Australia is now near to having full reciprocal visa arrangements with citizens of the most recently elected members of the European Union (EU) after announcing improved electronic visa services.

Andrew Metcalfe, secretary of the Department of Immigration and Citizenship, said that the majority of tourist visa applicants from Bulgaria, Poland and Romania could have their visas processed on-line in minutes.

The ETA (Electronic Travel Authority) visa has been available to citizens of eligible countries throughout the world for a number of years and, by extending this facility to all tourists from EU nations, it will bring Australia nearer to a reciprocal arrangement with the EU where tourists can visit on a short-term business. Currently an ETA visitor visa lasts for up to a year and allows visitors to enter Australia for up to 3 months in any one visit.

To further enhance security and immigration risk screening, October will see the introduction of a new on-line service to help streamline the processing of  visas for both tourists and those visiting Australia on short-term business. This will involve advances in the technology currently being used and also help eliminate the necessity of completing application forms.

In making entry into Australia simpler for a further million visitors from the EU each year not only enhances cultural links but helps grow tourism to Australia and makes business relationships that much easier with Australia’s biggest partner in trade.

The introduction in October of the e-visitor service adds to the progress already having been made in this new era of close co-operation between Australia and the European Union.

Electronic visa services are available on-line at Instant Travel Visa.

Visas to Australia have been increased by 300,000 in Australia’s labour party budget for 2008-09 in a bid to reduce the shortage of labour in Australia.

This increase in Australian visas was revealed by Federal Treasurer Wayne Swan and is the biggest yearly increase ever of permanent and temporary visas in Australia’s migration programme.

The increase in Australian visas allows for an extra 31,000 skilled migrant visas, and more than 150,000 other permanent migrant visas to Australia such as family and spouse visas, plus 100,000 new temporary work visas. It is a move expected to help address the shortage of skilled workers in Australia. In addition, training and education initiatives have been introduced to help this skills shortage.

The immigration minister for Australia, Senator Chris Evans, said that in his view Australia was not only facing a skills shortage but also a labour shortage. He went on to explain that the labour shortage was being experienced in every industry and not just in the fields needing skilled and professional workers. Industries such as truck drivers, store managers and lower class jobs in mining are examples of where the shortages are being experienced.

For those thinking about moving to Australia, there has never been a better time or more opportunities than there is today.

The best way to find out about whether a move to Australia is for you, why not get an online travel visa to Australia and go see what it’s all about.

For more information go to www.immi.gov.au

Social historians and people interested in the family ancestry will now be able to access information about millions of British people who emigrated from the UK to Australia in the late 19th and early 20th century, in search of a new life.

Ancestry.co.uk has amassed details of 8.9 million free settlers or legal immigrant workers to Australia, which includes approximately 2.2 million Britains.

Early Australia settlers are often thought of as the convict population, whereas many immigrants travelled to, and settled in Australia of their own free will. They often endured long arduous ship journeys and suffered hardships when they arrived. Nevertheless they settled, and populated the Australian continent building a modern country with a strong sense of identity.

The Australian population increased above one hundred times from 1826 to 1922 mostly due to immigration and a fast rising economy.

Visitors who have stayed longer in the country than their Australian visa allows, or people who have had their Australian visa cancelled because they are in breach of the conditions, have no rights to stay in Australia and must leave.

They may be held by the Australian authorities and deported, as soon as arrangements can be made.

In some instances, people who have overstayed their visa can gain a temporary Australian visa, allowing them to make travel arrangement to leave Australia or apply for another type of visa.

Overstayers can be given temporary lawful status through the grant of a bridging visa.

This allows them to make arrangements for their departure from Australia, or to seek a further visa, if eligible.

Visitors to Australia who stay longer than 28 days after their visa expires, will not be allowed to gain a further temporary Australian visa for a period the three years. This condition enforcement will apply, whether or not the overstayer leaves of his own free will or not.

Any debts incurred by the Commonwealth of Australia, taking account of costs incurred for deportation and detention of the overstayer, would also have to be repaid before any further visa be granted.