| Australian government prepares the biggest overhaul | | | | work before they arrive in Australia and get the most |
| of the skilled visa regulations in the past 20 years | | | | out of their holiday. It is quite possible for people to |
| many businesses living with the reality of skill shortages | | | | travel and work right across Australia — |
| are starting to ask how their needs will be addressed. | | | | particularly with the extra 12 months available to people |
| The Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) | | | | working in rural areas Explains Joanne Roberts the |
| announced back in February that a review of the | | | | founder of Next Step Australia. |
| skilled migration program was underway and a new | | | | Increasing the number of working holiday visas issued |
| more targetted system would come into action in the | | | | each year would help the labour shortage considerably, |
| middle of 2010. The first of these changes was | | | | but farmers are also keen for the government to |
| announced on 17th May with the release of a revised | | | | address the continuing skill shortage. |
| Skilled Occupation list (SOL). | | | | The IT sector in Australia are also depending on a |
| The revised SOL sees the biggest change to the | | | | positive outcome from the migration program changes |
| Australian immigration program in over 20 years with | | | | and are particularly keen to see a review of the |
| over 50% of occupations on the list being culled | | | | sponsorship rules and number of 457 visas granted. |
| including hairdressers, chefs, surgeons, real estate | | | | Work is due to start on the National Broadband |
| agents, librarians, tree surgeons, fashion designers and | | | | Network this year and restrictions on the number of |
| pharmacists. The list has been reduced from 400 | | | | skilled overseas technology workers currently looks |
| occupations to 181 occupations. | | | | likely to cause delays to the project. |
| Australia continues to be a popular migration | | | | Joanne Roberts explains Since the Governments |
| destination with 171,318 people migrating to Australia in | | | | immigration regulation changes early in 2009 very few |
| the 2008-2009 period under temporary and permanent | | | | IT recruiters now have their own on-hire labour |
| visa streams. 30,590 of these migrated from the | | | | agreements meaning there have been fewer 457 |
| United Kingdom making us Australia’s largest | | | | temporary business visa sponsorships in order to get |
| source of migrants. Currently thousands of skilled | | | | skills to where they are urgently required. We are |
| potential migrants now wait to see if they will be eligible | | | | contiuing to place highly skilled people with employer |
| for a Skilled migration Visa in 2010 while employers | | | | sponsorship particularlyJava Developers, .NET |
| across Australia struggle to cope with a growing skills | | | | developers, programmers, software designers and |
| shortage. | | | | those with specialism in SAP, visualisation storage and |
| A paper issued by the National Farmers Federation in | | | | voice and data. |
| Australia last week called for the government to | | | | Western Australia is the state experiencing the most |
| address the estimated workforce shortage of 100,000 | | | | pressure for skilled workers with an expected |
| it expects over the next 5 years. At the present time | | | | requirement of an additional 400,000 workers over the |
| the industry is struggling to fill over 22,000 vacancies in | | | | next decade. The state is on the verge of another |
| farms and orchards right across rural Australia and | | | | economic boom as a result of continuing growth in the |
| expresses concerns that the rural economy is at risk | | | | mining industry and expects that business and |
| of collapse if labour continues to struggle with surging | | | | consumer spending will match and even surpass levels |
| demand. | | | | from before the slump. |
| Over the last 12 months horticultural farms have lost | | | | According to the Chamber of Commerce and Industry |
| an average of $100,000 each in rotting unpicked fruit | | | | Western Australia around 26,000 workers will be |
| alone. | | | | required in the resources sector alone with many jobs |
| Working Holiday makers to Australia are one essential | | | | created in supporting sectors as communities in the |
| labour stream in the rural economy and are actively | | | | state continue to grow. |
| encouraged to take on farm work in Australia. The | | | | One of the three major components of the Skilled |
| government offer Working Holiday Makers a one year | | | | Migration Program changes is expected to be new |
| extention to their visa if an individual works in a primary | | | | State Migration Plans’ to provide prioritised |
| industry in regional Australia for 3 months or longer. | | | | state sponsorships and faster visa processing times to |
| Many farms entice workers with free accomodation in | | | | get the skills where they are needed. |
| hostels onsite like the Berri Backpackers situated in the | | | | Speculation has begun on the likely nature of the other |
| heart of the riverlands in South Australia or the Banana | | | | changes expected including more emphasis on |
| Barracks in Cairns, Queensland. | | | | employer sponsored migration. It is thought that the |
| Next Step Australia aims to connect those planning | | | | new program will raise the age limit of 45 and increase |
| working holidays with farms and orchards across | | | | points awarded for long term work experience and |
| Australia with these serious labour shortages. | | | | those with qualifications from renowned educational |
| Connecting people in this way means people can find | | | | institutions. |