Australian Immigration Melting Pot

The Hon. Chris Bowen, Minister for Immigration and Citizenship talks about pending changes to Australia's Skilled Migration Program at a recent ILAA CPD Law Conference.

These looming changes to be introduced on July 1, 2012 include a new online service connecting employers with potential skilled migrants while streamlining the route to permanent residency for workers already employed on temporary skilled 457 visas.

DIAC press release on seminars outlining SkillSelect:

DIAC officers will visit Launceston, Burnie, St Helens and Hobart to conduct a seminar on these pending changes.  They will also be available for brief individual appointments with employers and employees to answer their questions about skilled migration.

“Our officers will be available to provide a range of information on temporary or permanent employer-sponsored visa options and the concessions available for regional applicants,” the spokesman said.

The department’s regional visits program enables employers in communities outside capital cities to attend information sessions and to sit and talk directly with an immigration officer about specific issues they may face.

The department has arranged seminars on skilled migration visa options on the following dates.

Launceston
The Tramsheds, 4 Invermay Rd Inveresk – May 14, 11.30am-1pm

Burnie
Room D201, UTAS Cradle Coast Campus, 16-20 Mooreville Rd Burnie – May 15, 9-10.30am

St Helens
Tidal Waters Resort, 1 Quail St, St Helens – May 16, 10-11.30am

Hobart
Department of Immigration and Citizenship, Conference Room, Level 14/188 Collins St, Hobart – May 17, 10-11.30am

People wanting to attend one of the seminars should email outreach officer Stella Cook at outreach.tas@immi.gov.au , indicating preferences.

Those not attending but seeking more information about SkillSelect and the skilled migration program should email outreach.tas@immi.gov.au

Paul Power, CEO of the Refugee Council of Australia and Anne O'Donoghue, MD and Principal Attorney of Immigration Solutions Lawyers spoke exclusively to ISL News on Australia's polarized asylum seeker debate, home detention and political parties unable and/or unwilling to find real and lasting solutions.

United Nations refugee chief Antonio Guterres told a Sydney audience at Lowry Institute recently that Australia's obsession with asylum seekers arriving by boat was ''out of proportion'' and urged the debate be conducted in a "less polarizing manner".

According to UNHCR, even the world's most desperate people appear turned off by the idea of seeking asylum in Australia.  Last year the number of asylum seekers soared 20-percent to more than 440,000 worldwide; while the number arriving in Australia fell by 9-percent to 11,500.

A UNHCR official says this puts to rest the misconceptions that Australia is being swamped by asylum seekers and shows, the numbers are modest and manageable when compared to other industrialized nations.

Opposition immigration spokesperson Scott Morrison disagrees claiming Australia had the biggest number of boat arrivals on record over the summer.

As the Refugee Council for Australia points out, countries receiving the largest number of claims are the United States, Germany, France. Italy and Sweden... with Australia way down on the list at just 2-percent.

 

Kruno Kukoc - First Assist. Sec. Migration and Visa Policy Div. addressing the 2012 CPD Immigration Law Conference - Friday March 9, 2012, hosted by the Immigration Lawyers Association of Australasia (ILAA).  Below is a detailed and authorized transcript of pending reforms to Australia's Migration Progam.  These changes go into effect from July:

_____________________________________________________________________________ 

It is a great pleasure to have the opportunity to speak with you this morning.  I would like to thank the Immigration Lawyers’ Association of Australasia, particularly Maria Jockel, for the invitation to speak today. I would also like to acknowledge the traditional owners of the land.

I am sure that many of you will note with interest the reforms to the permanent Employer Sponsored category announced by the Minister in his address this morning. This announcement caps off almost 12 months of work within my division to examine the program settings of this category.  

The aim of this work was to ensure that the Employer Sponsored category aligns with the government’s priorities of addressing skill shortages within critical occupations, while ensuring that migrant labour complements, and is not a substitute for Australian workers.  

In line with the government’s social inclusion agenda, we sought to ensure that temporary migrants, who have come to Australia to fill critical roles, have a pathway to permanent residence.  Such an approach provides eligible 457 visa holders, with an ongoing role in the workforce and greater certainty for themselves and their immediate families. I am confident that the reforms agreed to by the government, and announced by the Minister today, will achieve these aims. They will position the employer sponsored programs to make a greater contribution to Australian economy and productivity in particular.

There will be a plenary session immediately following morning tea which will discuss the practical implications of these reforms. Some of my team members, Peter Speldewinde, Michelle Pearce and Elizabeth Carter, will be on the panel for the plenary.   

To avoid incurring their wrath by covering their topics, I thought that I would take a different tact. I would like to use this opportunity to outline some of the issues we face in administering the temporary and permanent programs. I will also update you on other reform measures being implemented by the department.

The importance of a responsive migration program

As the Minister mentioned in his address, migration policies can have profound effects on Australia’s prosperity and economic and social outcomes.   

This is evident when you look at Australia’s experience over the past 15 years.  During this period, Australia has had increasing migrant intakes, and a growing number of long-term temporary residents with work rights.

Over the same period, you will also note that we have had consistently low levels of unemployment.  We have also had above-trend growth in living standards across the entire income distribution. Certainly, on historical experience, migration must be making a positive economic contribution to Australia.

The correlation between these two observations is not incidental.  Migration has a direct effect on the three key factors which can impact economic growth – population, participation and productivity.

Firstly, migrants add to the population.  Given that the migrants are, on average younger than the Australian born population, they lower the average age of our workforce.  This has a positive effect in lowering the age-dependency ratio.   

Secondly, migrants entering through our skill stream categories, particularly through employer sponsored categories, have participation rates higher than the Australian average.

Thirdly, skilled migrants alleviate skill shortages in critical occupations and industries.  This contributes to improved productivity outcomes and effectively addresses bottlenecks across the economy.

Well managed migration, therefore, greatly enhances Australia’s economic prosperity over the long-term.  But just as the economy changes over time, so must our migration policy settings.  Particularly with new industries emerging and others in decline. For example, 15 years ago, our resources sector was much smaller than it is today.  Its skilled labour demands were primarily met by the domestic labour force. 

Today, however, with employment within the resources sector growing at around 10 per cent each year, its skilled labour needs are far in excess of that which can be met by the Australian workforce.  This trend precipitated the need for the creation of Enterprise Migration Agreements, which streamline the recruitment of offshore workers into this strategically important industry.

Our skilled migration settings therefore need to be dynamic and responsive to the needs of our economy. They need to be underpinned by a solid understanding of the current economic climate. They need to accommodate projected future trends.

From my regular interaction with stakeholders of the migration program it comes across clearly that regular reviews can create some degree of uncertainty. Indeed, our democratic system, and our free market economy are arguably underpinned by the concept of legal certainty. So I agree that certainty in migration law is a good thing. But ‘certainty’ should not be confused with ‘familiarity’, and the dynamic nature of migration law will always mean that there will be a need for migration advice professionals to undertake continuing professional development (CPD).  It is also why one of the highest priorities of my Division is engagement and communication with our stakeholders.  In this regard you will note that speakers from the Department have a strong presence on the agenda for this conference.

Meeting Australia’s unique skill needs through a flexible program

A key theme of my speech is that that Australia’s migration program needs to be responsive to the changing needs of the economy.  We have been through a series of landmark reforms to help achieve this.  Beginning with the 457 reforms of 2009, to the implementation of the Skilled Occupation List in 2010, to the new points test in 2011 and now to the introduction of SkillSelect in mid-2012. 

With this reform agenda in mind, I would like to briefly discuss the need for our migration settings to be flexible and responsive to the needs of the labour market at each stage of the business cycle.

At present, global uncertainties continue to dominate our economic outlook. The World Bank downgraded longer term world growth forecasts earlier this year.   However, much of Australia’s economy continues to grow at an above trend rate. Our economy is located in one of the fastest growing regions of the world. It remains resilient despite the on-going challenges in Europe and North America.

It is also fair to say that Australia’s labour market is diverse, both in the geographical context and in a skill distribution context. Our multi-speed economy means that while skill shortages continue to plague many industries, particularly in regional Australia, other parts of the economy have been experiencing negative or stagnant employment growth. This is due to the pressure of a high Australian dollar, growing overseas competition and the structural changes occurring in our economy. As can be seen from this chart, employment growth has not been evenly spread across all industries. While DEEWR expects positive growth in most industries, there is still much discrepancy in the rates of growth and supply of domestic labour to these industries.   

Having a flexible, demand driven program is crucial if we hope to harness migration to supplement the domestic labour force to meet our labour needs.

This flexibility is the hallmark of our employer sponsored programs.  

These programs have been very responsive in meeting employer needs.  This is especially the case in industries and regions experiencing strong growth and critical skill shortages.

To illustrate this point, it is worth looking at the distribution of 457 workers in the growth construction and mining industries.  As can be seen from this table, some 8 per cent of all 457 workers are employed in mining, 13 per cent are employed in construction, and 14 per cent areworking in health care and social assistance industries.

As can be seen, the demand-driven nature of the Employer sponsored programs means that they are very efficient in supporting industries with critical skill needs.

Just as importantly, migrants are filling positions in locations where they are needed.  As can be seen from this graphic which illustrates the distribution of 457 applicants, a large number fill positions in regional  areas of Australia, with especially high representation in the resource and mineral rich regions of Western Australia, the Northern Territory and Queensland.

These demand driven visas essentially let the market determine the number of migrants and skill sets entering Australia.  However, the department is still responsible for maintaining the integrity of these programs.

We also need to ensure that processing times enable employers to source labour within an appropriate time frame. Likewise, the department has a role in ensuring that our programs do not compromise
conditions for Australian workers.  The payment of market rates for 457 applicants, and now Employer Sponsored applicants, is a prerequisite for sponsoring these workers.   Program integrity is absolutely essential to the success of our programs. This is not just because of the reasons that I have outlined above, but also because public confidence in the integrity of the migration program is essential.  

Program Integrity

Indeed most of the reforms in recent years have had, at their heart, a focus on restoring integrity.  Major reforms in 2009 to the 457 temporary skilled worker program struck a balance between streamlined processes for reliable sponsors, protecting the rights of overseas workers and not undermining employment and training opportunities for Australians.  Overseas workers cannot be used as a source of cheap labour, or to undercut Australian employment conditions.

The department has also made significant improvements in the time taken to process 457 visas. In fact, the median time to process a ‘decision ready’ subclass 457 application has almost halved in the last five years and is now around 19 days.

Likewise, the reforms to the General Skilled Migration (GSM) program in 2010 were largely driven by a need to strengthen our integrity measures.  Unlike the 457 reforms of 2009, the concern was not about migrants being exploited, but rather about our skill migration stream not delivering the type of skilled migrants our economy needed.

As most of you would be aware, the period preceding reforms to GSM was characterised by a spike in th number of international students coming to Australia. This growth was sudden and unusual. It was partly driven by incentives provided within our migration settings rather than the benefits of study in Australia.

Specifically, the generous concessionary points afforded for onshore study under the Points Test, and the expansion of the Skilled Occupation List to include ‘easy to obtain’ courses, provided an easy pathway to permanent residence.

These policy settings led to a situation where many international students were coming to Australia, and basing their course of study, with a view only of achieving an immigration outcome.

Eventually the number of international students in Australia with expectations of a permanent residence outcome completely overwhelmed the capacity of our capped annual permanent migration program. 

The integrity to our skilled migration program was restored by breaking the automatic nexus between study and permanent residence.  With non-educational pull factors removed, the number of non-genuine students fell.

None of this detracts from the fact that under our new student visa and skilled migration arrangements there may be a possible (and wholly positive) immigration outcome following genuine study. But such an outcome is certainly not guaranteed and will be driven by genuine labour market needs. Therefore the principal reason for entry on a student visa has to be for study.

Recent reforms under the Knight Review, such as the introduction of a Genuine Temporary Entrant criterion, reinforce these important integrity measures.

It is important that as a department, we stay on top of our programs.  For this reason we continually review our programs and their outcomes.

LTMPF and other Divisional work

I can’t say that further reviews will not be necessary in the future. I will say, however, that I think that we have our program settings just about right for the foreseeable future.   Our skilled migration program is more responsive to the needs of employers than ever.  It also provides a framework which fundamentally protects migrant workers and Australian jobs.

Our migration policy settings provide levers to control the size and composition of our migration intake, and be responsive to business needs.

In recent years, the department has invested heavily in improving its analysis of current programs and the economy.  Indeed, the outcomes of the recent review are, to a large extent, a result of this work.  

My division is currently preparing the first ever Long Term Migration Planning Framework (LTMPF) which is planned for publication later this year. The LTMPF will enable the government to take a more strategic, long term view of our permanent and temporary migration policies and settings. The development of a LTMPF will enable us to better map the linkages between our programs and the economy.

A big part of the LTMPF is the Net Overseas Migration (NOM) forecasting, which we have been publishing now on our website for about a year. Another big part is future labour demand modelling, which is not yet published, but which will appear in the LTMPF when it is publicly released.  

Our current NOM forecasts show that NOM has stabilised below 200,000 in recent years. The ABS preliminary NOM estimate for June 2011 is 170,300 and our forecast for NOM at June 2012 is for 186,700. This is well below the 315,700 experienced in June 2008.  You will recall this was at the time that ourpopulation debate began to emerge.  The current NOM estimates and forecasts are within the ideal range for GDP per capita growth and for addressing our long term demographic challenges.  

On top of this work, the department continues to work towards a simplified and deregulated visa framework.  The department aims to reduce the number of temporary work visa subclasses by 50 per cent this year.  This is followed by an overall reduction of 50 per cent across all visa subclasses by 2015.  My division is also close to finalising the review of the Business Skills visa program.  This review addresses number of integrity concerns in the caseload, which have arisen under current policy settings. 

Recent analysis by the department has shown that this program is not introducing the intended high value innovation.  We expect to see the outcome of this review in the coming months Out of these reviews, across all of our programs, there is a clear message - in order to maintain the integrity of our migration processes, the rules and procedures cannot be static.

Conclusion

Historically, Australia has experienced high growth and economic stability even in times of global economic downturn. It is important, however, that when setting our Migration Program and developing our policies we are aware of external influences on our economy. 

We need to provide opportunities to our domestic workforce above all else.  We need a migration program that complements, rather than competes with, Australians and the skills that we already possess.

We need to be conscious of current needs and future trends. Our programs, both temporary and permanent, must remain flexible in order to do this. Outcomes show that demand driven programs do work. And while we face new challenges, the more we let the market select our migrants, while maintaining integrity, the more we can provide Australia with the best migration program possible.

On Friday March 9, 2012 The Hon. Chris Bowen MP delivered the keynote address at the 6th annual CPD Immigraton Law Conference - ILAA (Immigration Lawyers Association of Australasia).  His address focused on changes to the skilled migration program and the employee sponsored Visa program plus the Government's anticipated outcomes.

Below is an authorized transcript of the minister's speech:

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I had the honour of addressing last year's Immigration Lawyers Association of Australasia conference.

A lot has happened since then and it's good to be back to give you an update on progress over the last year in relation to our reform of skilled migration.

The last few years have been a period of significant reform when it comes to skilled migration.

We've embarked on a series of reforms to make sure Australia's two-speed economy gets maximum advantage from what is a very significant program.

Skilled migration reforms

Back in 2009, under the stewardship of my predecessor, Chris Evans, we reformed our temporary skilled worker (457) program to make this program more responsive to the business cycle, better protect vulnerable workers and complement local training and employment opportunities.

Because the 457 visa program is our principal and most effective response to skill shortages, last year the Government spent $10 million opening up a new dedicated processing centre in Brisbane, designed to halve the median processing time for complete 457 visa applications.

I am pleased to say that, according to our latest figures, the median processing time for all applications this year has been reduced by 53 per cent on the average processing time when we came to office. It is now 19 calendar days.

Of course, as a median figure, this means that many complete applications will be processed faster than that — and, in fact, of the applications lodged in January this year, the majority were decided within ten working days.

So the 457 visa program is now more efficient and more responsive to changes in the labour market than at any time in its history.

You can play a big role in reducing these processing times further. Every time the department needs to ask for more information in order to assess an application, it results in delays in processing. With resources projects coming on line rapidly, delays mean dollars. So you can help to speed up processing by working with our officers and by using e-lodgement so that we can give Australian businesses the best possible processing times.

Last year, I also announced the introduction of the sponsorship accreditation scheme. The scheme recognises that many 457 sponsors have a long record of compliance with immigration law and should receive streamlined processing to speed up positive outcomes for employers and industry.
While the accreditation scheme is still in its infancy, to date a number of employers — including hospitals and scientific research bodies — have been granted accredited status. I am sure that many more important Australian businesses will take up this opportunity in the coming months and I welcome this development.

Another important reform we introduced — back in 2010 — was the new, more targeted Skilled Occupations List for Independent Migration. The new, shortened List is focused on high-value occupations for the economy over the long term and is underpinned by Skills Australia's independent analysis.

Then, last year, we introduced a new points test to better select independent migrants who are best equipped to find a place in the labour market through all stages of the economic cycle. The points test focuses on factors such as strong English language proficiency, on-the-job work experience and higher levels of education.

And this year we are introducing Skill Select. Skill Select gives the government the tools to prioritise and rank intending migrants in their order of relative merit. It also allows us to tweak the spread of occupations in any given program year — preventing the situation of recent years where the bulk of the program is dominated by only a handful of occupations.

Skill Select will also connect Australian employers, and state and territory governments, with potential job candidates. Applicants will benefit from online lodgement of Expressions of Interest and can be more confident of a positive outcome when they pay their application fees. All in all, Skill Select provides a more efficient and better-administered program, benefits that will bring productivity improvements for the labour market.

Employer Sponsored Visa reforms: a simplified, stronger program

This brings me to our latest reforms to strengthen and simplify the Permanent Employer Sponsored Program.

The defining characteristic of employer sponsored migration is the use of market-based employer processes to select potential migrants. That is, employers throughout Australia can sponsor foreign workers for permanent residence to fill genuine job vacancies in their businesses.

Because of this, these visas are highly responsive to labour market demands. They are good for Australia — in that they are our best performing permanent visa category in terms of employment and economic outcomes. For example, 96 per cent of Employer Nominated Scheme (ENS) migrants work full-time and their median income is $77 000 per annum.

Given this strong performance, we've put a lot of emphasis on growing this program — transforming it into the Government's main skilled migration program.

It was therefore prudent to take a good look at the program to ensure that it is well placed to meet both our labour market and integrity objectives. In undertaking this review, my department found that, while the employer sponsored program performs very well, there is still room to improve in three key areas:

• simplifying the program and reducing administrative costs
• better aligning the program with our broader economic; and
• limiting the vulnerability of visa holders; and
• reducing the potential for employers to manipulate the program to access cheap, less skilled labour

Today, therefore, I am pleased to announce reforms to improve the operation and effectiveness of the permanent Employer Sponsored visa categories: the Employer Nominated Scheme and the Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (RSMS).

Our reforms will address all three areas for improvement. They also deliver on the Government's commitments to visa simplification and to creating a more efficient pathway to permanent residence for 457 visa holders.

These changes will effectively conclude the comprehensive review of the Skilled Migration program, which has modernised our system of skilled migrant selection.

As I say, it has been a period of significant reform in skilled migration. This reform has been necessary but I also recognise that change is disconcerting and people — both prospective immigrants and employers — need to see these reforms implemented and allowed to work. Once this round of reforms is implemented, I see us then embarking on a considerable period of consolidation.

Most importantly, the reforms will ensure that our Skilled Migration Program remains geared towards delivering significant benefits to the economy through greater productivity and migrant employment outcomes.

What are we doing?

What we'll be doing is cutting the red tape for all applicants and streamlining the visa for those people who've already been through the rigorous 457 visa process and have a proven work record in Australia. That's about 78 per cent of the entire program or around 15 000 places.

For the remainder of the program — that is, those people seeking direct entry — we're putting in place improved checks and balances.

We have retained the core strengths of the program while implementing a suite of changes. I'd like to touch on the key elements of the package that will commence on 1 July 2012.

Around half the people who take up a job opportunity on a 457 visa end up staying and becoming permanent residents. Most of these stay with the same employer doing the same job. Our reforms will better align the program with our broader economic objectives and streamline the pathway to permanent residence for these workers. We know they can do the job and are ready to make a commitment to Australia.

In practical terms, this means that the visa applicants skills will not be assessed a second time. Nor will we re-test English skills if they've been tested for their 457 visa.
Of course, businesses will still need to comply with their sponsorship obligations and applications will still be considered on their merits.

For those who apply directly for permanent residence and are mostly untested in the Australian labour market, we need to ensure that they can do the job in Australia.

Improved checks and balances will position us to select the best and brightest for the limited number of available visas — those people best equipped to succeed in the labour market and participate in Australian society. It will also mean that these migrants are less vulnerable to exploitation.

In particular, applicants seeking direct entry will be subject to an English requirement of IELTS 6, and an assessment of their qualifications and professional work experience. To reduce the complexity of the system, the current six visa classes for the permanent employer sponsored program will be reduced to two new visas: an ENS and a RSMS visa. This includes eliminating the onshore and offshore legal requirements, removing administrative barriers and simplifying visa rules.

In addition, a single, consolidated 'sponsored' occupation list will be introduced to replace three current occupation lists for the Employer Nomination Scheme, subclass 457 and the State and Territory Sponsored General Skilled Migration visas. This consolidated list will make it a lot simpler and clearer for employers and prospective permanent migrants to navigate migration rules.

This approach will be further strengthened with the removal of the subjective 'exceptional circumstance' provisions from RSMS.

In fact, last program year, almost 36 per cent of occupations nominated for RSMS claimed 'exceptional circumstances'. These included skilled trade occupations — such as plumbers and mechanics – and non-trade skilled occupations, such as hotel managers and law clerks. Any system which requires over a third of applicants to prove they face 'exceptional circumstances' is in need of reform.

It makes sense to have a more generous 'standard' program for RSMS will be available, including a broader range of eligible occupations and skills. The new rules will be simpler, clearer and more objective, thus saving time and expense for migrants, employers and my department.

At the same time, the program will be brought into line with the core premise of the Skilled Migration program — to focus on just that, skilled migration. The single, consolidated occupation list for ENS will concentrate on truly skilled occupations, as will RSMS, while semi-skilled occupations can be negotiated through a new Labour Agreements stream within ENS or RSMS.

Of course, I recognise that there are areas of the country that are crying out for semi-skilled workers. That's why I recently announced the Regional Migration Agreement program to cater for these needs. I have also taken steps to reduce the time it takes to approve a Labour Agreement, making the program a more viable option for employers.

Overall, the changes that I have announced today will strengthen the Permanent Employer Sponsored Program by attracting those people best-suited to meet Australia's and employers' unique labour force needs and make a contribution to Australia. This will provide for a more streamlined, flexible and simplified visa approval process.

I note that a plenary session on the reforms to the Skill stream, including the changes to the Permanent Employer Sponsored Program, will be conducted by departmental officers later this morning. They will provide a more detailed and technical summary of these changes to the Permanent Employer Sponsored Program. If you have any specific questions on the detail of the changes, I'm sure they'll be happy to answer them.

Conclusion

I have talked a fair bit today about the economic imperatives of our skilled migration program.

However, as you all know, immigration policies also have, at their core, a human dimension — and changes to them have real impacts on real people. It is therefore essential that changes to migration policy settings are made with an understanding of their effects on all facets of our economy and society, and recognition of their real world impacts on our clients and stakeholders. I like to think that our changes are made with this consideration firmly in mind.

Of course, there will always be scope for improvement, as the dynamic nature of our economy dictates that the Migration Program — and the skilled visa categories in particular — have an inherent need to evolve over time to ensure proper calibration of our migration program for current conditions. This does not mean an overhaul to respond to every bump in the economic road but, rather, a strong and durable framework, within which appropriate tweaks can be made.

Indeed, this is why the Government is implementing a Long Term Migration Planning Framework which provides for a more strategic and longer term approach to our immigration policy and settings.

In recent years we have undertaken an ambitious, wide-ranging and effective reform of our skilled migration policy and program settings. This has delivered a more targeted, demand-driven skilled migration program that is better placed to meet our short and medium to long term economic needs, while ensuring that our first priority of jobs for Australians is not compromised.

The employer sponsored migration reform that I have announced today adds to this important body of work. I trust it will provide greater certainty for your clients and better outcomes for Australia's economy and society.

Thank you.

The Hon. Chris Bowen MP

 

 

 

Twelve years ago at the Millennium Summit in New York City, the UN Millennium Declaration was ratified by 190-nations and adopted by the United Nations General Assembly. The idea was to help the world’s poorest countries achieve a better standard of living by the year 2015.  The framework was outlined in the Millennium Chapter Goals (MDGs)

One of the tenets was to reduce child mortality rates in third world countries.  The vote was unanimous, but despite these promises, just days ago in war torn Kabul at least 22-Afghani children froze to death in tent camps dotted across the outskirts of the city.  These infants and toddlers were between the tender ages of 30-days to 18-months. How could this be? 

Refugee camp death rates among Afghani children is so shockingly high, it is estimated that one out of every seven children will die before they ever reach 6-years of age.

In Kabul alone there are now 35-thousand displaced Afghanis seeking refuge from the Taliban and tribal warlords. 

Data provided by the Afghanistan NGO Security Office calculated that in the year 2010 there were around 12,000 attacks by armed opposition groups.  That’s roughly 33-assaults every single day of that year.

For many, enough is enough. With the help of people smugglers Afghani asylum seekers are fleeing and heading south in a desperate bid for safety and a better life.  Their destination – Australia reputed to be a prosperous country with porous borders.

To stem the influx, a trilateral agreement was inked between Australia, Afghanistan and United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.  Basically the agreement is two fold, firstly it supports the Afghani Government in stemming the tide of people leaving their homeland and secondly it allows Australia the right to deport Afghanis not considered genuine refugees. 

In 2007 Iraqis took second place for the largest population seeking asylum in foreign countries. The exodus started after the bombing of the revered al-Askari shrine in Samarra back in February 2006.  The attack occurred early morning when a half a dozen men dressed in battle fatigues stormed the shrine.  Four-guards sleeping in a backroom were ambushed and cuffed, then a bomb was placed in the dome and detonated.  Retaliatory violence spread across the country and sparked reprisal attacks on Sunnis. 

In the meantime Shiites fled from the country’s centre and moved south; Sunnis escaped the south and moved to the upper centre.  Christians fled to Ninevah Province and the Kurded ended up in Tami/Kirkuk Provinces.

At current estimates there are now approximately 2-million displaced Iraqis living outside the country in roughly 98-countries around the world, but not everyone is welcomed.  According to Dindar Najman Doski, Minister of Displacement and Migration, the number of Iraqis under threat of deportation in Europe alone, is exceptionally high.

In an interview with a Middle Eastern news service, the minister expressed great concern for some Iraqi families who have been separated under what he termed “inhumane conditions”.  Doski cited a few cases in the EU where the husband was deported but the wife and children could remain.

A memorandum of understanding signed between the Iraqi Government and the EU is being blamed for the loophole. 

Thirty years prior, Sudan was host to a major influx of refugees from neighboring states, then after war broke out in the south it took the dubious title of being the lead country in forced migration.  This unprecedented problem created the world’s largest crisis of human displacement.

Beginning in southern Sudan, the second civil war started in 1983.  During this time roughly 2-million Sudanese perished from famine, disease and unrelenting war.  The United States Committee for Refugees calculated that the fight to control southern and central Sudan killed about 1 in 5-south Sudanes, while displacing a staggering 5-million.  The 22-year conflict ended with the signing of a peace treaty in January 2005.

In an emotional ceremony held in the former capital city of Juba, tens of thousand of South Sudanese watched the raising of their new flag.

A day later on July 10, 2011 Israel recognized South Sudan as an independent state. The new country reciprocated, citing a desire for international peace. It was the first time Israel had diplomatic ties with Sudan.

To date there are about 7,000 South Sudanese living in Israel, part of a much larger influx of around 50,000 African asylum seekers and migrant workers.

Since their independence, Israel’s Interior Minister has been asking its South Sudanese populous to return to their homeland.  To sweeten the pie the Israeli government is offering $1,300 and a free plane ticket home.  However after March 31, all bets are off and those caught avoiding self-repatriation will be deported. 

The move has caused much debate among Israelis.  Some fear immigrants compromise the state’s Jewish character while other believe Israel has a moral obligation to protect people escaping persecution.

Sudan has now ordered all South Sudanese to register or leave by April 9.   This means up to 500,000 could begin the long trek home.  UNHCR Representative of South Sudan Mireille Girard says the agency is expecting around 100,000 will need emergency assistance.

The area where people are expected to congregate is already inundated with refugees fleeing the fighting in Southern Sudan’s Kodofan and Blue Nile States.  Since last June, about 130,000 had taken refuge in Renk.

Displaced Roma children in Europe don’t have it much better and usually spend their days panhandling or picking pockets.  As they grow many graduate to a life of crime and prostitution.  These kids have little choices and are usually controlled and exploited by adult gangs who live off their proceeds.

Interior Minister Claude Gueant claims 10-percent of crime in France is committed by Roma children living illegally in the country.

Roma families are constantly deported back to Romania, Bulgaria and Hungry, but many, return months later claiming a lack of job prospects makes survival almost impossible.

On a balmy weekend in Naples, Italy back in July 2008, two Roma girls drowned while taking a dip in treacherous waters.  They were 14 and 16 years of age. 

It was a shocking tragedy, but what happened next was beyond the pale.  As the bodies lay uncovered on the sand, people continued sunbathing just meters away.  For 3-long hours beachgoers ignored the bodies and went about their business unperturbed.  Finally in a moment of sanctity a passerby placed a couple of sodden towels over the girls.

According to an Italian press report, “that hardened indifference was shocking proof that many Italians no longer had human feeling for the Roma”.

In June of 2008 the Berlusconi Government wanted all Roma children fingerprinted.  The Home Minister Roberto Maroni defended the government’s position retorting, “this is not ethnic cataloguing, this is the ultimate safe guard of their rights.” 

“We will take the children’s fingerprints in order to stop those occasions when parents send their children out to beg.”

Italy blames immigrants and particularly Roma gypsies for the country’s escalating crime wave.

While Eritrea was officially blamed for starting its infamous 2-year war with Ethiopia back in 1998, Prime Mister Meles Zenawi is believed to have done little to prevent the escalation of what many described as a pointless conflict that left at least 70,000 dead on both side.

On January 26 of this year Norway signed a memorandum of understanding with Ethiopia enabling hundreds of paperless immigrants the right of return to their country.  Ethiopians living in Norway opposed the deal saying they feared persecution if they were forced to return. 

Many also accuse Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Meles Zenawi of carrying out random executions, torturing dissidents and jailing political opponents. Last year over 200 were arrested.

Most recently Meles government reportedly used an anti-terror law to jail hundreds of journalist including two Swedes whom officials insisted were messengers from a terrorist organization.   They have now been sentenced to 11-years in prison.  Meles hinted at clemency if the two admit guilt.

Like Israel, Norway is offering relocation money in a bid to get them back to Ethiopia.  However after March 15 there will be little choice and those remaining in the country could face possible deportation.

These paperless Ethiopian immigrants point out Meles brutal past and remind Norway that he has ruled their country with an iron fist for 17-years. So, where does this leave these Norway's Ethiopians?

Currently Greece hosts over 1-million illegal residence and most apparently enter through Turkey.  As the country slides into political and economic chaos, undocumented immigrants are being blamed for many of Greece’s current woes. Officials warn illegal immigration is costing billions in healthcare, loss of revenue and crime.

Tired of being reprimanded by the EU for soft borders Greece decided it was time to build a 9.5km long, 3.96m high, razor wire wall.   Authorities hope the $2.5 million fence will cut down on the estimated 245-undocumented migrants entering Europe through Greece on a daily basis.  Critics of course say it’s a waste of money.

Greece is not alone in its endeavors to keep out undocumented migrants.  In the US a 91-meter wall is being erected right out into the ocean to fence off Mexico from North America.  The wall, treated with an anti-corrosion coating will be completed in March 2012 and is expect to last for at least 30-years.

Immigration and environmentalists claim it’s a costly exercise that will do little to keep undocumented immigrants out.  Border-officials disagree saying the fence will be tide resilient, longer, higher and tougher to scale.

The idea is to stop would be illegal migrants from reaching Imperial Beach California from Mexico’s Tijuana Beach.  Michael Hance, field operation supervisor with the border patrol in San Diego says there’s a real need.

“The south side of the border is densely populated and in the past many people found an easy way into the US through these beaches.  We need physical infrastructure as well as border agents in the area.”

It’s hard to know how many undocumented immigrants live and work in the US.  A Pew Hispanic Center (PHC) report estimates the number is at roughly 11.2 million with about 8-million working illegally. That’s whopping 5-percent of America’s workforce.

Ireland and the UK have agreed to information sharing in a bid to crackdown on illegal immigration. The hope is to have joint entry standards and enhanced electronic border systems.

A pilot scheme to check 1,700 Irish visa applications lodged in Nigeria against UK records found more than 200 had either been deported from or refused entry to the UK.

Meanwhile Syrian asylum seekers are pouring out of the country.  Neighbors Lebanon, Turkey and Jordan have already registered around 20,000, but authorities in the 3-countries say there could be many more who simply haven’t registered.

Cold weather in the north has slowed the flow into Turkey.  Border officials say 50 to 60-asylum seekers were crossing daily, but the number has dropped to about 15 to 20.

Israel is also preparing for a flood of Syrian Alawite asylum seekers.  They’re expected to flow into the Golan Height after President Bashar al-Assad’s government falls. A senior Israeli official says it’s likely the Assad family and members of his Alawite minority sect will seek refuge in the Golan Heights as well. 

His Holiness the Dalai Lama is probably the most famous “displaced person” of all. He fled Tibet in 1959 during the Tibetan uprising then later set up the Government of Tibet in Exile.

There are now 160,000 Tibetans exiles living in India and some say their very presence could end up sparking a fight to resolve a long standing Sino-India border dispute with China.  The Chinese press is now claiming Arunachal Pradesh as its territory and have started referred to the area as South Tibet. Political experts warn this could eventually spark a limited conflict.

According to Russian migration officials in 2011, some 220,000 stateless foreigners entered Russia illegally.  Figures show 76,000 left voluntarily and 29,000 were deported.  In the same year almost 10-million entered Russia legally, many from CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States) countries.

Russia is now contemplating tougher penalties for immigration violations.  There is also discussion of increasing jail time from 5 to 10-years for people smugglers.  Russian language proficiency will also be a prerequisite for migrant workers entering the country.

In an effort to control illegal immigration advanced countries have been tightening borders and attempting to limit their migrant intakes to skilled workers only.  However aging populations, smaller families and an addiction to education, all contribute to growing labour shortages in many industries.  Eventually these needs could force many advanced countries to crack their doors a little wider.