaysia
Malta
Monaco
The Netherlands
Norway
Portugal
Republic of San Marino
Singapore
South Korea
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
United Kingdom
United States of America

Australia Visa Requirement (ETA)
* You must be out side Australia to apply for this visa
* You must meet health and character requirements
* You must have an incentive to return home
* You must have sufficient funds to cover your trip to Australia and back

A Global Approach To Migration

MIGRATION has emerged as one of the defining issues of the 21st century. With hundreds of millions of people now living outside their countries of birth, the hot topic of people mobility has grown in visibility and significance.

The development of modern transportation and telecommunications has led to a steady growth of people motivated to move – and with the ability to do so. Not surprisingly, this growing surge of people across national boundaries has often raised fears and controversy in both sending and receiving countries.

This sensitive issue is fertile ground for those willing to pander to political populism and xenophobia.

Public perceptions of migration – whether based on evidence or emotions – play a critical role in determining policy choices available to governments in managing what is an unstoppable trend.

The world is changing at a rate that some of us might find discomforting, even bewildering.

International migration is playing a decisive role in speeding up that process of change. It is reshaping the economic, social and cultural profile of the familiar world we grew up in.

Helping to bring some much-needed balance to the often heated debate – and exploding a number of myths along the way – has been a growing body of research looking into the costs and benefits of migration. Most of these studies come to a surprising conclusion – or at least one that is out of step with much popular sentiment – the boom in migration has for the most part been good for sending and receiving countries.

Immigration Minister Chris Evans yesterday said an increase in migration to Australia had been driven substantially by demand for skilled workers and the needs of the Australian economy.

Public perception is often that migration grows out of and causes further poverty in both sending and receiving countries – not to mention possible social friction and workplace disruption.

But what emerges from empirical research is not merely that migration is inevitable given the understandable desire for people to move to improve their life chances. This iron law has governed the movement of people for as long as we have graced the planet.

A growing body of evidence also points to migration being an essential and potentially beneficial component of the economic and social life of every country and region.

For developed countries wanting to maintain healthy growth rates, immigration offers an alternative source of people and labor at a time of declining population and shortages of skilled workers.

For developing countries it can help relieve unemployment and population pressures, as well as ready supply of money from remittances sent to those who remain at home.

So the question no longer becomes one of whether to have migration but how to manage it effectively in order to ramp up its positive effects and reduce any negative impacts.

Given this evidence, it is essential that a comprehensive and co-operative approach be adopted to international migration management.

The economic and social interests of Australia and the international community are better served by managing immigration rather than erecting substantial blockades to the movement of people across the globe.

Source - The Advertiser

Getting Around Australia

Traveling to Australia, whether for the holidays or a business trip, the best way to get around Australia is to rent a car, aside from buses and trains. Major cities and venues are at long distances, unless you can afford to fly all around the country, renting a car would be a good choice. You can drive anywhere and visit all places you want to.

Australia is an ideal place for adventurers, wonderful beaches, beautiful national parks, historical places and buildings, and great food! As a tourist, using credit cards in Australia is the common yet wiser way to spend money. You can use it in restaurants, department stores, supermarkets and gas stations at major cities.

Adventure travelers are attracted most on Australia's outback. This is one of Australia's amazing and beautiful places to visit. But the outback is also a dangerous place. I suggest you travel along with a group, and don't forget to bring your camera, sunglasses, first-aid kit, compass and a mobile phone. Travel the outback using a 4WD or you won't get anywhere else.

Lots of people would come on a working holiday visa, they want to try out living in Australia for a couple of months or a year, get a job to see if they fit in the Australian economy and if they liked it they apply for permanent residency!

It's easy to travel around Australia once you get the hang of it. There are many Australian online services that offers cheap accommodation, car hire, tours, and even discounts on airfares. So that it will be easy to arrange everything while your outside the country and waiting for the processing of your Australian visa.

Before traveling to Australia, make sure you gather enough information of the places you want to visit, pack all necessary things, bring extra cash and a map.

Capping of Contributory Parent Category Visas

The Department of Immigration and Citizenship today announced the capping of a series of Contributory Parent visa categories in light of continued high demand for these visas.


Caps are determined by the minister and used to ensure that the planning levels for various components of the migration program are not exceeded.


The numbers for particular subclasses were determined by the relative demand for each visa subclass as a proportion of the total planning level.


Once a specified visa class cap is reached, no more visas can be granted for the remainder of the migration program year, which in this case is the end of June 2008.


It is important to note the capping power does not affect visa grants for applicants who have previously been granted a temporary Contributory Parent visa and who are now applicants for the corresponding permanent Contributory Parent visa.


The total planning level for Contributory Parent visas for 2007-08 is 3500.


The visa subclasses and the new caps are as follows:


* Contributory Aged Parent (Temporary) (Class UU(T)) (Subclass 884): 29

* Contributory Aged Parent (Class DG (P)) (Subclass 864): 300

* Contributory Parent (Temporary) (Class UT (T)) (Subclass 173): 650

* Offshore Subclass 143 – Contributory Parent (Class CA (P)): 2521



Resource: http://www.immi.gov.au/media/media-releases/2008/d08036.htm

Australia To Speed Processing of Migrant Visas

Australia's federal government says it will set up new centres, and provide more resources, to the immigration department to speed up processing of 457, or skilled migrant, visas.

Our reporter Naomi Woodley reports the Federal Government is accepting most of the recommendations from a review of the 457 visa system.

The immigration department will put extra resources into clearing the current backlog of applications by the end of June.

The government says specialised centres will also be set up in Sydney, Melbourne and Perth to process visas from July, and teams will concentrate on regions, industries or projects to address particular shortages.

Employers classified as "low-risk" will be able to have their applications fast-tracked under an accreditation system.

The Federal Opposition is supporting the recommendations, but says many had previously been identified and announced by the Howard government.


- ABC Radio Australia

Australia Parent Visa Requirement

The Australia Parent Visa is granted to people wanting to immigrate and live with their children in Australia, whether a working or non-working parent.

You must be able to pass the “Balance of Family” Test in order to apply for a parent visa for Australia. Here's a simple Balance of Family Table taken from immi.gov.au

ELIGIBILITY

You may be sponsored by your child, your child's spouse or a guardian of your child / spouse. Your child must be an Australian citizen or permanent residence.

WORKING AGED PARENT (Subclass 103) VISA

This visa allows you to work and live with your children in Australia. Suitable for parents not old enough to be granted an Australian aged pension.

REQUIREMENTS

* Children must be an Australian citizen or Permanent Residence (natural, adopted or step child).

* You must meet the “Balance of Family” Test.

* This visa requires you to be of working age to apply. Female applicants must be under the age of 63 to be able to apply for this visa and male applicants under the age of 65.

See Australian Working Aged Parent Visa Requirement for online assessment

AGED PARENT (Subclass 804) VISA

Suitable for people old enough to be granted an Australian Aged Pension. This visa allows you to live permanently with your child / children in Australia.

REQUIREMENTS

* Children must be an Australian citizen or Permanent Residence (natural, adopted or step child).

* You must meet the “Balance of Family” Test.

* The eligible age for female is 63 and above, and 65 and above for male applicants.

See Australian Aged Parent Visa Requirement for online assessment

Online assessments are done to determine your eligibility to apply for any type of Australian visas.