Tech firm plea to keep 457 visa workers

Arthur Sinodinos is to consult with the tech industry over the government’s review of 457 visas.

Federal Innovation Minister Arthur Sinodinos is to consult with executives of $6 billion software giant Atlassian and other leaders of the tech industry over the government’s review of 457 visas.

In an interview with The Deal magazine, in The Australian today, Senator Sinodinos has promised “not to throw the baby out with the bathwater” when it comes to the potential changes in the visa system which have alarmed Australia’s growing start-up industry.

The Turnbull government has launched a review of 457 visas, which allows employers to bring in temporary skilled workers from overseas if they can’t find suitable local labour, but the Australian tech and start-up sector is concerned that any changes could make it harder to bring in key skilled workers needed to grow their businesses.

“Immigration Minister Peter Dutton is doing a big exercise on simplifying the whole visa scheme,” Senator Sinodinos told The Deal. “But we are not going to throw the baby out with the bathwater and undermine the rationale for 457s.

“I will be talking to the Atlassians and others on how we make sure 457s meet their needs and how, we also, over time, transition to as much reliance as possible on Australian labour.

“We want a solution where we are training our workforce to be more in tune with the jobs of the future.”

Mike Cannon-Brookes who co-founded Atlassian in 2002 with university friend Scott Farquhar, has urged the government not to make the 457 visa system harder for technology companies to bring in skilled workers from overseas.

Atlassian, which listed on US stock exchange NASDAQ in December 2016 and has a market capitalisation of more than $6 billion, with 1000 workers in Australia, has been a major hirer of 457 visas workers, along with the rest of the tech industry.

“As a nation we aren’t generating the volume of talent, at a quick enough pace, to fill the needs our country has as a developing tech innovator,” Mr Cannon-Brookes said yesterday.

“If we could walk down the street and fill all of our open roles with local people, we would. But we can’t. Australia’s tech scene is booming. We have tech companies doing great stuff but we’re all desperately seeking experienced and talented tech professionals to help us grow faster.

“We have loads of great talent in Australia but we don’t have people with 20 years of tech experience who can teach and mentor our next generation.’’