Sunnier climes for engineers

With its warm climate and common language, Australia has long been a favourite destination for those emigrating from Britain. According to a recent report by the Australian government, the UK remains the largest provider of skilled migrants to the country, providing more than 23,000 workers in 2008 to 2009.

With its wealth of natural resources, plus factors such as military involvement abroad in war zones, including Afghanistan, the country is currently looking for engineering staff across several disciplines. On 1 January 2009, the minister for immigration and citizenship announced a range of changes to help target the country’s immigration policy to the needs of industry. This included the introduction of a critical skills list (CSL) of occupations.

The CSL contains details of named jobs that have been identified as being in critical demand in Australia. These include chemical, civil, electrical, mechanical, mining and aircraft maintenance engineers. Because the CSL occupations are in such urgent demand, applicants with skills and qualifications in these specialisations will now have their immigration applications processed as a priority, making it easier for them to gain long-term access to living and working in the country.