This month we chatted to Carina, wife to Jacques and mother to 4 boys, aged 4 – 12, who took the plunge in 2009 and moved to Australia. Read the full story

For more than 45 years, Australian higher education institutions have accepted TOEFL scores for admissions. Now Australian Minister for Immigration and Citizenship Chris Bowen has announced that from 1 July student visa applicants will be able to use the US-based TOEFL test as proof of their English language proficiency. Read the full story

Since the 6th of April this year, skilled and highly skilled migrants were added to the list of those required to pass the Life in the UK test in order to qualify for ILR (indefinite leave to remain) in the UK. Read the full story

As part of the plan to alleviate the skills shortage in regional Australia, particularly in the booming mining industry, immigration minister Chris Bowen recently announced major changes to the visa programme. These changes include increasing the number of skilled migrant places for the 2011/12 Migration Programme to 185 000, as well as increasing the number of family visas.

For the first time, the Australian government is also actively encouraging skilled workers from outside Australia to apply for temporary visas and work in rural areas. These regional visas will be processed as a priority over others and the lure is that it will eventually be easier for these workers to gain permanent residency.

To qualify under the Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme, interested overseas workers will need to prove their trade skills or in-demand professional qualifications, as well as competency in English.

The government also announced the introduction of special migration agreements for big resource projects, where the permanent residency process will be sped up for overseas workers who stay in a regional area on a 457 visa for two years, and whose employer can guarantee another two years’ work.

To find out more about Australian visas or start your application process, visit www.1stcontactvisas.com.

So you’re thinking about moving from the UK to Australia? Immigration websites and forums are always full of questions and conversations about this very move and the consensus seems to be that the grass is indeed greener on the Other Side.

In this article we look at what exactly attracts UK families in particular to the land down under, as well as the steps to take if you’re considering the move. Read the full story

According to expert immigration group 1^st Contact, recent changes to Australia’s immigration policy presents good news to both current domestic workers as well as to hopeful migrants seeking to relocate to Australian shores. Read the full story