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The Australian government will spend $38.5 million on services to help immigrants and refugees settle into their communities.
Starting on 1 July 2011, a total of 179 new projects delivered through 148 organizations will be funded under the Settlement Grants Program (SGP). The aim of the SGP is to help migrants become more self-reliant and acquire "crucial skills" to help them contribute to the Australian economy.
If you are a tradesperson or a non-degree holder thinking of applying for immigration to Australia, you should apply before the 1 July 2011 changes to Australian immigration law.
On 1 July 2011, changes to the Australian skilled immigration points system will make it much more difficult for tradespeople and those without degrees to score enough points to be eligible. The new Australian immigration points test will also favour people with good English.
Canada will introduce a ten-year, multiple entry visit visa for Indian nationals starting in the middle of July 2011. Currently, the maximum validity of visitor visas for Indian nationals is five years.
"The 10-year visas will be available from mid-July," said Bruce Grundison, Deputy Immigration Programme Manger of the Canadian High Commission.
He stated that some technical issued needed to be worked out in the interim.
According to David Holly, Australian Consul-General for South India, the Australian government hopes to attract more skilled Indian workers to deal with a shortfall of labour through changes in its skilled immigration scheme.
There continues to be rapid growth in the Australian economy; Many Australian firms are looking abroad for skilled workers, particularly workers for the resources industry (such as mining).
The UK has announced a number of proposals aimed at cutting the ties between many immigration routes and eventual settlement (properly known as indefinite leave to remain) in the UK.
"Migrants coming to the UK to work on temporary visas will no longer be able to apply for settlement, under proposals announced by the government today," the UK Border Agency said in a statement.
Immigration to the UK from eastern and central Europe is on the rise. Under EU law nationals of European Union Countries can work freely in the UK. The UK Government is therefore unable to control levels of immigration from these Countries.
According to a UK National Statistics report, all of the top five Countries which are the cause of increasing immigration to the UK are from central and eastern Europe; These countries joining the EU in 2004 and 2007.