The Y-Axis Blog

24 Jul, 2009, 1617 hrs IST,IANS
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NEW DELHI: Microsoft founder Bill Gates said it would be a “big mistake” if the US imposes curbs on the entry of skilled workers from abroad, putting his weight behind “smart people” from countries like India who want to work overseas.

“I can’t make any predictions. Immigration policy could get more difficult. Microsoft as a company is very vocal. It would be a big mistake,” Gates, here for overseeing the philanthropic activities of his foundation, said in an interaction with India Inc. (more…)

Posted: 23 Jul 2009 10:02 PM PDT

During a recent visit to India, Australian Minister of Immigration & Citizenship, Chris Evans told press that Australian Immigration law is changing with a stronger focus on skilled workers.

Evans said in New Delhi, “We are reviewing the policy on migrants. Our government will adjust the policy based on the needs of the country and not be driven by the education choices of overseas students”. (more…)

If it is happiness you are seeking a move to Denmark could be in order, according to the first scientist to make a world map of happiness.

Adrian White, from the UK’s University of Leicester, used the responses of 80,000 people worldwide to map out subjective wellbeing. (more…)

Australian government has made clear it will now filter Indians applying for immigration.

Immigration minister Chris Evans says the policy has been modified and immigration visas will be issued to what Australia terms quality immigrants like doctors and engineers. (more…)

John McCarthy, Australian High Commissioner to India in an interview with Udit Misra, Forbes India, June 22

What is the nature of the violent attacks on the Indians in Australia? If the attacks are racial, even in part, then what could be the reasons?
It is not just a mob of mad racists running around in Melbourne. There have been a number of robberies of Indian students and assaults on Indian students in particular parts of Melbourne especially in the recent months. And this was something that we wish had not happened. But I think it was brought about largely by large number Indian students coming to one particular location, that’s Melbourne, without much money. They felt compelled, because they did not have much money, to live in the poor areas in Melbourne. They work late in the night at jobs and they are vulnerable to attack. Now certainly theft played a very significant role in it, hooliganism has played a very significant role in it and there may have been people who, somewhere in their thought processes, there was a racist factor as well. But I quite seriously think it’s principally a criminal issue with in certain cases racist overtones. But it’s certainly not racism sweeping Melbourne. (more…)

An expat must adapt to the genteel workplace in Singapore, says Bharat Puri, Cadbury’s global chocolate category director.

Click here for complete article

26 Jun 2009, 0110 hrs IST, Roli Srivastava, TNN
  
MELBOURNE: An estimated 75 per cent the 96,000 Indian students in Australia currently are pursuing “vocational courses” such as hair cutting, hospitality or even cooking in little-known private institutions that have mushroomed in and around Melbourne over the last few years. Most of these students use these courses as a route to apply for Permanent Resident (PR) status. This phenomenon is at the root of the string of attacks on Indian students here over the last couple of months. (more…)

Immigrants are inherently dreamers and fighters .

- Omid Kordestani (Senior Advisor in the Office of the CEO- Google)

Travel and change of place impart new vigor to the mind.

- Senec

 The Australian Department of Immigration has announced an increase in visa application fees  from 1 July 2009. The fees have increased by 20%.
 Here are details of some of the most common visa fee increases: (more…)