Immigration Services for Individuals

For individuals, we can provide a full range of immigration services such as:

• Extending your stay with your current employer on a temporary visa
• Assistance with changing employers / sponsors on a temporary visa
• Skilled Independent Permanent Migration
• Employer Sponsored Permanent Migration
• Regional Migration Categories
• Australian Citizenship
• Family migration streams

For an initial, confidential assessment of your situation, please contact: Katerina Tordon on +61 2 8353 9032 or migration@wave.com.au

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Wavelength Migration Services News Bulletin – 1st Edition

Welcome to the first edition of the Wavelength Migration Services News Bulletin. We have identified a need for genuinely helpful and current information regarding the migration process. We hope you find some of the following information and tips useful in shaping your own migration strategy. You could also win a Lonely Planet Guide to Australia in the Wavelength Migration Services Quiz.

In this issue…
You will find updates on:

• Skilled Independent Migration
• Employer Sponsored Migration
• National Registration Pathways for International Medical Graduates (IMGs)
• Competent Authority Model Pathway
• Standard Pathway
• Specialist & Specialist in Training Pathways

At Wavelength International our Migration Agents always stay up to date with developments in the area of Australian Immigration and Health Professional Registration. If you have any further queries, ideas for our next bulletin, or wish to talk to us about our Migration Services and how we might assist you, please contact us directly on migration@wave.com.au

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• Current processing times: standard processing times are currently estimated to be in the range of 12-15 months, however it is our experience at Wavelength that effective representation can have a significant impact on reducing processing time.
• Online visa form change: on 9 August 2008 the online application changed to include additional questions on Health and Character. Anyone lodging their application prior to this date will be required to complete additional documentation and it is suggested that this be done as soon as is possible, as incomplete applications can take significantly longer to be finalised.
• Increased intake of skilled migrants: on 13 May 2008, the Federal Government announced that an additional 31 000 skilled migration places would be made available in the 2008-09 Migration Program. As a result, in July an additional Processing Centre was opened in Brisbane, which will operate alongside Adelaide Skilled Processing Centre in processing applications.

Employer Sponsored Migration

Current processing times: current standard processing times for employer sponsored skilled migration are in the range of 4-6 months, however it is our experience with all applications that with effective representation, processing time can be reduced.

National Assessment and Registration Pathways Updates

Competent Authority Model for IMGs

• The Competent Authority Model (CAM) is up and running with some inevitable teething issues but we remain hopeful this will become more streamlined in time.

Standard Pathway for IMGs

• Standard Pathway (Workplace Assessment) which proposed to offer an alternative to the Australian Medical Council (AMC) clinical examinations is still under development by the AMC leaving some hospitals and doctors in limbo for non CAM eligible persons.  
• There have been a number of misconceptions regarding this pathway, no doubt due to the lack of information released in relation to it. At this point in time only the Standard Pathway (Examination) is available therefore there is not a choice as to whether a doctor undertakes the Clinical Examination or work-based training.To clarify the position, it is emphasised that completion of both the Clinical Examination and work-based training are required, although in some circumstances the work-based training can be waived. The Clinical Examination is mandatory for all doctors wishing to obtain the AMC Certificate via the Standard Pathway.

1.    Have their credentials verified; and
2.    Sit the AMC Multiple Choice Question (MCQ) Exam; and
3.    Sit the Clinical Exam; and
4.    Undergo 12 months accredited work-based training with an approved provider in Australia.
 
Doctors who have already completed 12 months or more of accredited work-based training in Australia may apply for waiver of step (4).

It is noted that doctors who are not eligible for the CAM Pathway of the Specialist Pathway and who wish to work in Australia only temporarily and who do not wish to gain the AMC Certificate, do not need to sit the Clinical Examination. They will gain entry to conditional registration via the completion of the MCQ Examination alone.

Specialist Pathway

• The Specialist Pathway appears to be “untouched” at this point in time and is still operating as prior to 1st of July and the Specialist in Training is up and running in a few jurisdictions.

Win a Lonely Planet Guide to Australia in the Wavelength Migration Services Quiz…
Be the first to email the correct answers to the questions below and win a Lonely Planet Guide to Australia. Email your answers with the word COMPETITION in the subject line to migration@wave.com.au

Question 1:
What may have significant impact on reducing processing times for permanent applications?

Question 2:
Name the 3 National Assessment pathways available to overseas trained doctors.

Question 3:
Where are the two Skilled Processing Centres located responsible for Skilled Migration visa applications?

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Take advantage of our free migration consultation…
Let Wavelength take the stress out of the registration & immigration process. No matter what level of assistance you require, Wavelength can offer you a convenient and affordable service tailored to your specific needs.

For a free 20 minute confidential consultation about your specific needs please contact the Regulatory and Migration Team at:

Australia    1300 780 525
E- mail      migration@wave.com.au

MARN 9903288