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    Australia cuts visas for builders and manufacturing

    Friday, March 20th, 2009

    is reacting to the global downturn by cutting its intake of migrants for the first time in ten years. The government said this week that it would reduce the number of work permits by about 14%, or  18,500.

    The government is removing bricklayers, carpenters, plumbers and electricians from the critical shortage list. Hairdressers and cooks had already been removed.  Health occupations, engineering and information technology remain on the list.

    The visa cuts will affect would-be Irish emigrants. Media reports in recent weeks have detailed problems affective Irish job-seekers in Australia.

    Australia’s unemployment rate is currently 5.2%, up from 4.8% last month.

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    Unemployment hits 7.8%

    Wednesday, December 3rd, 2008

    The latest unemployment figures show that unemployment rose sharply last month, as the CSO estimates the unemployment rate has hit 7.8%, up from 6.3% at the end of the third quarter.

    The number of people joining the Live Register rose by nearly 17,000 – this is the largest increase yet. The vast majority of those joining the Live Register were men, with 13,600 men and 3,300 women joining.

    Several economists quoted in media reports say unemployment was on course to reach 10% by the end of 2009.

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