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Tag: Visa

  • Australia Is The Perfect Place For Me; 2 Singaporeans Chase Aussie Dreams With New Visa Scheme

    Australia Is The Perfect Place For Me; 2 Singaporeans Chase Aussie Dreams With New Visa Scheme

    Tutor Amira Rahmat, 24, had always dreamed of working in the fields of nature and wildlife conservation, but the chance to do so did not come along – until now.

    For the next year, she will work in wildlife and nature conservatories, including one in Tasmania, while pursuing another interest close to her heart – learning about coffee and taking barista courses.

    The avid nature lover plans to leave her job and go to Australia in October.

    Ms Amira, a National University of Singapore life sciences graduate, is one of two Singaporeans to receive a Work and Holiday visa under a new scheme.

    She said: “Australia is the perfect place for me. It will allow me to follow my passion and give me the opportunity, for the first time in my life, to work in my dream field. I will have easy access to activities I love, such as camping, diving and immersing myself in nature and wildlife.”

    Also off to Australia is advertising account manager Deborah Yap, 29. The diving enthusiast said she cannot wait to spend her time in a place where she can easily access dive spots and places like the Great Barrier Reef.

    She said: “It was really surprising to hear I was granted the visa. It is such a blessing.”

    Part of a bilateral agreement between Singapore and Australia, the visa will allow Singaporeans to spend up to 12 months in Australia, and allow Australians to do the same in Singapore.

    And, for the first time, it will allow Singaporeans to hold jobs in Australia for up to six months each time under a single employer.

    Singaporeans can also take up short courses for up to four months at a time.

    Ms Amira and Ms Yap are the first two candidates to be granted the visa under the scheme. The initiative was launched in June, and applications opened on Aug 1.

    The 125 spaces offered in this first round were taken up within an hour of the launch.

    There will be a total of 500 spots each for Singaporeans and Australians each year.

    Australian Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment Steven Ciobo, speaking to the media in Singapore yesterday, said: “We knew that this visa programme was going to be popular, and the response just confirms it.”

    He said that Singapore and Australia are linked by investments, trade and defence, among other things.

    The visa scheme, he said, will help to build personal ties and allow Singaporeans and Australians to get some exposure to each other’s cultures.

    The application for the next batch of visas will open on Oct 2. The scheme is open only to Singaporeans between the ages of 18 and 30, and who have completed at least two years of tertiary education or the equivalent.

     

    Source: http://www.straitstimes.com

  • New Long-Term Visa For Singaporean Travellers To Australia

    New Long-Term Visa For Singaporean Travellers To Australia

    From next year, Singaporeans travelling to Australia can apply for a new visa which allows them to enter the country for up to three months at a time, over a six-year period.

    The new visa is “exclusive” to Singaporeans, and will begin by Jan 1, 2018. This was announced on Friday (Jun 2) by Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull on the first of his three-day visit to Singapore.

    Also announced was a new Work and Holiday Maker programme, which will allow young people from Australia and Singapore to undertake short-term work or study.

    The programme begins on Aug 1, 2017, and 500 places are available to citizens of each country.

    Last financial year, more than 230,000 visitor visas were granted to travellers from Singapore, up 16 per cent compared with the previous year.

     

    Source: http://www.channelnewsasia.com

  • Abdul Rahman Mohamed: Kecewa Pemerintah Singapura Beri Pelonggaran Visa Bagi Rakyat Myanmar Sedangkan Masalah Rohingya Semakin Ketara

    Abdul Rahman Mohamed: Kecewa Pemerintah Singapura Beri Pelonggaran Visa Bagi Rakyat Myanmar Sedangkan Masalah Rohingya Semakin Ketara

    Sudah tentu pengumuman dan langkah sebegini pada masa ini oleh pemerintah akan mengguris perasaan ummat Islam Singapura.

    Tatkala ribuan saudara2 Muslim dibunuh kejam oleh para pengganas Budhist Myanmar, pemerintah kita pula membuat keputusan utk memberi laluan mudah utk rakyat Myanmar memasuki Singapura dengan cara mudah tanpa memerlukan visa!

    Sementara kami disuruh memahami langkah2 yg diambil utk membendung kemasukkan individu2 Muslim yg mempunyai ciri2 Radikal, Extreme dan Pengganas, berkemungkinan yg akan diberi laluan mudah utk masuk ke Singapura ini merupakan individu2 pengganas Budhist Myanmar yg telah mengotori tangan2 mereka dengan darah saudara Islam kita Rohingya.

    Sudahlah segala kekejaman itu dibiarkan tanpa ada suara2 mengutuk tiba2 laporan begini pula yg diumumkan.

    Sangat mengecewakan…….

     

    Source: Abdul Rahman Mohamed

  • MHA: Foreign Companies Need Permit To Sponsor, Promote Or Participate In Speakers’ Corner Events

    MHA: Foreign Companies Need Permit To Sponsor, Promote Or Participate In Speakers’ Corner Events

    Foreign companies will need a permit to sponsor, publicly promote or get its employees to participate in events at the Speakers’ Corner, stated the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Friday afternoon (Oct 21).

    For the first time, the ministry made clear what a Singapore entity was: those incorporated or registered in Singapore and controlled by a majority of Singapore citizens.

    The entity’s directors must be mostly Singaporean, and the majority of its ownership must be held by Singaporeans or one or more Singapore companies.

    Meanwhile, the ministry is loosening rules for local entities organising events at the Speakers’ Corner. From next month, Singapore companies or non-government organisations no longer need permits to hold events at the Speakers’ Corner. Now, only Singapore citizens are exempted.

    In its news release on the amendments to the rules, the ministry reiterated that the Speakers’ Corner was set up in 2000 for Singaporeans to express their views on issues that concern them.

    “The Government’s position has always been that foreign entities should not interfere in our domestic issues, especially those of a political or controversial nature,” said the MHA. “The amendments reinforce the key principle that the Speakers’ Corner was set up primarily for Singaporeans.”

    MHA is also extending the rules to those who participate at Speakers’ Corner events through remote means. So foreign entities will also need a permit if they speak through teleconferecing or pre-recorded messages at the Speakers’ Corner.

    These changes come on the back of reviews to Speakers’ Corner rules which the MHA started in June. The ministry had wanted to “make it clear that foreign entities should not fund, support or influence” events held at Speakers’ Corner, such as June 4’s Pink Dot – the annual lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rally.

    This year’s Pink Dot – the eighth such – attracted 18 sponsors including multinational companies such as Google, JP Morgan, Goldman Sachs, Apple, Facebook, Microsoft, Visa and General Electric.

     

    Source: www.straitstimes.com

  • Jemaah Haji Dan Umrah Kali Kedua Perlu Bayar Yuran Visa S$700

    Jemaah Haji Dan Umrah Kali Kedua Perlu Bayar Yuran Visa S$700

    Bermula bulan Oktober ini, anda yang ingin mengerjakan haji dan umrah untuk kali kedua, akan dikenakan yuran 2,000 riyal atau sekitar S$700.

    Ini merupakan peraturan baru berhubung semakan ke atas yuran visa haji dan umrah.

    Ini bermakna, kos mengerjakan haji dijangka menjadi jauh lebih tinggi bagi masyarakat muslim, berbanding sekarang.

    Langkah itu juga dijangka akan menjejas agensi-agensi pelancongan muslim tempatan, di mana umrah menjadi tukikan perniagaan mereka.

    Peraturan baru itu diumumkan oleh Majlis Menteri-Menteri Arab Saudi yang dipengerusikan Timbalan Perdana Menteri merangkap Menteri Dalam Negeri Putera Mahkota Muhammad Bin Naif.

    LANGKAH BERTUJUAN TINGKATKAN HASIL BUKAN MINYAK

    Menurut Arab News, kabinet negara itu membuat keputusan tersebut berdasarkan saranan Kementerian Kewangan serta Kementerian Ekonomi dan Perancangan bagi meningkatkan hasil bukan minyak di negara itu.

    Ia akan berkuatkuasa mulai 2 Oktober ini.

    Para jemaah umrah dan haji kali pertama bagaimanapun tidak akan dikenakan yuran visa berkenaan.

    Oleh kerana kebanyakan orang melaksanakan ibadah haji sekali seumur hidup, semakan ini dijangka akan lebih menjejas para jemaah umrah.

    Para jemaah haji menjalankan ibadah Sa’i di Makkah. (Gambar hiasan: AFP/MOHAMMED AL-SHAIKH

    HINGGA 50% MERUPAKAN JEMAAH UMRAH BERULANG

    Dua GSA yang kami hubungi berkata jemaah berulang membentuk 20 hingga 50 peratus daripada keseluruhan jemaah mereka yang melaksanakan umrah setiap tahun.

    Pengurus Besar Halijah Travels, Encik Haffidz Abdul Hamid berkata: “Bagi Haji saya rasa, rata-rata yang hendak pergi, 90 peratus belum pergi Haji. Kalau yang dah pergi Haji pun atas sebab-sebab tertentu dibolehkan oleh MUIS untuk mengerjakan Haji sekali lagi. Haji tidak berapa terjejas sangat. Umrah saya rasa mugkin terjejas.

    “Tetapi bagi Umrah, bilangan yang pergi buat kali kedua, ketiga dan seterusnya saya rasa mungkin ada jejas juga – berapa banyak kita tidak pasti tetapi saya rasa kalau kita buat anggaran mungkin menjejas juga niat orang yang melaksanakannya.”

    HIKMAH DI SEBALIK PERATURAN BARU?

    Sebahagian GSA berkata, langkah terbaru ini memberi keyakinan kepada jemaah untuk melaksanakan ibadah mereka.

    “Ini menyenangkan. Maknanya jemaah itu kalau dia sudah pergi sekali, dia hendak pergi dua kali, dia yakin bahawa ia sudah dipastikan, mendapat kelulusan kerajaan Arab Saudi. Dia bayar 2,000 riyal dan bayar dengan yakin.

    “Bagi saya, saya syorkan para jemaah umrah sekarang ini kerana ada peraturan umrah kedua, mereka perlu bayar, lakukanlah umrah yang pertama itu dengan baik, dengan sempurna, dengan teliti”, ujar Pengarah Urusan Shahidah Travel & Tours, Ayoob Angullia.

    Jemaah haji berdoa di depan Kaabah. (Gambar: AP/Mosa’ab Elshamy)

    VISA S$700 AGAK TINGGI

    Bagaimanapun Encik Haffidz berpendapat, yuran visa S$700 yang dikenakan agak tinggi, yang akan menyebabkan kos pakej meningkat 20 peratus bagi jemaah.

    Harga pakej umrah sekarang ini adalah sekitar S$4,000.

    “Saya rasa ini akan menjejas dari segi kos untuk jemaah yang ingin lakukan umrah kerana ramai jemaah pergi umrah buat kali kedua dan seterusmya, mungkin menjangkau 50 peratus setiap tahun.

    “Kalau kita tambah lagi ahli keluarga ikut sama, selalunya umrah ini jarang pergi seorang, pergi dengan suami, isteri, anak-anak dan sebagainya. Mungkin saya rasa 20-30 peratus tidak akan mengerjakan umrah lagi,” ujar Encik Haffidz lagi.

    Yuran visa baru itu juga dijangka akan meningkatkan kos operasi GSA yang menghantar para pegawainya untuk mengiringi para jemaah sepanjang tahun.

    BEBAN KOS BAGI PEGAWAI HAJI/UMRAH

    “Yang timbul masalah adalah GSA kerana mereka perlukan pegawai untuk pergi umrah berapa kali dalam setahun kerana mereka bertugas untuk mengetuai rombongan.

    “Ini faktor kos bagi agensi. Mereka ada pilihan, samada bayar 2,000 riyal Saudi untuk pegawai pergi setiap kali atau mereka membayar 3,000 riyal untuk 6 bulan visa kemasukan berbilang kali,” tambah Encik Ayoob.

    Yuran visa bagi umrah dan haji itu adalah sebahagian daripada beberapa semakan ke atas struktur yuran visa bagi para jemaah, ekspatriat dan pelancong yang memasuki Arab Saudi.

    Semakan lain ke atas warga asing termasuk yuran kemasukan berbilang kali sebanyak 3,000 riyal bagi tempoh 6 bulan, 5,000 riyal bagi tempoh setahun dan 8,000 riyal untuk 2 tahun.

    Source: http://berita.mediacorp.sg