CHILE GAINS MORE WORK/HOLIDAY VISAS

Australia and New Zealand have both announced enhanced quotas for Chileans keen to apply for the Working Holiday visa scheme. In New Zealand, Prime Minister, Helen Clark, announced that the quota would increase from 500 to 1,000 places. The allocation of 500 visas was taken within three weeks of the October 2006 deadline.

Following a meeting with Chilean President, Michelle Bachelet, in November, Clark said, “There’s clearly a huge demand [for these visas],” and she added that education links between the two countries would be strengthened as the countries took their “evolving relationship” further. An education counsellor will be appointed to the New Zealand embassy in Santiago this year.

In Australia, the reciprocal visa quota has been increased from 100 to 500 to meet growing demand. Immigration Minister, Amanda Vanstone, said that the cap of 100 visas had been met within the first four months of 2006, with many more applicants pending. “Australia is becoming a more popular destination,” she said. “The increase, effective immediately, will give more young people from both countries opportunities to travel and experience different cultures.”

Chilean agent, Marianelly Nunez of Travel & Learn, said that the working holiday programmes had been beneficial for putting Australia and New Zealand “on the map” as long-term destinations. However, she added that conversely, the schemes had also meant increasing numbers of students organising this type of visa themselves and only booking a language course once in the country.

NEW VOLUNTEER
COMPANY OFFERS VALUE-FOR-MONEY

A new company set up by an undergraduate student in the UK is promising value-for-money volunteering, after the company director, James Jardella, investigated options for his own gap year and found he could not afford most of the placements on offer.

Jardella went to Bolivia on his own and began working with a local charity, running classes for children in outreach centres. He said he realised the manifold opportunities both for charities keen to use volunteers and students interested in an experience overseas who may be put off by the high prices charged.

“Many of the companies behind placements are there to make money, so although students get a great service, they are paying through the nose for it,” said Jardella. He set up Travelling Bug, which charges UK£300 (US$583) and includes help in gaining a visa. “The fee charged is a fraction of the cost [of other companies]… and people can see exactly where that money goes,” he said.

Language schools in Canada are moving into the work/travel domain. In Toronto, English School of Canada has launched a new eight-week course to equip health care professionals with the English skills that they need to work in this sector. An internship is also offered at the end of the course. Anthony Stile at the school said that the programme was proving popular with Japanese, Saudi, Brazilian and Korean students.

In Halifax, NS, East Coast School of Languages has launched a new programme that combines an English for Business programme in Halifax with an internship in Toronto, with Access International Language Centre. Host family accommodation is available during the internship.

Finally, Kaplan English Programs in Vancouver has launched a new work study programme offering a minimum one-month of English study and an internship that matches the duration of the language course. Options are for finance, research, office and tour guide positions.

Australia-based Quality Hospitality International is launching online courses for students who want to work in the hospitality industry there, enabling them to gain a statement of attainment for completing courses relating to either food hygiene or serving alcohol. The courses should be completed by all employees in the hospitality industry and take four-to-six hours to complete.

New diploma course with internship in UK

Tellus Group in the UK has launched a new 12-month course, the Institute of Travel and Tourism Advanced Diploma in hospitality management, which includes an internship of between 16-20 weeks, for which students receive a modest payment per week. The course starts in February and September.

Australia plans to monitor temporary skilled migration

Australia is spending AUS$23.5 million (US$18.3 million) to improve the management of its temporary skilled migration programme. Mobile strike teams will now check that employers follow the rules when hiring staff from overseas.

Immigration Minister, Amanda Vanstone, said, “Temporary skilled migration has been vital to the economic success of Australia… these new measures will boost detection of rogue employers.”