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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.
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Contact Peter Gardner for your copy
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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:
Obligations of the employer:
The basic three steps to get a sub class 457 visa in place are:
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.
]]>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.
]]>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.
Click here to download (PDF Version)
]]>The legislation will have the following effect:
LEGISLATION OF WORKPLACE AGREEMENTS
As from the commencement date, all further workplace agreements are no longer able to be entered into. This includes any variation of the agreement.
ITEAs
These agreements provide that where an ITEA is entered into between an employer and an employee there is, a test known as a no disadvantage test.
This means that for the agreement to be registered, there must be no disadvantage to the employee entering into an agreement and a reference agreement may be a collective agreement such as an enterprise bargaining agreement or an award or some other form of designated award.
In considering whether the agreement can be registered, the Workplace Agreements Director is also required to have regard to personal circumstances of the employee, including family responsibilities.
Where the employee stands to lose financial advantages, then consideration must be given to loss of non-monetary benefits such as days off or a beneficial shift roster.
The legislation significantly varies the AWA arrangements and significantly reinstates the role of awards.
It is to be noted that ITEAs cannot be extended beyond the date of 31 December 2009.
FUTURE DIRECTION
There are likely to be further significant changes during the course of this Federal Parliament and it should also be noted that these changes will apply to all incorporated bodies trading for profit. The State Industrial Relations legislation will still apply to persons trading as a sole trader/partnerships and non-profit organisations.
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It will apply to all separated parents and all child support payments will need to be reassessed at or before that time.
What will the most important changes be? New formulas will be introduced that make reference to the costs of children, taking into account the age of the child. A higher level of support will be payable for teenage children. The income of both parties will be taken into account and the costs of the child apportioned between the parents, based on the amount of time the child spends with each parent. The child support assessment may take into account re-establishment costs incurred by a parent during the first three years of separation. A step-child may be taken into account in determining a parent’s obligation to pay child support for their biological child from their first family. A new minimum child support amount of $20 per week will apply unless the payer can establish that their taxable income is very low.
Legislation regarding current child support agreements will be rewritten. The Registrar will review current agreements and may determine that they be terminated.
Child support agreements made after 1 July 2008 will be of 2 types – a binding agreement or a limited agreement. A binding agreement will require independent legal advice before signing and can only be terminated in “exceptional circumstances”. A limited agreement can be terminated more easily including by a unilateral act of either party after three years.
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Local Mortgage Choice loan consultant/franchise owner, Bernie Foley said both homebuyers and property investors will appreciate the cuts.
“Anything that reduces the challenge of housing affordability is a positive move,” he said.
“Especially in the West, which has experienced an impressive price boom in the past five years. This has put a lot of pressure on homebuyers especially, who may have been saving towards a particular purchase value only to find property prices were rising faster than their deposit account”.
One of the most important cuts is the 15 percent cut to stamp duty, which will reduce the costs associated with a purchase of a median priced home by almost $3,000. The cut comes into effect on 1 July 2008.
The land tax exemption threshold will be increased by $50,000 to $300,000, while other thresholds will increase and some rates will be lowered.
“We can expect a number of potential WA property buyers to sit tight and wait until 1 July before moving ahead with purchasing. The cuts are not insignificant, especially for those on a tight budget,” Mr Foley said.
According to the Mortgage Choice / REIA MarketFacts report for the December 2007 quarter, Perth’s quarterly median house price remained steady at $465,000. Median ‘other’ dwelling prices decreased 0.5% to $369,000, and rental vacancy rates reached 1.6%.
