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DISCRIMINATION BY THE AUSTRALIAN
EMBASSY IN WARSAW
- Recognition
of Qualifications in order to get residential visa
To be
qualified to get residential visa, we had to fulfill “strange” criteria.
The document presented to us in the Australian Embassy in Warsaw
contained a list of categories of professions needed in Australia. Mainly, there was a
need for highly qualified engineers and computer scientists. It was
important to have a degree and a work experience. All qualifications were
to be documented. As far as we know, there was no need to have a university
degree for people who emigrated from other countries to Australia.
- „Strange”
way of becoming a member of the Institution of Engineers, Australia
Before
being qualified to come to Australia,
we were forced to pay a high amount of money only for being considered to
become a member of the Institution of Australian Engineers. In addition, a
set of documents needed to be sent to Australia. It was a big cost
for us (exchange rate was very “bad” for Polish zloty). We had to wait
several months for the final decision about becoming a member, and although
I had several years of work experience and professional papers published, I
was qualified as a “graduate” (newly gradated engineer without any work
experience). The strange issue was that becoming a member of the Institution
of Australian Engineers was not needed, neither to get a job in Australia
nor for anything else.
- Humiliating
medical examinations
People
applying for permanent visa in the Australian Embassy in Warsaw were directed to very expensive
and humiliating medical examinations. As Poles (Slavs) we were to prove
that we are healthy and we do not have any defect that could come from our
race. In Australia
we often experience this type of racism. As far as we know, only the
Australian Embassy in Warsaw
demanded such medical examinations. We’ve protested about this to the
Attorney General; we’ve received very arrogant response.
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