AUSTRALIA: Canberra plans changes to 457 visaThe Australian Government has announced it's planning
significant changes to the temporary skilled migration scheme, known as
the 457 visa. The scheme allows employers to sponsor an overseas worker
to fill a vacancy where no local worker is available.
Presenter/Interviewer: Bo Hill
Speakers: Kevin Andrews, Immigration minister Australia; Dr Siew-ean Khoo, senior fellow, Australian National University
Australia's temporary skilled worker scheme is designed to
overcome skills shortages to keep Australia's economic growth on track.
But it is often criticised for giving unscrupulous employers the
opportunity to outsource cheaper labour. Over the past few years there
have been a handful of cases highlighted in the media of workers under
the scheme being underpaid and overworked or completely unaware of
their rights. But Australia's immigration Minister, Kevin Andrews, says
the good far outweighs the bad.
ANDREWS: We don't want abuse of
this system. It's not widespread, but nonetheless any abuse can
undermine the importance of this programme for our national prosperity.
Mr
Andrews, in releasing three new changes to the scheme, proposes to stop
the abuse by setting up a tighter penalties system. In the past, any
employer found to be abusing the system, for example not paying a visa
holder the minimum wage, would be banned from the programme. Now they
will also face civil penalties. When asked what those penalties would
amount to, Mr Andrews did not specify.
ANDREWS: Penalties will reflect penalties in the workplace relations act.
When further questioned on the specific nature of the proposed penalties, Mr Andrews would still not be drawn.
ANDREW:
Up until now, the penalty has been that you can be precluded from
sponsoring an overseas worker in the future. And my view has been that
that is not a sufficient penalty and that's why, in addition to being
precluded from bringing anybody into Australia you will also face civil
penalties under the legislation.
In addition to penalties for
sponsors abusing the system, there will also be rewards for employers
who uphold the process and their obligations. Currently it can take
months for a visa application to be processed - but for employers who
have a good track record, applications will be fast-tracked. Mr Andrews
says monitoring will continue, but was unable to say whether the number
of checks would change.
ANDREWS: There will be some random
audits, if I can put it that way in relation to people. Now I'm not
setting a particular target - you need flexibility to be able to
respond to whatever the circumstances are. But sponsors should know
that there is a possibility that somebody might be required,
particularly in relation to English, to actually demonstrate that they
have that working level or knowledge of English.
The level of
English required will also change under the new proposals - to four
point five on an International English Language Testing System. Mr
Andrews describes this as basic workplace competency. Dr Siew-ean Khoo
is a senior fellow at the Australian National University, and was part
of a team which studied the experiences of migrants on the 457 visa in
2004. She says workers from the Asia Pacific region are more likely to
be employed in middle or lower level professions, and in small
businesses where a high level of English is not often required.
KHOO:
Many of the 457 visa holders working for small businesses are actually
working for businesses which are run by what we call co-ethnics. They
are people from the same ethnic background, Indian restaurants, for
example, would sponsor chefs from India to come. They use another
language other than English in their work.
Dr Siew-ean Khoo says
part of the attractiveness of the 457 visa previously was the lack of
English skills testing. But a basic level of English does enhance a
temporary worker's, and their employer's, experience. And the proposed
increase in English standards will help further.
KHOO: We'd
asked people what they think about their Australian experience and most
are very positive. I think most employers and employees who
participated in our survey are very happy with the 457 visas. Many of
the 457 visa holders come from very high-level English skills. So it's
going to be an issue for a small number and it's going to be a very
positive development for that small number. SOURCE AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION
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