Connect with us

Business

Australia Gateway, top-tier immigration firm celebrates Australia Day

Published

on

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.



Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Business

Stealer malware leaked over 2 million bank cards

Published

on

The number of infections with data-stealing malware, 2020-2024 (Source: Kaspersky Digital Footprint Intelligence)

Kaspersky Digital Footprint Intelligence estimates that 2.3 million bank cards were leaked on the dark web, based on an analysis of data-stealing malware log files from 2023-2024. On average, every 14th infostealer infection results in stolen credit card information, with nearly 26 million devices compromised by infostealers, including more than 9 million in 2024 alone. Kaspersky released its report on the infostealer threat landscape while the technology world gathers at MWC 2025 in Barcelona.

Kaspersky experts estimate that approximately 2,300,000 bank cards have been leaked on the dark web. This conclusion is based on an analysis of the log files from data-stealing malware, dated 2023-2024, that were leaked on the dark web market. While globally the share of leaked cards is well below one percent, 95% of the observed numbers appear technically valid.

Infostealer malware is not only designed to extract financial information, but also credentials, cookies and other valuable user data, which is compiled into log files and then distributed within the dark web underground community. An infostealer can infect a device if a victim unknowingly downloads and runs a malicious file, for example one disguised as legitimate software, such as a game cheat. It can be spread through phishing links, compromised websites, malicious attachments in emails or messengers and various other methods. It targets both personal and corporate devices.

On average, every 14th infostealer infection results in stolen credit card information. Kaspersky Digital Footprint Intelligence experts found that nearly 26 million devices running Windows were infected with various types of infostealers in the past two years.

“The actual number of infected devices is even higher. Cybercriminals often leak stolen data in the form of log files months or even years after the initial infection, and compromised credentials and other information continue to surface on the dark web over time. Therefore, the more time passes, the more infections from previous years we observe. We forecast the total number of devices infected with infostealer malware in 2024 to be between 20 million and 25 million, while for 2023, the estimate ranges between 18 million and 22 million,” says Sergey Shcherbel, expert at Kaspersky Digital Footprint Intelligence.

In 2024, Redline remained the most widespread infostealer, accounting for 34% of the total number of infections.

The most significant surge in 2024 was in infections caused by Risepro, whose share of total infections increased from 1.4% in 2023 to almost 23% in 2024. “RisePro is a growing threat. It was first discovered two years ago but seems to be gaining momentum. The stealer primarily targets banking card details, passwords and cryptocurrency wallet data, and may be spreading under the guise of key generators, cracks for various software and game mods,” explains Sergey Shcherbel. Another rapidly growing stealer is Stealc, which first appeared in 2023 and increased its share from nearly 3% to 13%.

Continue Reading

Business

UTE Delivers Sri Lanka’s Largest Cat D8 Tractor to NEM Construction

Published

on

(From left to right) Deepthi Hewageegana (CEO - UTE), Mani Rajan (Director Distribution - India), Joe Moscato (Vice President - Distribution - Japan & Asia South (India & SE Asia) Caterpillar Inc), Raja Nanayakkara (Chairman / MD - NEM Construction), Prasan Fernando (Chairman - UTE), Priath Fernando - (Director - UTE), Duminda Perera (Senior General Manager - Operations)

Caterpillar equipment dealer UTE has delivered the country’s largest Cat D8 Track-Type Tractor to NEM Construction Pvt. Ltd., marking a significant milestone in heavy machinery. This delivery strengthens the long-standing partnership between UTE and NEM Construction, which spans over 45 years. The Cat D8 is expected to boost operational efficiency in large-scale projects. As the sole authorized dealer for Caterpillar in Sri Lanka, UTE continues to provide top-tier machinery and after-sales support. The handover is particularly notable as Caterpillar celebrates its 100th anniversary. NEM Construction’s Chairman, Raja Nanayakkara, praised the Cat D8’s superior performance and UTE’s unmatched service and parts support, which have been key to the company’s long-term collaboration. This purchase highlights the continued trust in both Caterpillar and UTE’s expertise in supporting Sri Lanka’s construction industry.

Continue Reading

Business

ComBank’s 2023 Annual Report tops Banking sector at ACCA Sustainability Reporting Awards

Published

on

Commercial Bank Chief Operating Officer S. Prabagar and members of the senior management accepting one of the ACCA awards.

The Commercial Bank of Ceylon’s prowess in comprehensive disclosure of sustainability-related information to stakeholders has won its 2023 Annual Report two top awards at the 2025 Sustainability Reporting Awards presented by the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA).

The Bank was adjudged the overall runner-up and the winner in the Banking category at these awards, repeating the achievement of its 2022 Annual Report which was similarly honoured by the ACCA last year.

The ACCA Sustainability Reporting Awards recognise Annual Reports that clearly acknowledge and explain the economic, environmental and social impacts of the business to internal and external stakeholders, demonstrating the organisation’s policies, targets and long-term objectives towards the goal of sustainable development.

Commercial Bank’s 2023 Annual Report also won two Golds, a Silver and a Bronze at CA Sri Lanka’s ‘TAGS’ Awards 2024, excelling in the key aspects recognised by the awards programme which is dedicated to Transparency, Accountability, Governance, and Sustainability – TAGS.

The Bank won the Gold for ‘Corporate Governance Disclosure’ in the Financial Services sector, the Gold for the Best Annual Report among the private sector banks, the Silver for ‘Digitally Transformative Reporting’ across all sectors, and the overall Bronze award for Excellence in Corporate Reporting.

Continue Reading

Trending