ALIEN LABOR – GOVERNMENT POLICY – AUSTRALIA

Corporate changes blast the 457 visa changes

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Original article by Patrick Durkin
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 10 : 5-May-17

Business leaders are continuing their attack on the Federal Government’s changes to the skilled visa system and its abolition of 457 visas. Gregory Robinson of Blenheim Partners says the changes to the skilled visa system have seen companies withdraw job offers to overseas candidates, while the scrapping of the 457 system has been described by some business leaders as "protectionist" and giving into "populism"

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, BLENHEIM PARTNERS, TABCORP HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TAH, HEALTHSCOPE LIMITED – ASX HSO, AURIZON HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX AZJ, AUSTRALIAN COUNCIL OF SUPERANNUATION INVESTORS INCORPORATED, OZ MINERALS LIMITED – ASX OZL, INVESTA OFFICE FUND – ASX IOF, INDIA. PRIME MINISTER’S OFFICE, NEW ZEALAND. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, GRAINCORP LIMITED – ASX GNC, SCENTRE GROUP – ASX SCG, WESTFIELD CORPORATION – ASX WFD

Business to pay as 457 visas axed

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Original article by Simon Benson, Sarah Martin
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 19-Apr-17

People who are currently in Australia on 457 skilled visas will not be affected by the Federal Government’s move to replace them with two new types of temporary foreign worker visas that are subject to stricter criteria. The May 2017 Budget is expected to include a new foreign worker tax, which will be paid into a fund that will provide training for Australians in sectors that are experiencing a skills shortage. There has been a mixed response to the reforms within the business sector.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY, AUSTRALIAN MINES AND METALS ASSOCIATION (INCORPORATED), ACTU, ONE NATION PARTY, ATLASSIAN CORPORATION PLC, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF IMMIGRATION AND BORDER PROTECTION, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, UNITED STATES. EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT

Union threat to China free trade deal

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 17-Jul-15

The free-trade agreement with China will be a key issue at the Australian Labor Party’s National Conference in July 2015. A group of unions will lobby the Opposition to pursue changes to the trade deal when the bill is debated in parliament, while shadow trade minister Penny Wong has expressed concern that the trade deal does not protect Australian jobs. Independent Senator Nick Xenophon also has reservations about some aspects of the deal with regard to imported labour.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE, AUSTRALIAN WORKERS’ UNION-FEDERATION OF INDUSTRIAL, MANUFACTURING AND ENGINEERING EMPLOYEES, AUSTRALIAN MANUFACTURING WORKERS’ UNION, TRANSPORT WORKERS’ UNION, CONSTRUCTION, FORESTRY, MINING AND ENERGY UNION OF AUSTRALIA, TEXTILE, CLOTHING AND FOOTWEAR ASSOCIATION OF QUEENSLAND, MARITIME UNION OF AUSTRALIA

Easy entry for skilled foreigners

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Original article by Joanna Mather
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 6 : 7-Jan-15

The Australian Government may relax the visa requirements for skilled overseas workers who are hired on temporary contracts. The reforms would allow companies to recruit foreign workers on a "short-term mobility" visa rather than the existing 457 visa for skilled workers. Migration Solutions MD Mark Glazbrook supports the proposed reforms, but ACTU president Ged Kearney argues that hiring and training Australian workers should be the priority

CORPORATES
MIGRATION SOLUTIONS PTY LTD, ACTU, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF IMMIGRATION AND BORDER PROTECTION, AUSTRALIAN MINES AND METALS ASSOCIATION (INCORPORATED), MASTER BUILDERS AUSTRALIA INCORPORATED

Decision will hit graduates

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Original article by Edmund Tadros
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 3 : 7-Jul-14

The Australian Government has decided to retain accounting as an occupation in demand for skilled migrants. The Department of Employment wanted to remove accounting, as it felt that there was a surplus. Universities support the retention of accounting because of their reliance on international students in the field. The two accounting bodies noted that there are shortages in rural areas and in some specialisations. Two experts said that graduates will have difficulty obtaining employment

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF EMPLOYMENT, AUSTRALIAN WORKFORCE AND PRODUCTIVITY AGENCY, NEWCASTLE BUSINESS SCHOOL, CPA AUSTRALIA, THE INSTITUTE OF CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS IN AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN BUSINESS DEANS COUNCIL INCORPORATED, UNIVERSITY OF WOLLONGONG, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF IMMIGRATION AND BORDER PROTECTION