Summary and recording of SACC Online Event 15 July – Navigating Australia’s visa system and travel exemptions in a COVID environment

For this SACC online event, we invited company member Absolute Immigration, who took us through Australia’s latest immigration and visa changes and the travel exemptions in place to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. 

.

The Q&A session was led by Mikael Dahlgren, CFO Alfa Laval and SACC Board Member and the event topic was presented by Jamie Lingham, Founder & CEO of Absolute Immigration, who covered the following areas/questions:

  • What does the Australian visa landscape look like at the moment?
  • What can companies do to get travel exemptions to enter Australia, especially when the occupation is not on the priority list?
  • Travel exemptions to exit Australia.
  • Predictions over the next 12 months for Australia’s visa program.

This was an interactive online event set up as a meeting with the opportunity for participants to ask questions live.

VIEW ONLINE EVENT RECORDING

Below you will find more details about the specific areas discussed in the meeting.

 

Travel exemptions – outbound

Temporary visa holders do not need an exemption to depart Australia. They can leave at any time, as long as border restrictions in their home country allow them to return.

Please note that they will generally not be permitted to return to Australia.

Temporary visa holders seeking to leave and then return to Australia, may apply for an inwards exemption before they leave, however applications will generally only be approved if they meet the requirements for an individual exemption from Australia’s Inward Travel Restrictions, and they have a strong compassionate or compelling reason to leave Australia supported by relevant documentary evidence.

If you are an Australian citizen or a permanent resident you cannot leave Australia due to COVID-19 restrictions unless you have an exemption. You must meet at least one of the following:

  • your travel is as part of the response to the COVID-19 outbreak, including the provision of aid
  • your travel is for your business/employer
  • you are travelling to receive urgent medical treatment that is not available in Australia
  • you are travelling outside Australia for a compelling reason for three months or longer
  • you are travelling on compelling or compassionate grounds
  • your travel is in the national interest.

Travel exemption – inbound

You are automatically exempt from the travel restrictions and can enter Australia (without obtaining an individual exemption) if you are:

For all other persons who hold a visa, the Australian Border Force may grant you an individual exemption if you are:

  • a foreign national travelling at the invitation of the Australian Government or a state or territory government authority for the purpose of assisting in the COVID-19 response
  • a foreign national whose entry into Australia would be in the national interest, supported by the Australian Government or a state or territory government authority
  • providing critical or specialist medical services, including air ambulance, medical evacuations and delivering critical medical supplies
  • a foreign national with critical skills or working in a critical sector in Australia
  • a foreign national sponsored by your employer to work in Australia in an occupation on the Priority Migration Skilled Occupation List (PMSOL)(see below)
  • military personnel, including those who form part of the Status of Forces Agreement, Commonwealth Armed Forces, Asia Pacific Forces and Status of Armed Forces Agreement
  • a person who resides on a vessel that seeks safe port at the closest appointed port for reprovisioning or safety reasons for a limited duration, supported by the relevant State or Territory government where safe haven is sought
  • students who have been selected to take part in an International Student Arrivals Plan that has been approved by the relevant state or territory government, and endorsed by the Department of Education, Skills and Employment as satisfying the Protocols and Preconditions for International Student Arrivals.
  • students who are in their final three years of study of a medical university degree, who have evidence of a confirmed placement in an Australian hospital or medical practice. The placement must commence within the next two months, and provide medical services to the Australian public.
  • a student completing year 11 and 12, with endorsement from the Department of Education, Skills and Employment (DESE), and support from the relevant state or territory government health and education authorities. Further information regarding this process can be found at the Department of Education, Skills and Employment website.
  • a student in your final two years of study of a dental, nursing or allied health profession university degree, where you have evidence of a confirmed placement in an Australian hospital or medical practice which begins within the next two months.
  • travelling for compassionate and compelling reasons.

Visas for onshore applicants

Visa applicants in Australia are currently experiencing slower processing times but the applications are still being processed.

Visas for offshore applicants

Visa applicants outside Australia are currently experiencing major delays and a lot of visa subclasses have been suspended until such time that the borders re-open. The Department continue to process 482 and 186 visas for those who fall on the Priority Migration Skilled Occupation List (PMSOL). The PMSOL 41 occupations (ANZSCO code) are:

  1. Chief Executive or Managing Director (111111)
  2. Construction Project Manager (133111)
  3. Accountant (General) (221111)
  4. Management Accountant (221112)
  5. Taxation Accountant (221113)
  6. External Auditor (221213)
  7. Internal Auditor (221214)
  8. Surveyor (232212)
  9. Cartographer (232213)
  10. Other Spatial Scientist (232214)
  11. Civil Engineer (233211)
  12. Geotechnical Engineer (233212)
  13. Structural Engineer (233214)
  14. Transport Engineer (233215)
  15. Electrical Engineer (233311)
  16. Mechanical Engineer (233512)
  17. Mining Engineer (excluding Petroleum) (233611)
  18. Petroleum Engineer (233612)
  19. Medical Laboratory Scientist (234611)
  20. Veterinarian (234711)
  21. Orthotist or Prosthetist (251912)
  22. General Practitioner (253111)
  23. Resident Medical Officer (253112)
  24. Psychiatrist (253411)
  25. Medical Practitioners nec (253999)
  26. Midwife (254111)
  27. Registered Nurse (Aged Care) (254412)
  28. Registered Nurse (Critical Care and Emergency) (254415)
  29. Registered Nurse (Medical) (254418)
  30. Registered Nurse (Mental Health) (254422)
  31. Registered Nurse (Perioperative) (254423)
  32. Registered Nurses nec (254499)
  33. Multimedia Specialist (261211)
  34. Analyst Programmer (261311)
  35. Developer Programmer (261312)
  36. Software Engineer (261313)
  37. Software and Applications Programmers nec (261399)
  38. ICT Security Specialist (262112)
  39. Social Worker (272511)
  40. Maintenance Planner (312911)
  41. Chef (351311)

 

For more information please contact Absolute Immigration on 

1300 227 658 or email aisupport@absoluteimmigration.com

To keep up-to-date with policy changes and the effects on visa holders and businesses, subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Linked In.

SACC contact: sacc@swedishchamber.com.au

SWEDELINK Newsletter Winter 2021

Applications open – BUSINESS MENTORSHIP PROGRAM 2021-2022

 

BE A PART OF A REWARDING PROFESSIONAL PARTNERSHIP

We welcome SACC & YP members to be part of this rewarding program as mentors or mentees. The program connects generations of more senior business managers with young professionals within the Swedish-Australian business community.

SACC and YP Committees manage the matching process and help pairs establish a successful mentoring relationship throughout the program. Mentors and mentees meet for one-to-one mentoring sessions in person or online about 6-10 times during the 12-month program. During the program period, there will be check in events including a mid year evaluation with the opportunity for mentees and mentors to reflect and highlight any changes they wish to make. 

PARTICIPATION CRITERIA

  • To join as a mentee or mentor, you must be a member of SACC or YP
  • Both mentees and mentors must be willing to attend the program launch and are expected to meet a minimum of 6-10 times in person or online during the 12-month program

THE APPLICATION AND MATCHING PROCESS

Mentees and mentors will be asked to complete a short application form detailing areas of interest and expectations. Our selection process is designed to properly align our mentors and mentees to ensure a positive experience for both individuals.

We are looking for mentors with business management and leadership experience from large to small and medium-sized companies, with expertise in different areas such as management, finance, fin-tech, technology, law, marketing and communication. Becoming a mentor can be rewarding and comes with benefits such as; broadening your horizons and challenge your perspectives, enhancing your leadership skills and help shape the leaders of tomorrow. Mentors will also have the opportunity to gain intrinsic rewards for meaningful work.

Here is what a mentee said about last years program:

I gained a whole lot from the relationship with my mentor! Not only did my mentor help guiding me in my career path, but also acted as a coach and helped me grow on an individual level as well as on a professional. My mentor’s personality, extensive work experience and knowledge was exactly what I needed in a mentor at that point in time. It was a great match. My main goal with the mentorship program was to establish the next steps in my career path, which we did. Not only did I enjoy the progress we made from our monthly meetings which helped me in my career, but I also really enjoyed speaking with my mentor about his life journey. I would definitely recommend the program to others.”

Feedback from one of our mentors:

”Being a Mentor gave me a great sense of “value”. I was able to share my business and life experience gained from various positions during a lifelong career and apply this to the challenges of the Mentee. I think we achieved a lot together by identifying the key areas and specific actions which would support my Mentee’s development. I would absolutely recommend this program and will be partaking in the upcoming program.”

APPLICATIONS CLOSES 10 AUGUST 2021

Application form for Mentors

Application form for Mentees

Contact us if you would like to find out more about the program.

Introducing new Melbourne VIC Chapter Chair John Rieusset

John Rieusset was elected to the position of Chairperson of the Melbourne Chapter at the start of May, succeeding Luke Warren, who has recently stepped down as Chairperson.

John has been an active contributor to SACC in Melbourne since 2018, representing SACC Premium Member ABB (www.abb.com). John has more than 20 years of experience in the technology industry, having held various technical, commercial and marketing roles. He currently leads ABB’s activities within the food and beverage manufacturing industry.

We congratulate John on his new appointment and thank Luke for his contributions as Chairperson of the Melbourne Chapter.

Swedish Midsummer Celebrations in Melbourne

The SACC YP Melbourne Chapter was lucky to follow through with the planned Swedish Midsummer Celebrations on 26 June at café ÖPPEN with a traditional Swedish Midsummer menu, aquavit and ‘Helan Går’ echoing all the way to lockdown Sydney.

Thank you to Café Öppen and all lovely people that attended plus IKEA for sponsoring this event with additional Swedish food goodness. The next upcoming event will be a Crayfish party together with the other Scandinavian chambers and let’s hope that the SACC YP Sydney will be able to join in for this festive celebration.  

Digital Insights from the Experts

Read the latest Digital Insights from SACC Small Business Member Amire Strategic Digital Marketing here

 

How to Target International Customers Through SEO

Businesses are going global and the need to attract customers from multiple countries and languages has grown tremendously. As a result, international SEO has become a key part of the marketing sphere, with businesses using localisation signals such as hreflang tags in an attempt to compete in international markets.

Having a poor international SEO strategy can mean that websites may risk having the incorrect country pages indexed in search results if the right signals to crawlers. It may also prevent local content from ranking more effectively for a particular location.

Read more in this post which offer a few quick tips on how you can revamp your global SEO efforts.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Randek chosen as the major supplier for the largest offsite prefabricated construction factory in Australia

Swedish company and SACC member Randek www.randek.com was chosen as the major supplier for the largest offsite/prefabricated construction factory in Australia.  This large investment has been made by the company Timbertruss www.timbertruss.com.au.  This project was sold in partnership with Randek’s local representatives, machinery supply specialists Bliss & Reels www.blissandreels.com.au.

Timbertruss are located in Corio, Victoria (just outside Geelong).  They have two giant factory buildings, totalling over 30,000 square metres, with multiple Randek production lines for wall frames, wall panels & roof trusses.

Timbertruss are actively supplying projects with panelised wall & floor elements for panelised construction.  This approach to construction offers large time, quality & productivity gains over site methods and is an approach still relatively uncommon in Australia, though common in Sweden.

YouTube Video: ‘Timbertruss – The Future of Construction’

 

Automated roof truss production:

Robotic wall frame production:

Wall panel production:

 

Bliss & Reels is one of the largest machinery suppliers in Australasia, with a wealth of experience in the supply, commissioning and service of a wide variety of production machinery for steel, concrete, asphalt and timber industries.

Bliss & Reels provide comprehensive range of services, including turn-key installations;

  • Advice, project management
  • Shipping, commissioning and installation
  • Training and after sales service
  • Spare parts sales delivered to stores
  • Finance

Based in Melbourne, servicing Australia & New Zealand, they are proud to represent some of the world’s leading production machinery manufacturers, who are at the forefront of machinery design and production output. Bliss & Reels are committed to continuing growth and expansion into related activities with an increased focus on automation, safety and environmentally friendly technologies.

Randek are pioneers in creating innovative automation solutions for customers within the prefabricated house manufacturing industry. The have developed and manufactured high performance machines and systems for prefabrication of walls, floors, ceiling, roof trusses, cut saws, butterfly turning tables and specialized machinery since the 1940s. Today Randek is one of the world’s leading suppliers of high performance machines and complete systems for effective house manufacturing with 90 percent of the production being exported from their factory in Falkenberg, Sweden.

 

 

 

SCANDINAVIAN FILM FESTIVAL 2021 – Feature 5 Swedish Films

 

Highlights of the Scandinavian Film Festival 

 

The Scandinavian Film Festival returns exclusively to Palace Cinemas this July with a specially curated programme of films and events, showcasing the best in new Nordic cinema.

The Festival will open with WILDLAND (Kød & Blod). Set in Denmark’s underbelly, Jeanette Nordahl’s striking Scandi-noir follows an impressionable teenage girl who is placed in the care of her estranged aunt, (an incredible Sidse Babett Knudsen), the head of a family crime syndicate.

From Finland comes the GAMES PEOPLE PLAY (Seurapeli). A group of old friends gather at an idyllic Finnish seaside villa to celebrate a surprise birthday, where old feelings and power struggles rise to the surface, starring Laura Birn and Christian Hillborg.

At the Centrepiece of the Festival is THE COUNTY (Héraðið), Grímur Hákonarson’s eagerly anticipated follow-up to the global hit Rams. THE COUNTY is a rousing, David-and-Goliath comedy about a dairy farmer’s wife (Arndís Hrönn Egilsdóttir) who takes on the corrupt local co-op in her remote Icelandic valley.

Rising Norwegian star Josefine Frida Pettersen (Skam) shines in Jorunn Myklebust Syversen’s provocative new drama DISCO about a young evangelical dance champion whose faith is tested, prompting her to search for radical solutions.

 

This year’s Special Presentation is the Swedish film TIGERS (Tigrar)

 

TigersAUSTRALIAN PREMIERE
SPECIAL PRESENTATION

Crowned Best Nordic Film at the Göteborg Film Festival 2021, Tigers is the enthralling true story of Martin Bengtsson, a former Inter Milan player, who lifted the lid on a world where everyone has a price tag. Festival Director Elysia Zeccola said: “We emerge from hibernation with a stunning selection of the best Nordic cinema, including award-winning films direct from the 2021 Göteborg Film Festival featuring the brightest stars from the region.”

 

Other featured Swedish films 

CLOSING NIGHT

Celebrating its 50th anniversary and featuring Max von Sydow and Liv Ullmann, The Emigrants follows a struggling farming family in mid-19th Century Sweden who decide to embark on the arduous journey to new hope in America.

 

 

A Piece of My HeartAUSTRALIAN PREMIERE

Based on music by legendary Swedish artist Tomas Ledin (ABBA), this musical comedy follows successful businesswoman Isabella’s (Malin Akerman) return to her hometown, where she learns that her teenage love (Christian Hillborg) is getting married.

 

 

Call Mum!AUSTRALIAN PREMIERE

Niki has just turned 35 and is suddenly forced to come to grips with all her relationships and past choices in life in this charming comedy about mother-daughter relationships.

 

 

Psychosis in StockholmAUSTRALIAN PREMIERE

The deeply moving 2020 Göteborg Film Festival’s Opening film is a surreal drama about a mother and daughter who embark on a trip to Stockholm, yet their plan is derailed when the mother begins acting strangely.

 

 

The SACC will organise pre-movie networking drinks in each Chapter city (highlighted below) if covid restrictions allow:

Sydney: 6 – 28 July, Palace Norton, Palace Central and Chauvel Cinemas
Canberra: 7 – 28 July, Palace Electric
Melbourne: 8 – 28 July, Palace Balwyn, Palace Brighton Bay, Palace Cinema Como, Palace Westgarth, The Kino and Pentridge Cinema
Adelaide: 13 July – 4 August, Palace Nova Eastend Cinemas
Perth: 14 July – 4 August, Luna Leederville, Luna on SX & Palace Raine Square
Brisbane: 15 July – 4 August, Palace James St, Palace Barracks
Byron Bay: 16 July – 1 August, Palace Byron Bay

Stay tuned as we roll out event details for each city once dates become available.

For more information, visit scandinavianfilmfestival.com and follow us on Insta/Facebook @ScandiFilmFest.

Hilma af Klint – The Secret Paintings – Visionary Swedish artist works showing at Art Gallery of NSW

Hilma af Klint – The Secret Paintings – Visionary Swedish artist works showing at Art Gallery of NSW

Hilma af Klint: The Secret Paintings at the Art Gallery NSW 12 June-19 September 2021

 

 

 

 

Left to right: Hilma af Klint The Ten Largest, Group IV, No. 5, Adulthood 1907 HAK106; Group IX/UW, The Dove No. 2 1915 HAK174. By courtesy of the Hilma af Klint Foundation. Photos: The Moderna Museet, Stockholm, Sweden.

 

On the 12 June the doors opened to the ‘Hilma af Klint – The Secret Paintings’ at Art Gallery of New South Wales in Sydney. This is the first time the incredible works of Hilma af Klint are shown in Australia with the exhibition open until 19 September 2021. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to discover the extraordinary artistic achievements of this trailblazing artist who stood for too long outside the accepted story of European modernism.

Graduating with honours in 1887 from Stockholm’s Royal Academy of Fine Arts, Hilma af Klint was recognised as a talented naturalistic painter but in 1906 chose to pursue a radically different path as an artist – one that was deeply engaged with spiritualism, with new developments in science and with the natural world. When af Klint began creating her ambitious new works in 1906, no one had seen paintings like hers before – so monumental in scale, with such radiant colour combinations, enigmatic symbols and other-worldly shapes. Influenced by the spiritualist practices of her time, af Klint believed that her paintings contained messages for humanity communicated to her through the visions she received from spirits.

Hilma af Klint was the visionary Swedish artist whose paintings were stored away and scarcely known for decades. The re-discovery of her ‘secret paintings’ has taken the international art world by storm – to find out more and how to book your tickets please visit Art Gallery of NSW website Hilma af Klint | Art Gallery of NSW

Thursday 29 July, Embassy of Sweden together with University of NSW will host the screening in Paddington, Sydney, of the documentary ‘Beyond the Visible – Hilma af Klint’. More information about the screening will follow.

 

Hilma af Klint: The Secret Paintings is supported by the NSW Government through its tourism and major events agency, Destination NSW and presented with the cooperation of The Hilma af Klint Foundation, Stockholm in association with Heide Museum of Modern Art, Melbourne.

Visit the AGNSW links below for more information;

Hilma af Klint Events

> Art Gallery NSW

> Media release

Join the conversation
#HilmaAfKlint