Each year the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) provides information on all aspects of higher education, such as possible college attendance statistics and the number of university places that are available for the coming year. This year, in respect of the latter group of statistics, they have estimated that in excess of 200,000 potential students will be unable to find a suitable place in a university for them. Couple this with the fact that a substantial amount of graduates from 2009 are still struggling to jump onto a career path and that the employment prospects for 2010 graduates do not look much better, it leaves a big question mark as to what will happen to such a large group of young people.

Although it could be tempting to simply laze on the sofa all day watching daytime television programs, there is a much more attractive option and that is to leave the country for a warmer and more relaxed climate where they, as a country, are crying out for a broad range of vocational skills.

Australia has been known for many years as a place to go if you are a skilled worker looking for employment in a satisfying environment. Whilst nothing in particular has changed for them as a country, with the UK battling with high unemployment rates, many younger generations are seeing the opportunities available down under and are making the move to Australia, even if only temporary, to see what is available.

It is a positive outlook for Australia. Although many of the 40,182 young people who were awarded a Working Holiday visa in 2009 (as reported by the Australia Visa Bureau) will carry out only the most basic of working tasks, there are many who will succumb to the lifestyle that is on offer and make it their aim to return, with their many skills and academic experience, to live and work full time.

Whilst the employment opportunities available may make a move to Australia the perfect choice, it must be noted that one should never turn their back completely on their education. Yes, the employment vacancies in Australia may still be plentiful, but this does not mean that a substantial amount of them are not for skilled workers. Looking at the official Critical Skills List that was first produced by the Australia Immigration Department in 2008, they are almost all professional or skilled occupations and range from General Medical Practitioner and Anaesthetist to Quantity Surveyor and Civil Engineer.

The benefit of a move to Australia on a Working Holiday visa is that it is possible to extend the visa for an additional 12 months, meaning that one can work in Australia for several months whilst also carrying out 4 months of study each year. Not a feasible possibility in the UK at the moment, the idea of landing a full time job, whilst carrying out academic studies in a climate and environment that is particularly sought after is, understandably, often too much for many young people to pass upon.

Global Visas are a world leading authority on Australian immigration and Australia visas for private individuals and corporate clients, providing the most comprehensive and up-to-date visa and immigration advice available. Visit GlobalVisas.com for more information.

There are not many people on this earth who would turn down a completely free move to Australia. Fantastic beaches, wonderful people, a relaxed atmosphere and a low cost of living are all complimented perfectly by beautiful weather all year round, making the country one of the most sought after destinations for emigration.

Unfortunately, a move to Australia is not free in terms of both the financial aspects and the amount of work involved. However, it can be greatly helped by having in place a job to start in immediately upon moving to the country and as common belief would have it, there is still a copious amount of professional and skilled vacancies in the country waiting to be filled.

According to the Critical Skills List (a list that was compiled by the Australian Immigration Department in 2008 to provide those looking to move to Australia with information on the vacancies which are most sought after in the country), there are over 40 individual occupations covering several different industries that are in high demand in Australia. As this is the case, if an applicant to the country was skilled in one of these areas, which range from various medical professions to Secondary school teachers and wall and floor tillers, it is considered that the applicant will stand a greater chance of being granted a visa as they have something that they can immediately offer in return that will benefit the entire country.

Of course, should an applicant not be experienced or suitably qualified in any of the positions that are listed on the Critical Skills List, this does not mean that they will be blatantly refused a visa, but simply that they will not be treated with as much urgency as someone who does.

The immigration policy that Australia has in place is actually one that is very basic when it is broken down, but it is also one that is very well respected. Divided into various different sections depending on what type of visit the applicant is intending on making, the entire process is made extremely straightforward and to a certain extent, informal. Many applicants have explained that the procedure of applying for a visa was simple and that they did not feel worried or confused at any point, which is thanks largely to Chris Evans, Australias Minister of Immigration.

If considering making a move to Australia, especially with an idea of filling one of the many vacancies that are apparent, it is strongly advised to do so sooner rather than later. Whilst no application should be rushed, the way the list of occupations that are in high demand is being handled is to be changed in the middle of 2010, which could result in a temporary backlog of applications. According to the Department of Immigration and Citizenship in Australia, the idea is to produce one single list of occupations that are in demand which should, once implemented and any teething issues have been resolved, make the process of making a move to Australia a simpler one still.

Global Visas are a world leading authority on Australian immigration and Australia visas for private individuals and corporate clients, providing the most comprehensive and up-to-date visa and immigration advice available. Visit GlobalVisas.com for more information.

Each and every year, approximately a quarter of all students take a year long break after leaving college before they head off to university. What they do during that 12 months varies, but it is approximated by many companies that only three quarters of students move straight from college to university.

One of the most popular options for a year long break is to go on a gap year holiday, where the person moves to another country for around 12 months whilst working and / or studying and enjoying the lifestyle of the country that they have chosen as their gap year destination.

A particularly favourable destination for a gap year is Australia, where thousands of young people carry out a Working Australia holiday each year. The reasons behind this destination are not unobvious, as the glorious weather and laid back lifestyle are the primary and very simple selling points for many students.

Although the figure of approximately 25 percent of students taking a gap year break may seem quite large, some would argue it is not large enough and that more full time students should be taking a break abroad for various reasons.

A study by Contiki showed that 97 percent of people between the age of 18 and 35 who were asked about gap years and traveling in general explained that they believed traveling helped them to progress in both their working and personal lives.

A substantial amount of the people asked explained that they felt they were more successful in their career as a result of traveling, due to the skills it provided them with, such as organizational, personal confidence and self-motivation.

In 2002, the Office of National Statistics in the UK produced data on the employment of all students who left full time university. The results showed that only 42.8 percent of graduates secured full time employment, which although it is quite a large figure itself, leaves almost 60 percent of students having to opt for part time employment, continued education or complete unemployment.

Whilst Working Australia holidays (or any other type of gap year holidays) are not the sole answer to increasing this figure, those who have already taking part in a traveling gap year and are in full employment are under no illusions that it could help immensely.

Moving away from home after college can be a difficult process and moving away to a completely different country can be more difficult still. However, the lure of working in a warm climate like Australias and understanding the need that the country has for workers of all kinds manages to attract tens of thousands of people each year to take a gap year break down under. Helping to increase confidence and self-belief, as well as developing in depth problem solving skills and the ability to manage a strict budget, these skills can all help with the overall development of a person, aiding with the progression through university and hopefully into full time employment on their chosen career path.

Global Visas are a world leading authority on Australian immigration and Australia visas for private individuals and corporate clients, providing the most comprehensive and up-to-date visa and immigration advice available. Visit GlobalVisas.com for more information.

Generally speaking, whichever country you move to around the world, whether it is for a single overnight business trip, a two week holiday or a permanent migration, a visa is needed to ensure that everything is fully legal and above board. Whilst there are some exceptions, for example, any citizen of a country that falls under the European Union umbrella is free from applying for a visa if they are moving between European Union countries, it is expected by all countries that any one living in their country who is not a permanent resident from birth, whether temporary or permanently, holds a full and proper visa for their type of stay.

This last section, a full and proper visa, however, is the one that most people question, as although it would be simple and straightforward in theory to have one single visa for every one wanting to move between countries, it is unfortunately not the case. Each country will generally have a selection of different visas to choose from and Australia is no different, offering an overall choice of six types of visa.

Depending on which type of visa you choose to apply for before moving to Australia depends entirely on the answer to two separate questions, both of which are generally relatively easy to answer.

The first question that you should ask yourself is how long you want to spend in the country. The answer to this question does not have to be particularly in-depth, but it should be obvious whether you are wanting to reside in Australia permanently or only on a temporary basis. The actual length of time is not of particular importance at this stage, as a rough approximation will suffice.

Once the length of your potential stay has been decided, the reason behind moving to Australia needs to be clear and unlike the first question, specifics are required in the answer to this question.

For instance, if you are thinking of moving to Australia primarily to see the sights and attractions that the country offers, then you need to decide whether you want to work at any point on your holiday or not. Similarly, if you are planning a permanent move, you need to have a reason for the move, such as to stay with close family or to set up a business.

By having answers to these questions before looking at the visa application process, you can ensure the amount of time needed is greatly reduced, as it will make the whole process a lot more streamlined and less time consuming.

If, for example, you were looking to reside in Australia permanently and were planning on investing in the country by setting up a new business, then a Business Visa would be the most appropriate choice. However, if you wanted to move to Australia permanently but to live with family, then a Family / Spouse Visa would be required.

Planning and preparation is key to any move, no matter how short the stay may be and moving to Australia is no different. By planning your move properly and understanding the different visa requirements as stated by the Australian Department of Immigration and Citizenship, you can ensure that the transition will be as smooth as possible.

Global Visas are a world leading authority on Australian immigration and Australia visas for private individuals and corporate clients, providing the most comprehensive and up-to-date visa and immigration advice available. Visit GlobalVisas.com for more information.

It is not difficult to see why hundreds of thousands of people move to Australia each year. With a fantastic climate that averages maximum daily temperatures of 21.6 degree centigrade, gloriously golden beaches that feature some of the best surfing opportunities in the world and laid back lifestyle that would relax even the most stressed of workers, Australia also has some fantastic sights to take in.

There are six National Parks within the Australian vicinity, some of which are located on the mainland and others which are located off the coast. Regardless of where they are, however, you can be guaranteed that by visiting one, you will be able to view some amazing feats of natural beauty.

Booderee. Located in the south east corner of Australia, Booderee National Park is encompassed in the New South Wales state of the country. Split up into two individual sections, the Bherwerre Peninsula (inclusive of Jervis Bay, Bowen Island and the south bay waters) and the area that is bordered by Wreck Bay, St Georges Basin and Sussex Inlet, both of them offer some of the most beautifully serene places anywhere in Australia.

Kakadu. Around 170 kilometres southeast of Darwin in the Northern Territory area of Australia, the Kakadu National Park covers an expansive area of almost 4,900,000 acres, making it approximately the same size of the entire country of Israel.

Uluru-Kata Tjuta. Situated in the same part of Australia as Kakadu, Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park is in the southern part of the Northern Territory, approximately 1,400 kilometres from the capital city of Darwin.

A small National park in terms of size when looking at Kakadu, Uluru-Kata Tjuta is still respectable in at 1,326 square kilometres.

Norfolk Island. Situated off the coast of New South Wales, Norfolk Island, like Booderee, is split into two areas; Mount Pitt (which is on the actual Norfolk Island itself) and Phillip Island. The size of Norfolk Island National Park as a whole is generally considered to be small, with the Mount Pitt section being a mere 4.60 kilometres square and Phillip Island smaller still at 1.90 kilometres.

North Keeling. A tiny coral isle in the Indian Ocean off of the northern part of Australia, North Keeling is completely uninhabited and covers a small 1.2 kilometres square. Not liveable on, in or near by humans, it is favoured by several animals, including being the home of the last remaining Cocos Buff-banded Rail in the world.

Christmas Island. Closer to Indonesia than Australia, Christmas Island is one of the most famous National Parks that Australia has, largely due to its beautiful name.

Established as a National Park in 1980, Christmas Island is home to several different varieties of animals and plants, most notably the red crab, where it is estimated 100,000,000 of them migrate to the sea each and every year.

In addition to the red crab, Christmas Island is also the main breeding and nesting area for the Abbotts Booby bird and the native Christmas Island Frigatebird, which is classed as having a conservation status of Critically Endangered.

Global Visas are a world leading authority on Australian immigration and Australia visas for private individuals and corporate clients, providing the most comprehensive and up-to-date visa and immigration advice available. Visit GlobalVisas.com for more information.