I feel we have slightly been neglecting our old friend South Africa on this blog recently, so today I attempt to right the wrongs of past months and hope to pacify the baying crowd that wish to see me strung by the toe-nails as punishment for this gross misdemeanour.

As the World Cup is fast approaching being held in SA, preparations have been well under way for the mass arrival of thousands of lovely football fans to descend on South African immigration and each city hosting games. This has seen some remarkable changes and new buildings being built as well as five new stade de South Africa.

The five new stadiums are now finished and it feels as though June will be upon us before we know what the word stade means. This is all great news; however as with most conundrums there are always umms, this month a few readers have emailed asking just how safe it actually is in South Africa? The simple answer to that, on second-hand knowledge gleamed from ex-SA citizens and the wonderful tool that masquerades itself as Google – is not very safe at all.

This doesn’t look good for the World Cup then!

As readers from all 4-corners of the atlas utter the same sentence it could be interpreted as a bad omen that crime in South Africa is so high. I will not bore you with statistics, nor will I scare you with what crimes South Africa tops world-wide lists for, let’s just say that if murder was a sport then South Africa could may well be competing for the title, however don’t be fooled into thinking it is that bad or everyone would be dead already, yeh know?

So with the reasons for the level of crime in SA a subject that looks as vast and deeply political as their position at the top of the table in brutality, we will try and divert away from that unsightly blemish and concentrate on what are the nicer parts of the country, and if the weirdo’s feel as though they are being left out I will also be listing the worst area’s.

The Global Visas definitive list for the 3 safest and 3 worst parts of South Africa for crime.

Worst

Johannesburg

Johannesburg, or Jo’burg as it is fondly known by people that don’t like the name Johannesburg, is regarded as probably the most dangerous city in SA, with the townships on the outskirts such as Soweto held in poor regard and the downtown area of Hillbrow reported to be a no-go zone. Residents of near by areas will warn you to stay out of this area however if you have to go through it drive as fast as possible and don’t stop.

Durban

As with Jo’burg the most common crime in this city is burglary closely followed by robbery and assault, lovely. This makes the two cities very similar in the predominant type of crime taking place, which if you were wondering is violent crime. Durban actually comes out as the most dangerous city in SA for Africans whereas Jo’burg is for White people. Again you are advised to stay clear of the downtown areas, especially after dark.

Pretoria

Pretoria is to the north of Jo’burg and will host 6 games at its Loftus Versfeld Stadium. The city is relatively safe when compared to Jo’burg; however there is a higher incidence of car-jacking in this city, one method is for the would-be jacker to lie in the road as though they are dead, when a car stops to help they are set upon. Advice to avoid this is to drive as fast as possible at people lying on the floor, this I am assured will see them spring to their feet. Again it seems that the Suburbs are the safer option then compared to downtown.

Safest

Cape Town

This city is located on the south coast and is a leading tourist destination in South Africa, because of this it is undeniably still afflicted by crime, but when compared to the ‘worst’ parts of the country you soon realise it is only a small part of this beautiful city. Within throwing distance of the beach the city centre area has been revamped with new businesses being brought in, this period of growth has seen new modern bars springing up all round the area and creating a diverse and varied nightlife in the city.

Western Cape

This could be classed as technically cheating as the city of Cape Town lies within the Western Cape. However this vast region is home to countless un-touristy destinations along the coast and would be an ideal place to stay while travelling into the city of Cape Town to watch the matches being played there. You will find countless safe areas along the coast here and further up the areas of George and Port Elizabeth.

Eastern Cape

All along the Eastern Cape you will find safe and sleepy towns that have there own modus operandi, the crime rates in places like this are non-existent when compared to the cities. The closest city that will be playing matches will be Jo’burg or Cape Town again. This is a great area to immigrate to although not really any good to be travelling from to watch the World Cup.

So in conclusion it seems that if you are going to watch the World Cup in a few months then you should be heading to the matches being played in Cape Town. If your country is however playing in the Jo that is burg then you will have to take more care. As scary as stories of far away places sound they are often little more than that, I’m not saying go down to Hillbrow and show your face just so they know you’re not scared, I’m just reminding you not to let anything stand in your way from doing what you want and finding out for yourself what your opinion is.

If you are thinking of moving to South Africa take a look at our South African immigration page and contact us for a FREE consultation

The Face of a Immigration Detention Centre

The case of the Indian hijacker being deported from Canada demonstrates flaws in the immigration process of the country. Without simply making this a damnation of the bureaucracy that trails Canada’s immigration laws, it can safely be presumed that every country has the same problems. For example it is estimated by the UK immigration department that they spend in excess of £50million every year in litigation costs against ex-foreign prisoners appealing their deportation, the British Government are so keen to bring down that cost that recently it was disclosed that a new scheme had been in operation that rewarded foreign prisoners for returning to their home country. The scheme, which last year gave away £3.4million, is seen by the Labour Government as preferential to lengthy court proceedings that could ultimately result in criminals being returned to UK streets.

Over a decade spent deporting 1 man

The case of Parminder Singh Saini had been dragging on in Canada since he arrived with false papers in 1995, when his true identity was discovered he was promptly held in an immigration detention centre, the fact that his appeals took so long meant that he had enough time to acquire not one but two degrees, one in law. Mr. Saini seemed to be home and dry, in regards to staying in the country, and was even confident enough that he applied to become a practising lawyer in the territory of Ontario, it seems on the face of it that this was his undoing, as a subsequent ruling on his effort to become a recognised lawyer has now resulted in him drawing world-wide press attention and being swiftly dealt with by the Canadian immigration authorities.

It is puzzling why it took the courts and the Canadian Government so long to remove the once leader of a militant group and convicted hijacker, but the domino effect of the attention his failed law society bid received was palpable. The judge in the case ruling that he was of ‘uncertain character’ considering the method in which he entered the country.

Laws are in place to protect the individual and the greater interests of a country/society, for this reason the UK Government now pursue every foreign prisoner for removal following their release. The conflicting laws however were highlighted in the UK by the case of Learco Chindamo, who it was ruled would not be deported following his release on parole for the unprovoked stabbing and murder of head teacher Philip Lawrence. In the ruling the judge cited Chindamo’s human rights as well as the fact he was Italian, meaning he was protected from deportation by EU laws.

The obvious conflict of laws means that each case needs to be addressed on its own merits and circumstances, and here lies the problem. The costs for foreign prisoners being deported is draining a public purse that we are constantly being told is in short supply, never mind the  Parminder Singh Saini’s of this world who enter illegally and then spend years in detention and the courts. What’s the solution? You tell me, please feel free to leave comments below, or on a SAE to Phil Woolas, C/O Downing Street, I’m sure he’ll welcome all suggestions.

Today marks the annual Australian day, it was this date two-hundred and twenty-two years ago that Australia was officially colonised on 26th January 1788 by Captain Arthur Phillip in the name of King George III.

Well done Professor McGorry on winning the Australian of the year award 2010

Australia’s celebrations started yesterday with a concert kicked off by Wendy Matthews to celebrate everything it means to be Australian. Festivities were mirrored by fireworks and parties across the country to welcome in midnight and the start of Australian day.

Today Kevin Rudd swore in 1300 new Australian citizens while in Perth a simiar ceremony was being held by Australian immigration minister Chris Evans. The day culminated in the Australian of the year being announced, it was awarded to Professor Patrick McGorry.

Mr. McGorry is a 57-year old psychiatrist who works in the mental health field, he took the opportunity in receiving the award to advocate the importance of preventing mental illness at the early stages and, in what must be a slight embarrassment for the Australian immigration authorities and Government, called for an end to immigration detention centres. In his speech the professor derided the centres and labelled them ‘factories for producing mental illness and mental disorder’.

The awards, which were held at Parliament House in Canberra, celebrated Professor McGorry’s work and the Prime Minister paid tribute to him as a ‘leader’ who had pioneered new approaches to mental health, especially in young people.

McGorry has been at the forefront of Australia’s invigorated policy on mental health among young people, the professor is the executive director at the Orygen Youth Health centre in Melbourne and has in large part been responsible for shaping the new thinking in the area of intervention, prevention and treatment of mental illness.

Australia day has in the past been open to criticism from some quarters for celebrating a day that, in actuality, celebrates the colonisation of Australian land and the persecution of the indigenous Australian people. Today however one felt a conscious effort by the Government and in particular Kevin Rudd in trying to establish a ‘coming together’ attitude. Rudd made a somewhat stirring speech in which he said that Australians should be ‘more understanding’ of each other and that there was much to learn from those that had made Australia their home.

Australian Understanding

This attitude seems to me like the ‘everything is great’ psyche people adopt around the Christmas period, brothers and sisters that have been fighting all year must sit together and exchange pleasantry’s as though the previous 12-months has not been filled with insults and skirmishes over who is next in the bathroom.

Where although it is fine for the Australian government to ‘celebrate’ ‘their’ country, Australia as a whole should replace the batteries on the moral compasses that most seem to parade around and think about the words the Australian of the year has imparted on them.

The unity that the Government are so keen to portray, Chris Sarra an indigenous candidate for Australian of the year, Australian immigration minister Chris Evans praising Indians that were being sworn in as citizens and the speeches given across the Australian TV networks praising the greatest of the country, seem to fall flat on their faces when faced with the criticisms levied by Mr. McGorry. Having briefly scanned the comments on the news sites covering the professor’s remarks the response has been predictably un-harmonious.

While it is great to celebrate your country the feeling is that the fights between the siblings has started before it is time to pull the first cracker. Australian people although being lauded as tolerate and welcoming, appear to be anything but when it comes to the issue of Australian immigration.

All one can hope is that the day holds more significance to most for changes in thinking, than the fragile peace treaty’s struck up over Christmas day, that are over by the time the Turkey has become a curry.

The UK immigration authorities have announced price increases for certain types of UK visas. Government involved in this matter will no doubt feel that these measures are needed and most immigration observers would more than likely agree.

The criticism I have lobbied at the Labour party from this very blog is that in regards to the UK immigration policy they have simply not provided extra funding for services and institutions that an increase in population would require. By this I mean public services such as the healthcare system and schools.

In this country we are very fortunate in that we have a fully-subsidised healthcare system, one in which if you are in need of medical treatment you have access to it. This system for a long time has come under criticism and indeed it was one of Labour’s main policies when they came to power in 1997, under the musings of D.Reams ‘Things can only get better’, to revive it from the inadequate service some felt it had become. It could easily be argued that ‘New Labour’ has achieved the goal of improving the healthcare system in this country, and no doubt Mr Brown would draw on five dozen reports to prove just that, citing statistics to show that waiting lists have decreased, nosocomial infections caused by hospital visits have declined and patient care standards have been raised.

However I would counter that argument in that the main gripe the average Joe Bloggs has about immigration in this country is that it drains public services. It’s not rocket science, if you have an increase in population the amount of people using public services also increases.

2004 saw the introductions of Poland and the Baltic states into the EU, subsequently citizens from these countries were afforded the right to work in the UK, without the need to apply for a UK work visa. This saw a huge surge in people from these nations coming to the UK to live and work. Labour’s immigration policy has also recently come under scrutiny for being too liberal in who they allowed into the country. This has meant that since the Labour party took office the level of immigration into the UK has been steadily rising, official statistics published last month even claiming that the population will reach 70million by 2028 if the migration patterns of the last 10 years continue. I am not professing to know categorically that the budget for public spending has not increased by some measure, it more than likely has, what is self-evident however is the feeling among voters that public services are now under-funded for the amount of people we now have living in the country.

I am a firm believer in the notion that UK immigration is a positive for the country, even asylum seekers whose first generation can speak little English, the children of these migrants will grow up in a country that provides them every opportunity to achieve whatever their goals might be, I have no doubt that many will grow up to become the next generation of Doctors and key-workers, and if not such lofty aspirations for these individuals, who would otherwise be persecuted in their own country, economically active members of our unique nation.

The new UK visa measures go some way in appeasing voters and providing much needed funds for the services that need it most. As the deadline for a general election looms, and UK immigration looks set to be a major sticking point for the current government, it will be interesting from my perspective to see what other measures Mr Brown will introduce to rescue his UK immigration plans from the death-throes of a Tory party that smells blood.

The Haiti disaster has seen a mass pulling together of all industries of late, Google setting up an appeal link on their homepage and even industries that could otherwise be accused of being self-serving setting up donation routes of enquiry. This has been reflected in international immigration circles, Canada has introduced priority processing for Canadian visas from Haitians and the US has also followed suit with measures being looked into to halt the deportation of Haitians.

The disaster which is being likened to a Tsunami in the devastating effect it has had on the population of this small country, has seen vast numbers of people either being found dead or suspected of being killed by the earthquake, official figures put the number at close to 200,000 fatalities. As a result of this, and as the aftermath of the disaster takes it toll, increasing numbers of refugees are attempting to cross into the Dominican Republic.

The Dominican Republic has been praised recently by the US government for the role it’s played in the evacuation of US citizens. The country has also recently been the staging ground for a meeting to discuss how the situation in Haiti will be addressed going forward. The meeting which was attended by the leaders and officials of the Caribbean community (Caricom) as well as leading financial institutions and governments’ aimed to tackle what humanitarian and financial efforts could be offered to the country.

What ever measures are put in place, what is clear is that the country greatly needs help to rebuild it. Homes and buildings have been destroyed leaving thousands homeless and the possibility that those displaced will seek refuge in other countries and thus causing an immigration nightmare. The immigration measures put in place relieve the worry that some individuals must have, however a firm resolution and plan needs to be agreed upon so that the people of Haiti can rebuild their country, homes and lives after what is a terrible disaster.

Donate to UNICEF to help the people of Haiti

UNICEF is deploying clean water and sanitation supplies, therapeutic foods, medical supplies and temporary shelter to the people of Haiti. Visit the UNICEF website.

The whole furore over immigrant workers in the UK, and more recently in Italy seems to me to show a side of human nature that all of us would prefer not to see.

Italy, as does Spain, is perhaps more prone to immigrants coming into their borders and onto their shores. They are situated in an unenviable position on the map in that their southern borders are exposed to the North coast of Africa, and hence policing of such a vast swath of coastline is perhaps next to impossible. This means that those looking to find a better life and work often meander their way to being washed up along the coastlines of the Alboran or Mediterranean seas and onto the beaches of either country.

It is surprising, or rather not, then that both countries have been exposed on the International stage in recent years of tolerating, and even condoning racism, Italy just this week and Spain a while ago when England played the country in a friendly International football match. Who could forget those pictures of Mother, Father and Son stood in unison aiming monkey chants and faces at England footballer Ashley Cole? Although abhorrent in this country, and indeed most other western nations similar racist behaviour has been exposed this week in the South of Italy.

This week saw protests and subsequent deportations of over 1300 migrant workers in the town of Rosarno, immigrant workers follow a loose pattern of working wherever the season takes them within Italy, and the farmers exploit this, paying them as little as €2 per hour, the immigrant workers at this time of year were in Rosarno, picking Oranges. What sparked the protests were the apparent indiscriminate shootings of a few of these workers, it has now been claimed that these shootings were premeditated and aimed at those workers who were refusing to pay a €5 daily protection fee to the local Mafia.

The aftermath of the drama, the rounding up of over 1300 African workers involved in the protests, and the xenophobic statements released by the Italian government are indicative of a country that is searching for a part of society to blame for rising social problems and one that is not exactly backgrounds in going right-wing with their views.

Immigration is being fingered for the collapse of the economy

As the economy, unemployment, house prices and taxes continue to shuttle-cock around the world immigrant workers are increasingly becoming a very easy target. Government, in the case of Italy and opposition party’s here in the UK and in Australia, are hitching a ride on people’s uneasiness and displeasure in the way the world is at the moment and conveniently affixing the blame for it on immigrants. The only country that seems to have any sense in regards to immigrant workers is Canada, whose government is constantly on record as thanking the immigrants in their country for making it what it is.

In the case of Italy it is very clear that the immigrant workers were not displacing any Italians within the workforce, as quite clearly no Italian would be working for €2 an hour. The economy in Italy and across every region that hires the immigrant workers operate on a basis of cheap labour. The problem has not arisen because of immigrant workers but more because of rising unemployment and a diversion of the social anger shown by the working classes towards an easy target, by the powers that be.

If I hear another argument about immigrant workers taking or displacing the workforce I will implode. The immigrant workforce has a very strong work-ethic, they often come to a country having not had the opportunity to work before, and they work for next to nothing, why? Because they have not previously had the chance to work, and compared to their home countries the wages are high. This gives them the chance to save and send money back to their families. They do the crappiest jobs imaginable because they are the only jobs available, catering assistant-washing crud off of plates and standing over a sink for 9 hours. Parking attendant-hated by everyone and has to walk the streets for 8 hours of the day. Street sweepers-similar to parking attendants. These are the jobs immigrants take in the UK, who else is going to do those jobs? These people cannot speak very good English, they are not going to take preference to an English person going for the same job – they have the job because no English person wants it.

It is time the working classes in this country and abroad woke up and smelt the strong smell of the countryside, the economy is not the fault of immigration but the fault of bad government policy. Blame the government, hold them responsible, and do not fall into the trap of becoming an ignorant xenophobe under their guidance.

Global Visas are always available for any UK immigration or International immigration queries you may have.

What's your favourite colour?

Regardless of where you are moving to you will want to know as much as possible about where you are going, getting off the plane at a destination you are about to call home and not knowing a thing is going to be scary and extremely hard. When planning a move to the United States you may wish do some research, however you might want keep a few things at the forefront of your mind.

Continuing our New Year immigration help theme here are ten most common things to remember when planning to immigrate to the US.

1. Immigration into the U.S. has become more difficult – Your application will come under even more scrutiny then in the past. Make sure everything they have asked for is included and even go the extra mile with documents that they have asked for. E.g. If they ask for the last 3 months of bank statements provide them with 4. If you want to make life a lot easier arrange your US visa through a US immigration expert, this will eliminate any problems arising.
2. America is a big place with lots of different climates – If you have a definite preference regarding weather, you will be able to find a location that suits you in the US
3. Larger cities aren’t necessarily family friendly – If you want to move to America to raise a family the cities aren’t necessarily the most child-friendly. Try the outskirts of the larger Metropolitan areas.
4. Less people means cheaper prices - Smaller towns and lesser populated areas tend to be lower priced, this is high school economics, more demand = higher prices. Popular areas like New York are more expensive because demand to live there is higher.
5. Prices however are reasonable wherever you live – Even in the large cities you can still find moderate rents and prices on consumer goods. You will just have to look harder.
6. There is an abundance of groups for new arrivals – Wherever you settle when you immigrate, you will find groups that welcome you with open-arms.
7. Cars are a must in the U.S. – Unless you’re moving to a metropolitan area like New York you will need a car, even in the cities people tend to use cars, not very good for the environment but a must if the alternative is waiting an hour for a bus.
8. Jobs are available you just have to find them – Despite the record unemployment levels there are jobs, though they might be lower paid jobs. The usual places to look still apply – Internet and Newspapers.
9. Health care is not free – If you have to pay for healthcare you might be shocked at the price, however not being covered and then having an accident will be considerably more expensive.
10. Advice and help - The US has a solid support structure for all manner of problems ranging from help to support, whether it’s advice on Swine flu to support on US immigration problems there are help lines that can advise you.

As always if you have any questions or would like any information on moving to the U.S. or U.S. immigration please refer to the Global Visas website or arrange a FREE consultation with a U.S. immigration advisor.

New chicks for a New Year

Continuing in the spirit of the new year, we the lovely people at Global Visas have compiled a motivational immigration guide to inspire you to make your dream of immigrating overseas a reality.

Move forward and keep direction by splitting your migration into lesser manageable stages. Your journey to immigrating becomes a series of effortless steps instead of a long slog.

Some people are disheartened or worse put off altogether by the time it requires to emigrate. We now exist in a time where we want things now, yesterday is to slow. Change is so quick it is difficult to take stock of what will be happening in a couple of year’s time. Immigration targets are set in the future; however significant they are people find it difficult to keep them a part of their daily focus, life has a habit of interrupting our thought patterns as tasks are thrown up daily, nonetheless you must remember your original goal.
Dividing your immigration into smaller steps prepares you for changes before they occur, rather than responding to each matter as it arises.

Three steps to immigration

These three steps are common to the bulk of cases, and have specified start and end points that are straight-forward to quantify, from your original ideas all the way through to feeling completely happy and settled in your new country.

1. Creation

From your first intellections of moving abroad, you will have thoughts of whether emigration is for you and come to a decision of what country/area you wish to settle in, research and investigation are key. The visa options can be confusing and you may wish to enlist help to compile your visa application. Timescale for visa applications can vary, typically being between 6-12 months although for some countries longer.

What can you expect
Now is the perfect time to resolve the big question of what you want to achieve from life. This is vital to be sure about what is essential to you, and what you treasure in life. After all if now you aren’t clear, it’s a huge spin of the wheel to move to another country hoping it will give you the answers.
It is easy to get sidetracked on the immigration itself that you forget the long-term issue, getting wherever it is you are going is just a step towards your greater goals, not the main act. If you are intuitive you will be using an immigration expert to handle your visa application, that way you are guaranteed to be assured about this area and know that the application is in the best possible hands. You will however have to consider other things.

Questions that need consideration are: Is it what you really want? What area will best suit my needs? What needs to change in my life now to get where I want to be? What new skills will I need to settle in?

2. Transition

This starts when you receive your visas and documents, and ends when you board the plane to begin your new life. You are preparing yourself physically – selling your home, preparing to move all your possessions, selling your car etc. And emotionally – seeing friends and family. Many things that until this point you have been unable to do, once you have the visa you are now sure and committed to the idea of emigrating. Leaving your job, selling houses, setting removal dates etc. It’s very active and a relief all the decisions and investigative operations were completed during the creation step so you can put all your focus on the task ahead.

What you can expect
The rate of life steps up quickly; many things need co-ordinating, de-cluttering, house removals, flights, car sale, money, banking, schools and preparing to leave (best do a list). All that is usual will be changing; if you are not used to being away from your comfort zone it will hit you now. Having no keys is a familiar curiosity I have heard many people about to emigrate mention, almost as though they are used to the certainty this offers and now it is missing, albeit temporarily, they feel lost.

3. Integration

From landing at your destination, to feeling settled and no longer like a stranger in a unfamiliar country. This can vary typically up to 2 years after first arriving. During the integration step you discover a new life, home, schools for children, jobs, credit-ratings and friends. With the short-term issues resolved you can focus on the long-term targets of creating the lifestyle you aspire to. During the ‘honey-moon’ stage many new expats feel they have surpassed the integrated stage, only to have a wobble months later. Give it plenty of time and everything will fit into place.

What you can expect
It can feel a strange, and hard to take in that you are have actually emigrated. A plethora of emotions are likely to take hold and will frequently change from one opposite to the next. The general time it takes new expats to transform from newbie to seasoned expatriate varies enormously; this phase may be very effortless and you might feel at home quickly or it could take ages to feel that way. This is the period when you have to continue that focus and determination. There are as many, if not more projects and things to consider once you arrive, and you will be experiencing them from a very unique position. Everything that before was second nature, you now find is slightly different, it’s all about adapting and learning, within no time you will have forgotten all the little quirks that you found strange. The best parts from your new life are yet to come, and this stage although miles from when you first began is still just the start of where it will be in the future.

Global Visas are always on hand to provide you with information and answers on your immigration or visa needs

Butterfly catching in January

As the New Year has now officially begun, you may be wondering whether a change in career might be the missing something you are looking for to start 2010, or perhaps you are simply bored of the environment you live and work in and in fact wish to change the country you live in.

Living abroad temporarily is one thing, actually securing a job so that this becomes permanent is quite another. Applying for jobs in a global marketplace is far more competitive, you are highly likely to be competing against the best candidates from around the globe, however with almost all the English-speaking countries hiring from outside the country to fill vital industries it is an attainable goal. This checklist will hopefully improve your chances and highlight areas of your job search you may have overlooked.

1. State the relevant job skills – The concept of a CV is underappreciated when it comes to appealing to employers. Attempt to find out all you can about the prospective position ahead of application, this way you can tailor you CV to the specifics of the job, henceforth appealing most to the employer. This isn’t an exercise in creative writing so keep it factual, however you should be able to make selective decisions on what is most beneficial to leave in and out.

2. Learn about the modus operandi – It can be easy to believe that all job-markets do not vary; this can however be a non-truth. Find out what you can on the country in question as sometimes the culture can play a huge part in the process.

3. Volunteer first - An excellent way to demonstrate to an employer you are passionate about an industry is to show that even though you are lacking in experience for a job, you have attempted to learn as much as possible by volunteering prior to application.

4. Take classes – The more you learn, the greater your chances of being the person who gets that particular job. If you are lacking at all in your current role and know there are things you can do to change that then what are you waiting for?

5. Anticipate trends – Job markets are constantly changing as are the width and breadth of what employees will be expected to know, be ahead of the game.

6. Be selective - It’s better for you in the long-run to market yourself to those companies that you can envisage working for a long period of time. Even if it feels as though you are not getting any joy, do not be tempted to start applying for anything, you might just get it, then you’d be stuck there.

7. Have clear goals - Employers want to know what your motivations and ambitions are, this is all part of the process of hiring someone who is going to stick around, work hard at their job and be a member of staff they can invest in.

8. Be ready with a time line – A future employer will appreciate knowing as much as possible, this includes a timeframe of what your plans are for details such as when you are thinking of moving abroad and moving dates.

9. Have a local address – This might not be crucial, however it could show an employer that you are serious about the area and country.

10. Network – People you already know can be goldmine of opportunities and business contacts. Quite often this is a untapped resource for all manner of things and not just job opportunities. Recommendations of countries and area’s that might be of interest to you when moving abroad can be particularly helpful.

Indira Nooyi is the CEO of PepsiCo

‘Only in America’ used to be the saying, this is rapidly being replaced with ‘only in India,’ Where else would you be able to find the worlds leading CEO’s on one side of the fence and US visa scams on the other? It really is a country of stark contrast.

Simultaneously on the same day it has been reported that the city of Chandigarh and the area of Punjab are being investigated for high levels of suspected visa irregularities, this while in the US, Forbes have published their list of the movers and shakers in the US business world moving to the US to head up large American conglomerates.

The ability of the country to produce hard-working ‘outside of the box thinkers’ is unparalleled. When Indira Nooyi became the first Indian, also first Indian woman, to become CEO of the 25billion dollar company PepsiCo she was forward-thinking enough to for see a downturn in the popularity of the carbonated drink market and diversified the company rapidly with the acquisition of Tropicana and the Quaker brand. Nooyi was recently named as the 3^rd most powerful woman in the world on Forbes top 100 list in 2009. Her status as a global strategist has been cemented since taking the role in 2007, recently announcing plans to partnership with Gatorade to enter into the sports drinks market.

This ingenuity is mirrored by her fellow countrymen and women, who although some not necessarily given the opportunities afforded to most still persist in efforts to further themselves and their well-being. Although India has risen sharply within certain sectors for pay and opportunities, most notably within the IT industry, a large proportion of the population are still paid poorly and provided with limited chances to improve on this. Most in this situation see a life with a US visa as just this, a chance to achieve more.

What is clear is that the country has an ability to produce in it’s citizens a want to reach as higher heights as is possible, through hard work, and in the case of the nationals attempting to gain a US visa fraudulently by sacrificing their moral compass, albeit temporarily.