Business to pay as 457 visas axed

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.

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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

Digital economy chips in $79b a year

Original article by Paul Smith
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 8 : 25-Mar-15

A Deloitte Access Economics report estimates that the digital economy now accounts for 5.1 per cent of Australia’s GDP, and this is forecast to reach 7.3 per cent by 2020. The value of the digital economy is expected to rise from $A79bn at present to $A139bn in five years’ time. The report was produced on behalf of Google, whose Australian MD Maile Carnegie says action is needed to increase the supply of skilled workers in the information and communications technology sector

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DELOITTE ACCESS ECONOMICS PTY LTD, GOOGLE INCORPORATED, ORGANISATION FOR ECONOMIC CO-OPERATION AND DEVELOPMENT

Education may stop backslide

Original article by Jacob Greber
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 3 : 11-Feb-15

Australia currently boasts the world’s 19-largest economy, but a PwC report says the nation risks falling to 29th place by 2050. PwC Australia economist Jeremy Thorpe stresses the need for greater emphasis on education and training in order to maintain Australia’s status as one of the world’s 20 largest economies. He says the science, technology, engineering and mathematics disciplines should be a particular focus

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PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS, GROUP OF TWENTY (G-20), GROUP OF THIRTY (G-30), GROUP OF SEVEN (G-7), NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK LIMITED – ASX NAB, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA

Decision will hit graduates

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

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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