| COMPUTING professionals led the list of top 15 | | | | Philippines (1870), China (1850) and the US (1570). |
| occupations for primary 457 visa grants in 2006-07, | | | | British workers were most likely to work as doctors |
| the Immigration Department said. | | | | and nurses or in the property and business service |
| As the new temporary foreign workers change the | | | | sector. Americans were concentrated in |
| face of Australia's workplaces, business groups last | | | | communications. |
| week called for an immediate boost to skills training | | | | But the use of Chinese workers grew rapidly, |
| positions and unions expressed concern that increasing | | | | particularly in manufacturing. Indian workers were |
| reliance on developing-country workers risked lowering | | | | concentrated in communications and health, while |
| general wages. | | | | workers from The Philippines were imported for |
| Immigration Department figures obtained by The | | | | building sites and manufacturing. |
| Weekend Australian provide a snapshot of temporary | | | | The rate at which the visas are issued continues to |
| foreign workers brought into the country on skilled | | | | grow. While 46,680 visas were issued in the 12 months |
| migrant visas, which allow the employees to stay for | | | | to June 30 last year, 25,750 were issued in the six |
| up to four years. | | | | months to the end of December - a 10 per cent |
| The figures show the breadth of the skills crisis runs | | | | increase on current trends. |
| across the economy, as industries ranging from the | | | | While the resource-rich states of Western Australia |
| healthcare sector to communications, mining and | | | | and Queensland have been driving the so-called |
| manufacturing import skilled workers to fill vacancies. | | | | "two-speed" economy, the slower growth states of |
| Workers from India, China and The Philippines are | | | | NSW and Victoria took the greatest numbers of 457 |
| flooding into Australia's hospitals, factories and | | | | visa holders. |
| construction sites as employers increasingly look to | | | | The chief executive of the Australian Industry Group, |
| developing countries to combat chronic skills shortages. | | | | Heather Ridout, said the 457 program had grown |
| In 2006-07, 46,680 temporary permits, known as 457 | | | | quickly and business had become "dependent on it". |
| visas, were issued to foreign skilled workers. | | | | "But the economy is also very dependent on it and |
| Health and community services accounted for 16 per | | | | we're going to be very dependent on it if we want to |
| cent of all 457 visas issued, communication services 10 | | | | keep the economy growing," she said. |
| per cent, property and business services 10 per cent, | | | | The director of the Centre for Population and Urban |
| manufacturing 9 per cent and construction 9 per cent. | | | | Research at Monash University, Bob Birrell, said the |
| Professionals exceed the number of other 457 | | | | most striking trend was the high take-up rate among |
| classes, making up seven of the top 10 skills | | | | citizens from the developing world. |
| categories. | | | | "In the six months since the end of the financial year, |
| But as employers search for workers, Australia is | | | | China has overtaken the US. That's a pretty good |
| increasingly turning to developing countries to fill its | | | | indication of where the program is going," he said. "Five |
| vacancies. Britain contributed the most workers in the | | | | or six years ago, that was not the case. |
| past six months (6130), followed by India (3670), The | | | | |