News

Nearly 49% of 55 to 64-year-olds want a gap year and explore the world. Almost half of older workers would like to take time off to broaden their horizons. ...

The Wall Street Journal
TORONTO -- Canada's economy added a surprise 27,000 jobs in August, one of the strongest signs yet that the country has turned the corner toward recovery.
The rise, to 16.8 million, was fueled by growth in part-time and private-sector employment and confounded many economist expectations for jobs to shrink. It comes after an almost uninterrupted slide in employment that has seen Canada lose 387,000 jobs, or 2.3%, since October 2008, according to Statistics Canada, the federal statistics agency.
The job growth contrasts with continued contraction in the U.S., something economists say reflects Canada's shallower downturn and stronger domestic demand.
"Canada's apparently turning the corner before the U.S.," said Douglas Porter, deputy chief economist at BMO Capital Markets in Toronto. ...

The Australian Federal Government's leading indicator of employment is pointing tentatively to a quickening pace in jobs growth.
The Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) says its monthly leading indicator of employment has risen for three straight months, which is a welcome change.
''The indicator is tentatively foreshadowing a quickening in the pace of employment growth to above its long-term trend rate of 1.9 per cent per annum,'' the department said on Wednesday.
Skilled Professions…
The rise in skilled vacancies was widespread with increases evident in most professions monitored by the department. The largest monthly rise was recorded in wood trades, up 7.7 per cent. ...

According to a new Immigration Department report on skilled arrivals made by the Rudd Government, it wants to take in up to 230,000 migrants yearly over the next 40 years.
Although the impact on young job seekers and urban congestion is growing, the Federal Government is set to maintain a record high immigration levels. ...

Lisa Valentine | Tuesday, September 1st, 2009 at 10:25 am
Immigration to Australia is still heading up, many skilled workers are finding the migration program easier and more effective in matching them up with the Australian employers.
Chris Evans (the Minister of Immigration and Citizenship), revealed figures showing that the number of employer-sponsored skilled migrants rose by 60 per cent compared to the previous year. This is a positive proof that the introduction of the Critical Skills List is having a significant impact.
Introduced in January the Critical Skills List (CSL) was set up to specifically target the shortages in skilled occupations experienced in some parts of Australia. ...

Daily Star
When it comes to employment it seems that no country is immune from the credit crunch. It is now starting to impact on job opportunities in Australia, forcing the government there to implement measures to ensure that the skilled migrant programme targets shortages in different states. ...

Independent.ie
NO greater love for your football team can you have than to travel 5,000 miles into deepest Russia to support them -- all three of you!
As St Patrick's Athletic prepare to face Steaua Bucharest in the second leg of their Europa League tie at the RDS on Thursday, their three top fans are all set to cheer the Saints once again.
And even though Pats are 3-0 down from the first leg, brother and sister Joe and Pam Robinson, and Joan Stapleton will watch the game with the optimism that spurred them to venture to Samara in Russia for the last round.
St Pats won 1-0 at home to Krylia Sovetov and then went 3-0 down before late goals, one an own goal and the other by Declan 'Fabio' O'Brien, gave them a 3-3 aggregate score and victory on the away goals rule.
By then, Joe, Pam, and Joan had become celebrities in the Russian town after local media revealed they were the only three Saints fans who had made the long-haul expedition.
A hurried decision to seek visas and book their travel was sorted out with help from Visa First and Cassidy Travel. Then came the long journey of thousands of miles with the squad to Samara.
On the day before the match, Joan ventured out for a long walk and ended up in a post office in Samara, looking for stamps.
She couldn't speak Russian and the post-mistress couldn't speak English, but when Joan told her she was from Ireland, the post-mistress said "football?" and then "Patrick's?"
ovation
"I couldn't believe it -- a woman in Samara knowing about St Pat's," said Joan.
When they arrived at the ground and took their seats, the Samara fans gave them a standing ovation.
And even though St Pats had snatched the tie, the opposition supporters clapped and cheered Joe, Pam and Joan and gave them scarves and mementoes.
Joe commented: "For the first goal, it went in off one of their defenders, and Alan Cawley turned around and pointed at the three of us and gave the fist in the air.
"When Fabio scored the second one, he ran off the wrong direction, away from us.
"We asked him about it later and he said he was trying to waste time by running into the corner to celebrate!"
Bucharest for the first leg with Steaua was also a strange one.
About 75 Pats fans travelled but it was a behind-closed-doors event to punish the Romanians for previous crowd trouble.
 
"We were kept behind a big glass screen. ...

...Northwest Territories Citizenship and Immigration Canada and Government of the Northwest Territories
Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney today announced the signing of an agreement to help attract new immigrants to the Northwest Territories.
Minister Kenney made the announcement with his territorial colleagues, Education, Culture and Employment Minister Jackson Lafferty and Industry, Tourism and Investment Minister Bob McLeod. ...

Herald.ie
The mass exodus of young Irish people to Australia is continuing unabated, with their skills welcome in a country with high demand.
While the number of migrant workers visas available for Australia dropped from 130,000 to 107,000, they are still in plentiful supply for the Irish, according to one expert. ...

Irish SUN
 
Australian economy has outperformed every other advanced economy in the first quarter of 2009 recording a positive growth in the face of a savage global recession. As planned the governments economic stimulus payments are helping to support demand and employment until direct public investments come fully on scheme.
Currently in NSW, Treasurer Eric Roozendaal has announced a record AU$62.9 billion building programme over the next 4years ,with jobs number one priority. ...

New Zealand Government's move to relax entry conditions for business migrants will encourage investment in the productive economy and help close the gap with Australia.
Andrew Hamilton, chief executive of Icehouse, a firm specialising in promoting small business growth, helped advise on policy details.
Mr Hamilton says the initiative is on the right track by allowing investment either directly or indirectly in companies, but not in residential property nor permitting money to be simply deposited in a bank.
"What the Government is trying to do is align the cash with the productive economy and we have to feel pleased about that."
Tim Howe, from merchant banking and advisory firm Ocean Partners, believes the move will help close the economic gap with Australia.
He says it will have a positive effect as people seek to relocate from areas where they face difficult market conditions.
Mr Howe says there will be investment opportunities because New Zealand businesses desperately need access to capital to support growth.
Rule changes
English-language requirements are being lowered for investors as well as the amount of capital they need to bring into the country.
An entrepreneur category will also be introduced for people who can create at least three full-time jobs and invest $500,000 in their business.
If you have a question on setting up a business in New Zealand  contact www.visafirst.com now for a free assessment of your eligibility.

Sunday Tribune
Despite its being the second largest country in the world, it’s easy to overlook Canada. But that would be to ignore the fact that this mostly English-speaking nation has an economy that has held up better than many of the more established countries in the G8 and beyond, an economy which, according to the Central Bank of Canada, “will contract by 2.3% in 2009 and then grow by 3% in 2010 and 3.5% in 2011”. ...

Reference www.couriermail.com.au
The slowdown in job-shedding, and a rise in part-time work, suggests dole queues may not reach the lengths predicted by State Treasurer Andrew Fraser and his Federal counterpart Wayne Swan, who feared an unemployment rate pushing towards 7 per cent by next year.
"From my point of view, it's certainly not doom or gloom. ...

Reference The windsow star
Local contractors fear there might not be enough workers here to fill the jobs.
Jim Lyons, executive director of the Windsor Construction Association, said booming economies elsewhere in Canada may drain this area of its unemployed skilled trades workers beginning next year. ...

Sunday Tribune
The world may be in the throes of an economic meltdown, but some places have managed to avoid the worst excesses of the downturn. Australia, for example, still holds out the promise of a good job, thanks mainly to the fact that its National Accounts show that the Australian economy has outperformed practically every other advanced economy in the first quarter of 2009. ...

Following the increase of the English language requirements from April the 14th, additional changes to the 457 visa program are taking place. Several occupations are now removed from the standard sponsorship agreements.
The occupations affected by this change include occupations in the tourism, clerical and agricultural industries. ...

The Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) today published the first review of the shortage occupation lists for skilled work force from outside the European Economic Area (EEA). The points-based system, including the shortage occupation list, has to operate for the benefit of United Kingdom workers, especially given the current economic climate, Professor David Metcalf says.
Shortages of skilled labour will still exist in a recession. ...

More and more people head off to Australia. Young individuals, left with no alternative, head Down Under to spend the next 12 months in search for adventure and temporary job placements.
The rising number of people travelling on the Australian working holiday visa will definitely have a positive effect on Australia's economy. ...

The thought of leaving rainy Britain behind and heading off to work in a part of the world with much sunnier climes is bound to appeal to the imagination of most workers in the UK. For some, it is a more serious ambi­tion than others but, just as is the case in this country, it is important to con­sider how the global financial crisis has affected your plans. ...

Since April the 14th all Australia Sponsorship Visa (subclass 457) applicants must meet the new language criteria. After DIAC's recent change applicants must have to score at least 5 IELTS points, compared to 4.5 before in order to be eligible for a visa. ...

Daily Star,

When it comes to employment it seems that no country is immune from the credit crunch. It is now starting to impact on job opportunities in Australia, forcing the government there to implement measures to ensure that the skilled migrant programme targets shortages in different states. ...

Sunday World
    ONE of Europe’s leading visa and travel support service agencies is hosting special migration nights in Ireland to provide free information on working abroad in countries like Australia, New Zealand and Canada.
    Visa First say that while no country is completely immune to the credit crunch, there’s still plenty of work for skilled workers in overseas English speaking countries.
    The Australian government is implementing a number of measures this year to ensure its migrant programme targets skills in critical need and Edwina Shanahan from Visafirst.com says this opens up good opportunities for Irish workers. “A process worker laid off in a car plant in Adelaide is not going to fill the need for an electrician in Perth,” she said. ...

Australian media reported that there have been cuts to skilled migration that would 'shut the door' for many migrants. The Government has proposed it will reduce the planned record intake of skilled migrants from 133,500 workers in 2008-09 to 115,000 – it is important to note that 115,000 intake is still at record levels for the migrant visa. ...

Sunday Tribune
Recession has brought back the bad old days so soon-to-be Irish emigrants are now hoping that the wizards of Oz have many ‘G’days’ ready for them. Pádraig Kennymet some of those about to venture down under.
Samantha Melia
Samantha Melia and her husband Liam returned from the US nine months ago.Samantha has a degree in psychology, and has only just recently had to leave her job working for a hotel consultancy firm.
    We’re going out to Perth and we’re on a sponsor visa, after which we can apply for residency which we will be doing because we’re not coming back. ...

Courriermail.com.au
Suffering badly in the financial meltdown, many Irish families are seeking better times in Australia writes Charles Miranda
John Pigott looks at the timber trusses of the house he’s building on the outskirts of Portalington, about an hour’s drive west of the Irish capital of Dublin, and shakes his head.
“I will be unemployed in six days,” the 35-year-old carpenter announces gloomily as he looks about the roof space and estimates how much work he has to do to complete the construction. He pauses as if to let the revelation sink in, then finally adds: ”That’s not good, you know, when you have a family.”
He’s not alone in his prospects and like at least 50,000 other workers, this year he is planning to quit the country and move abroad in what is expected to be the biggest mass migration of the Irish since the Depression of the 1930s.
It’s what former Irish prime minister Bertie Ahern calls “the dark days of migration”, and most of those fleeing the Emerald Isle will arrive in Australia in numbers to rival those who arrived in the early years of the great potato famine more than 150 years ago.
And the new arrivals won’t be those seeking a working holiday fruit-picking in rural NSW or Queensland, but thousands of families selling everything they own and buying one-way tickets to Australia in the hope of work, a future and a better way of life.
“People are not looking for the easiest way out of here any more, they are looking at what are the alternatives. ...

Irish Examiner
Young Irish fleeing to Oz as job prospects plummet
THE number of Irish people visiting Australia on working holidays has more than doubled in the past six months compared to the same period last year.
Figures released by the Australian Department of Immigration and Citizenship show the number of young Irish applying to visit on working holiday visas increased 52% in the last six months. ...

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