While Australia's skills shortage shows no signs of fading, WA Tourism Minister Kim Hames has come forward and started lobbying the federal government to relax visa rules for working holiday makers (backpackers) to help fill job vacancies in the hospitality and tourism industry.

Proposing that the 12 month Working Holiday Visa (WHV) be doubled to two years, and restrictions limiting backpackers to six months work per job be lifted, Dr Hames is working towards filling the 36,000 tourism vacancies across Australia and according to the Australian Tourism Export Council, this number may double by 2015.

More at WA Today:

Under current [WHV] rules, working holiday makers are able to extend their visas by 12 months if they spend 88 days in a regional industry - such as agriculture, mining, construction or fishing.

The council wants this rule extended to cover tourism and hospitality.

Dr Hames said he had written to Federal Immigration Minister Chris Bowen requesting the visa laws be relaxed in WA.

"Specifically the requirement for people who are backpackers to only be able to stay a year, and only to be able to do six months in a particular job," he said.

"We'd like to see both of those doubled, because they're the people that are out there, in our regions, taking on the jobs that other people don't want, particularly in our tourism and hospitality industry."

Australian Hotels Association chief executive Bradley Woods said many regional areas were finding it increasingly difficult to attract workers.

"The mining boom is doing very well, but it's also drawing staff out of hospitality, accommodation and other tourism businesses."

"We need people who have the capacity and experience to provide good customer services, good hospitality services, and understand the industry."

To read the article in full, click here.

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As Australia's resources boom continues to create thousands of new jobs, particularly in Western Australia, Queensland and the Northern Territory, migrants from Ireland and the United Kingdom are flocking to Australia to fill these vacancies, but not those from Greece, despite high unemployment.

As reported by the Sydney Morning Herald;

Rising unemployment in Europe has driven an influx of Irish and British skilled migrants to labour-strapped pockets of the Australian economy in recent months, government figures show.

But skilled migration from Greece, where unemployment topped 20 per cent in November, remains low as Australian recruiters target already strong labour streams from the British Isles.

The Perth offices of one of the largest global recruiters has noted a surge in Irish and British citizens on temporary visas seeking employer sponsorship.

The West Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry has forecast the boom state will need 500,000 extra workers by 2020. Based on recent trends, a shortfall of 150,000 WA workers has been predicted by 2017.

Hairdresser Brona Quinn, 22, from Northern Ireland, was one of 42,793 people from Britain and Ireland in the six months to December 31 who secured a one-year working holiday or ''417 visa'' to Australia.

She said deteriorating conditions at home had driven most of her contemporaries to leave.

''All the young people that I grew up with - they're all out here or they've been here or coming out here,'' Ms Quinn said.

Working holiday visas for UK citizens jumped more than 30 per cent from the same half-year period in 2010, according to Australian Department of Immigration and Citizenship figures. UK citizens on employer-sponsored working 457 visas also increased.

Skilled workers entering Australia from Ireland on 457 visas topped the trend with a jump of 68 per cent to 3095, up from 1840 during the corresponding period in 2010.

A Department of Immigration spokeswoman said that despite Greek unemployment topping 20 per cent in November, skilled immigration to Australia had remained low through the debt crisis.

The interest in Australian jobs from Greece is there, according to the Department of Immigration and Citizenship, but does not appear to be translating into skilled labour migration to Australia.

A spokesman for the Greek consulate in Sydney, Nick Economidis, said there was a growing tendency for Greek white-collar professionals to migrate to other European countries, rather than faraway places such as Australia.

To read more at the Sydney Morning Herald, click here.

Are you interested in migrating to Australia? Contact Australian Migration & Visa Lawyers to learn about which visa options are best suited to you and your family. Our Registered Migration agents specialise in all visa categories and offer friendly and professional migration advice and visa assistance to migrants from all over the world, wishing to move to Australia. To undertake our free online visa assessment, click here.

If you're a skilled worker in one of the below occupations, consider registering with AMVL International Recruitment. Registration is free and we connect overseas skilled workers seeking sponsored visas with Australian employers. Click here to register now.

Occupations that we are currently recruiting for;

• Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Mechanics
• Welders
• Building Associates
• Diesel Motor Mechanics
• Electricians
• Engineers
• Sales Representatives (Industrial Products)
• Panel Beaters
• Metal Fabricators
• Metal Machinists
• Quantity Surveyors
• Fitters
• Equipment Hire Managers

Sound like you? Register with AMVL International Recruitment today! For more information, email jobs@australianmigrations.com or click here.

Australian Migration & Visa Lawyers (AMVL) International Recruitment is visiting Ireland and the United Kingdom in early March to conduct their Recruitment and Migration Campaign, offering REAL jobs with REAL employers to skilled workers wishing to grow their careers and live in Australia. The team will also be discussing migration to Australia and the many options available to relocate to the "Land Down Under" both permanently and temporarily.

Drill Fitters, Heavy Duty Diesel Fitters and Heavy Duty Mechanics are needed urgently. As part of the campaign and in partnership with Boart Longyear, AMVL will be interviewing candidates for these roles during their visit. If you would like to be considered for a position and given the opportunity to be interviewed, email your CV/resume to jobs@australianmigrations.com immediately. CVs/resumes must be received by AMVL International Recruitment's Recruitment Specialist prior to the campaign.

If you are unable to meet with AMVL during the campaign but would still like to be considered for job vacancies available through AMVL International Recruitment clients, click here to register.

All job offers made through AMVL International Recruitment include an employer sponsored (subclass 457) visa for Australia, arranged through AMVL.

Important dates to note;

• EURES International Employment & Advice Fair (exhibiting): 1st & 2nd of March, 2012 (Dublin)
• Working Abroad Expo (exhibiting): 3rd & 4th of March, 2012 (Dublin)
• AMVL Australian Jobs & Migration Seminar: 5th of March, 2012 (Clane)
• Ireland Job Interviews: 7 - 9 March, 2012 (Clane)
• UK Job Interviews: 12 - 16 March, 2012 (Manchester)

Useful links;

• AMVL International Recruitment Campaign Page
• AMVL International Recruitment Registration Form
• Boart Longyear: Heavy Duty Diesel Fitters Vacancy Advertisment
• Boart Longyear: Heavy Duty Drill Fitters/Mechanics Vacancy Advertisment

Don't forget, to be considered for one of these excellent positions available through Boart Longyear, it is essential that you email your CV/resume to jobs@australianmigrations.com as soon as possible.

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