ICE quarterly international student data: academic, vocational, and STEM enrollments soar

New data from the US Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE) reveals that the total number of international students across 8,697 schools in the country has reached the 1.23 million mark, up by 2.9 percent from November 15 of the previous year.

The data was compiled by the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) through the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS), a web-based system designed to store information on international students, exchange visitors, as well as their dependents in the United States. SEVP is under the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

The figure comprises of students with academic (F) and vocational (M) status, with Arkansas and Alabama dominating the numbers with a 14 and 13 percent increase in enrolment rates respectively.

Additionally, almost 42 percent of all academic and vocational students are taking up courses in science, technology, and mathematics, which the government consolidates in one category called STEM. The number of international students under this category has also risen by 10.1 percent from the same period.

“California, New York, and Texas had the highest international student enrolment in the United States, with the largest number of students in these states coming from China, India and South Korea. International students in these states chose to major in business and engineering more than any other field of study,” the report asserts.

On the other hand, almost 87 percent of all 514,000 international students pursuing STEM studies are from the Asian region, mostly Indians and Chinese. Though the Australian and Pacific region contributed only 1,288 in the figure, it boasts of the largest percentage growth among all STEM students at a 15 percent increase from 2015.

The University of Southern California, the Northeastern University, New York University, Columbia University, and Arizona State University remain the most popular choice among international students. Each school recorded over 11,000 international enrolees in November.

Talk to one of our migration lawyers for more updates on US immigration laws. You can also take our free online assessment to see if you are eligible to apply for a student visa to the US.

Source--https://www.migrationexpert.com/us_immigration_news/2016/Dec/868/ice_quarterly_international_student_data_academic_vocational_and_stem_enrollments_soar

Large Number of Indian IT Employees Being Offered Australia 457 Visas, Claims Study

According to a report from the Australian Population Research Institute, despite the fact that a high figure of workers from India are being proffered the 457 Visas, to do a job in the IT segment in Australia, they are frequently being given inferior wages, vis-à-vis the standard market rate.

The report will allegedly further ignite the latest arguments that it is highly easy for organizations--particularly in some specific businesses, such as IT-- to usher-in cheaper manpower from abroad.

The same is also a notice to those looking for a job from out-of-the-country that they may end up being given less in relation to others, to do the identical work, adding to worries that the labor force from out-of-the-country, even in exceedingly trained jobs, are being abused and taken for a ride.

The study reveals that the figure of the IT professional, being given the 457 Visas, is heading north even while they make up the biggest group inside the 457 Plan, with most being the citizens of India who have sponsorship from the Indian IT service groups.

Allegedly, they have been rather successful in cornering a big portion of the nation’s IT consulting work, on the ground of the 457 Visa holders. They have done well to an extent as they are giving the said specialists much lower wages in relation to the existing market rate for the IT experts in Down Under.

The report also puts forward that the nation’s high level of immigration is resulting in a catastrophic effect on some areas of the nation, like Melbourne & Sydney, for instance, where the maximum number of individuals from out-of-the-country has a tendency to live.

The report also indicates that the migration champions assert that the urban impact is being counterbalanced by the arrival of the extremely trained skilled outsiders, in the professions which are in short supply in the country. These assertions are wrong.

The report adds that the association between the skills hired under the points tested visa subcategories and a famine in the labour market has eroded. It’s, to a certain extent, thanks to the Skilled Occupation List (SOL) that is supposed to eliminate the professions that are oversupplied in Down Under from eligibility for the points tested visa subcategories, but that does not do it anymore.

Allegedly, the SOL behaves as ‘smokescreen’ behind which the administration’s real priorities are exercised which are meeting population growth goals and backing the overseas student business, whose recruitment strategies depend on the said graduates having a strong possibility of getting a Permanent Residence Visa (PRV) on the successful conclusion of their study course.

The report is decidedly critical of the present immigration rule. It states that the administration is allowing open-ended recruitment of the qualified migrants on the 457 Visas with no Labour Market Testing (LMT) needed for the maximum number of professional &managerial responsibilities. The decision to proffer sponsorship lies with the recruiters/firms.

The report also indicates that the level of sponsorship in the IT vocations has improved with the Indian IT services organizations able to get a growing portion of the IT consulting work in Down Under with the reason being they can import their own skilled personnel and give them much less, in respect of the existing market rate for the similar IT specialists.

The amazing result is taking place at a time when there is an oversupply of the local graduates and when the administration is inspiring the local students to register for the various IT courses, even as the perfect way out is to ban the 457 recruitment or intra-firm transfers where there is an overflow of the local individuals with the said skills.

In general, the study report reportedly concludes that the nation’s present migration plans are delivering large figures of the experts of doubtful application to the country’s skill requirements even as this is making it even tougher for the local graduates and other job hunters to find a job in the country.

Source:-http://www.abhinav.com/news/large-number-indian-it-employees-being-offered-australia-457-visas-claims-study.aspx

December 22 Express Entry Draw is the Largest of All Time

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has issued 2,878 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) for Canadian permanent residence to candidates with 475 Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points in an Express Entry draw that took place on December 22, 2016. This draw — the largest ever since Express Entry came into operation nearly two years ago — came as a surprise to many candidates, coming just six days after the previous draw. Over recent months, IRCC had stated that more regular draws could be expected, that the number of ITAs would increase, and that there would be a corresponding decrease in the CRS cut-off point. On all three fronts, IRCC has been as good as its word.

Further in-depth analysis of the December 22 Express Entry draw is available on CICNews.com.

Express Entry is the system used by IRCC to select candidates for immigration to Canada through the federal economic immigration programs. Candidates who wish to apply under the Federal Skilled Worker Class, Federal Skilled Trades Class, and Canadian Experience Class are required to do so through Express Entry.

Eligible candidates create a profile which is submitted to the Express Entry pool. Upon entering the pool, candidates are assigned a CRS score which determines their ranking in the pool. The highest-ranking candidates are issued an ITA in IRCC’s periodic draws. Last month, IRCC brought in a range of improvements to the Express Entry system, designed to ensure that more candidates are invited to apply based on their human capital, skills, and experience.

Candidates in the pool may increase their ranking in a number of ways. Learn more about increasing CRS score and ranking.

For more information on draws from the Express Entry pool that have taken place so far, consult this table.

Express Entry quick facts, from January 1, 2015 to December 22, 2016

• Launch date: January 1, 2015
• First draw from the pool: January 31, 2015
• Most recent draw from the pool: December 22, 2016
• Minimum CRS points required for selection in any one draw: 450 (September 18, 2015 & October 2, 2015)
• Largest number of invitations to apply issued in any one draw: 2,878 (November 16, 2016)
• Fewest invitations to apply issued in any one draw: 559 (November 30, 2016. Note: This draw invited candidates with a provincial nomination only.)
• Largest decrease in CRS points required between two consecutive draws: 273 (from May 22, 2015 to June 12, 2015 draws)
• Smallest decrease in CRS points required between two consecutive draws: 0 (on three occasions)
• Largest increase in CRS points required between two consecutive draws: 316 (from November 16, 2016 to November 30. Note: The latter draw invited candidates with a provincial nomination only.)
• Smallest increase in CRS points required between two consecutive draws: 0 (on three occasions)
• Longest gap between two consecutive draws: 35 days (from April 17, 2015 to May 22, 2015 draws)
• Shortest gap between two consecutive draws: 6 days (from December 16 to December 22, 2016)
• Total number of ITAs issued in 2015: 31,063
• Total number of ITAs issued in 2016: 33,782
• Total number of ITAs issued since system was launched: 64,845

Draws From The Express Entry Pool (Updated)

Express Entry Draws: 2016

Draw #	Minimum CRS Score Required	Date of Draw	# of ITAs Issued
50	475	December 22, 2016	2,878
49	497	December 16, 2016	1,936
48	786 (*candidates with a provincial nomination only)	November 30, 2016	559
47	470	November 16, 2016	2,427
46	472	November 2, 2016	2,080
45	475	October 19, 2016	1,804
44	484	October 12, 2016	1,518
43	483	September 21, 2016	1,288
42	491	September 7, 2016	1,000
41	538	August 24, 2016	750
40	490	August 10, 2016	754
39	488	July 27, 2016	755
38	482	July 13, 2016	747
37	482	June 29, 2016	773
36	488	June 15, 2016	752
35	483	June 1, 2016	762
34	484	May 18, 2016	763
33	534	May 6, 2016	799
32	468	April 20, 2016	1,018
31	470	April 6, 2016	954
30	470	March 23, 2016	1,014
29	473	March 8, 2016	1,013
28	453	February 24, 2016	1,484
27	459	February 10, 2016	1,505
26	457	January 28, 2016	1,468
25	453	January 13, 2016	1,518
24	461	January 6, 2016	1,463

Express Entry Draws: 2015

Draw #	Minimum CRS Score Required	Date of Draw	# of ITAs Issued
23	460	December 18, 2015	1,503
22	461	December 4, 2015	1,451
21	472	November 27, 2015	1,559
20	484	November 13, 2015	1,506
19	489	October 23, 2015	1,502
18	450	October 2, 2015	1,530
17	450	September 18, 2015	1,545
16	459	September 8, 2015	1,517
15	456	August 21, 2015	1,523
14	471	August 7, 2015	1,402
13	451	July 17, 2015	1,581
12	463	July 10, 2015	1,516
11	469	June 27, 2015	1,575
10	482	June 12, 2015	1,501
9	755	May 22, 2015	1,361
8	453	April 17, 2015	715
7	469	April 10, 2015	925
6	453	March 27, 2015	1,637
5	481	March 20, 2015	1,620
4	735	February 27, 2015	1,187
3	808 (*Canadian Experience Class only)	February 20, 2015	849
2	818	February 7, 2015	779
1	886	January 31, 2015	779

Source:-http://www.canadavisa.com/news/december-22-express-entry-draw-largest-all-time.html

Skill Select Results November 2016

By Mark Webster  Wednesday, 07 December 2016

Results for October and November SkillSelect invitation rounds have been released this week, and we have results up to the 23rd of November 2016.

The most significant change is that 3 occupations have been added to the pro-rata list:

• Electronics Engineer
• Industrial, Mechanical and Production Engineers
• Registered Nurses

As a result, the pass mark and/or waiting time for these occupations is very likely to increase.

Our article looks at recent SkillSelect trends, and gives a prediction of what to expect for the most commonly used occupations going forward.

Invitations Issued for Skilled Independent Subclass 189 Visas

The minimum score required for applicants to receive an invitation for a Skilled Independent Subclass 189 Visa remains at 60 points for occupations which are not "pro-rata".

It appears that insufficient eligible applicants are lodging EOIs to meet the target for the Skilled Independent category, and we have seen the total number of invitations issued reduce from 1,400 per round to 845 in the 9 November round and 1,016 in the 23 November round. As a result, non-pro rata applicants can expect an invitation next round with a score of 60 points.

Pro Rata Occupations

There are now 9 "pro-rata" occupational groups, with 3 occupations added in November. For these occupations, the number of invitations issued in each round is limited so that the ceiling is not filled too quickly. As a result, the minimum points required for an invitation may be higher or the waiting time longer for an invitation.

Electronics Engineer

This occupation has been added in the last invitation round. Approximately 60 invitations had been issued per invitation round since July 2016. In the 9 November round, no invitations were issued and in the 23 November round, 29 invitations were issued. At this stage, we do not have any information on what the minimum points score was for an invitation in the 23 November round. The occupational ceiling is only 58% filled, so we expect the minimum score to remain at 60, though waiting time for an invitation may increase.

Industrial, Mechanical and Production Engineers

The occupational ceiling for Industrial, Mechanical and Production Engineers is now 84% filled. The minimum score for a 189 invitation in the 23 November round was 70 - a significant increase from the 60 points which had been required up to this point. Only 17 invitations were issued - this was down from an average of 140 for July-October 2016.

Registered Nurses

The 23 November results indicate that this occupational group is now pro rata. This is very unexpected because the occupational ceiling is only 7.6% full.

We do not know the minimum points score for an invitation in the 23 November round, but can see that only 27 registered nurses were invited which is down from 135 per round for the preceding period. This would indicate that the occupation will be more competitive for the remainder of the 2016-17 program year.

Accountants

Invitations numbers remain stable at 98 per round. The minimum score remains at 70 points, and we see waiting times gradually increase. This would suggest that the minimum score will remain at 70 rather than reduce to 65 as it did last program year.

Auditors, Company Secretaries and Corporate Treasurers

Invitation numbers remain at 55 for this group, and the minimum score for a 189 invitation is still 70 points. Whilst waiting times have reduced over the last few rounds, it is still taking 10 weeks to receive a 189 invitation with 70 points as an auditor.

ICT Business and System Analysts

Minimum score for ICT Business and Systems Analysts remains at 65. Waiting time has increased markedly in the last few rounds and is now 34 weeks meaning it is the most competitive of the IT occupations. The waiting time suggests the minimum invitation score will remain at 65 or possibly increase to 70.

Software and Applications Programmers

Minimum score required for an invitation for Software and Applications Programmers remains at 65. Waiting time is increasing gradually, but is still under 4 weeks.

Computer Network Professionals

65 points have been required for an invitation since September. Waiting time has increased, but is still only 4 weeks at this score.

Other Engineering Professionals

Points required for an invitation remain at 65.

Waiting times have been increasing but are still under 5 weeks.

Subclass 489 - Family Sponsored

The number of invitations issued to family sponsored 489 applicants had been at 100 per round since July 2016.

We have seen a dramatic collapse in invitation numbers in October and November, which means that insufficient eligible EOIs are being lodged for this subclass.

Minimum score required for an invitation is 60 - including the 10 points for family sponsorship.

The 489 is a great option for people with an SOL occupation which is not on the pro rata list.

People in pro-rata occupations will find it difficult to obtain an invitation for the 489 subclass as the 189 category is prioritised. Invitations for 489s in pro-rata occupations will only be issued if the occupational ceiling is not filled in subclass 189.

Conclusion

The landscape continues to change rapidly for SkillSelect.

The addition of 3 new occupations to the pro-rata list will make these occupations more competitive for the rest of the year.

Industrial, Mechanical and Production Engineers will need 70 points for a 189 invitation going forward, and invitations will also be tight for Electronics Engineers and Other Engineering Professionals.

We expect the current score of 70 for accountants and auditors to continue.

For IT professionals, ICT Business and System Analysts can expect either an increase in minimum score for a 189 invitation, or possibly even longer waiting times. The situation for Software and Applications Programmers and Computer Network Professionals is much more favourable - 65 is likely to remain the minimum score and waiting times are reasonable with these points.

The situation for registered nurses is not yet clear - rationale for adding the occupation to the pro rata list is not obvious and we will need to wait for future invitation rounds to be able to give an indication of likely minimum score for an invitation.

If you would like advice on the options available to you, please book a consultation with one of our advisors and we can give you an immigration roadmap clearly explaining your options.

If you live overseas or are currently travelling, you should consider a Skype or phone consultation.

References

SkillSelect - 23 November 2016 round results

Source--https://www.acacia-au.com/skillselect-results-november-2016.php