Australia to cancel 20,000 visa applications

[OhioChick]

IANS, 8 February 2010, 09:49am IST

MELBOURNE: In an overhaul of the immigration policy, Australia will cancel 20,000 visa applications from foreign nationals, including Indians, who have been staying in the country under the existing skilled migration programme.

The changes which will be unveiled on Monday will see 20,000 current applications binned as a result of an overhaul of the list that identifies occupations in demand and awards points on the basis of professional qualifications of the applicants.

State governments will be asked to develop new migration plans and a new list will be prepared to define occupations in demand in the country. The government will also set a maximum number of visas for a single occupation.

The new system will favour skilled workers such as nurses, medical practitioners, engineers and teachers instead of groups such as cooks and hairdressers.

The cancelled applications apply to all offshore general skilled migration claims lodged before September 2007. Refunding 20,000 visa applications will cost taxpayers about $14 million, The Age reported.

More: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/rest-of-world/Australia-to-cancel-20000-visa-applications/articleshow/5547068.cms

[thunder rising]

1. Hoot, apparently Aussies are to stupid to cut hair. We drew the line at too stupid to teach kids

We're not the stupidest country in the world :woohoo:

[aquart]

2. Uh, no. They WERE bringing in servants. Now they're bringing in masters.

The Aussies get to be the servants now.