| In order to curb the country's current skills shortage | | | | that they can import foreign workers. |
| crisis, Australia's government has announced a plan to | | | | This comes after many employers have complained |
| drastically speed up the processing time of 457 Work | | | | of significant processing delays for 457 Work Visas, |
| Visas, also known as the Skilled Migrant Visas. | | | | backed by a report that 37% of applications by "low |
| This follows after Australian Immigration Minister Chris | | | | risk" employers took longer than eight weeks. |
| Evans told a Senate Estimates committee that 5795, | | | | Australian Immigration Minister Chris Evans said the |
| or nearly half of all skilled migrant visas had not been | | | | Government had moved quickly to adopt 14 of 16 |
| processed within the required time of two to three | | | | measures to improve the 457 regime recommended |
| months. He also stressed that if staff had to clear the | | | | by an industry panel that's chaired by Xstrata Australia |
| backlog, they'd be working overtime. | | | | chairman Peter Coates, deputy chief executive of the |
| Thus, more resources will now be provided to the | | | | Business Council of Australia Melinda Cilento and |
| Australian Immigration and Citizenship Department so | | | | former chief executive of the WA Chamber of |
| that the current backlog of 457 Skilled Migrant Visas | | | | Minerals and Energy Tim Shanahan. |
| can be cleared by the end of June. | | | | As of April 1, 39,940 temporary Skilled Work Visas had |
| Also, specialised Australian immigration centres will be | | | | been granted in 2007-08. Health and IT workers were |
| set up in Sydney, Melbourne and Perth to process 457 | | | | found to be among the most sought after |
| Work Visas from July, as the number of visas granted | | | | professionals. |
| in 2007-8 increased on the back of the mining and | | | | Totals for the year are expected to be 17% higher |
| construction boom. | | | | than the previous year. |
| Specialised teams will concentrate on regions, | | | | Statistics by the Australian Immigration Department |
| industries and projects to address particular shortages. | | | | showed that 20% of 457 Work Visa sponsors |
| In addition to that, employers who regularly hire | | | | brought in about 75% of employees to work in |
| overseas labour and classified as "low-risk" (i.e. firms | | | | Australia. |
| with a good track record) will be able to have their | | | | If you would like to find out more about immigration to |
| applications fast-tracked under an accreditation | | | | Australia, or want to work and live in Australia,you can |
| system. This means that big businesses will be able to | | | | get more information on Migration Expert's website. |
| speed up the 457 Australian Work Visa process so | | | | |