Australia increases migrant intake

Sydney, May 1 (UNI) Austarlian Immigration Minister Amanda Vanstone today announced an increase in Canberra's migrant intake by a further 1,000 in the next financial year, following a rise in the demand for spouse visas.

The Minister announced that while Australia's 2006-07 intake of skilled migrants would remain at 97,500, the government would increase the intake of migrants for family reasons to 46,000, said Sydney Morning Herald.

Spouses, both those of younger Australians returning home after a period overseas and those of skilled migrants already working in Australia, would account for the entire increase, Senator Vanstone said.

''Cupid's arrow (is) out and flying around,'' the daily quoted her as saying.

''The increased demand for spouse visas is driven by two main factors -- the increasing global mobility of young Australians and the larger sponsorship base created by the increased skill migration intake.'' ''We've got a lot more people coming in, not all of whom come with partner and family, and of course they might want to partner up after they've arrived.'' The 1,000 extra spousal migrants will be in addition to an extra 3,000 spouse visas issued this financial year.

The government said its decision not to increase skilled migration levels followed an increase of 20,000 extra skilled places introduced for 2005-06.

Senator Vanstone said the impact of those extra places was still being determined.

''Consequently, it would be imprudent to have a further jump in the skill stream until we are sure of the impact of the additional 20,000 places,'' she said.

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