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Highly skilled migrants needed for clean, green and high-tech Australia.
For those who see the remarkable booming economy of australia as providing lots of opportunity for sweaty trades people, working in mines and on vast infrastructure projects … well, you’re right, but only in part. Throughout its history Australia has a long record of scientific and industrial innovation, from the stump-jump plough, to the rotary clothesline and lawnmower, to penicillin, to the ‘black box recorder’ in aircraft, to the ‘metal storm’ weapon system, to the cochlea ear implant and many other inventions and research achievements. Thus, it urgently needs and provides opportunity for scientists, technicians, medical researchers and many other skilled professionals in associated fields.
For example, The Western Australian Premier Colin Barnett has officially launched a $100 million research centre in Perth, which has been set up to help Australia win a massive radio astronomy project.
The International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research (ICRAR) is designed to underpin the country’s campaign to secure the $2.5 billion Square Kilometre Array (SKA) project , which could one day help unlock the secrets of the universe. Western Australia (WA) is one of the front runners to secure the project with a decision expected in 2012.
To strengthen WA’s bid, Curtin University and the University of Western Australia set up the International Centre for Astronomy Research with extra funding from the State Government.
The International Director for the S.K.A project Richard Schilizzi says the centre will enhance Australia’s chances of securing this milestone project.
“It shows that the infrastructure for radio astronomy in Australia is very strong and that means that the ability to exploit the telescope role will be ensured,” he said.
Funded primarily by Curtin University and the University of Western Australia (UWA), the $100 million centre plans to attract astronomy experts to Perth. WA Premier Colin Barnett said the ICRAR, located at UWA, would show Australia and the state were capable of delivering world-class technology and facilities.
The WA government invested $20 million to establish the ICRAR, which Mr Barnett said would create “opportunities for local industry to participate in the wider SKA project”.
It has been lauded as one of the globe’s most important science projects.
While in a different area of technology, Australia is carving out a place at the forefront of developing alternative energy sources, such as geothermal, wave power, solar energy generation and wind power..
Just recently, Infigen Energy, the Australian wind power producer formerly called Babcock & Brown Wind Partners, said it wants to sell its U.S. business to focus on Australian assets.
“We’re selling out of America for the primary reason that we think there is a fantastic opportunity in Australia,” Managing Director Miles George said. Based on the replacement value of the U.S. unit, he estimated the “ballpark” sale figure could be $2.2 billion.
Australia, the world’s biggest exporter of coal, must derive 20 percent of its power from renewable energy, such as wind turbines, by 2020, under a law passed by the Australian Senate on Aug. 20. The legislation will help stimulate A$28 billion ($24 billion) of investment and the creation of 23,000 jobs in industries such as wind and solar power, according to the Clean Energy Council.
“Over the longer term, the regulatory environment and the willingness of governments to encourage alternative energies is clearly a tailwind for anyone in the sector,” said Tim Schroeders, who helps manage about $1 billion at Pengana Capital Ltd. in Melbourne.
Infigen shares have risen 55 percent this year compared with a 27 percent gain in the benchmark index. The Bloomberg Wind Energy index, comprised of 64 leading wind power stocks in the world, has gained 32 percent since the start of the year.
“We would like to redeploy capital from that U.S. business into the growth of our Australia business,” Infigen’s George said. The legislation means “the opportunity for our business, we believe, is extremely strong.”
Infigen has five wind farms in Australia’s Western Australia, South Australia and New South Wales states. It is the nation’s biggest wind energy generator and the company’s second biggest earner in the past financial year according to company regulatory filings.
It also has 12 wind farms in Germany and six wind farms in France. The U.S. unit is the largest independent wind energy business in the country, George said.
In another project that underscores Australian opportunities for engineers, scientists and IT professionals in many specialities, Kentz, the Clonmel-headquartered engineering firm, has won a $AU150 million (€89.83 million) add-on infrastructure contract to a development it is already working on in Western Australia.
The AIM-listed company, which specialises in the provision of electrical and engineering services to the global oil and gas exploration industry, has been awarded the contract to develop a telecommunications infrastructure by Chevron Australia on its Gorgon gas project, situated approximately 200km off the north-western coast of Australia.
The remoteness of the development site means that a tailored telecommunications infrastructure is necessary from scratch. The new contract will cover things like satellite data communications, navigational aids and LAN network management.
According to Kentz chief executive, Dr Hugh O’Donnell: “This turnkey telecommunications project draws upon a number of our skill sets – not only from an engineering, design and systems integration perspective; but also delivering remote site installation and commissioning.”
Chevron is expected to gain the final government approvals needed to begin work on the Gorgon project before the end of 2009.
This will then trigger development work on the previously announced workers’ village project and the telecommunications systems project.
Not surprisingly, the Australian Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) is targeting skills in the health, IT and engineering sectors. Beyond individual projects like that announced by Kentz, the government is giving state/territory governments and private employers greater scope for nominating skilled migrants for jobs they need filled most urgently.
Thus, it would seem advisable that potential skilled migrants now resident in various countries, who are seeking long term opportunities that would improve their lifestyles, could explore Australia’s skilled migration now, because the country’s need is urgent.
Clearly, development of this scale and duration also provides opportunities to business people and entrepreneurs keen to establish small (and large) businesses in Australia.
Anyone thinking of moving to Australia, can consult an online Australian visa advisor, to ascertain how in demand your trade or profession is, simply by checking out the priority lists, and then accessing a visa assessment.
All this can be achieved by selecting a reputable, proven and successful Australian visa advisory specialist.
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