National business lobby groups have thrown their support behind the federal government’s immigration review, which they say will make it easier for businesses to recruit highly paid skilled professionals from overseas.

Ai Group chief executive Innes Willox acknowledged federal Labor’s commitment to ensure temporary skilled migrants have a pathway to permanent residency, to scrap labour market testing rules and to increase the temporary skilled migration income threshold (TSMIT) to $70,000 from $53,900.

“Industry hopes the welcome work being done by the government ... will lead to a migration system that ensures Australia brings in the migrants we need in a smoother system to help meet our broader economic and industry-specific labour and skilling needs,” Willox said in a statement.

The Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry chief executive Andrew McKellar said earlier today he supported the government’s proposed multi-year overhaul of the immigration system.

“We are in a global talent war and this proposed migration overhaul gives us a fighting chance to recruit the skilled workers Australia desperately needs,” McKellar said.