The first British migrants to arrive by air in Australia.

The Australian Department of Immigration and Citizenship celebrates 65 years of immigration policy that has helped to build Australia as we know it today.

The Australian DIAC was first established in 1945 by the then Australian Prime Minister Ben Chifley. At the time the population of Australia was a mere seven million and the newly appointment Minister for Immigration, Arthur Calwell, coined the phrase “populate or perish”.

The DIAC started out as just the Department of Immigration, or DI; a small scale department with just 12 personnel in Australia and 12 in London – a reflection of the large amount of migrants who emigrated to Australia from the UK.

Since then the Australian Immigration Dept has been responsible for the migration of a further seven million people from all around the globe, largely however from the UK and Ireland. The department has grown to employ more than 8000 personnel working from every state in Australia as well as in 60 countries worldwide. It has gone through various name changes to reflect the additional responsibilities of the department before finally settling on the Department of Immigration and Citizenship in 2007.

The DIAC is responsible for implementing migration policy and making decisions on migrants entering and leaving Australia as well as policy changes and reviews. They also protect Australia’s borders from illegal immigrants and ensure that refugee cases are heard and taken into consideration. They are also responsible for the promotion of indigenous and multicultural affairs.

If you are thinking of emigrating to Australia it is the DIAC who will process your application and ultimately decide your fate. Even if you are thinking of holidaying in Australia, it is still the DIAC you will need to turn to for your Tourist Visa.

Such a huge organisation is bound to have its critics and much has been made of the recent changes to the immigration policy, the controversial capping and ceasing bill and treatment of many permanent visa applicants. But the DIAC do have their work cut out and no doubt the August elections in Australia will bring even more changes that the DIAC will work to implement.

We must hope that in the journey ahead the DIAC do not forget that every single visa application comes from a human being with dreams and aspirations and although they cannot open their doors to everyone who wants to migrate to Australia, they can make the process clearer, easier to understand and quicker.

If you are in the process of applying for an Australian visa then don’t forget that our online community is here to help with advice and support.

Mel Gibson in happier times.

The much beleaguered Hollywood star Mel Gibson is set to pack up his belongings in LA and travel to Australia to live.

In a story reported by The Daily Telegraph, disgraced Hollywood star Mel has told friends that he wants to live in Australia to recover from the bad press that has revolved around his alleged violent treatment of ex-girlfriend Oksana Grigorieva.

Two of his American homes are up for sale and rumours are that Mel’s ex-wife Robyn will accompany the star travelling back to Australia. Mel has dual Irish and American nationality but regards Australia as his home after his family emigrated to Australia when he was 12 years old.

He met his ex-wife Robyn Moore in Australia whilst working as an unknown actor. She is a British actress who emigrated to Australia where she met Mel Gibson when they both shared a house in Adelaide. She reportedly supported him during the allegations of violence towards his partner and their baby daughter, telling the family court that he was never abusive in their marriage.

Allegedly the idea to move to Australia was Robyn’s idea, according to friends. Although their marriage broke down over allegations of infidelity, the two have remained friends.

Mel Gibson’s rep however, has denied that Mel is planning to move to Australia. But if the rumours are true, will he have a better reception in the country he calls home? Perhaps he’s hoping to blend into the background which would be more achievable in the vastness of Australia than it is in celebrity hungry America.

Which party will get your vote?

With an August election in Australia now a certainty, do you know anything about the parties policies on one of the biggest issues to affect our readers and members?

We take a look at both parties’ policies on immigration to give you a better idea of where potential migrants to Australia will stand after the August elections, as well as a brief overview of the parties policies on other key issues to affect Australia.

The Labour Party Policy on Immigration

The slogan ‘Australia Needs Skills’ has now been changed to ‘Skills Australia Needs’ to reflect the way Australian immigration policy is changing in preference to highly skilled migrants rather than those with general skills. The emphasis is on employers’ needs and so the DIAC will be choosy when granting Australian visas.

The Points Test scheme and the migrant selection process are up for review to ensure that all skilled shortages in Australia are covered by the new Skilled Occupations List.

The migrant selection process will follow a similar pattern to that of New Zealand where prospective migrants issue an interest to emigrate to Australia and will then be selected according to their occupation/experience in relation to skills needed at the time in Australia.

The focus will be on permanent migration and not temporary.

Liberal Party Immigration Policy

Their immigration policy will focus on building the Australia economy with both temporary and permanent migration. To this end the critical skills list will be reintroduced in order to focus on skills needs of industrial Australia.

The temporary business visas (457s) will be made more accessible to smaller and rural businesses. There will be a particular drive to ensure that rural Australia benefits from temporary and permanent migration.

Refugees

The Liberal party have pledged to stop the boatloads of illegal immigrants from arriving in Australia, promising to assess all refugees offshore in places such as Christmas Island. All asylum seekers will be given temporary visas.

The Labour Party are also considering processing all refugees offshore and have already capped the asylum seekers who arrive from Afghanistan. The Party promises to strengthen border security.

Population

The Liberal Party will extend the role of the Productivity Commission to advise on population and sustainability. The Commission promises to listen to the opinions of ordinary Australians through an independent inquiry. A population growth band target will be set.

Julia Gillard for the Labour Party has already spoken out against a ‘big Australia’ saying that Australia needs to be sustainable. To reflect this, the Population Minister Tony Burke has now become the Minister for Sustainable Population.

At the moment Labour are ahead in the polls but with a month of campaigning ahead of them, this could all change as both parties’ policies are scrutinised.

Australians go to the polls in August.

Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard has announced a date for the general election as predicted this weekend.

Australians will go to the polls on August 21^st, a mere 35 days away, which has had all the major parties scrambling to their election campaign organisers.

Ms Gillard visited the Governor-General this morning to discuss the plans before announcing the date during a press conference at Parliament House.

Ms Gillard has only been Prime Minister of Australia for three weeks but already her popularity has overtaken that of Opposition Leader Tony Abbott. Her fans say that her tough talking on population, immigration and the economy have been her strengths.

Ms Gillard earlier softened her approach to immigration by conceding that Australia did still need skilled immigration in order to keep the economy strong and encourage business growth. However she has been in talks with the government of East Timor about plans for a detention centre to hold the many illegal immigrants that try to enter Australia by boat.

Mr Abbott meanwhile has promised to stop illegal immigration – by boat at least. He also takes a tough stance on immigration policy, pledges to stop the new taxes and would place industrial relations at the top of the priority list.

Ms Gillard meanwhile is keen to move away from the Labour government under Kevin Rudd, saying: “We would go in to our second term with some lessons learnt.”

She also promised that there would be no ‘big Australia’ – Rudd’s controversial policy – but instead a sustainable Australia.

At the moment polls suggest that Labour are in the lead, with bookies making them the favourite to win so far.

Skilled workers are still favoured by Australian immigration.

Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard has conceded that a steady growth in immigration would benefit the country.

Whilst she is keen to stress that she has no intention of supporting the disastrous ‘big Australia’ idea touted by ex-Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, neither will she go down the route of the opposition and try to curb immigration too much.

Earlier this month we reported that many big Australian businesses were warning of serious skills shortages in Australia if the country did not develop an immigration plan that was flexible and easy to navigate. Chief Executive of the Australian Industry Group, Heather Ridout, said that the time that skills shortages would dampen economical growth and could even have serious consequences for the future development of business in Australia.

In fact immigration has been credited, in part, to the avoidance of a recession by Australia. Immigration produces demand – for housing and various other commodities, which in turn benefit the economy. Temporary and permanent migrants also fill skills shortages in industries such as mining, which is vital for trade relations with China.

And as Australia’s population reaches retirement age, new workers will be needed to take on the skilled roles that push Australia ever further into one of the world’s leading nations.

The admission by Australian leaders will come as a huge relief to many visa applicants who feared that the new Prime Minister would tighten an already strict immigration policy in Australia. If you want to know more about getting an Australian visa then look at our guide for living in Australia.

The magic of Melbourne is a draw for emigrating Brits.

Times are hard in the UK so is it any little wonder that British immigration to Australian shores remains as popular as ever?

Exchange brokers Currency UK recently surveyed 1,029 Britons and found, unsurprisingly, that three quarters of Britons would emigrate abroad, with Australia being named as the most popular place to emigrate to.

Reasons given for dreams of immigration in Australia include the uncertainty of a hung Parliament in the UK, the economy, the high unemployment rate and cuts in public sector jobs and the weather in the UK. Some of those thinking of emigrating to Australia simply wanted a change in their lives and a more laidback lifestyle.

The prospects are certainly sunnier in Australia. Down Under the economy is strong having weathered the global recession storm. Unemployment is low and there are still certain skill shortages in Australia where, if you have the right occupational skills, your chances of getting an Australian visa are high. Check to see if your occupation is on Australia’s Skilled Occupations List.

The Australians are a friendly bunch who spend a lot of time outdoors because of the beautiful weather. Children develop an affinity with nature and have the kind of traditional childhoods that they are sometimes denied back in the UK.

But Australia is not without its own problems. The Prime Minister Kevin Rudd recently resigned and was replaced by Australia’s first female Prime Minister, Julia Gillard. A date for the general election is expected anytime soon and top of the political agenda is Australia’s immigration policy.

But the grass is always greener and this time those Brits who take a gamble might just turn out to be right. So if you dream of emigrating to Australia and want to find out how to make that dream a reality, look at our living in Australia guide and join our friendly community to find out more!

Brisbane is a modern, cosmopolitan city.

With Australia still the top spot for emigrating Brits, it seems that one city in particular has taken their fancy – Brisbane.

The NatWest has just published their Quality of Life index which indicates that 1 in every 10 residents living in Brisbane, Australia is British.

Australia has always scored highly in the Mercer Quality of Living survey, having six cities listed in the top 50 of the world’s most liveable cities. Brisbane came in at a very respectable 36 whilst Sydney was in the top ten. So what is it about Brisbane that appeals to much to Brits?

Brisbane is well suited to an outdoor lifestyle with its tropical palm trees lining the wide streets and squares and stacks of greenery. Cosmopolitan bars and cafés are dotted alongside the Brisbane River and the city’s parklands are areas of calm and tranquillity.

It’s Australia’s third largest city and home to an estimated 2 million people, yet its laidback lifestyle make it feel as though you are permanently on holiday here. Plenty of sunshine also helps! The city is also in the heart of Australia’s playground – the famous Gold Coast region.

And if you want to live in Brisbane, property here is cheaper than in most other Australian cities, with the average price of a house at an estimated $445,000 (May 2010).

It’s easy to see why more Brits would want to emigrate to Brisbane. So if you fancy a laidback, Aussie lifestyle of barbies on the beach and cold beer in the fridge, then check out our living in Australia guide and who knows, maybe this time next year you’ll be able to claim your very own piece of Australia!

But don’t take our word for it, book a holiday in Australia now and see why everyone is talking about emigrating to Australia!

International students are turning away from Australia.

The US is now in a bid to woo the international students that Australia is turning away.

 Australia has seen its international student population plummet in recent years. The controversy over attacks on Indian students, a shake-up of the immigration policy meaning that many college courses were no longer on the Australian skills list, rumours of capping and ceasing visas and the near collapse of some private vocational colleges have turned students away from Australia.

Last week the Australian Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) spoke out to quell the rumours and reassure international students that they were still welcomed in Australia, but was it too little, too late?

The US now find themselves experiencing a wave of interest by international students, which could be just what it needs to boost its flagging economy. International students generate around $18 billion into the Australian economy – a figure not to be sniffed at. However it appears the DIAC have done just that. Applications for student visas are now on the decline in Australia, but on the rise in the US and Canada.

When students do apply to the DIAC for visas they find themselves faced with longer waiting times, uncertainty about immigration policy and a mistrust of the DIAC’s stance on capping and ceasing visas.

Top US universities meanwhile such as the University of California are now targeting the Asian student market, particularly in China. Chinese students alone made up $3.8 of the Australian economy last year. The International Education Association of Australia predict that 100,000 overseas students will be lost next year.

Universities are now in talks with the DIAC about the strict restrictions the DIAC have imposed upon opportunities for overseas students to study in Australia. Many want the restrictions eased. The Minister of the DIAC, Chris Evans, will meet Education Minister Simon Crean and education officials to discuss the threat of losing foreign students to the US and Canada.

But will their efforts be enough to lure back the students that the US and Canada are now tempting away?

Will Australian PM make announcement on election date?

Could Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard be preparing her office for an announcement on the general election this week?

Media speculation over a general election announcement have been heightened as Julia Gillard’s office apparently goes into campaign mode. A series of announcements made last week are also being seen as a sign of the government ‘clearing the decks’.

The Government House in Canberra is preparing for a visit by Julia Gillard next week and many think this will herald a start to the election campaign.

Critics of the tough immigration stand by Julia Gillard, have been told by Paul Howes, national secretary of the Australian Workers Union, that although the strict asylum policy plans were disappointing, critics of the plans should work on the government being re-elected rather than using the asylum debate to heap criticism on the government.

Mr Howe made his feelings known in his column for the Sunday Telegraph.

Many senior Labour politicians feel that the tough stance being taken on immigration and asylum seekers could help them to win an election. It is thought that it was Mr Rudd’s soft approach to the problem of increasing numbers of boat people that helped seal his fate. However in focusing purely on immigration, are not other main political issues being ignored? Such as Australia’s climate policy and the rising house prices that are attracting overseas investors and forcing first time buyers out of the market.

Yet a recent poll by Auspoll reveals that Julia Gillard has the approval of the Australian people – 45%, whilst a further 37% are yet to cast their judgement on their new Prime Minister.

Expect to hear a lot more of Julia Gillard if the party does begin its election campaign. The Australian people will then need to make up their minds and decide if Ms Gillard has done enough to restore their faith in the Labour Party.

First time buyers in Australia are now snapping up apartments.

First time buyers are being priced out of the Australian property market as prices continue to rise and show no sign of abating.

Melbourne is now leading a surge in affordable apartments for young people and first time buyers as traditional houses are now out of their price range. Sydney’s apartments are already rising in price as people desperate to get on the ladder snap up central city apartments.

Currently the average price for a house in Australia is around $544,000 whilst apartments are a good $155,000 cheaper. It is expected that the apartment trend being seen in Sydney and Melbourne will spread throughout Australia as experts warn that the housing market does not look like it will dive anytime soon.

Traditional houses in central locations are now the preserve of the rich, whilst houses in outer suburbs are following suit. Real estate agents are recommending that young people invest in apartments instead which will enable them to gain a foothold on the housing ladder for a much cheaper price.

Melbourne saw a 25% increase in apartment and studio sales during the second half of last year. An average city apartment is going for around $305,000. This is compared to Sydney centrally located apartments at $550,000, however for luxury apartments in sought after areas this can rise to $1.5 million.

Some analysts are predicting a housing crash in Australia, but others say that investment in Australia is still strong and with the demand for housing so high, a housing crash doesn’t look likely.