DIAC has announced new priority processing arrangements for certain skilled migration visas. These arrangements take account of the changes to the Skilled Occupation List (SOL) that came into effect on 1 July 2010, as well as the revocation of the Migration Occupation in Demand List (MODL) and the Critical Skills List (CSL).
The following link outlines the new priority [...]

With Australian cities ranking between 24th (Sydney) and 74th (Perth) in its cost of living scale, Australia is the best value destination of expats in the Asia Pacific Region, according to Mercer’s Worldwide Cost of Living Survey, 2010.
Reflecting the increasing economic importance of the African region, the world’s most expensive city for expatriates was Luanda, [...]

DIAC has now officially advised that from 1 July,  Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (… will be used within skilled visa programs, as the standard by which a visa applicant’s skills to undertake a specific occupation in Australia are assessed. 
DIAC has also advised how the transitional arrangements will work – in other words, [...]

DIAC has confirmed that its previously  announced changes affecting the GSM program will come into effect on 1 July 2010.
 
The post on its website reads as follows:
 
Previously announced changes affecting the GSM program will come into effect on 1 July 2010.  

See: Changes to the General Skilled Migration Program 

 If you are intending to apply online for [...]

The link below is to an article from Australian Policy Online, about the Migration Amendment (Visa Capping) Bill 2010. It’s written by Peter Mares – one of the few journalists who we believe reports on migration issues with a balanced perspective.

In addition, DIAC has now, a week after its introduction into Parliament, provided the following information about the Bill:

” On 26 May 2010 the Migration Amendment (Visa Capping) Bill 2010 (the ‘Bill’) was introduced into the Parliament. The legislation seeks to fine tune existing laws to provide the Government with a tool for the targeted management of all aspects of the migration program

Australia’s net overseas migration (NOM) level is predicted to drop by 20 per cent by the end of the financial year in response to government reforms to temporary and permanent migration and economic conditions, the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Senator Chris Evans, said today at the launch of Population flows: Immigration aspects, DIAC’s flagship [...]

Neither of them is going solo any more!
In a move that will add some much needed equity and competition to Australia’s English language testing market, Senator Chris Evans, the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship has given in-principle approval for rival tests to IELTS to be used for checks of English proficiency when overseas students or [...]