The Hindu Business Line : Getting Down Under

AUSTRALIA is a major immigration country, with approximately a quarter of its 20 million people born abroad. Their countries of origin are diverse. They include, among others, the UK, China, Italy, Greece, India, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Malaysia and South Africa.

Australia needs manpower to fill current and ongoing skill shortages. In the past few years, more than half the migrants granted permanent residency visas were skilled persons. The latest survey shows that 90 per cent of the skilled migrants get a job in 4-6 months; and 95 per cent of them land a decent job 18-20 months.

If you have received tertiary education or specific training in an industry in your own country and speak fluent English, you may qualify for one of following visas:

Skilled independent: It is for applicants without family sponsorship and who pass the minimum requirements set by Australia's Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs (DIMIA), which include the points test.

Skilled sponsored: For applicants with a family sponsor (who is also an Australian citizen) who satisfy the minimum requirements set by DIMIA and also the points test.

Skilled designated area sponsored: This is if you have a family sponsor living in a particular region of Australia. For this also, DIMIA's requirements must be met.

Migrate Down Under

You need to be sure about why you want to migrate. Is it for job opportunities, the money in dollar terms, savings potential, better quality of life, the education system?

Before even applying for migration ask yourself the following questions:

Is it appropriate to migrate, given the age constraints and the hassle of starting over?

Do I qualify for migration, if so, under what category?

Where do I get my qualification assessed?

What is my spouse's educational qualification?

How much time should I give for the migration process? (Three months for qualification assessments and another 6-9 months for visa processing.)

What are the job opportunities?

Do I have the resources to meet the migration costs?

One of the best ways to begin the migration process is to visit the official Web site (www.immi.gov.au) of DIMIA. There is plenty of information here and the site is updated on a constant basis.

At present, though there is demand for chartered accounts in Australia, jobs are difficult to come by due to various reasons.

Basic requirements

Skill assessment, a prerequisite: Generally, chartered accountants get their qualification assessed from either Certified Public Accountants of Australia or the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Australia. These institutes advise the applicant to complete income-tax law, company law and accounting theory in order to pursue further education in Australia.

Process: The deciding factor is age. Though the upper limit is 45, the ideal age to migrate would be 35-38.This is because, you would have had 6-10 years of work experience, of which, at least three year at a senior managerial level — this will entail 60 points in the points test criteria.

English language: Your level of English should be good. Though IELTS (International English Language Testing System) test is a benchmark, higher proficiency in spoken English is desirable.

Points Test:

It is one of the important parameters. However, the case office, the visa officer or the officer in charge of your application can, apart from the mandatory conditions, set out additional ones for your visa.

If you cannot meet these additional requirements, the visa officer has the right to keep the application in abeyance for two years.

Evidence of skill: A good testimonial is a must. A chartered accountant who aspires to migrate should get a testimonial or work certificate right from the Articles period. If during the article-ship you had done meritorious work that was recognised by the partner, make sure to get a letter of appreciation for the same. Certificates from present and past employers are also important.

Do not give false certificates. Keep your employer informed, as there will be cross- verification of employment.

Health: Health check-up should be done at designated hospitals only. The reports are sent directly to the health clearance unit in Sydney. You will have no access to the results.

Health check should be taken seriously. Even if one applicant in the family fails the test, visas for the entire family will be rejected.

Police clearance: It is better to get police clearance report as and when the case officer advises. The certificate is valid for 12 months only.

A few tips

Skill assessment: If you are keen on doing CPA or CA in Australia, then it is essential you complete the following three subjects before leaving India, namely, income-tax, company law and accounting theory. The estimated cost of studying in Australia is around A$1500, plus cost of books.

You may get in touch with IDP consultants in Chennai and other metros. This is useful as you will be landing in Australia with a locally recognised qualification. This can be completed in a year's time.

IELTS useful: Complete the IELTS exam and send in the results along with the application/visa papers. Though this can be waived by the case officer in certain circumstances — for those working for multinational banks, organisations and so on — it is better to complete the test to avoid processing delays.

Attestation of transcripts and mark-sheets: Couple of years back, mark-sheets and transcripts were attested by universities and forwarded to the case officer. But now the mark-sheets and transcripts can be submitted along with the application form. The visa-processing centre does the investigation on the genuineness of the certificate through private detective agencies.

Migration cost: There are a number of migration agents in the business, but not all of them are qualified in law. It would be better to go through a law firm that handles migration cases. In any case, a few checks would be essential, which are as follows:

* Check whether they are a registered with DIMIA;

* Talk to them before committing and coming into an agreement;

* Insist that they guide you in the process;

* Make sure that they explain the pitfalls and likely delays;

* Do not pay the entire service fees in one stroke. Work out a payment schedule after completing each milestone.

* Get the reference of candidates who went through them.

* Also note that a migration agent cannot assure you of any job.

The average fee if you hire a consultant in Australia is $3,000-3,500. The fees exclude migration fee, which is payable to DIMIA, and other incidental charges such medical tests and courier charges. In case you like to have a copy of the papers submitted, the agents charge 25 cents per page (the number of pages could be about 100-150).

The statutory and other costs connected with the migration process could be close to A$3000. (In case you plan to hire a consultant the cost could go up by another A$3000.)

Once you land in Australia, the government expects you to be self-sufficient for two years before dole is rolled out. To be on the safe side, you should have resource back-up for at least six months, that is, assuming you get a job in six months' time.