January 2007

Welcome to the Network Migration Services January newsletter.  We hope that you all had a restful holiday season and ready for 2007.  This month we have included a new article from the Sydney Morning Herald discussing the possible testing for new citizens to Australia.  Our Job Search Consultant, Lorna Brink has also given you some very informative information on making the most of your CV.  We also have included information on importing a firearm into Australia.  Happy Reading!

Network Migration Services – Relocation Workshop 20 January 2007

We are hosting our second relocation workshop on on Saturday 20 January 2007 at the Bryanston Sports Club. We have had an overwhelming response to this workshop and are now regretfully will not be taking any bookings. For those who have missed out and would like to attend the next workshop, please email us your details and we will place your name on the priority booking sheet. We will also be hosting a relocation workshop in Durban end of March 2007. Date and venue will be advertised end of January 2007.

Make the most of your CV by Lorna Brink, NMS Job Search Consultant

Your CV is the first impression that you make on prospective employers, and it is your most important tool in the Job Search process. So keep your CV updated, and make sure that all your details are completely up to date on it at all times. Below are a couple of tips to assist you in making the most of your CV, and getting the right information out there!

• Keep it to between one and three A4 pages - people simply won't read - or need - anymore than that.

• Keep the format simple, clean and easy to read - pictures, fancy graphics and strange fonts are just confusing. Use the template that we provide.

• Send your Job Search consultant an e-mailed Word document attachment version of your CV, this is the easiest and most universal way to send your details to contacts overseas.

• Have your contact details on your CV, phone number, cell number and e-mail address, and check your e-mail address often. That e-mail address is where any correspondence is going to be sent to. If you do not have Internet at home, set up a web based e-mail address.

• Write your CV in reverse chronological order - current job first, and have start and end dates for each position.

• Use bullet points to emphasize your strengths and experience - it also makes the CV easier to read. Remember to mention your achievements in each position. These need to make prospective employers sit up and want to meet with you, so let them know where you have added value to your previous and present employers.

• Use a spell checker AND get it proof read by someone else - mistakes here won't say much for your quality control in general.

• Don't leave unexplained gaps in your work or academic history - you'll just get asked the question anyway, if you went traveling, put that down.

• Don’t type your CV all in capital letters or in bold. It makes for very difficult reading.

Spend time on your CV. In the long run this is really where you need to give a lot of attention, and make sure that everything is 100% percent.

Australia - New citizens face test on 200 questions

Mark Metherell and Tim Dick
December 12, 2006

MIGRANTS seeking citizenship will need a grasp of up to 200 questions about Australia under the proposed new nationality test - and to answer them in English.

But the Liberal MP Petro Georgiou signalled last night that he would oppose the Government's legislation. "I'm concerned that the tightening of the requirements will create unreasonable barriers to the acquisition of citizenship and that it will prevent people who would make a wonderful contribution to Australia from becoming citizens," he said.

The Prime Minister rushed out the broad details of the test yesterday in a move to wrest the spotlight from the new Opposition Leader, Kevin Rudd. The test will require answers to about 30 multiple-choice questions selected randomly from a secret list of 200 questions.

"It is designed not as some kind of Trivial Pursuit, but is designed to ensure that people do understand and have a working capacity in the national language, which is English," John Howard said yesterday.

Mr. Georgiou said the test could undermine rather than enhance the settlement of newcomers. But Mr. Howard said he did not expect it would change the profile of people settling in Australia "very much at all". "This is not a negative discriminatory test. This is a test that affirms the desirability of more fully integrating newcomers into the mainstream of Australian society."

The Government has refused to give examples of questions, which will be based on material already provided to applicants.

The course material was still to be "worked up", said the parliamentary Secretary for Immigration, Andrew Robb.

The test will be on computer, and applicants will be expected to understand and respond in English to oral questions when registering for the test.

Mr. Robb said citizenship applicants would need to study "Let's Participate: A Course in Australian Citizenship", a syllabus based on the current citizenship introductory course, and other relevant materials.

All applicants would have to sign a statement that they understood the values of Australian society, including respect for the freedom and dignity of the individual, sexual equality, freedom of religion, commitment to the rule of law, parliamentary democracy and "a spirit of egalitarianism that embraces mutual respect, fair play and compassion for those in need".

Mr. Rudd wanted more information on the questions. "I think it's fair we make an assessment about whether these are reasonable and useful questions … I'm not about to buy sight unseen."

Asked if the Government was trying to create another Tampa, Mr. Rudd said: "Mr. Howard would much rather have a debate about citizenship than he would like to have a debate about fairness in our workplaces."

The Government has also revealed that people applying for visas for a stay of more than 12 months, except New Zealanders, would have to indicate "their understanding and respect of Australian values" when they signed the application form.

Those aged under 18 or over 60 and people with physical and mental incapacities would not have to sit the test. People with low literacy would take it in an alternative format.

Mr. Howard defended the greater emphasis on English skills. He said that as people would have had to have lived in Australia for four years, "it's not unreasonable to expect that these people will have developed quite a facility in the English language".

Examples of test topics

- Australian landmarks

- History of indigenous disadvantage, white settlement

- Constitution and the monarchy

- Freedom, obeying the law, enrolling to vote, jury service

- National anthem, flag, coat of arms, flora and fauna, national colours

Importation of Firearms into Australia

We would not recommend that you import your firearm into Australia as you are prohibited from carrying a weapon for personal protection. If however, you would like to take a hunting rifle, or antique weapon the process must be followed is as follows.

Before departing contact the SAPS to organise a Export Permit. This can be done through your local Police Station. It is also important to contact the airline that you are flying to ascertain the process of checking in your firearm.

Most firearms require Police authorisation from the State in which the person intends to reside or visit. Certain firearms such as pump action shotguns, self loading rim fire rifles and automatic firearms may only be imported with the PRIOR written approval of the Federal Attorney-General. Importation of a weapon is duty free provided the relative firearm licence is issued and the firearm passes a ballistic/safety inspection.

The Customs Department will forward all firearms to the Commonwealth Police for ballistic/safety inspection. As State regulations vary in Australia, it is strongly rec commended that the client writes to the Police department in the intended State/Territory of residence, for approval prior to shipping the firearm.

Firearms will be released to the owner upon presentation of the approved licence.

Housekeeping:

Please Note: If your contact details have recently changed, please notify us of these changes so we can update these on our database. This assists us when we need to get in contact with you and for any news information we would like to forward to you. Please email your client services manager or email nms@netmigration.co.zaor relocation@netmigration.co.za

If you have any queries regarding our newsletter or would like to unsubscribe to this newsletter please email relocation@netmigration.co.zawith subject PLEASE REMOVE.

All the very best for 2007 from the Team at Network Migration Services.
Telephone: 011 4637060
Fax: 011 4632021
Email: nms@netmigration.co.za
Website: www.networkmigration.co.za