SEASON'S GREETINGS TO EVERYONE!
To all our clients and friends we wish you all the very best of the season. Have a safe and happy holiday. We also wish you the very best for 2010!
As we go into 2010 we hope that it brings all that you want!
OUR OFFICE OVER THE CHRISTMAS NEW YEAR PERIOD
Will be available for urgent business and the phones and email will be monitored. The 25th, 26th, 27th and 28th December and the 1st January are public holidays and the office will be closed. On the 29th to 31st December there may be times when the office will be unoccupied so please call and make an appointment before coming in!
STUDENTS FACING A DIFFICULT TIME IN PLANNING THEIR FUTURE
Students who have come to Australia on a planned pathway of undertaking study and then taking up permanent residence now face a difficult time as the General Skilled Migration processing rules have changed and significant delays have been put into the process. Students should in many cases consider employment sponsored skilled migration and can of course always discuss their options with us.
OTHER SERVICES
You may not be aware that we can assist with many ancilliary migrant and other services including establishing bank accounts, home loans and finance, medical insurance, money transfers to and from Australia, banking, and enrolling in educational bodies, schools, TAFE and Universities. We can also help with IELTS training programs focused on helping you achieve the best score in your now essential IELTS tests. Many of our arrangements with preferred suppliers provide advantages to our clients and certainly make the job easier for you. Please see our website or call for assistance.
RSMS VISA PROGRAM UNDER THE "LIMELIGHT"
The Regional Skilled Migration Program that has served the entire regional areas of Australia so well since the early 2000's is currently under review by the Government. We should expect some changes early in 2010 after the Christmas/New Year Holidays. We do not think it will become easier!
NEW TEAM MEMBERS AT MIGRATION PLUS
Migration Plus has two "new" team members. Kinga Urban, a Registered Migration Agent, who originally sought a visa through our office some years ago and since arriving in Australia has decided to pursue a career change as a Migration Agent and joined our team a couple of months back. Martin Robertson who has just completed the Graduate Certificate in Migration at ANU, and recently joined our team on a part-time basis which will lead to full time next year and of course congratulations to our own Yoko Yamaguchi who has been with us for a number of years and has now completed the Graduate Certificate in Migration and has her registration in processing at present.
Maintaining our skills and currency of knowledge is very important to us. At Migration Plus we regularly sit in on web based professional sessions delivered by the Migration Institute of Australia, we also deliver some of these courses for Migration Agents around Australia and overseas through the internet. We attend the Migration Institute of Australia annual conference which includes numerous professional update sessions, and Chris lectures in the Graduate Migration courses at the Australian National University based in Canberra. Chris also serves on the Migration Institute of Australia State Committee. We also susbscribe to the same Legal Online system as used by the Department of Immigration called "Legend" so we have access to the same systems and rules as the Case Officers as well as various legal newsletters that specialise on the migration topic. Our information and advice to you benefits from all these sources and is as up to date as it can be.
Helping You, Helping OTHERS
Migration Plus adds value to the community in which it works. At least 5% of our profit goes towards our charitable fund Step Up and Reach Out which assists selected young people from around the world who choose to improve their position in life through education and learning. Particular emphasis is given to those at potential risk and those who will assist other young people in a variety of ways eg: teaching and mentoring, and thereby improve their lives and that of others. Assistance is given to young people who choose to step up and reach out in return for a commitment that they will help others in some way in the future. This accords with our philosophy of putting a little back to the global community in an outreach of commitment. Our partners and clients are of course invited to contribute to this gift deductible fund.
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