It’s been a roller coaster of a year, but if you’ve been waiting on the chance to move to Australia for work or study, the time may at last be close. There’s much talk of a reopening of the borders on 15 December (finally!). Or if Canada’s your destination of choice, there’s good news for you too: your chances of residency are set to increase next year.
Here’s what’s been happening.
IELTS News
Due to high demand a new test date has been arranged for December 25th in some test centres. You can see if you can book a test in your area here.
International employment news
Australian Government likely to reopen borders to skilled migrants in December
Around 200,000 temporary visa holders, including skilled workers and students, should again be allowed to enter Australia from 15 December as the government ends its ‘fortress Australia’ policy with a relaxation of border controls.
The change was postponed from an initial date of 1 December and remains subject to fast-changing medical advice. Travellers from overseas will need to be fully vaccinated, and will still need to undergo quarantine on arrival, the rules of which may vary by state.
Canada will welcome more skilled migrants from 2022
The Canadian government, already one of the Anglophone world’s most accommodating for skilled, English speaking migrants, has added another 10,000 places to its permanent residency programme for next year. The move takes the total number of available places to 411,000, and comes amidst growing demand for skilled migrant labour in Canada to fuel economic growth.
London remains top choice for UK-bound migrants
The UK capital is still where most migrants moving to the UK want to live and work, yet the city has seen a higher fall in migration during the pandemic than anywhere else in the country, according to a new study published this month.
Commentators point out that employers in London are typically more likely to hire an overseas worker than those elsewhere, perhaps because they have more experience with visa formalities or are less deterred by the additional costs.
International study news
International students may be able to re-enter Australia in December
Like skilled migrant workers, international students enrolled in Australian universities will, all being well, be able to cross the border from 15 December. While the date isn’t set in stone, depending on Covid-19 infections and hospital capacity, the government has expressed optimism about a relative return to normality this month.
Some UK universities to provide financial support for quarantined arrivals from red list countries
At least seven universities will now help international students flying into the UK from countries on the covid-19 red list, which currently includes Nigeria and 10 countries in southern Africa, to meet the costs of hotel quarantine when they arrive (currently £2,285 for a single traveller). At the time of writing, the universities offering full or partial reimbursement of the costs are the University of Manchester, the University of Bath, the University of Exeter, University of Gloucestershire, Loughborough University, the University of Nottingham, and Swansea University.