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An interim report recommending changes to Australia’s Migration Program  

The Joint Standing Committee on Migration has commenced a new inquiry into Australia’s skilled migration program. The interim report includes 11 recommendations to the Australia Migration Program, which are given below: 

1) Labour Market Testing 

 The Department of Home Affairs should streamline labour market testing to: 

• Be less prescriptive about what constitutes labour market testing; 
• Only require medium and large businesses to conduct labour market testing; 
• Require labour market testing for businesses headquartered outside Australia or businesses owned by someone who is not an Australian citizen; 
• Remove the requirement for employers to advertise any occupations which are on the PMSOL or critical skills lists; and 
• Remove the requirement for employers to advertise for all occupations classified as Skill Level 1 and 2 on the Jobactive website. 

2) Removal of payment to the Skilling Australia Fund 

The Committee recommends that at least until the pandemic period is over, the Department of Education, Skills and Employment and the Department of Home Affairs remove the requirement for employers to pay the Skilling Australia Fund as part of the nomination process. 

If the levy is retained: 

• Consideration should be given to aligning the payment of the levy to the commencement of employment of the skilled migrant or guarantee a refund to the sponsor if the application is unsuccessful. 
• If the employer can demonstrate they have spent the same amount or more than the levy in the previous 12 months on training their Australian employees in skills relevant to their work for the employer, they should not be required to pay the Skilling Australia Fund levy. 
• The Federal Government should establish greater transparency over the State Governments’ use of funds from the Skilling Australia Fund to skill Australians. 

3) Employer-Sponsored Visa transparency  

 The Committee recommends that the Department of Home Affairs be required to provide greater transparency on where employer-sponsored visa applications are in the queue. 

4) Multiple employment on one visa 

The Committee recommends that the visa conditions for sponsored skilled visa holders working in industries that require migrants to work for different employers or to undertake multiple roles with the same employer to meet practices of the industry, be adjusted to allow them to work for multiple employers without making applications for new visas. 

5) Priority Migration Skilled Occupation List expansion 

The Committee recommends that the Priority Migration Skilled Occupation List be expanded urgently to include Chefs, Veterinarians, Café and Restaurant Managers, and Seafarers. 

6) Priority Migration Skilled Occupation List review 

The Committee recommends that the Department of Home Affairs conduct an urgent review of the Priority Migration Skilled Occupation List, in consultation with relevant stakeholders, with a view to expanding the number of occupations to better reflect the urgent skills shortages in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic recovery. The Department should give particular consideration to civil engineers, electrical engineers, motor mechanics, cooks, carpenters, electricians, and other roles in the hospitality, health, trades, agriculture, and manufacturing sectors. 

7) Skilled Occupation List Review 

The Committee recommends that the Short-term Skilled Occupation List, the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List, and the Regional Occupation List be reviewed as soon as practicable to ensure that the lists most accurately reflect Australia’s employment challenges as the economy emerges from the COVID-19 pandemic. 

8) Skilled Migrant Preference on repatriate flights 

The Committee recommends the Government reserve places on flights and in quarantine for skilled migrants. 

9) Improve processing times 

 The Committee recommends that: 

• The Department of Home Affairs improve visa processing times for employer-sponsored visas because of the labour market needs during the COVID-19 pandemic economic recovery; and 
• The Department of Home Affairs expedites the processing time for skilled visa holders who have remained onshore in relevant employment seeking a subsequent skilled visa or permanent residency visa. 

10) PR pathway for Employer Sponsor Visa holders 

The Committee recommends that all employer-sponsored visa holders be given a clearer pathway to permanency. 

11) GTI Visa campaign 

The Committee recommends the establishment of a global marketing campaign to attract global talent and investment. This campaign should target talented individuals and investors in key competitor countries 

Source:DHA 

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