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Australia Gateway, top-tier immigration firm celebrates Australia Day

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Don Susantha Katugampala with Josh Frydenberg, Treasurer of Australia

More opportunities open for migration

Australia Day falls on January 26 each year. It is the day Australia was founded as a British colony in 1788. On this date, the first governor of New South Wales arrived at Sydney Cove and raised the first-ever Union Jack flag.

During the 1800s, Australia Day was often referred to as First Landing Day or Foundation Day. In 1817, Captain Matthew Flinders, circumnavigator of the continent, recommended that it be called Australia. One year later, Governor Macquarie made Australia Day an official public holiday. In 1901, the Australian colonies formed the Commonwealth of Australia. Years later, in 1984, Australians ceased to be British subjects. They replaced ‘God Save the Queen’ with ‘Advance Australia Fair’ as their national anthem. Today, Australia Day is one of the biggest holidays in the country.

With a population of 24.6 million people, Australia is the 6th largest country and is almost the same size as mainland USA. Every year 16,000 people become Australian citizens contributing largely to the Australian economy. The country is multicultural and has over 300 different languages and dialects. Opportunities are vast and Australia is a much sought-after destination for migration.

To Sri Lankan Australians, the day is of special significance as they are the 12th largest ethnic group in Australia. Apart from being one of the largest groups of overseas Sri Lankan communities, Sri Lankan Australians also remain the Oceanic continent’s largest Diaspora Sri Lankan community with over 150,000 people. They continue to greatly benefit from the country’s myriad opportunities for superior healthcare, wealth creation, and success in business and education. Preferred by most Sri Lankans as the ideal country to reside and study in, Australia has become the second home to thousands of students due to the world-class education and other opportunities.

Australia has also become the most preferred destination for post COVID-19 business and investment migration for many in the world, apart from skilled migration.

Top tier Immigration firm Australia Gateway, Sri Lankan arm of Melbourne-based Fairfields Lawyers founded by accredited Immigration law specialist, Don Susantha Katugampala, provides support to thousands of individuals, families, and students to realise their dreams of pursuing a better life in Australia. Comprehensive guidance, sound legal advice, and assistance in obtaining visas for business, and personal purposes, including but not limited to migration and foreign study, are just the tip of the iceberg in the portfolio of services Australian Gateway avails its clientele.

Speaking on Sri Lankans migration to Australia, Katugampala said that the expatriate Sri Lankans in Australia had always supported Sri Lanka back economically and politically in the last few decades. The support from expatriate Sri Lankans in legal means to Sri Lanka is always vital for Sri Lankan economic prosperity, and we always encourage expatriate Sri Lankans to never to lose their love and affection for Sri Lanka while embrace the values and the opportunities that Australia offers you.

Speaking on the Business migration opportunities, Katugampala added, “The Australian government is giving priority to the Business Migration and Investor Migrations visas since Covid Pandemic in April 2020. Whilst borders were closed Business and Investor visa holders were allowed to arrive in Australia as the Government sees that they clearly benefit the Australian economy. The government has also taken special initiative to promote that entrepreneur visa where the entrepreneurs can secure their migration. But the entrepreneur visa requires that the applicant propose the entrepreneurial activity which has to be an innovation and a beyond average business plan. If the applicant secures that then they would receive a successful business migration.”

Katugampala added: “There’s a positive economic growth in Australia with the lowest unemployment rate compared to many other Western countries. Therefore, those from other parts of the world are looking to come to Australia to invest. The government becomes selective in raising the bar for the business migration applicants. So it’s important to seek proper advice and then submit the application with proper documentation.”

“As Australia Gateway in Sri Lanka, we focus on all migration categories that include Business & Investor Migration, Skilled Migration, State Sponsorship and Nominations, Employer Sponsored Visas, Global Talent, Spouse visas, Parent Migration and visitor and other temporary visas. Fairfields Lawyers in Melbourne would also assist in Commercial and Business law for business and investor migrants and companies wish to expand to Australia. The networks in Australia that we built over the years matter to our clients, and we use for benefit of our clients.’ Katugampala added.

Australia Gateway has been in the forefront in promoting investments and commercial bilateral relations between Australia and Sri Lanka. The firm prides itself on guiding eligible prospects seeking to obtain Skilled Visas in the Independent, Regional and State sponsored categories towards positive skill assessments, state nominations and visa grants along with creating awareness of the diverse occupations in demand.

Those seeking to migrate for long-term business purposes will receive sound advice and guidance to help them achieve consideration for permanent residency along with consultancy on how they can best meet their entrepreneurial objectives. Families seeking to relocate to Australia will receive full-spectrum support from visa assistance to successful practices that will enable families and their children to adapt and thrive and also emphasis on the positives that include the provision of world class primary, secondary and tertiary education, political stability and access to free health services.



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Affairs of Sri Lankan Airlines could be turned around using local expertise – former CAA chair

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Upul Dharmadasa

The financial affairs of national carrier Sri Lankan Airlines could be turned around along with the fortunes of Mattala Airport, using local management expertise without divesting these assets, former chairman CAA and veteran travel and tourism expert Upul Dharmadasa said.

“Sri Lanka has experts and knowledgeable persons to develop Sri Lankan Airlines into a viable entity. But when it comes to the debt restructuring process the government should absorb the losses to salvage our national carrier, former chairman Civil Aviation Authority Upul Dharmadasa told The Island Financial Review.

Speaking on Mattala Airport Dharmadasa said that during the Covid 19 pandemic he spearhead the airlines’ operations to bring more than 138,000 Sri Lankans back into the country. “At that time Mattala Airport functioned as a second international airport and it assisted the government in managing Covid patients in a more systematic way, he said.

Dharmadasa added: ‘Further, Mattala Airport’s 11 anniversary falls today. It falls on the government to develop it as the second international airport. It could attract large aircraft.

“We need to deploy proper and qualified persons to streamline the entire process.

“I have been in the airline industry for more than a decade. The number of airline arrivals in the country and departures from it have come down considerably after Covid 19 pandemic.

“In this scenario, Sri Lankan Airlines should focus on launching new flights to US and Canada. Together they account for more than 1.4 million Sri Lankan diaspora members who fly to Sri Lanka.

“Sri Lankan Airlines should resume Rome flights as well, which is a lucrative market. Apart from that Sri Lankan Airlines should focus on new destinations, wherein they could sell tickets and attract huge revenue to the airline.

“The airline should have 25 aircraft to offer uninterrupted services to air travelers but at present it has only 23 aircraft.”

By Hiran H Senewiratne

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LOLC Al-Falaah pioneers Sri Lanka’s first Wakalah-based factoring solution

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Deepamalie Abhayawardane- Head of Factoring at LOLC Finance PLC (L) / Shiraz Refai, Head of Alternate Financial Services at LOLC Finance PLC (R)

LOLC Al-Falaah, Sri Lanka’s leading provider of alternate financial solutions, proudly announces the launch of ‘Al-Falaah Wakalah Future-Cash’, a pioneering Shariah-compliant alternative for Factoring, Invoice & Cheques discounting facility, designed to transform business financing. This ground-breaking financial solution empowers businesses to elevate and realize future cash flows in real-time, while maintaining adherence to ethical financial principles. Setting a new benchmark in Sri Lanka’s Islamic financial services sector, this initiative strengthens LOLC Al-Falaah’s commitment to innovation and excellence in the alternate finance arena.

Unlike conventional Factoring, which relies on interest-based returns against receivables, LOLC Al-Falaah’s ‘Wakalah Future-Cash Today’ product is structured under the ‘Wakalah-Bil-Istithmar’ concept, ensuring full compliance with Islamic economic jurisprudence. Through this model, LOLC Al-Falaah provides capital infusion into business operations in exchange for a pre-determined Anticipated Profit Return (APR), eliminating interest-based transactions. Businesses are appointed as agents to deploy these funds within their operations, with surplus earnings allocated as a performance incentive. This structure enhances financial discipline, promotes transparency, and encourages ethical business practices.

The introduction of this pioneering facility is particularly timely as Sri Lanka transitions towards economic recovery and long-term stability. Shiraz Refai, Head of Alternate Financial Services at LOLC Al-Falaah, emphasized the significance of this initiative: “As Sri Lanka embarks on a path of economic resurgence, businesses require the right financial instruments to capitalize on emerging opportunities. As a trailblazer in the alternate financial services sector, LOLC Al-Falaah has identified a critical gap in the bills-discounting and factoring industry. The launch of LOLC Al-Falaah’s ‘Wakalah Future-Cash Today’ product presents a strategic solution that enhances liquidity and working capital efficiencies while adhering to Islamic financial principles.

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Lumala emerges victorious at National Industry Brand Excellence Awards 2024

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Aazim Miflal, MD of City Cycle Industries Manufacturing (Pvt) Ltd and factory GM Ranjith Siriwardana receiving the award

City Cycle Industries Manufacturing (Pvt) Ltd, a leading provider of sustainable mobility solutions and renowned for its household brand Lumala, has been honored with the Best National Industry Brand award under the Large-Scale Other Industry Sector at the recent National Industry Brand Excellence Awards 2024.

Organized by the Sri Lanka Technical Development Board under the Ministry of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development, the award ceremony was held on 21 February at Eagle Lakeside and saw the participation of distinguished leaders from diverse industry sectors. The vent was graced by Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya as the Chief Guest.

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