Australia bids to lure Scots with extra 5500 places

The Australian government has increased its immigration targets for skilled workers from the UK from 97,000 to 102,500 for the year to fill gaps in Australia's growing economy.

Australia is attempting to lure skilled Scots workers down under with significant changes to its immigration policy.

The Australian government has increased its immigration targets for skilled workers from the UK from 97,000 to 102,500 for the year to fill gaps in Australia's growing economy.

As of next month, changes will be made to the points-based immigration system to allow English-speakers to fill this gap. One way it will do this will be to award an extra five points to anyone passing an optional standardised English language test.

Previously, professional workers struggled to reach the 120 point threshold for a Skilled Visa leading to permanent residency because they were only awarded 20 points for their English language ability. In the Australian immigration system, a total of 120 points gets an applicant fast-tracked through the migration process, with points depending on age, language, occupation, skills and experience.

The extra points also now available will help professionals who previously struggled to meet the threshold because of their age.

Chris Cook, spokesman for the Australian Visa Bureau, said: "The Australian government realises it is lacking workers in many professions which it desperately needs to fill so the country is throwing its doors open to huge numbers of skilled and experienced British people."

He added: "The implications of these changes are vast. The Australian government is looking for more immigrants than ever before. The changes are directed at medical professions, IT workers and those in the trades, and making it easier for them to meet the minimum eligibility requirements."

However, Owen Small, of Overseas Emigration Visas, an Edinburgh-based company, warned the Australian government will continue to cherry-pick the best of the applications.

He said: "The government there is still very selective and you would be surprised at the number of people who are still rejected. The points system is about selecting the people they want. That's why the English speaking has gone up. They only want good English speakers now."

The workers who are now actively being sought by the Australian government include teachers, doctors, quantity surveyors, plumbers, nurses, carpenters, dentists and IT managers.

The country's Migration Occupations in Demand List, updated last week, now includes 38 managerial and professional jobs, 10 computing specialisations and 46 trades.

Over a year from July 2001 to 2002, the total number of UK-born people settling in Australia was 8749, but this figure nearly trebled to 23,290 for the year 2005 to 2006.

It comes as a steady outflow from Scotland in recent years has stoked fears of a brain drain with the potential to sap the country's economic and intellectual potential.

The Scottish Executive sought to increase the net migration to Scotland with schemes such as the Fresh Talent Initiative and by welcoming an influx of East Europeans which has also led to a population increase.

Professor Allan Findlay, an expert on migration and demographics at Dundee University, said Scotland should still try to persuade more Scots who have moved abroad to return home, as well as tapping the unused skills of people who have moved to Scotland from Eastern Europe.

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