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Mr Abul Rizvi, head of the Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs’ 457 visa taskforce, said independent research showed a high percentage of skilled migrants passed skills on to their Australian colleagues, and employers proved this was the case. "Indeed, employers have stressed to us that in order to boost their training efforts, they need to attract more skilled migrants who can assist with such training," Mr Rizvi told the Skilling Australia Summit in Sydney. He also said research continually dismissed the notion temporary skilled migration reduced job opportunities for Australians. "I think we are all aware of the research consensus that permanent skilled migrants create as many jobs as they take," he said. Mr Rizvi revealed three DIMA surveys conducted over the past 15 years had shown skilled migrants were doing better in the labour market with employment rates continually increasing among new migrants six months after arriving. Figures also show unemployment rates for migrants and Australian-born residents are falling and converging. "This is good not just in economic terms but it is also good in terms of social cohesion," he added.
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