Released on = October 24, 2006, 5:06 am

Press Release Author = John Bell

Industry = Government

Press Release Summary = The country is currently suffering from a serious labour
shortage, which is threatening its economic growth.

Press Release Body = Australia is looking for thousands of Britons to fill a
shortage of tradesmen down under - find out more about the campaign.

The country is currently suffering from a serious labour shortage, which is
threatening its economic growth.

Some 20,000 people are required to fill vacancies, with doctors, nurses, mechanics,
chefs, bakers, welders, carpenters and hairdressers among the professions in most
demand.

Thousands of people from the UK went to Australia during a similar drive last year.

The Australian government\'s Migration Programme 2005-06, enabled businesses to
identify and attract much needed skills with greater success.

The immigration target last year was set an upper limit of 143,000 and 142,930 visas
were issued under the programme.

The Australian government believes that these people will make a valuable
contribution to the economy and that by placing skilled migrants where they meet
community needs generates flow-on employment for all Australians.

This can lead to long-term benefits for the regions, with more than 75 per cent of
people coming to Australia on the Migration Programme going on to gain full
citizenship.

Immigration facts
For the past three financial years, the United Kingdom has been the major source
country for migrants.

The number of settlers arriving in Australia between July 2004 and June 2005
totalled 123,424.
They came from nearly 200 countries. Most were born in the United Kingdom (14.8%),
New Zealand (14.1%), China (9%), India (7.6%) and Sudan (4.6%).

- GMTV - 3 August, 2006

Web Site = http://www.nationalvisas.com.au

Contact Details = National Visas
Web site: http://www.nationalvisas.com.au
E-mail: webmaster@nationalvisas.com.au
Address: 3 - 118 Church Street
Hawthorn, Victoria
Australia 3122
Phone: +61 (0) 3 9697 4922
Fax: +61 (0) 3 9815 1544