It will now be easier for skilled professionals to enter Australia. Picture: Pixabay
Durban - Are you looking to migrate in a search of greener pastures career-wise? The land down under might be perfect for you if you are qualified for teaching, health care, and more.
The Australian government has announced it would fast-track permanent visa applications for skilled workers.
Clare O'Neil, the minister of home affairs, recently said department resources would be diverted to prioritise visa applications for highly skilled workers overseas.
The Covid-19 pandemic shut off the pipeline for skilled migrants to Australia with borders closed for almost two years, creating a significant backlog in visa applications.
More than 600 000 temporary visa holders left Australia when the borders closed, causing staffing shortfalls in the health, construction and hospitality industries.
"We have got to get the system moving again," O'Neil told the Australian Financial Review (AFR).
"There's a really important conversation to be had about the size and composition of the migration programme."
There are 961 016 visa applicants currently awaiting a decision from the Department of Home Affairs.
Of those, 57 906 are skilled workers including teachers, health workers and aged-care staff whose applications will be prioritised.
Trade unions have welcomed the move to fast-track the applications, describing it as a "sensible move" to address staff shortages.
According to reports by data company Statista, in 2020, around 915 000 South Africans left the country. Of those, 247 000 settled in the UK and nearly 200 00 in Australia.
Together, the two nations were home to nearly 49% of all South Africans who were migrants abroad. Furthermore, with around 117 000 residents, the US was the third most popular destination for South Africans.
Overall, 94.4% of all South African migrants were represented by the 21 nations.
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*Additional reporting Xinhua