MPs’ plan to boost number of foreign workers and secure spots in quarantine for skilled migrants

Foreign workers would take up reserved places in hotel quarantine and labour market testing would be softened under a plan from government MPs.

Liberal MP Julian Leeser. Picture: Kym Smith

Foreign workers would take up reserved places in hotel quarantine, labour market testing would be softened and Australia would seek out skilled migrants to fill an expanded list of priority jobs under a plan proposed by government MPs.

Business has applauded proposals in a report by the parliamentary joint committee on migration aimed at boosting skilled migrant numbers, saying they would revitalise sectors hard hit by the pandemic if adopted.

Labor accused the government of developing a migration blueprint that prioritised foreign workers over unemployed Australians and citizens still stranded overseas.

The Liberal chair of the committee, Julian Leeser, told The Australian that business was crying out to fill skills shortages and Australians would ultimately benefit from having more foreign workers in the country.

“Skilled migrants make jobs for Australian workers. Even with the unemployment figures coming down, employers have told us there are significant numbers of job vacancies they cannot fill because of the skills shortage,” he said on Thursday.

“We have businesses across the country, like restaurants, which can’t open because they don’t have skilled workers now.

“Those workers go on to train the next generation of Australian chefs, carpenters and engineers.

“Businesses are also telling us we need skilled migrants to come back to Australia as soon as possible via quarantine. We need those skilled workers to restart the whole economy.”

The JCM’s interim report has called on the government to prioritise spots on flights to Australia and in hotel quarantine for skilled migrants while the borders remain largely closed.

The Coalition-majority committee report also recommended labour market testing be “streamlined” so only medium and large businesses have to assess whether there are enough Australians in the country to fill jobs before they hire foreigners.

The report also called on the government to remove requirements for employers to advertise domestically for jobs on the skilled occupation list.

Opposition MP and committee member Julian Hill said any changes to labour market testing would see fewer unemployed Australians taking up new jobs.

“That’s government-speak for reducing or removing the requirement for businesses to test the market, to advertise jobs, before they seek to bring in a foreign worker. That’s all it is — trashing labour-market testing, in effect,” he told parliament.

“(And) while more than 40,000 Australians are stranded overseas because the Prime Minister has turned his back on them … the government members propose special reserved seats on flights and places in quarantine for skilled migrants.

“It also recommends expanding the occupations currently on the government’s Priority Migration Skilled Occupation List with an ‘urgent’ focus on getting more chefs, cafe and restaurant managers, seafarers, and veterinarians into the country.”

Restaurant and Catering Australia chief executive Wes Lambert said the changes proposed in Mr Leeser’s report would fill thousands of vacancies in his sector and businesses would fail unless more skilled migrants came to Australia.

“Without these changes, many businesses risk a significant reduction in their operating hours or face closure,” he said.