Senator Christopher Evans, the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, has announced a 14 per cent cut in the 2008-09 Australian permanent skilled migration program intake from 133 500 to 115 000 in response to the global recession and growing unemployment.
While this cut is significant, it should be remembered that the number have only been taken back to the levels that existed in 2004.
The government has also stated that it is now only processing general skills migration visa applications, and granting visas to permanent visa applicants that are State/Territory sponsored, nominated/sponsored by an employer or who have nominated occupations on the new critical skills list.
Further administrative changes saw the removal of building and manufacturing trades from …