- Target:
- Federal Government of Australia
- Region:
- Australia
- Website:
- www.internationalstudents.org.au
The revised skilled occupation list (SOL) was released on Monday 17 May 2010 by the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, the Hon Chris Evans.
The revised SOL has removed more than one third of the occupations that can be nominated for independent migration. While the amendments include the removal of occupations troubled by allegations of visa rorting such as hairdressing and cookery, soft-skills specialisations such as analysts, journalists, curators and designers have also been removed from the list. This significant change translates to a substantial number of affected international students, and the announced transitionary arrangements – particularly for students graduating within the year, are insufficient and unfair.
AFIS, earlier this year, supported the revoking of the Migration Occupations in Demand list and changes to the regulatory framework. Under that framework, international student graduates would have to gain and maintain employment in their nominated field within the 18 months of their Skilled - Graduate (485) visa before being able to secure a positive permanent migration outcome.
This would have given them a fair go at demonstrating that they are well suited for their nominated occupation while also making a definite contribution to the Australian economy. It is understandable for the Australian Government to decouple the link between education and migration, but applying a blanket change to all international students is creating chaos for Australia’s $17.2 billion dollar industry.
Students acting on good faith to pursue an Australian education and who subsequently decide to act on their potential to be skilled and contributive migrants should not be disadvantaged.
To all international students:
International students who believe the transitionary measures under the revised SOL is unfair please sign this petition.
After you have signed the petition, please find at least one local Australian to sign the petition to support our cause. For AFIS to successfully lobby the Government regarding the amendments to the Skilled Occupation List (SOL), we need to obtain as many local Australians to support this as possible. This is an election year and Australian politicians are trying to obtain support from locals Australians.
Start a conversation with any of the following people, tell them your story and ask them to support you!
- your friend
- your colleague
- your employer
- your teacher
- your neighbour
- person sitting next to you on the train
- person serving you coffee
- call up organisations who may be interested in supporting us
TO THE HONOURABLE THE SPEAKER AND MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
This petition of the Australian Federation of International Students draws to the attention of the House: the changes to the Federal government's amendments to the Skilled Occupation List (SOL). We believe that existing transitionary measures are unfair to students, in particular those who are graduating within the year, who have acted on good faith in the pursuit of an Australian education and who subsequently decide to act on their potential to be skilled independent migrants.
Many such students would have had invested a substantial amount of time, effort and money to enhance their skills in a skilled area of practice, only to find that their options to further a career in that chosen field are now severely limited. This will have placed months of planning and honest hard work in jeopardy, and does little to improve the welfare of international students in Australia.
We therefore ask the House to: review the changes and that genuine cases should be treated no differently from existing Temporary Residency (485) visa holders and be allowed to apply for skilled (independent) migration with the current SOL.
You can further help this campaign by sponsoring it
The Better transitionary measures for General Skilled Migration visas petition to Federal Government of Australia was written by Wesa Chau and is in the category Miscellaneous at GoPetition.