VISAS – 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

Business forced to train locals

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 15-Nov-16

Federal Opposition Leader Bill Shorten will outline plans aimed at ensuring that employers give priority to hiring and training Australian workers rather than using the 457 visa system to fill labour shortages. Data shows that more than 95,000 temporary foreign workers are currently employed on 457 visas in 20 industries. The Opposition has also signalled that it will closely scrutinise any future free trade agreements to ensure that Australian workers are not disadvantaged.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, TRANS-PACIFIC PARTNERSHIP, ASIA-PACIFIC ECONOMIC CO-OPERATION, ONE NATION PARTY, AUSTRALIAN GREENS

Property buyers snub special visa

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Original article by Su-Lin Tan
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 6 : 8-Jan-16

Changes to the Australian Government’s Significant Investor Visa (SIV) scheme in July 2015 have made the program less attractive. The aim of the legislators was to discourage investments in property while redirecting them towards venture capital funds and listed small companies. Only 47 SIV applications have been received since mid-2015, compared with around 50 applications per month under the old rules.

CORPORATES
HALL AND WILCOX, TARONGA GROUP, AUSTRALIA. PRODUCTIVITY COMMISSION

Exploited 7-Eleven workers will not lose their visas

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Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 15 : 21-Dec-15

The Australian Government has advised that foreign workers who were underpaid by 7-Eleven will not have their visas cancelled if they assist with investigations into the scandal. Giri Sivaraman of law firm Maurice Blackburn says this is likely to encourage more exploited workers to come forward. The Shop, Distributive & Allied Employees’ Association claims that wage exploitation is still occurring.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF IMMIGRATION AND BORDER PROTECTION, 7-ELEVEN STORES PTY LTD, MAURICE BLACKBURN PTY LTD, SHOP, DISTRIBUTIVE AND ALLIED EMPLOYEES’ ASSOCIATION, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION

Tourism jobs outlook sparks visa debate

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Original article by Ewin Hannan
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 7 : 5-Nov-15

Deloitte Access Economics states in a report written for Austrade that the tourism industry will experience a shortage of 38,000 workers if no appropriate measures are taken to alleviate it. More than 120,000 extra workers will be needed by the end of the decade. Martin Ferguson, the chairman of Tourism Accommodation Australia, has called for changes to visa rules that would make it easier for foreigners to apply for working-holiday visas.

CORPORATES
TOURISM ACCOMMODATION AUSTRALIA, DELOITTE ACCESS ECONOMICS PTY LTD, AUSTRADE, TTF AUSTRALIA LIMITED TOURISM AND TRANSPORT FORUM, ACTU

Fix the ‘pain points’ for travellers, Joyce urges the government

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Original article by Jamie Freed
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 37 : 15-Oct-15

Qantas CEO Alan Joyce has called on the Australian Government to reduce the cost of multi-year entry visas which are about to be made available to Chinese travellers. The visa will cost $A1,000, while Chinese nationals pay just $A30 for a similar visa to Singapore. Joyce has also proposed reducing queues at customs and immigration at Australian airports.

CORPORATES
QANTAS AIRWAYS LIMITED – ASX QAN, AIRASIA X SDN BHD, VIRGIN AUSTRALIA HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX VAH, NATIONAL PRESS CLUB (AUSTRALIA)

Chinese retreat from property in Australia

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Original article by Lisa Murray, Angus Grigg
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 3 : 15-Sep-15

The introduction of tighter foreign exchange rules in China has had a negative effect on Chinese investments in Australia’s property sector. Fewer Chinese are now able to apply for the Federal Government’s Significant Investor Visa (SIV) scheme. Eligibility is restricted to those able to invest at least $A5 million in Australian assets such as venture capital and emerging companies. Only seven SIV applications have been made since 1 July 2015.

CORPORATES
PEOPLE’S BANK OF CHINA, CORELOGIC AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, RP DATA LIMITED

Vaccine debate puts tour in jeopardy

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Original article by Julia Medew
The Age – Page: 11 : 21-Jan-15

The last of 11 venues booked for a speaking tour by US-based anti-vaccination activist Sherri Tenpenny in Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne and Adelaide have withdrawn from the contracts. A boycott threat made by those opposed to the events has had the desired effect, while tour organiser Stephanie Messenger has accused the groups of "bullying". Federal Immigration Minister Peter Dutton has not responded to a call by Stop the Australian (Anti) Vaccination Network spokesperson John Cunningham to cancel Tenpenny’s visa

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF IMMIGRATION AND BORDER PROTECTION, STOP THE AUSTRALIAN (ANTI) VACCINATION NETWORK

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