Australian Skilled Immigration Numbers Cut
March 16th, 2009 | Published in Immigration
As the number of job ads in Australia continues to fall and unemployment rises, the government has decided to cut the number of workers eligible for the general skilled program.
The country’s intake of skilled workers is to be cut by 18,500 during the next three months in order to prevent an oversupply of labour.
It will be the first cut to the skilled migration program in more than a decade and will reduce numbers from 133,500 to 115,000 by June 30.
Workers from the building and manufacturing trades will be most affected by the Department of Immigration’s decision to remove bricklayers, plumbers, welders, carpenters and metal-fitters from the critical skills list.
These workers will no longer be eligible for permanent residence visas in the general skilled program. Permanent residence visa are still available in the Employer Nomination Scheme and the Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme
Workers in sectors still plagued by skills shortages, such as the health/medical, engineering and IT sectors will not be affected by the new provisions.
Immigration Minister Senator Chris Evans said the new provisions were needed, “so that migrant workers are meeting skills shortages and not competing with locals for jobs”.
“There are still skills shortages in some sectors, such as health care, and these measures will enable industry to continue to source the skilled professionals they need while protecting local jobs and the wages and conditions of Australian workers.”
Mr Evans, while maintaining the standard line that, “Skilled migration plays a crucial role in stimulating the economy,” also sounded a warning for the future, warning that, “the Government will remove (more) occupations from the list if demand for those skills can be satisfied by local labour.”
The immigration program is likely to face further cuts in the May Budget.
The Master Builders Association believes the migration cuts are warranted.
Chief executive Wil Harnisch told ABC News that unemployment in building and construction is heading up at an alarming rate.
“We’re projecting at least a loss of 50,000 jobs in this industry over the next 12 months and it’s likely more to come,” he said.