Oz visa system goes online

Applying for a visa to emigrate to another country is like living on a knife edge as that one piece of paper could determine where you spend the rest of your life - now, instead of sending off the application and hoping for the best, the new Australian online visa system makes it possible to check the status of your application and visa entitlements at any time...

Australia is an extremely popular destination for highly skilled young people wishing to start a new life in another country.

Australia is actively encouraging the immigration of skilled migrants and those wishing to work in Australia will be assessed on a points based system with points awarded for work experience, qualifications and language proficiency.

Don't despair if you can't fit into this category - other ways of obtaining immigration visas to Australia include the Australian Family Migration and Humanitarian Programs.

Net that visa

Once you have taken the plunge and decided to apply for that visa, check out the new Visa Entitlement Verification Online (VEVO) Service, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

You can even lodge the original application online and track it as it goes along.

This means no more waiting anxiously at home with no way of knowing the status of your all important application - you can just log on and find out what stage it is at.

Visa holders no longer need a visa label attached to their passport to travel to or work in Australia.

A Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) Spokesman said, "VEVO enables visa holders to view their visa details online.

"The system is also for employers, who can use it to ensure their workers have the entitlement to work in Australia.

"VEVO represents a huge step forward. Visa labels attached to passports provide limited information about visa status and conditions that apply to the visa.

"Now, visa holders can find out all about their visa status and visa conditions at the click of a button," the Spokesman added.

Since its recent launch, at least 50,000 people log on monthly to check out their visa details and far fewer people need to visit a DIAC office to get their visa evidenced.

The new online system is also good news for employers, who can now check out the entitlements of the visa holders who are seeking to work or study whilst in Australia. Already, more than 13,000 organisations are logging on to check for definite whether their employees are legally entitled to work. 

As there are large penalties for employing illegal workers, including Fines of up to £31,200 per worker, this new system will make the process far more transparent for employers, saving them time and potentially, a lot of money and hassle.

Picture by Marinela