• Tweet
• Sharebar

• Tweet

Western Australia, April 19, 2011 – By the end of next year, Australia urgently needs skilled migrants to fill up an additional 40-thousand jobs according to the West Australian resources industry.

The Chamber of Minerals and Energy, having released its ten year forecast of labor and infrastructure needs within the state’s mining, oil and gas sectors, has  joined the wider business community in persuading the government to significantly increase the skilled migration intake in next month’s budget. However, the union movement is advising against the move.

Reg Howard-Smith, Chief Executive Chamber of Minerals and Energy, said in an interview with reporter Joanna McCarthy and Ged Kearney, President of the Australian Council of Trade Unions, that Australia’s mining boom expectation growth has opened an approximately 40 thousand additional position over the next ten years including both production, position, and construction.

To speed up workers into the country, Reg Howard Smith approve of plans to generate single migration agreements for large scale resource projects. He also wants to make certain that there will be a much faster and easier process of getting a skilled temporary Australian skilled visa, also known as the 457 visa. Australian immigration process should be simpler and easier to undertake. Australian visa should be easier to get now.

However, Prime Minister Julia Gillard said Thursday that skilled migration should not be accepted as an excuse for not training Australians to take up jobs. This comment comes after her announcement of her intent to get more Australians off welfare and into the workforce.

Reg-Howard Smith commented that the resource sector has always been looking for skilled local workers; however, the demands far surpass supply for there is an absolute shortage of local skilled people in Australia.

Ged Kearney from the Australian Council of Trade Unions is doubtful of Smith’s statement. She clarified that she is more concerned that Australia’s reliance on foreign labor is hurting Australian workers. She said that they could balance the cry by the mining industry for skills shortages with local people who are prepared to work in those industries and who have the skills.

ACTU, in its pre-budget submission, is counseling the government to apportion 457 Australian skilled visas sparingly and only where there’s a proven shortage.

source:
radioaustralia.net.au