Seeking greener pasture? Go Down Under, firm says

CEBUANOS eyeing to live permanently abroad might want to consider Australia as their second home.

The country’s stable economy, good weather, the presence of top universities and mixed-culture are what make Australia an attractive destination for immigrants, said Diane Muego, director of marketing and and operations at PhilOz Visa Consultancy Inc.

This is on top of the employment opportunities one gets Down Under, which has an estimated population of more than 25 million.

Seeking greener pastures remains the top reason Filipinos migrate to Australia. Muego noted that some applicants cited the lack of jobs and low take-home pay in the Philippines as reasons that pushed them to work and live abroad.

In 2018, some 832,560 permanent and long-term migrants decided to call Australia home, up by 7.1 percent compared with 2017. The vast majority of new arrivals settled in Sydney and Melbourne.

Muego, whose company has headquarters in Australia, said Filipinos can choose several pathways to become a permanent resident in Australia such as becoming a student or becoming a skilled immigrant.

Processing time for a student pathway usually takes up to two months. But once a student visa is issued, a Filipino can work while studying. In the long run, they can also bring their spouse or family members there.

Meanwhile, at least three years of work experience is needed to successfully become a skilled immigrant in Australia. Muego said they are in need of nurses, engineers, accountants and other high-skilled professions. Processing for this pathway takes at least eight months.

To facilitate plans to migrate in Australia, Muego said they opened a branch in Cebu in December last year to bring their services closer to communities.

Muego emphasized the need for would-be immigrants to go through legitimate visa consultancy firms to help them secure their visas.

The lack of understanding about the eligibility criteria, and incomplete or insufficient documents are some of the common pitfalls Filipinos encounter when they apply on their own.

“We are encouraging them to go through legitimate visa consultancy firms so they could save money, effort and time,” said Muego. PhilOz, she added, is also backed by seasoned solicitors and immigration agents who have more than 20 years’ experience in visa processing.

Muego said they plan to open more offices in the Visayas and Mindanao in the near-term.

Other services offered by the company include processing of tourist visa, spousal visa, business visa, child visa or family visa. (KOC)

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