AUSTRALIAN IMMIGRATION NEWS

Australian immigration: boost for 457 work visa, guest workers and refugees

Thursday, 20 March 2008

In order to remedy its skills crisis, Australian Immigration is coming up with plans that will influence temporary overseas workers and refugees.

It will enable big business and state governments to fast-track temporary foreign workers under the 457 visa scheme, as well as accept unskilled workers from Pacific Islands and help people from countries that were hit by rising sea levels (climate refugees) resettle in Australia.

An extra bonus is that these plans could also add to a much-needed growth in The Lucky Country's population. According to new figures, it has reached numbers past 21 million in 2007, thanks to skilled migration.

Immigration Minister Chris Evans has stated in the Australian newspaper "The Age" today that he is considering allowing companies with proven records to import skilled migrants without arduous immigration processes.

"If BHP wants to bring in an engineer, should they have to go through as much red tape as a small construction subcontractor who is looking to source labour for the minimum salary level from a non-English-speaking country?" he said.

The Immigration Minister believes that the 457 visa scheme was working pretty well overall, except for the fact that it is inflexible when it comes to processing times, which businesses have claimed are far too long.

"With a global economy, they want to make decisions much quicker than they used to and they want to respond to demand much quicker," he said.

Currently, a three-member business panel, chaired by Xstrata Australia chairman Peter Coates, is considering the fast-tracking proposal, and is due to present a provisional report to the Immigration Minister today.

Last financial year alone, 46,680 457 visas were issued to overseas workers, of which state governments were among the biggest users.

Meanwhile, the government will also be looking at a New Zealand scheme that will allow in unskilled workers from Pacific island nations on a seasonal basis. It's said that such a scheme would economically benefit both countries.