Australia has proposed to rewrite its immigration system, putting every visa category up for a change in an attempt to accelerate getting highly skilled workers into the country and easing the path to permanent residency.
Announcing the news, the federal labor government said that the current system that the country uses to select skilled migrants would be modified so that it can more easily and quickly identify people with the correct skill sets that the country’s economy needs, VisaGuide.World reports.
In addition, among the changes will also be the immediate lift to the minimum wage threshold for skilled workers that has been frozen for ten years, as well as the establishment of a pathway to permanent residency for around 17,000 foreigners who are working temporarily in the country.
According to Reuters, the decision of the government was welcomed by the Minister of Home Affairs, Clare O’Neil, who said that the country’s migration system is broken and changes are necessary to improve the situation.
“Our migration system is broken. It is failing our businesses; it is failing migrants themselves. And most importantly, it is failing Australians. That cannot continue,” O’Neil stated.
Similar to Canada, Germany and some other countries, Australia has also been competing to attract more skilled migrants as the country’s population continues to age.
Reuters notes that the Australian government has already said that the visa process for highly skilled foreigners will be made easier and quicker. The government also said that they plan on taking steps to retain international students.
Explaining the new rules that the country plans on introducing, O’Neil said that all temporary skilled visa holders who were not permitted to apply for permanent Australian residence would be able to do so by the end of the year. At the same time, she noted that this would not add to the annual intake of permanent migrants.
Starting from July 1, the Australian government said that it would increase the migrant wage threshold for temporary skilled workers from A$53,900 to A$70,000. Such a decision was taken since about 90 percent of full-time jobs in Australia are paid more than the current threshold, thus, leading to migrant workers’ exploitation.
Previously, VisaGuide.World reported that Australia plans to switch to a demand-driven immigration system from the current skills-based program as such a system would allow the businesses of the country to have a say in that job positions should be filled.
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