Western Australian businesses have a free and confidential mediation service available to help solve workplace disputes without the hassle of long-winded arbitration and costly court proceedings.

If you'd like to know more about this service

Download the complete article on resolving workplace dispute issues here:

Courtesy WA Industrial Relations Commission.

Programme Brochures are now available from the CEBA Office.

Contact Peter Gardner for your copy

Is your business lacking the skilled workforce it requires to achieve its full potential?

Overseas skilled workers may be the answer if you are unable to recruit employees in Australia to fill these positions. Various temporary and permanent visas are currently available to enable an Australian business to employ overseas skilled workers.

Whether temporary or permanent visas are applied for by the employer, sponsorship from the employer will always be required.

In the category of temporary visas the most popular visa is the temporary business long stay – standard business sponsorship (sub class 457).

The employer can sponsor approved skilled workers to work in Australia.

Employers can nominate a number of different occupations under the same sponsorship application.

This visa allows employers to employ overseas workers to fill nominated positions.

The employer will be able to employ overseas workers for a period of between 3 months and 4 years.

For the employer to qualify for this visa, the business must be approved as a sponsor before the employer can employ overseas skilled workers.

Various requirements will determine the employer’s eligibility for this visa:

1. the employer must lawfully and actively be operating a business;
2. the employer must directly be the employer of the employee;
3. the employer must have a good business record;
4. the employer must abide by immigration laws; and
5. the employment of the skilled worker must benefit Australia.

Obligations of the employer:

1. the employer must be responsible for costs eg travel expenses, medical expenses, repay the Australian government any monies spent by the government as a result of the employees’ stay in Australia;
2. the employer must comply with Australian immigration laws;
3. the employer must cooperate with the Department of Immigration and Citizenship;
4. the employer must comply with the terms of the nomination;
5. the employer must comply with the workplace relations laws; and
6. the employer must pay at least the Minimum Salary Level (MSL) to primary subclass 457 visa holders.

 The basic three steps to get a sub class 457 visa in place are:

1. the employer applies to be a sponsor;
2. the employer nominates a position; and
3. the employee applies for a visa.

Overseas skilled workers may be a valuable addition to your business. We trust the information provided in this article will assist you in determining whether this will be a viable option for your business.

For more information on temporary and permanent employer sponsored visas, general skilled migration and business visas contact Lynn & Brown Lawyers. Ph:9375 3411 MARN 0641345.

A ‘real’ letter “WorldWideWeb Register” asking for 877 Euros (for 3 years) to renew ones domain name has been circulating some of our clients here in WA. Here is a link to other people who have seen or been affected by this.

Because of the change in Domain registration procedures, I have seen people giving these documents serious consideration where possibly 4 months ago they would have simply been thrown out.

What the Spanish scammers are doing is (kind of) legal as they are asking you to pay a lot of money to go onto their database. The fact that their database’s name is coincidentally very similar to the Internet’s WWW Registrar, for me, classifies it as a type of spam or con.

For more details contact Ian Clements, Technical Consultant, Syswise on 9375 2900.

The RBA’s decision to keep the cash rate steady at 7.25% for the fourth month in a row could provide an opportunity for those looking to enter the property market to do so by purchasing an investment property before buying a home says Mortgage Choice.

While the decision to keep rates stable will be a relief for the approximate one third of Australians with a home loan, Mortgage Choice Bernie Foley said an increasing number of Australians are considering buying an investment property before a home in order to gain a foothold in the market.

“Purchasing a home before an investment property isn’t a rule, especially these days,” he said.

“In fact, more and more people are initially investing in property to rent out and then use the knowledge, tax breaks and equity gained from that venture to buy their own home. This occurs especially with younger people who want to get into the property market but may have been priced out of buying a home in the area they want to live in.

“The rental vacancy market remains historically tight, averaging 1.6% nationwide and with net migration at a 20-year high, the outlook for residential investors who rent out property is positive.

“Buying an investment property before buying a home can be a clever option – as long as the buyer researches rental yield, tenancy demand and capital growth potential, and their financial situation allows it. A clever purchase and a little patience could see these homebuyers-to-be residing in their desired suburb sooner than they think.

“Of course, potential investors should always speak to their accountant or financial advisor to determine the opportunities and risks involved”.

The latest Real Estate Institute of Australia figures show the most significant increases in rent for houses over the March quarter were recorded in Darwin (8.9%), Brisbane (6.7%), and Hobart (5.4%). For other dwellings, the most significant increases were in Hobart (6.5%), and Melbourne (5.4%).

Economists are divided as to what will happen over the next 12 months, though most appear to believe the cash rate will either remain steady or increase. The next round of quarterly inflation figures will be released on July 23, and the August cash rate decision will undoubtedly reflect the RBA’s views on this report.

Contact Mr Foley at this web address or call 08 9376 1922 For further information or to arrange an interview please contact: Bernie Foley F/B Licence No. 2832 Mortgage Choice 08 9376 1922