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COVID-19 Border Exemptions For Skilled Workers Being Introduced In Australia – Emphasis on Healthcare, Construction and Software Professionals.

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COVID-19 Border Exemptions For Skilled Workers Being Introduced In Australia - Emphasis on Healthcare, Construction and Software Professionals.

Healthcare, Construction and Software Professionals wanting work in Australia will be given exemptions to bypass tough border restrictions as part of a new Skilled Migration Plan to offset slowing population growth, create jobs and help the economy recover from the COVID-19 Coronavirus Pandemic recession.

Significant opportunities are available after the federal government has given a swathe of Healthcare, Construction and Technology Professionals top priority status for migration due to a local skills shortage.

Most of the 17 jobs on the new list of workers that businesses will be able to sponsor from overseas relate to the Healthcare Industry, including Registered Nurses, General Practitioners, Psychiatrists and Midwives, but Chief Executives, Construction Managers, Mechanical and Software Engineers also make the list.

Minister for Population, Cities and Urban Infrastructure Alan Tudge, who is also acting Immigration Minister, said the list was an immediate priority for Australia’s recovery.

“If a person fits that category they will get an exemption to come through the borders,” Mr Tudge said.

 

Jobs on Australia’s priority list are:

  • General practitioner
  • Resident medical officer
  • Psychiatrist
  • Medical practitioners not elsewhere classified
  • Registered nurses – aged care, critical care and emergency, medical, mental health, midwife, peri-operative and not elsewhere classified
  • Chief executive or managing director
  • Construction project manager
  • Mechanical engineer
  • Developer programmer
  • Software engineer
  • Maintenance planner

There have been international travel restrictions on all non-residents and non-citizens arriving in Australia without exemptions since March 20 due to the COVID-19 Coronavirus Pandemic.  These travel restrictions are forecast to remain in place until mid 2021. This announcement means the professions included on the list get to jump the queue by getting a minimum of a 9 month time benefit.

Mr Tudge said “Immigration is actually part of the answer of kick starting the economy because some people are job-creating individuals. This could include significant investors, entrepreneurs who create businesses or workers with highly specialised skills needed by businesses.”

“Migration has been obviously an important driver of population growth. That alone is a significant economic driver. But migration has also helped our participation rate and our productivity rate because we bring in young and skilled people.”

“It’s a very significant part of Australia’s economic and social success. Australia is an immigrant nation and we will return to being an immigrant nation.”

All people arriving in Australia, including skilled workers on this list, are required to spend 14 days in quarantine.  The occupations were chosen after careful analysis of recent changes to the internet vacancy index, changes in employment, and longer-term stability in the labour market for individual occupations.

 

Right now is a great time to assess your own situation and we suggest you consider a new life adventure in Australia.  If you are looking to position yourself for great opportunities and first mover advantage then Contact us for a confidential discussion and/or refer family, friends and colleagues and be rewarded.  This is an opportunity not to be missed in these uncertain times.

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Australian healthcare’s strong wage growth driving jobs in the industry

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Australian wages have been stagnant for months now, but one surprising industry is bucking the trend

Australian wages are growing barely above the cost of inflation but while every other industry suffers one has risen ahead – healthcare.  Wages in the healthcare industry rose from an average of 3.0 per cent to 3.2 per cent and despite how minimal this increase may look, it is in fact the strongest growth in the country.  Meanwhile, the rest of Australia has a below average growth and even industries above the average haven’t grown over the decade.

Wage growth has softened to 2.2 per cent and remains below its average over the past decade in every industry except healthcare.  The growth in wages in the healthcare sector could be the driving force behind the demand for certain healthcare professionals.  Last year job adverts for pharmacists rose by 179.2 per cent on the year prior, followed closely by pharmacists assistants which had 170 per cent growth.

Other industry roles such as clinical nurse educator and mental health technician exceeded growth of 50 per cent while midwife and speech pathologists just slipped into the top 15 growth jobs with over 43 per cent growth.  

We have fantastic opportunities in the healthcare sector within Australia so Contact us for a confidential discussion and refer family, friends and colleagues and be rewarded.

Come Live Our Philausophy

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The Migration Advisory Committee’s latest report on Brexit

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The Migration Advisory Committee's latest report on Brexit

The Migration Advisory Committee (“MAC”) recently published their much awaited report on the Australian-style Points-based system as a model for the UK’s future immigration system. To many immigration lawyers, the report came as a surprise as it suggests no significant changes to the existing Points-based system that has been in place since 2008.

 

This 2020 MAC report builds on their 2018 report dealing with EU migration. In the 2018 report the MAC made radical recommendations to relax the overall requirements for a work visa under the Tier 2 (General) route, for example: abolishing the annual cap on work visas, eliminating the resident labour market test and reducing the job skills threshold. The 2020 MAC report makes it even easier for employers to sponsor highly-skilled and medium-skilled migrants by proposing to reduce the minimum salary threshold from £30,000 per year to £25,600 per year.

 

Having said the above, there are many important issues still to be addressed before the end of this year:

 

1) Employers contemplating hiring EU nationals from outside the UK from 1 January 2021 (after the end of the Brexit transition period) will require a sponsor licence, unless the Home Office introduces a new system which is streamlined and user friendly. This is likely to create a surge in demand for licences, which will create more delays due to capacity issues within the Home Office.

2) Employers seeking to recruit new workers from the EU from 1 January 2021 will face significant cost pressures as a typical Tier 2 (General) work visa valid for three years for a large company will cost approximately £5,000 in Government fees alone.

 

3) There is very little discussion surrounding low-skilled workers. The December 2018 White Paper published under Theresa May’s government describes a separate visa category to allow low-skilled workers from low risk countries with strict conditions (e.g. 12 months maximum duration with a cooling-off period of 12 months). The 2020 MAC report unfortunately does not shed any more light on what this route will look like and whether there will be any special requirements to qualify.

 

4) The proposed £25,600 minimum salary threshold is still too high for some sectors, such as the retail and consumer industry. Many franchise restaurants, for example, may not be able to pay this level of salary for their chefs. Whilst the 2020 MAC report does not suggest a variation in the minimum salary threshold across different sectors in the UK economy, the Government may need to consider this in order to address the acute shortage of workers in some sectors.

 

5) Businesses only have 11 months to prepare for the new Immigration Rules to take effect. As with the previous introduction of new rules, we foresee confusion and inconsistencies in the decision-making process by the Home Office. This is likely to cause more delays and frustration on the part of businesses and workers.

 

Whilst the new 2020 MAC report provides important information, there remains a substantial number of issues to be resolved in order to create a better immigration system that benefits employers and protects our resources (e.g. medical care, roads and social services) from being overwhelmed.

 

Given that this 2020 MAC report may not go far enough in the eyes of the Government, it is certainly possible for Mr Johnson to go beyond their recommendation. However, the administrative machinery of the Home Office may not be able to incorporate such drastic changes by the end of this year. We await the discussion of the 2020 MAC report amongst Cabinet ministers next month and it is expected that a new White Paper on the future of business immigration policy will be published shortly thereafter.

 

Employers are advised to remain vigilant for further updates.

Will the UK have a points-based system for entry?

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4 Ways Data Is Improving Healthcare

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The Power Of Healthcare Data

From therapy to x-rays, progressive technology is keeping us healthier, however 7% of all data produced by hospitals each year goes unused, but that’s beginning to change.

Hospitals produce 50 petabytes of data per year. This mass of information comprises clinical notes, lab tests, medical images, sensor readings, genomics, and operational and financial data. At the moment, 97% goes unused – but this is changing, with great potential to transform the quality of medical care.

Here are four ways data analysis is improving healthcare without adding staff or beds.

  1. Boosting the humble X-ray

The X-ray is the oldest form of medical imaging, and still the most commonly used. Chest X-rays alone represent 40% of the 3.6 billion imaging procedures performed worldwide every year. But X-ray “reject rates” – the number of images that cannot be used due to poor image quality or patient positioning – can approach 25%.

To address this, software engineers have developed an application that helps clinicians pinpoint the root causes of rejected images. The app was piloted at the University of Washington Medical Centre, and has automated a process that once required 230 mouse clicks and nearly seven hours of work. Reducing reject rates saves time and resources while putting patients on the right path sooner.

  1. Enabling collaboration

In oncology, the process of preparing for, conducting, and documenting tumour board meetings is frequently suboptimal and non-standardized. Each specialist aggregates data on a patient in a silo. As a result, meetings are spent switching back and forth between the different systems and technologies used across each discipline.

To address this, an alliance between Roche Diagnostics and GE Healthcare is combining and analysing patients’ diagnostic data — including genomics, tissue pathology, and biomarkers — with their medical imaging and monitoring data. From here, cloud-based data integrating software could fundamentally change the process of tumour board meetings, helping doctors make more informed, faster diagnoses and individualize treatments to each patient.

  1. Tailoring therapies

Integrating data can have transformative effects across the entire healthcare ecosystem. GE Healthcare recently began a partnership with Vanderbilt University Medical Centre (VUMC), to enable safer, more-precise immunotherapies.

The project will retrospectively analyse and correlate the immunotherapy responses of thousands of cancer patients with their demographic, genomic, tumour, cellular, proteomic, and imaging data. From here, AI-powered apps will help physicians identify the most suitable treatment for each patient.

  1. Organising hospitals

A small but growing number of hospitals are implementing NASA-style mission control Command Centres to manage their functions and services. The goal is to address the capacity, safety, quality, and wait-time issues that have plagued healthcare.

A hospital Command Centre pulls in streams of data from various systems, generating analytics that help staff predict what will happen in the next 24 to 48 hours. The data is displayed on Command Centre screens and on tablets and mobile devices. This allows staff to focus on delivering care, rather than organizing it.

The Power Of Healthcare Data

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International Career Opportunities Looming In the UK

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Half of 50,000 nurses promised by Boris Johnson would need to come from overseas

Yesterday we published a blog post on the new rules for fast track visas for doctors and nurses in the UK which is timely, as it appears now there are going to be significant international opportunities for healthcare professionals in the NHS in the near future.

The Health Foundation Chief Executive has said that even with improvements in all other areas of recruitment and training, the Conservatives will need to recruit almost 25,000 nurses from overseas to honour their pledge of an extra 50,000 NHS nurses, in a bid to plug the existing vacancy gap of more than 43,000.

She added: “This will be challenging and means migration policy must not be a barrier and with the number of qualified permanent full-time equivalent GPs having decreased by around 5% since the last target was set, there must be realism about what can be achieved in the timescales set out.”

The Tories said the extra 50,000 nurses would be brought in over the parliament through a combination of training and extra university places, also nurse apprenticeships which allow people to train as they work, and there will be some recruitment from overseas with the new NHS visa.  

Donna Kinnair, general secretary of the Royal College of Nursing, said: “The current shortage of 43,000 registered nurses can only be filled by registered nurses – with degree-level education.  “It is unfair on staff and inappropriate for patients to try to plug this gap with other staff.”

She said “more detail” was needed on where the 50,000 nurses would come from, adding: “The emphasis must be firmly on growing the domestic workforce, as while we welcome nursing colleagues from around the world, an over-reliance on international recruitment is neither sustainable nor ethical in the long-term.”  And she said money was needed for tuition fees for trainee nurses, not just cost-of-living grants.

So it appears there will be significant international career opportunities for  healthcare professionall in the UK in the near future.

Contact us for a confidential discussion and refer family, friends and colleagues and be rewarded.

Conservatives promise to 'add' 50,000 more nurses ahead of UK election

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The UK Election Is Done And Dusted – So Where Does That Leave The NHS?

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But What Happens Now For The NHS?

So the results are in and the conservatives have won a large majority in the election, meaning Boris Johnson will remain as Prime Minister and the Tory manifesto will be implemented, but what happens now for the NHS?

Their strengthened position in Parliament means there are no excuses for them to be able to move forward with implementing their manifesto pledges.  These include items on Brexit, the environment, crime and the NHS.  But let’s wait and see.

One of the key factors in the outcome of the election has been the future of the NHS, with all parties pledging to make changes, increase funding or aid the health service in one way or another.  It was a campaigning point for many, with promises to safeguard the National Health Service for future generations.

Increasing staffing numbers, reducing waiting times and solving the social care crisis were among pledges given in manifestos across the political spectrum.  In the Conservative manifesto, there were several aims for the NHS and social care.  These include:

  • 50,000 extra nurses to be recruited
  • 6,000 more doctors in GP surgeries
  • 6,000 more primary care staff like physiotherapists and pharmacists
  • 50 million extra GP appointments a year increasing the current average by 15 percent
  • £33.9 billion extra funding a year for NHS
  • Cross-party agreement sought to solve social care crisis
  • 40 new hospitals
  • Free hospital parking for selected patients and staff
  • Reintroduction of bursaries of up to £8,000, which were cut four years ago, to help training nurses with living costs
  • An extra £1 billion of funding for more social care and better infrastructure.
  • Pass legislation to ensure an extra £33.9billion per year is put into the NHS by law.

In addition to this the conservatives are also promising an immigration system based upon the Australian model.  On the surface it sounds fantastic for both short and long term career opportunities for healthcare professionals and we are well placed to assist you in this regard with representation in Australia, South Africa and the UK.

However it is only early days and governments are inherently slow to act and furthermore not deliver on their election promises. In a previous blog post we posed the question “Should I stay or should I go” whether already inside the UK thinking about staying or leaving, or outside the UK thinking about going there or staying where you are, still remains relevant and our recommendation is still the same – WAIT AND SEE – but this doesn’t necessarily mean do nothing.  We suggest you prepare early and position yourself for the opportunities that may arise either inside or outside the UK.  That’s where we can assist.  Please do not hesitate in contacting us for a confidential discussion.

Johnson Calls NHS the Conservative Government’s ‘Top Priority’

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Thinking Of Moving To The UK To Work In The NHS? – It Might Be Good Timing

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The Tory’s Have A Plan To Attract More NHS Staff From Abroad

The Conservatives say they will make it easier for doctors and nurses from around the world to work in the UK after Brexit, if they win the election.

The party would introduce an “NHS visa” as part of a promised “points-based immigration system”.  But Labour said the policy was “full of holes,” with nothing to say about low-paid nurses and other hospital staff.  And the Royal College of Nursing said “more ambitious” plans were needed to address NHS staffing shortages.

The Conservatives plan to end free movement of workers from EU countries when the UK leaves the EU – something they have promised will happen on 31 January if they are returned to power on 12 December.

The party would introduce a “points-based system” for migrant workers from EU and non-EU countries.  It has yet to spell out in detail how this will work – but it has announced that extra points will be awarded for coming to work in the NHS.

The cost of applying for a visa would also be reduced from £928 to £464 for medical professionals, and they would be guaranteed a decision within two weeks, under Tory plans.  Those granted an NHS visa would also be allowed to pay the annual £400 compulsory health insurance charge out of their salary.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the proposals would make it easier for “talented” medical staff to get visas.

The Conservatives have already announced a fast-track visa route to attract specialists in science, engineering and technology.  They have also previously said they will scrap the cap on the number of skilled workers, such as doctors, from the EU and elsewhere, after Brexit.  The party is considering scrapping the minimum salary requirement of £30,000 for skilled migrants seeking five-year visas.

When asked if there would be more people from overseas working in the UK under a future Conservative government, Home Secretary Priti Patel did not answer directly but said the public wanted “controlled immigration”.

Finding staff from outside the UK to come to work in the health service is as important as ever.  But those who wish to do so are often surprised at the fees they have to pay for the privilege.  To address this, the Conservatives plan to halve the £928 visa cost for NHS staff and their dependents.  But the £400 surcharge to cover their healthcare costs if they are from outside the EU won’t be reduced, nor will the levy paid by the NHS and other employers if they hire foreign workers.  So it may be a move in the right direction, but if the health service badly needs trained doctors, nurses and others from abroad, it might be asked why they should pay any fees for visas or healthcare?

The Cavendish Coalition, representing a range of health and care organisations, says any steps towards tackling the high vacancy rate are welcome, but by not covering social care the policy is not ambitious enough.  These groups want any incoming government to recruit and employ any necessary workers from outside the UK “without criteria”.  The Royal College of Nursing said a failure to train enough nurses was forcing the NHS to “recruit overseas in the short-term”.

RCN chief executive Dame Donna Kinnair said she wanted to see a fairer immigration system that valued skills and did not fixate on “arbitrary targets” and “There are tens of thousands of unfilled nursing jobs and we need more ambitious plans than this to address it.”  She added it was “immoral and heartless” to continue to make nurses contribute towards “the same services they keep running” through the health insurance charge.  “It should be abolished, not spread out every month,” she said.

Labour also attacked the lack of detail in the Conservative plans.  Shadow home secretary Diane Abbott said: “The Tories are tying themselves in knots over immigration. They use dog-whistle anti-migrant rhetoric but are forced to accept we need migrant workers for key sectors, not just the NHS, but many more besides.  “This policy is full of holes, with nothing to say about the nurses earning below their income threshold, as well as all the cooks, cleaners, hospital porters and others who are vital to hospitals, and nothing at all about their right to bring family members here.  “Labour’s immigration policy is rational and fair and will prioritise attracting the people we need, and treat them as human beings.”

Liberal Democrat home affairs spokeswoman Christine Jardine said that, even with the visa application costs reduced for medical professionals, the £464 charge still amounted to a “nurse tax”.

More than 12% of the NHS workforce reported their nationality as not British, according to a report published last year.

The biggest group of foreign NHS workers are from the EU – 56 in every 1,000 – but, the report added, the number of new staff coming from the EU is falling, and that this decline particularly applies to nurses.

For more information see the below videos.

We have representation on the ground in the UK so contact us for a confidential discussion.

Austerity, racism, the NHS and Brexit: Corbyn and Johnson clash in BBC debate

Brexit and the NHS - explained in 4 mins by a doctor on the front line

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Australia Has Simplified The Registration Process For Internationally Qualified Nurses And Midwives.

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Great News - The Nursing And Midwifery Board Australia (NMBA) Has Simplified The Registration Process For Internationally Qualified Nurses And Midwives.

Australia is Transitioning To A New Streamlined Assessment Model For Internationally Qualified Nurses And Midwives

This is absolutely great news for you Internationally Qualified Nurses and Midwives (IQNMs) out there – As part of its public protection role, the NMBA in partnership with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) is responsible for assessing registration applications from IQNMs to ensure they are suitably trained and qualified for registration in Australia.  The NMBA is moving to a new permanent approach in the assessment of IQNMs. Changes under the new model include a reduction in the assessment criteria from eight to three.  This change dramatically streamlines the assessment process.  And it keeps getting better.

In addition in early 2020, the NMBA will also transition to an outcomes-based assessment (OBA) for IQNMs who hold a qualification that is relevant but not substantially equivalent or based on similar competencies to an Australian approved qualification (and who meet the mandatory registration standards). This will replace the current need for bridging programs, which significantly reduces the time and expense of gaining registration to be able to practice your profession in Australia.

But wait there’s more.  If you are from a country Australia recognises as an English first language speaking country there is no requirement for you to have to undertake the International English Language Testing System (IELTS).  Recognised countries include Canada, New Zealand, Republic of Ireland, South Africa, United Kingdom and United States of America.

Australia is currently experiencing a shortage of healthcare professionals across many specialties. It is recognised, a skilled workforce is essential to the future success of the Australian Healthcare system and this is great news for you.

Accordingly there are many opportunities for international healthcare professionals and this is attracting talented and enthusiastic professionals to Australia, drawn by our high quality of life, stunning landscape, great climate, favourable employment conditions and the wide range of  opportunities for personal and career growth.

We at The Aristos Group are working closely with employers and candidates alike to provide a highly customised service to ensure we match your skills and preferences with the ideal employer, location and role. We make the process easy for healthcare professionals wanting to move and work in Australia and our service is absolutely free to you. Contact us today for a confidential discussion.  What’s more, why not refer family, friends or colleagues to share in this exciting adventure and be rewarded.

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