Visa applications 'being processed quicker'
20/08/2008(11:44)
The processing of temporary visa applications has quickened, according to the immigration minister.
Chris Evans has announced that over 110,000 visas were granted in 2007-08, compared to 87,310 over the previous 12 months.
The Age reports that the government has also been working on clearing a backlog of 13,000 visa applications which were "outside the acceptable standards", according to Mr Evans.
He added: "Applications for temporary skilled visas are now being processed faster and more efficiently at three new dedicated Centres of Excellence established in Perth, Sydney and Melbourne to deal with increasing demand by Australian companies for overseas workers to meet skills shortages."
It was recently revealed by the Australian government that over 2,500 visas will be offered to workers from Tonga, Kiribati, Vanuatu and Papua New Guinea in order to counter the skills shortage experienced in the horticultural industry.
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