Allow bridging visa holders to work, government MPs say

A backlog of people waiting for partner visas could help fill workforce shortages if allowed, government MPs say, warning an expansion of skilled migration must not come at the expense of families of people already working in Australia.

Migration is a key issue to be discussed at the jobs and skills summit, and Australian Council of Trade Unions secretary Sally McManus says there’s a chance of an agreement being hatched between the labour movement and business groups ahead of the event.

The ACTU wants the yearly permanent migration cap lifted from 160,000 to 200,000 places, subject to a range of conditions, while business leaders want it to rise to between 200,000 and 220,000 places for a two-year period as a shot in the arm for worker-strapped industries.

Labor MP Julian Hill says many people on bridging visas could help plug the workforce shortage.Credit: Elke Meitzel

But government MPs Julian Hill and Mike Freelander, who both represent areas with significant migrant populations, say it’s vital not to lose sight of the large backlogs in processing family and partner visas for people already here and refugee applications.

Hill said the skills summit offered an opportunity to reset and reboot Australia’s skilled migration program. He said there were about 300,000 people in the country on bridging visas, some of whom would be willing and able to work but are denied permission.

“In addition to boosting training locally and welcoming skilled migrants, we should also look at opportunities that come from clearing the backlog of partner and family visas as well as extending work rights to many of those hanging around in Australia on bridging visas, waiting for years for their substantive visa,” Hill said.

“We also must ensure that speeding up the processing of skilled visas does not come at the expense of partner and humanitarian visas.”

Data from Home Affairs shows 90 per cent of permanent partner visas applied for onshore are processed within 23 months and those applied for offshore are processed within 39 months. Temporary partner visas also take up to 39 months – more than three years – to process.

Freelander said he was worried skilled migration would be used without putting in place adequate vocational training for local students or looking at other pathways.

“I do think that we will need to get skilled migrants here, yes, but there are other pathways as well, that we need to seriously look at where there have been long delays, things like refugee programs, family reunion programs. We need to make sure those backlogs are being cleared as well,” he said.

Speaking at Parliament House on Wednesday ahead of the two-day summit, McManus said she believed “there is a high likelihood of very strong agreement on some very key issues in our country, especially to do with skills and to do with equality”.

ACTU Secretary Sally McManusCredit: Alex Ellinghausen

“There’s a chance of agreement, but we don’t yet know on the issue of migration. And we need to go forward on the issue of collective bargaining, and I reckon that’s very, very positive for our country,” she said.

Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry head Andrew McKellar said earlier this month he wanted the permanent migration intake raised to 200,000 at least for the next two years to address the nationwide staffing crisis, a similar position to the Business Council of Australia, which wants up to 220,000.

Speaking to ABC’s Insiders program on Sunday, BCA chief executive Jennifer Westacott said the purpose wasn’t to focus on a number, but on the particular skill-sets Australia would need to enhance the economy, such as those in decarbonisation, defence technology and manufacturing.

“We will need to bring in the best and brightest people from around the world to come in and transfer their knowledge and drive innovation,” she said, adding that she and McManus agreed migration should be longer-term rather than relying on two-year working visas.

On Wednesday, ACTU president Michele O’Neil said the union believed there was agreement on shifting the system back towards permanent migration.

“We’ve got a great history in this country of permanent migrants coming here and making an enormous contribution as they stay, and their families stay and grow up in this country. That’s the balance sheet we want to see go back, and we also want to make sure that we stamp out exploitation,” she said.

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