The Australian Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) changed the order of priority for Skilled Migration visas last week. The changes came into effect on the 23^rd September and apply to new visas applications and visa applications currently awaiting a decision, including applications in the final stage of processing. Occupations which are not included on the Critical Skills List (CSL), will now not be given priority processing unless applicants are sponsored by an employer under either the Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS) or the Regional Skilled Migration Scheme (RSMS).

Priority processing is an order of priority for considering and finalising visa applications, selected by the Minister of Immigration and Citizenship. The priority order decision is based on the current needs of the Australian economy.

Under the new regulations, if an applicant’s occupation is not on the CSL, the DIAC website states that they will have to wait until 2012 for their applications to be finalised. Applicants who had already lodged their application before the changes and whose occupation is not on the CSL can expect to wait until 2011.

The decision to apply the changes to visas currently being processed but not yet finalised has caused great disappointment with many people who were at the final stages of their applications but are now at the bottom of the list, including those at the stage of providing health and character clearances.

John Mason’s National Sales Manager, David Ozard, has a few tips when deciding what to take with you when moving overseas:  

There is always a debate on what is worth shipping or not. This normally rages within the family prior to a removal surveyor arriving but sometimes it happens during the survey, which can be quite amusing at times on our part. I have been in houses where the parents (not the children) end up having a “heated discussion” about what is going to the point where I have thought about jumping into the nearest telephone box, donning my referee’s outfit (including whistle) and dishing yellow and red cards like confetti.

So to try and help you I will try and give you some ideas that will hopefully help you decide what to take when moving overseas. Please remember these are only my opinions and these vary from surveyor to surveyor. In the end it is your decision that counts because it is your money that is being spent, not mine.

Where to start? Well in my opinion you should be seriously looking at any thing small but relatively expensive to replace. If you consider that a carton of glass, china and crockery (the carton size is approx 18 x 18 x 20 inches) is likely to cost somewhere in the region of £20.00 to ship as part of a larger consignment, then just think of what you can fit into it. Then work out how much it would cost to replace the items if they didn’t go. Add in to the equation “if I wasn’t going would I replace them or not?” along with “is it rubbish or not?” and see what answers you come up with. Most people have a cull on these things but will take anything half decent. The same theory can be applied to nearly everything in the house including furniture and electrical goods.

With regards to the furniture, a little more science can be used to see if the item is worth shipping. How do you judge what an item costs to ship? To determine the size of an item you need to measure all 3 dimensions in inches (yes I am that old!), multiply these dimensions together and then divide the result by 1728. This will give you the cubic capacity of the item. The cost of shipping an item varies with different companies. It is usually works on a sliding scale and destination but if you work on approximately £4.50 per cu ft that should cover it. Then apply the “is it worth it” equation.

Once you have got over that hurdle then the “can it go” test needs to be applied. Australia and New Zealand have very strict regulations on what can and cannot be imported into their countries. Most surveyors will have a good working knowledge of what the restrictions are but will not necessarily know everything. If they don’t, ask them to check on your behalf and revert back to you. These countries wish to protect their environment and don’t want our bugs etc. arriving in your consignment. So anything that is associated with soil, earth or dirt (garden equipment, shoes, outdoor toys, bikes etc.) should be thoroughly cleaned and preferably disinfected. I would normally advise that garden tools should have their blades painted wherever possible because this seals them and shows that they are clean.

Items made of plant material may cause concern at the destination. Things made of whicker, cane, bamboo, sea grass and the like may be subject to a thorough examination which may result in extra charges for the time taken, fumigation charges and / or disposal charges. Items of wooden furniture should be ok but may be inspected for evidence of past or present woodborer activity. Unfortunately, I feel that there is no exact rule on this and sometimes is down to the judgment of the MAF inspector on the day of inspection. I may be wrong but over the years I have become very conservative in my views.

Customs regulations vary from country to country. More often that not any new goods are only allowed in to that country if you pay duties and taxes on them. The time limit for ownership varies and you should ask your mover for advice.

If you decide to buy something new to take with you and you are happy to pay your debt to society in your new country then there is an upside. You do not need to pay UK VAT on these items if you can follow these rules: you are not allowed to take possession of the item, so it has to be delivered to or collected by your mover (remember to factor in any delivery/collection charges). All the retailer needs for their records is a certificate of shipment from the mover to say that it has been exported. The retailer should then be able to reimburse you the UK VAT. One note of caution is that some retailers will not offer this service (it isn’t obligatory) so please check with them before you make the purchase.

As I said at the beginning these are only my opinions. If you have any doubts, I would recommend strongly that you  please contact the relevant authorities such as Australian or New Zealand Customs or The Ministry of Agriculture.

A report from the Electoral Commission, an independent body set up to regulate and set standards for elections, has found that less than 13,000 of the 5.5 million British expats living abroad have registered to vote for the next general election. Due to the fact that an election can be called at short notice, expats should register as soon as possible to avoid losing their right to vote. Expats can arrange for a proxy to vote for them or can vote by post.

In response to this report, the Electoral Commission has launched a campaign to encourage British expats living overseas to vote. The Overseas Voters campaign involves online advertising, PR, and the distribution of posters and leaflets in UK consulates and embassies. 

Jenny Watson, Chair of the Electoral Commission, said: ‘British citizens living abroad come from a wide variety of backgrounds, but we know that most maintain strong links with the UK. It is easier than ever before for British citizens abroad to keep in touch with friends, family and colleagues back home and many will also want to have their say in elections’.

More information can be found on the website: www.aboutmyvote.co.uk/overseas.

The Australian Citizenship Test has been updated to include a test on Civic Rights rather than general knowledge of Australia.

Civic Rights or Civics is the study of the role of the citizen i.e. duties of citizenship. Questions will be based on the Australian Citizenship Pledge, associated citizen commitments and domestic laws.

A new resource book for the test, entitled ‘Australian Citizenship: Our Common Bond’ is available for people preparing for the test, replacing the previous resource book, ‘Becoming an Australian Citizen’.  Senator Chris Evans, Minister for Immigration and Citizenship stated: ‘the new citizenship resource book and test will ensure all migrants have a better understanding of their responsibilities and privileges and the best possible opportunity to become Australian citizens’.   

The changes are some of the recommendations taken from a review undertaken last year by the Citizenship Test Review Committee. The changes will come into effect on the 19^th October 2009.

The new European Union VAT package, to be introduced on the 1^st January 2010, will affect all international businesses, including international removals companies. The VAT package will affect all businesses which supply or receive services cross border. It will also affect any company trading with a company in an EU country.  

Apart from the fact that accounting systems will need to be modified, the new legislation involves additional requirements for reporting and filing. Another key change is that VAT will now occur at the place of consumption. The system for reclaiming VAT will also change.

The new VAT package will be a challenge for international removals companies as all business transactions will need to be reviewed in order to ensure compliance with the new legislation. Each business will need a thorough understanding of the VAT package in order to prepare a strategy. Companies may also need to invest in training to help employees cope with any new or adapted procedures.

During an IQ2 (Intelligence Squared) debate in Sydney, author Tom Keneally aired his views on immigration, putting forward the argument that immigration enriches Australia. The debate titled, ‘Our Current Immigration Rate is Too High’, centred on the environmental impact of immigration.  Keneally was one of the three main speakers, arguing in favour of immigration. During his speech, he put forward that immigration allows Australia to become a wealthier and cleverer nation. He also drew attention to the humanitarian and moral case for migration.

IQ2 debates (Intelligence Squared) are held regularly at Sydney’s City Recital Hall and provide an opportunity for public debate. Members of the general public are invited to be part of the audience and participate in the discussion. The debates are also available to watch online.

The Australian author also expressed his views in an article in the Sydney Morning Herald entitled ‘Our door should always be open’, where he stated that with less immigration, Australia would be ‘less wealthy, less clever, less imaginative and less of a successful polity’.

The Department of Citizenship and Immigration Canada have announced that they are increasing investment in the Home Literacy Programme, the Home Instruction for Parents of Pre-School Youngsters (HIPPY).  The department is investing C$3.5 million in the scheme. The HIPPY is a programme which helps children from families who have emigrated to Canada to improve their literacy and also to help them feel more integrated into Canadian life.  

Jason Kenney, Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism said: ‘For the past 10 years, HIPPY has been helping families overcome isolation and participate in society. With these additional investments, HIPPY will be able to expand its reach to more Canadian cities to help newcomer families improve their language and literacy skills, maximizing their contribution to our society’.

HIPPY is an international organisation which was originally developed in Israel but has since been replicated in many countries around the world. The HIPPY program encourages parents to teach their children at home before starting school. It works through a combination of activity packs sent out to parents, home visits and regular group meetings. Parents are encouraged to spend 15 minutes a day doing activities with their children such as puzzles and word games.

The main objectives of HIPPY Canada include making sure that children start school well prepared to begin their education and to strengthen communities.

A new report has found that Australians do not consider people who have migrated to live and work in Australia as ‘Un-Australian’.  The report, entitled ‘Perceptions of Multiculturalism and Security in Victoria’, suggests a cultural harmony and acceptance which is good news for people planning to relocate to Australia.

Mr Laurie Ferguson, Parliamentary Secretary for Multicultural Affairs and Settlement Services stated: ‘The research shows that Australians define ‘Australianness’ by behavior rather than through ethnic origins. Australian behavior is defined as obeying the law, respecting others, integrating within communities and developing a working knowledge of English. The vast majority of participants believe that multiculturalism enhances Australia economically, socially and culturally’.

The report was carried out by Monash University in the Australian state of Victoria and involved surveying 120 people. The results will be used by the Australian Government to develop cultural policies in Australia.

MAF (Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry) Biosecurity New Zealand have released details on the revised Import Health Standard for all incoming sea containers, from all countries. The new regulations will come into force on the 1^st October apart from a few exceptions which will be implemented by March 2010.

One of the amendments to the standard is that the timeframe for processing high risk containers (i.e. high regulatory interest containers) has changed from eight hours to 48 hours after discharge. The change is due to the fact that officials at MAF Biosecurity did not feel that eight hours was a practical target.

Some other changes to the Import Health Standard for Sea Containers (SEACO) include:

-          Uncleared transhipped containers between ports must be reported

-          High risk containers are to be processed at the first port of discharge

-          Information is to be received 12 hours in advance of container arrival,  if this does not occur, the container will be classified as high risk

-          MAF Biosecurity must be notified of container movements between importer / agent and transport operators

The new requirements are accompanied by a guidance document which provides further detailed information on the new standard.

The NatWest International Personal Banking (NatWest IPB) Quality of Life report, in partnership with the Centre for Future Studies, has revealed that 93% of British expatriate parents believe that their children have benefited from moving overseas.

Some advantages for children living abroad highlighted by the study include making children more self-reliant and independent and also associated benefits of being exposed to different cultures at a young age. Other benefits include learning to speak another language and having friends and classmates from different cultures.

Almost 70% of parents who took part in the study stated that they believe their children are getting a better education than if they had stayed in the UK. New Zealand was rated as having the best education system in the survey, Canada was second in the ranking and Spain is in last place.

The report also stated that 55% of the 2000 British Expats interviewed lived in non-English speaking countries.