‘Visa odds stacked against most gifted’, experts say
The government has been urged to overhaul the points test to ensure a permanent migrant who holds a PhD from Oxford is not overlooked for someone who studied at a regional university.
The government has been urged to reform the points test so a permanent migrant who holds a qualification from a regional Australian university is no longer preferenced over someone who has obtained a PhD from Oxford, amid an escalating political debate over the overseas migrant intake.
A review of the points test was a key area of reform outlined in December’s Migration Strategy, which found it was “no longer operating in a way that will lead to the selection of skilled migrants best able to contribute to Australia’s long-term needs”.
In its submission to the review process, the Committee for Economic Development of Australia said a reformed points test was needed to give greater weight to education and English proficiency rather than criteria relating to regional study and specialist education in Australia.
Andrew Barker, who wrote the submission, told The Australian that if the nation was taking in fewer skilled migrants, it was “even more important that those we are bringing in are best able to make a contribution to the economy.”
In 2023-24, the government planned for 93,000 visas under the points test, which is roughly half of the total permanent migration intake, with CEDA arguing that greater weight should be placed on the skills and work experience of secondary applicants or partners to skilled migration visa holders. “The points test must give greater weight to factors strongly associated with better labour market outcomes, reduce the complexity associated with multiple occupation lists, and support greater gender equality by giving greater weight to the skills and experience of secondary applicants,” the submission said.
The push comes as Master Builders Australia raised an alarm about the trades included under the government’s draft core skill visa stream after its list overlooked plumbers, plasterers, bricklayers, cabinet-makers, stonemasons, painters and roof tilers.
These trades were among professions that would be targeted for greater “consultation” to decide whether they should be included on a proposed core skills occupation list.
Tradies were also carved out of the highest paid visa stream for workers earning more than $135,000 under Labor’s proposed shake-up of skilled migration, following pressure from the union movement.
MBA chief Denita Wawn said without an adequate workforce of skilled tradespeople, the government would not reach its 1.2 million new homes in five years goal.
Australian Hotels Association chief executive Stephen Ferguson also urged the government to include chefs and cooks on the list of occupations eligible for the visa, after the occupations were also included on the list for consultation.
A spokesman for Skills Minister Brendan O’Connor said independent agency Jobs and Skills Australia is consulting on the Core Skills Occupations List, adding that “stakeholders, including business groups, should submit their feedback directly to JSA”.
JSA said occupations where a skills shortage has been identified have been targeted for consultation to “better understand from stakeholders how well both migrant and domestic workers do in the labour market, and how those worker outcomes may be affecting skills shortages”.
The government has set the planning levels for the 2024–25 permanent migration program at 185,000 places but Peter Dutton has tried to make migration an election issue by vowing to reduce the intake by 25 per cent to 140,000 for two years before increasing it to 150,000 in year three and 160,000 in year four.
The Opposition Leader said this was part of a suite of measures to free up more than 100,000 extra homes over the next five years.
Research released by KPMG on Wednesday will show building construction costs and high interest rates are stalling building projects. The analysis reveals more than 37,000 homes are waiting to be built, or nearly 10 per cent more than average over the past five years. The backlog is predominantly in townhouses and units, and in Sydney and Melbourne.
Additional reporting: Patrick Commins
Join the conversation
War will end when Israel’s foes stop attacking it
Hamas began hostilities on October 7 when it invaded southern Israel and began slaughtering and kidnapping Israelis. Only an evil or foolish leader would start a war. But nations are entitled to defend themselves against attack.
Read more
Australia is not the same country — but too many are in denial
Since the October 7 attacks, Australian values have been traduced. What is happening affects the entire country and the collective impact is profound.
Read more