All your life you thought that December = Winter, but in Australia , December = Summer! Imagine celebrating Christmas in summer. That is when Australians celebrate Christmas. The point is, Australia 's location makes it the unique place it is.

If you want the cake and eat it too, Australia is the place to be. Think of Australia as USA , Canada or UK with a lot of sunshine. Indians are used to 4 seasons of summer and love the outdoors. Many Indians overseas find it difficult to live in the cold and dark seasons of the year where they have to live indoors. It is when they miss home badly.

Australia needs immigrants badly. That is why they keep introducing new programs that encourage you to apply. If you are listed on the SOL (Skilled Occupations List) you can migrate to Australia . The SOL is vast and covers 100s of occupations making most people easily eligible. Most of Australia lives in its main cities and on the coast.

When you migrate you could choose between living in one of these metropolitan cities or living in regional Australia . Since Sydney , Melbourne & Brisbane have been the most popular choice of migrants, Australia wants people to spread out across its continent. The Government has identified areas which they call Designated Areas where you can have lesser points (100/110 points instead of 120) and still qualify for migration.

DIMIA lists the shortage skills on the MODL (Migration Occupations Demand List) Occupations listed here get 15 bonus points. The MODL keeps changing. Refer to the YAXIS counseling material for the current list.

To be eligible to apply for Australian migration, you need diploma / degree and at least 3 years of work experience. In some cases work experience is not a requirement. You need to be below 45 years old. This is a simple way of putting it. There are many programs you could choose from.

The 6 Migration Programs that are applicable to you are:

•  Skilled Independent Migration - on the basis of your skill, education and work experience. Most people come under this category.
•  Skilled Independent Regional Visa - For those who score only 100 or 110 points and are not eligible for SIM.
•  Employer Nomination Scheme - for those who are sponsored by an employer in Australia . YAXIS arranges for this. Priority process of visa in 4-6 months.
•  Family Sponsored Migration - for those with relatives in Australia . You get 15 bonus points and the pass mark is only 110.
•  Designated Area Sponsored - for those with family living in Australia 's designated areas. No points required!
•  Student Migration - for those who have completed 2 years of full-time study in Australia .

Broadly speaking, applying for Australian is a 2-step process. First you apply to an assessing authority that assess whether the qualifications and experience, you possess match that of a similar Australian. Most qualifications / experience in India are comparable to Australia standards. The Skills Assessment takes about 4-8 weeks and costs around AU$300-$400. Once you obtain the Skills Assessment Report, you now take it to the Immigration Authorities (DIMIA) who processes your Migration Petition. This takes between 4-9 months depending on the migration program you are applying through. On successful completion, the DIMIA directs you to take Medicals and approach the AHC in Delhi for an Interview.

Once you obtain your visa, you can enter Australia with your family and stay there forever. You could choose to enter anytime within 12 months from the date of your medicals. You could also choose to live between India and Australia and keep your Indian citizenship. You can apply for Australian Citizenship after spending 2 years in Australia .