Highly-skilled immigrants exempted from Australian labour market testing
19 November 2013
Australia’s new Liberal government has exempted “highly-skilled occupations” from new visa application requirements coming into force shortly for workers coming to the country.
Tue, 19 Nov 2013Australia’s new Liberal government has exempted “highly-skilled occupations” from new visa application requirements coming into force shortly for workers coming to the country.
But the assistant minister for immigration and border protection, senator Michaelia Cash, says the government still “fully supports the principle that Australian workers have priority [over immigrants]”.
The Migration Amendment (Temporary Sponsored Visas) Act 2013 was introduced by the previous Labour government in June, before it was elected out of office in September, and after delays will come into force on Saturday (23 November).
Under this law, firms wanting to bring in overseas workers on a 457 visa are required to “attempt to recruit suitably qualified and experienced Australian citizens or Australian permanent residents to the position and any other similar positions”, including details of advertising and money spent on that advertising.
This requirement has been removed for jobs defined as “highly skilled” by the country’s immigration authorities. Cash says: “To bind employers up in needless red tape will only stymie Australian business and cost Australian jobs over the long run.”
The new government has also criticised its predecessors over that act, which it says was passed “without adequate consultation”.
Australian immigration authorities will exempt firms looking to take on workers in “highly-skilled occupations” on the 457 visa class from the requirement for labour market testing
In March, the country announced four new visa categories for short-term business travel to the country. That was the same month as Recruiter’s Global Spotlight looked at recruitment trends in the market.
But the assistant minister for immigration and border protection, senator Michaelia Cash, says the government still “fully supports the principle that Australian workers have priority [over immigrants]”.
The Migration Amendment (Temporary Sponsored Visas) Act 2013 was introduced by the previous Labour government in June, before it was elected out of office in September, and after delays will come into force on Saturday (23 November).
Under this law, firms wanting to bring in overseas workers on a 457 visa are required to “attempt to recruit suitably qualified and experienced Australian citizens or Australian permanent residents to the position and any other similar positions”, including details of advertising and money spent on that advertising.
This requirement has been removed for jobs defined as “highly skilled” by the country’s immigration authorities. Cash says: “To bind employers up in needless red tape will only stymie Australian business and cost Australian jobs over the long run.”
The new government has also criticised its predecessors over that act, which it says was passed “without adequate consultation”.
Australian immigration authorities will exempt firms looking to take on workers in “highly-skilled occupations” on the 457 visa class from the requirement for labour market testing
In March, the country announced four new visa categories for short-term business travel to the country. That was the same month as Recruiter’s Global Spotlight looked at recruitment trends in the market.
