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BIG business and state governments would be able to fast-track
thousands of temporary foreign workers into jobs in mines and
hospitals to tackle the skills crisis under proposed changes to the
457 visa scheme.
The Rudd Government is also looking at allowing climate refugees
- people from countries hit by rising sea levels - to
resettle in Australia, as well as a scheme to accept unskilled
guest workers from Pacific islands.
The plans could add to the boom in Australia's population which,
according to new figures, surged past 21 million last year on the
back of skilled migration.
Immigration Minister Chris Evans has told The Age he is
sympathetic to the idea of allowing companies with proven records
to import skilled migrants without arduous immigration
processes.
"If BHP wants to bring in an engineer, should they have to go
through as much red tape as a small construction subcontractor who
is looking to source labour for the minimum salary level from a
non-English-speaking country?" Senator Evans said.
The 457 visas have been controversial, with Labor claiming in
opposition that unscrupulous employers were using foreign workers
to undercut local wages. Unions also claim that temporary skilled
migration is a form of indentured servitude, which is used to keep
a lid on wages.
But Senator Evans said the scheme was working "pretty well" and
only a small percentage of employers had abused it.
A problem, however, was inflexibility, with businesses claiming
the processing time for skilled workers was too long. "With a
global economy, they want to make decisions much quicker than they
used to and they want to respond to demand much quicker," Senator
Evans said.
The fast-tracking proposal is being considered by a three-member
business panel, chaired by Xstrata Australia chairman Peter Coates.
It is due to present an interim report to Senator Evans today.
Last financial year, 46,680 visas were issued to foreign workers
under the 457 program. Senator Evans said state governments were
among the biggest users of the 457 program. "Am I worried about the
exploitation of doctors and nurses employed by the NSW Health
Commission? No," he said.
He said the Government was also looking at a New Zealand scheme
that allowed in unskilled workers from Pacific island nations on a
seasonal basis.
Advocates say such a scheme would economically benefit both
countries, but opponents warn it could take jobs from Australians.
"New Zealand is trialling such a scheme and we are looking at how
that is progressing and what lessons might be learned," Senator
Evans said.
Meanwhile, Australia's population is growing at its fastest rate
in almost 20 years, with imports of skilled workers lifting net
migration to a record 179,122 people in the year to September, and
population growing by 318,500 to 21,097,148.
But the arrival of new workers has exacerbated the housing
shortage. Other Bureau of Statistics figures released yesterday
show that housing starts edged up marginally last year to 153,094
- according to the ANZ Bank, about 25,000 to 30,000 fewer than
population growth requires.
With TIM COLEBATCH
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