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The Dilemma Of Australian Immigration Control

One of the biggest issues that Australian immigration officials have dealt with in recent years is that immigration control. And as the number of of people that gets into Australia keeps increasing every year, this is actually getting even much harder for authorities to deal with. Sadly, this is not helped by the conflicting viewpoints of many people in the country has. Deciding on who is allowed to enter the country is perhaps the the must difficult aspect of this issue. We only need to look back at the country's immigration history in order to see how things got really complicated.

In the early years of Australia's establishment as country, it experienced significant economic boom. Thus, in order to make good use of this development, the government encouraged migrants from other countries to come to Australia. However, as the immigrants did come in in significant number, this move eventually led to competition with the local people who then clamored for control over the influx of immigrants. In response, the government then decide to set up stricter policies on immigrants, which was inevitably denounced by both immigrants and locals alike as being too suppressive.

As you can see, the issue of immigration control in Australia is a rather tight one. As the Australian government tries to meet the demands of the country, it has to walk a tight balance between what would be beneficial to the Australian population as whole and what the Aussies themselves would want. And this actually gets even tighter as modern issues comes into play.

One of such issues is that of global terrorism. As the world is gripped by fear as to where the next terror attack will happen, Australia tries hard to secure its borders. It carefully screens incoming immigrants to determine potential terrorist elements. However, as it attempts to do its best on this part, concerns are being raised about its selective nature, shutting out people who have to right to enter the country, simply because they come from places suspected of terrorism. This have actually led the Australian government to walk the tightrope again.

It is not surprising that the issue has become such a hot topic in Australia. It has between fiercely debated by both sides of the government, and it has become a favorite material among commentators and experts. However, it would be interesting to know its effects on the immigrants themselves. For the most part, it would be a rather minor hassle on the visa application. But for those immigrants that are greatly affected by immigration control, it might actually be the end of their hopes for a better life in Australia.

Australia in the 20th Century

In 1901, the six colonies of Australia adopted a federal constitution and became a self-governing dominion of the British Empire, thus the Commonwealth of Australia was established. One of the first acts of the new Parliament was to pass the Immigration Restriction Act in 1901, with the purpose of restricting non-European immigrants. The formal implementation of a "White Australia Policy"1 was welcomed by a majority of the Australian population. People who applied for immigration were required to pass a "Dictation Test", a 50-word test in a European language, with which they were not necessarily familiar.

The non-indigenous population at the time of establishment of the Federation was 3.8 million. Half of it lived in capital cities, three quarters were born in Australia, and the majority were of English, Scottish or Irish descent. From 1900 to 1914, great progress was made in developing Australia's agricultural and manufacturing capacities, and in setting up governmental institutions and social services.

Although World War I was fought in Europe, as a member of the British Empire, Australia automatically followed Britain into war in August 1914 and pledged to defend the "motherland" Britain to "our last man and our last shilling". This was surely a tremendous display of patriotism. The war was a disaster for Australia. It suffered a higher casualty rate than many other participant countries. Unlike other countries involved in the war which relied upon conscription, all members of the Australian armed forces who served overseas were volunteers. 

There were no more than 3 million male citizens in 1914, but nearly 330,000 of them volunteered to take part in the war. The conscription issue became one of the most important issues in Australia during the wartime period because of the tremendous loss of men. William Hughes (Australian Prime Minister from 1915 to 1923) tried, but failed to introduce conscription on two occasions, which led to his expulsion from the Labor Party. Disagreement over conscription became much more serious, which led to the split in the Australian Labor Party at a time when unity was essential; William Hughes resigned and subsequently founded the Nationalist Party.

In 1901, the six colonies of Australia adopted a federal constitution and became a self-governing dominion of the British Empire, thus the Commonwealth of Australia was established. One of the first acts of the new Parliament was to pass the Immigration Restriction Act in 1901, with the purpose of restricting non-European immigrants. The formal implementation of a "White Australia Policy"1 was welcomed by a majority of the Australian population. People who applied for immigration were required to pass a "Dictation Test", a 50-word test in a European language, with which they were not necessarily familiar.

Australia Strengthens Border Protection

It is probably one of the biggest issues that affects the country nowadays. With the Australian economy getting much of its labor force from immigrants, one can see how important this one is to the country. Thus, the government closely monitors the situation in order to ensure that everything goes on well. Here, one of the major concerns that the Australian government is closely monitoring is that of border security. Indeed, while Australia is actually welcoming of immigrants, it is also closely watching against those that attempt to enter the counter without using legal means. As it is, because the country is considered as a land of opportunity for a lot of people, many attempt to get here without going through proper documentations.

Boat people and asylum seekers are probably some of the most common concerns for Australia's border security group. It should be noted that, although Australia has regularly entertained asylum seekers, it has still to deal with the matter of those people coming in from undocumented boats. Because many of these people have no proper papers, they are often regarded as illegal immigrants by the border security group. In order to deal with this, the government has introduced tighter measures to improve its border security capabilities. 

Since early last year, the border patrol has been investing on new equipment that will further enhance their work. This include several new aircraft for conducting a wide area survey of the border. And just recently, new Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard has announced that they will be also fielding in eight new boats to add to the current border security fleet of 18. she added that these new boats will greatly help in having faster reaction and interception capabilities for the fleet against illegal boats.

In line with the move, the Department of Immigration and Citizenship is also carefully planning the establishment of more overseas processing centers in the countries around them. This, according to immigration officials, will greatly help in speeding up refugee processing. It should be noted that the immigration department has been criticized before for the slow turnout of asylum applications. One of the countries being studied for a possible location of a processing center is East Timor.

The immigration department is also closely working together with other countries, like Indonesia and Malaysia, in combating human smuggling operations. Human smuggling has been a major problem that the department is dealing with. Officials said that the efforts will also greatly help in protecting refugees who are often the ones being victimized by these.

Australia is Still Needing Skilled Migrants From All Over the World

For the financial year 2005-2006, Australian immigration has successfully attracted more than 130,000 people, 8,000 more than the previous year. This year 2007, if things are to go smoothly, Minister for Immigration Amanda Vanstone said the government is targeting 140,000. That's 140,000 new skilled and professional migrants who will be granted their Australian visa and living the good life there. Australia's labor shortage is still on the rise, and it's campaign to attract overseas workers has helped the booming economy.

For years, Australia has been a favorite immigration destination of the world. The reasons: high standards of living at a low cost, plenty of work opportunities, warm climate, safe surroundings, quality education (for people wanting to study in Australia), and most important of all, friendly people who would welcome anyone into the community. The figures for 2005-06 is in fact the biggest recorded intake of immigrants in almost 20 years. No wonder Australia is one of the most-diverse and culturally rich countries in the world.

Immigrants' Choices

It used to be that more immigrants chose New South Wales to settle in—after all, New South Wales is home to the vibrant city of Sydney, both the mecca for job opportunities and established migrant communities. For 2005-2006, NSW topped among the other states, with 44,661 migrants coming in. These days though, people migrate to all states in Australia and are finding out that other states have excellent opportunities to offer as well. People who want to avail of their Australian working visa are advised to take online visa assessments to see their chances at a sucessful entry into Australia. 
 
Australian visa application is based on a points system, for example if his/her profession falls under the list of in-demand jobs in Australia. Accordingly, the more points a skilled migrant earns, the faster his/her visa will be processed. Last year, some 59,507 skilled professionals settled in Australia, while family visas attracted 34,771 arrivals.

Why Use an Immigration Lawyer?

Why do I need an Australian immigration lawyer when all I want is a visa? As specialist Australian Immigration Lawyers right here in Sydney, Australia, we are often asked ‘why does a person need an immigration lawyer when all they want is a visa?’ which, can be done by a Migration Agent.

The answer is a simple one: With Australian immigration law being as strict as it is, it costs more to fix an incorrect Australian visa application than it does to do it right the first time. In a visa application every question and answer matters and are all vital for visa in Australia being accepted. The quality and strength of submissions, evidence and documents put in support of a visa application, can be the difference between being granted a visa for Australia or being refused one.

 An Australian visa subclass is a creature of law, knowing that immigration law for the specific country (in this case Australia) and how it applies to a client’s factual situation is the key to making a strong and appropriate visa application. If a client is truly confident and feels they can trust and rely on their lawyer, they are more comfortable to tell the full and true story. It is only then the immigration lawyer or migration agent can advise accurately as to the appropriate application, the next best step or strategy or application to the court. Of course the knowledge of immigration law, professionalism and expertise that an accredited specialist has is the cornerstone.

We know people that have wasted thousands of dollars pursing useless actions in courts or that have been forced to leave Australia when, if advised correctly and followed the right strategy, they could have been granted a visa and ultimately gained permanent residence and Australian citizenship.  What is why the Migration Agents Registration Authority is advertising in community newspapers, advising people that they should always get a second opinion, to make sure they have explored all the available options and been given the best immigration advice and corrective visa strategy.

What is the cost of hiring an Immigration Lawyer?

The next important question is cost. When hiring an immigration lawyer, you and the lawyer agree a price up front and the immigration lawyer sticks to that price! There are no hidden costs, no surprises and definitely no tricks. More importantly, if you get it right first time, you avoid spending thousands of dollars just any problems that will occur with an incorrect visa application.  Getting the appropriate visa or subclass and avoiding refusal or deportation is essential to continuing or starting your life in Australia. 

Having your matter dealt with by specialists is to ensure that you that you obtain the best and desired out come and don’t waste money on unwarranted, unnecessary or unattainable applications. Your future in Australia depends on the quality of the migration advice and assistance you receive. By using an Australian Immigration Lawyer you are assured of ethical, professional accurate and up-to-date Australian immigration advice.

Immigration In Australia – Today

The levels of Immigration in Australia have, over the past 15 years, increased dramatically. Did you know that, for example, the number of migrants who successfully immigrated to Australia in the years of 92 and 93 was around thirty thousand, whereas more recently in the years of 2006 and 2007, this number has increased to almost two hundred thousand? That is an increase of seven hundred percent! It is not anticipated that the rate of increase will slow down either – it is anticipated that another three hundred thousand immigrants will have joined us here by the end of 2009.

With sunny weather, friendly people, and abounding opportunities, it is no surprise that Australia is and always has been a popular destination for migrants and the proliferation of Immigration in Australia stands as a testament to this. A large part of Australian history is based on Immigration in Australia, and it is no huge stretch to make the assumption that it will still be in the future.

Most of the time, the first visa anyone will see Australia on is a temporary visa. This could be a tourist visa, simply for the purpose of checking out the country for a couple of months, or a working holiday visa, which allows the holder to live and work in Australia on a restricted basis for a period of 12 months. It is also possible to gain temporary entry into the country on an Australian student visa, which can allow you to stay for a longer period of time in order to study. So how do people move on to more permanent categories of visa?

Moving From Temporary To Permanent
For the purpose of this section, let us look at the situation of a non-Australian who has been studying in Australia on an Australian student visa. They are restricted in the amount of work they can do in order to earn money, and they are not entitled to social benefits. They have just finished a course and have graduated. But will they want to come home? University is a formative experience in anybodys life, and it is not a massive leap if one were to suggest that maybe the student may not want to leave what has become their home, their friends, and their life in Australia.

There is a solution! If the student has been studying in an area or trade in which Australia has a lack of skilled individuals, the student may be able to apply for a skilled migration visa, which will allow them a much more permanent type of residency then their Australian student visa, with a lot more freedom for employment and a lot more chance of eventually attaining permanent residency. The skilled migrant visa has been a clever development on Australias part – by encouraging workers who are trained in occupations in which Australia does not have enough skilled individuals, they are making sure that migrants will be contributing to the productivity of the nation as a whole – for example, if a hairdresser applied at a time when there were not enough qualified hairdressers in Australia, their application would likely be approved.

As mentioned previously, the skilled migrant visa is a window to a world of even more permanent visas. The three years one is entitled to stay in Australia on a skilled migrant visa can be used to count towards the total number of years it is necessary to have lived in Australia in order to be eligible for permanent residency, and to enjoy all of the social benefits and rights which come along with this.

New Wave Or Constant Tide?
The number of immigrants to Australia has been steadily increasing over the last fifteen years. The quantity of immigrants from New Zealand and the United Kingdom has been steadily increasing, along with the amounts of migrants from formerly eastern block countries – as these countries became more developed, more people found themselves in a position to contemplate such a big move. There is a new wave of migrants to Australia every year, but this is more of a continuation of a larger phenomenon than a phenomenon in itself.