Skilled immigration is a priority

Anthony Albanese’s pledge to recruit overseas health workers to deliver his promise to provide nurses 24/7 in aged-care homes and emergency Medicare clinics is an acknowledgment of the nation’s shortage of skilled workers. The problem extends well beyond the health sector. Skills training is important, but with unemployment set to fall below 4 per cent and regrettably few year 12 students studying maths and advanced science subjects it will not be solved overnight, especially in engineering.

Increasing the skilled workforce will be vital if Australia is to achieve the economic growth to pay down debt, fund defence upgrades, build new infrastructure, transition to greener energy and improve aged care, disability and health services. Post pandemic, Australia’s population is projected to be 855,000 smaller in a decade than pre-Covid forecasts. The shortfall, caused by a halt to immigration during the pandemic, is an opportunity to increase the nation’s intake of skilled migrants. Doing so would boost the skilled workforce, grow the tax base and allow businesses to expand. Taking in those of working age and their children also would slow the overall ageing of the population.

As a peaceful, prosperous, democratic and tolerant nation that has welcomed generations of newcomers from diverse cultures, Australia has always been in strong demand among those seeking new opportunities. Authorities should be selective in recruiting applicants with good qualifications, experience, English skills or a willingness to learn the language and to assimilate. But with international competition for skilled workers increasing and Covid raising concerns about immigrants being unable to travel home in the event of a serious outbreak, some industries believe extra incentives are needed. The construction industry has suggested tax breaks and access to Medicare; the restaurant and catering industry is calling for free flights for hospitality workers from overseas.

Little has been heard about the issue during the election campaign. Increasing immigration is unpopular in regions where transport, health and other services are under pressure. Irrational fears prevail in some quarters about “foreigners taking our jobs”. But industry leaders and business groups have made a good case calling for an immigration catch-up.

Infrastructure Australia estimates the sector faces a shortfall of 105,000 workers in the next 18 months, with $17.9bn in new road and rail projects and flood reconstruction announced. The Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry wants the number of permanent skilled migrants a year doubled to 200,000 for the next two years. The reopening of borders will result in about 100,000 more temporary migrants arriving by July than previously expected. But they will only partially ease the skills crisis. Whichever party forms government should be bold and selective in addressing the issue.