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November 10, 2011, Canberra, AU. — An obstacle preventing many skilled migrants from getting jobs in Australia is very close to being removed. Previously, the State Government’s efforts to lure workers to WA from Britain are being hampered by Federal immigration red tape. But last week, Immigration Minister Chris Bowen announced the changes to the 457 visa scheme to expedite the hiring of overseas workers in Australia.

The supposed aim was to have 457 visas processed in 10 days, which presently takes an average of 22 days. Canberra has just given its full support to relaxing the visa requirements for skilled migrant workers from abroad. From now on, they will not have to leave the country and re-apply for a specific work visa Australia.

Instead, they will be able to work on their pre-existing visas. Total 457 visa grants – including those issued to dependents – hit 90,120 last financial year, rivaling the 113,725 visas issued under the government’s priority program for permanent skilled migration.

The 457 visa enables your business to sponsor skilled workers in Australia for between 3 months and 4 years.  Likewise, it is also available to businesses that have no operating base in Australia so that they can bring employees to Australia to establish a branch, joint venture or agency distributorship, or to fulfill obligations for a contract or their business activity in Australia.

Canberra turned around 457 visas in less than two days for skilled foreign workers to help rebuild Queensland in the wake of the floods. But by June, only 30 visas had been approved. Queensland is the worst affected. The severe skills shortage has led to the Western Australian Government calling for changes to the federal immigration system to fast-track overseas workers to fill its growing shortage of skilled labor. Australian Government wants more skilled workers from overseas in a way that is faster than what they can get now. It is a very serious problem that is showing up in all kinds of industries.

For example, there’s a need for about 2,000 workers to do prefabrication work as part of the North-West Shelf infrastructure. Because there’s not enough skilled workers to do that prefabrication work here, it’s about to be decided that that work will be done in the Philippines. The raw material will be exported and then imported back as a finished product, so none of the work will be done here. Some industry leaders are saying ‘why not put the jobs here, bring those workers in from the Philippines, build it here so that the benefits go to the local community and we do not have to pay for an import’.

The changes took effect last Monday, 7 November, and will allow the accredited businesses to bring in skilled workers for six years rather than three and also have priority processing for all future visa applications. In order to become accredited, businesses must have been an active 457 visa sponsor over the past three years, employing at least 30 overseas workers over the past 12 months and guarantee that their local workforce is at least 75 percent Australian.

source:
theaustralian.com.au