polite_gandalf wrote on May 6
th, 2019 at 11:58am:
Mattyfisk wrote on May 6
th, 2019 at 11:46am:
Grappler Truth Teller Feller wrote on May 6
th, 2019 at 12:02am:
True - told you you were right on the mark twice a day... such an 'economy' is artificial because the skills pool will run dry and be diluted long before it remains stable .... we have no need for unskilled labour at this time....
Indeed, but given Australia's immigration program - unlike the US - is skills-based, your point is irrelevant.
Not entirely - there's family reunion, refugees and of course anyone from New Zealand and probably some other categories as well...
Not really. The 12 - 16,000 refugees a year make up bugger all of our population.
Family reunion makes up bugger-all too. The $100,000 application fee - before all the bonds and health insurance and required savings in the bank - generally puts people off.
The big unaccounted intake comes from students. I know a few immigrants who've come in this way. You come to Australia to study in a course that's high on the skills list. You then apply when you're accredited.
Health courses such as nursing, radiology and physiotherapy are good. Mind you, you have to pass the language tests, which are stringent. The Indians I know got through no worries. Others - a bit harder.
And yes, the two Indians I know both got arranged marriages back in India and applied for them to come here, but not under spousal visas, which are very hard to get through too. You need to prove, I think, an existing relationship of 5 years. You need to be a citizen. The two I know had their partners apply under the skills test. One partner was a dentist, but they soon divorced and he stayed in India.
The other's new wife came to study radiology. She's now going through the waiting period, and she needs to keep studying to qualify for the student visa.
The fees are a big barrier. Overseas students pay a lot more. Their work hours are restricted, so it can be tough to pay it off. You need fairly rich parents back home, or someone here who's willing to fork out (like a partner).