The Joint Standing Committee on Migration today released the Migration, Pathway to Nation Building report, signifying the end of an almost two-year long inquiry on Australia’s migration system by the Committee.

Media release issue date: Wednesday, 9 October 2024

The Joint Standing Committee on Migration today released the Migration, Pathway to Nation Building report, signifying the end of an almost two-year long inquiry on Australia’s migration system by the Committee. Committee Chair, Maria Vamvakinou MP, said ‘the Committee has conducted a comprehensive inquiry that has looked at virtually every aspect of the migration system with a view to complement the Government’s ongoing reform agenda to improve migration outcomes’. ‘Of central concern’, Ms Vamvakinou continued, ‘the Committee believes that migration policy must once again become a key lever for Australia’s nation building efforts, as it has been in the past’. The report makes 73 recommendations. ‘Of priority’, Ms Vamvakinou said, ‘the Committee has recommended that a Department of Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs be re-established as a stand-alone department solely focused on delivering a migration system of world-class standard and ensuring that Australia remains a preferred destination for the world’s most talented migrants’. ‘The Committee has also recommended that an independent national research institute for migration policy studies be established to provide migration policy a basis in impartial and scholarly evidence going forward. Such research capacity within government has been sorely missed in recent years and will provide migration policy a solid foundation as we move into the decades to come’. ‘To ensure that new arrivals are fully integrated into Australian society and are empowered to maximise their and their families’ contributions to the nation, the Committee has recommended that settlement services be provided to all classes of migrant, irrespective of visa category, on the basis of need’. ‘As a matter of the utmost importance, the Committee gave detailed consideration to the issues surrounding regional migration. Ensuring that our regional, rural and remote areas share in the benefits that migration affords is vital for the ongoing prosperity of those areas. While the Committee has made 16 recommendations on improving the migration outcomes for Australia’s regions, it also concluded that a further dedicated inquiry on a specific regional migration priority topic was needed’. The report provides recommendations on a wide array of matter, including, improving the visa application system; attracting and retaining skilled migration; better accounting for the skills and experience of secondary applicants; more effective recognition of migrants’ qualifications; improving outcomes for refugees and their families; and regional migration. The read the full Migration, Pathway to Nation Building report, visit the Committee’s website. Media inquiries Committee Chair 02 6277 4249 Maria.Vamvakinou.MP@aph.gov.au For background information Committee Secretariat 02 6277 4560 migration@aph.gov.au For more information about this committee, you can visit its website. On the website you can track the committee and receive email updates by clicking on the blue ‘Track Committee’ button in the bottom right hand corner of the page.

Workforce shortages in the aged care sector and the role migration can play in helping to ease them will take centre stage at the final public hearing of the Joint Standing Committee on Migration’s Migration, Pathway to Nation Building inquiry.

Media release issue date: Tuesday, 26 September 2023

Workforce shortages in the aged care sector and the role migration can play in helping to ease them will take centre stage at the final public hearing of the Joint Standing Committee on Migration’s Migration, Pathway to Nation Building inquiry tomorrow. Committee Chair, Maria Vamvakinou MP, said ‘Australia is an ageing society experiencing ever-increasing demands on its aged care sector. The committee has received evidence that the aged care sector is facing acute workforce shortages in meeting these demands—a shortfall measured in the tens of thousands of workers over the coming years. ‘While we must train more Australians to fill these roles, this takes time and may not fully meet the labour demands of the sector. Migration must play a role in providing skilled and compassionate workers to care for our parents and grandparents in their old age’.        The committee will hear from aged care providers, industry peak bodies, specialists in migration law and the aged care sector, and Australia’s largest skills assessment provider, VETASSESS, who will discuss a recent project they have been involved in for the provision of skilled aged care workers from overseas. ‘The committee is interested to hear directly from industry insiders on the workforce challenges the sector is experiencing and how they think migration can help alleviate these’, Ms Vamvakinou said. Additionally, in-line with another key focus area of the inquiry—migration into regional Australia—the committee will speak with a regional development body and a regional small business on the challenges and opportunities they face in bringing migrants into the regions.  The committee will also hear from the Office of the Migration Agents Registration Authority (OMARA) and their regulatory role in both protecting migrants who require immigration advice and in ensuring the integrity of the migration advice industry. Lastly, the committee will hear evidence from an international education services and language testing provider on the role of language testing and the experience of international students in our migration system and from a refugee advocate on the experiences of those coming via the humanitarian program. The full hearing program is available on the Committee’s website. Hearing details Wednesday, 27 September 2023 – 9am to 4.40pm – Videoconference Media inquiries Committee Chair 02 6277 4249 Maria.Vamvakinou.MP@aph.gov.au For background information Committee Secretariat 02 6277 4560 migration@aph.gov.au For more information about this committee, you can visit its website. On the website you can track the committee and receive email updates by clicking on the blue ‘Track this Committee’ button in the bottom right hand corner of the page.

A consideration of how best to address workforce shortages in the health care sector will be a focus of the next public hearing of the Joint Standing Committee on Migration.

Media release issue date: Friday, 11 August 2023

A consideration of how best to address workforce shortages in the health care sector will be a focus of the next public hearing of the Joint Standing Committee on Migration. Committee Chair, Maria Vamvakinou MP, said ‘We will be speaking to a range of organisations involved in the provision of health care. Most have made submissions to the inquiry, and we will be exploring with them issues encompassing the attraction and retention of doctors, nurses and other skilled migrants in the sector; the inflexibility, cost and complexity of the existing visa system; and the particular challenges facing those providing health care in rural and remote communities.’ The committee will also consider opportunities to make better use of migrant skills, including those who arrive as humanitarian entrants. ‘We need to address the underutilisation of the skills of migrants who come to build their lives in our society, and particularly the ways in which they can be better supported to maximise their contribution to our nation’ Ms Vamvakinou remarked. At the hearing, the committee will take the opportunity to further explore broader challenges in the migration system with the Migration Institute of Australia and the work of their members in providing advice to migrants. This will be followed by a discussion with the Office of the Migration Agents Registration Authority (OMARA) and their regulatory role in both protecting migrants who require immigration advice and in ensuring the integrity of the migration advice industry. The full hearing program is available on the inquiry website. Hearing details Monday, 14 August 2023 – 10am to 4.20pm – Videoconference Media inquiries Committee Chair 02 6277 4249 Maria.Vamvakinou.MP@aph.gov.au For background information Committee Secretariat 02 6277 4560 migration@aph.gov.au For more information about this committee, you can visit its website. On the site, you can read submissions made to the inquiry and get details for upcoming public hearings. You can also track the committee and receive email updates by clicking on the blue ‘Track this Committee’ button in the bottom right hand corner of the page.

Department of Home Affairs boss, Mr Michael Pezzullo AO, will front the Joint Standing Committee on Migration on Wednesday 14 June 2023 to provide evidence to the committee’s Migration, Pathway to Nation Building inquiry.

Media release issue date: Tuesday, 13 June 2023

Department of Home Affairs boss, Mr Michael Pezzullo AO, will front the Joint Standing Committee on Migration on Wednesday 14 June 2023 to provide evidence to the committee’s Migration, Pathway to Nation Building inquiry. This will be the seventh public hearing for the inquiry and the first time the Department appears. Committee Chair, Maria Vamvakinou MP, said ‘over the course of the inquiry, the committee has heard from all sorts of people and organisations on what’s wrong with the current migration system and how it could be improved.’ ‘This hearing will be the perfect opportunity for the committee to get answers on the current operation of the migration system from those directly responsible for administering it. The hearing is particularly timely given the recent completion of the Parkinson Review, the announcement of the Government’s proposed Migration Strategy, and the ongoing Multicultural Framework Review. The committee will be very interested to hear about the outcomes of these initiatives and how the Department will implement associated reforms.’ ‘The committee has already heard from a whole range of sectors, all united in the view that migration remains crucial to Australia’s national interest. So it is vital that we have a migration system that is fit-for-purpose, backed by evidence and research, and is beneficial to Australia’s society, culture and economy, as well as to migrants themselves’, Ms Vamvakinou said. The full hearing program is available on the Committee website. Hearing details Wednesday, 14 June 2023 – 11.45am to 1.45pm – Main Committee Room, Parliament House Canberra Media inquiries Committee Chair 02 6277 4249 Maria.Vamvakinou.MP@aph.gov.au For background information Committee Secretariat 02 6277 4560 migration@aph.gov.au For more information about this committee, you can visit its website. On the site, you can make a submission to the inquiry, read other submissions, and get details for upcoming public hearings. You can also track the committee and receive email updates by clicking on the blue ‘Track Committee’ button in the bottom right hand corner of the page.

Building on recent public hearings in Melbourne and regional Victoria, the Joint Standing Committee on Migration will hold a series of hearings over the next week with a diverse group of stakeholders.

Media release issue date: Thursday, 11 May 2023

Building on recent public hearings in Melbourne and regional Victoria, the Joint Standing Committee on Migration will hold a series of hearings over the next week with a diverse group of stakeholders. Beginning with hearings in Canberra on Friday 12 May, the committee will then call witnesses for full days of hearings on 16, 17 and 18 May via videoconference. Committee Chair, Maria Vamvakinou MP, said ‘what’s striking is the breadth of individuals and groups appearing over the coming days.’ ‘We’ll be hearing from technologists and scientists, doctors and lawyers, settlement and multicultural groups, farmers, business and retailers, vocational trainers, thinktanks and academics, human rights and refugee advocates, and from those concerned about the sustainability of our future population. All have provided submissions to the inquiry and are seeking to be heard, reflecting that migration really is a whole-of-nation issue that cuts across all demographics, regions, and industries.’ This is why we need better data underpinning our migration policy, so that we can better understand how to attract and retain migrants in a globally competitive environment and to provide the supporting processes and infrastructure. Migration’s not just about contributing to our future workforce, critical as that is. Above all it’s about enriching Australian society. Ultimately, the question we must ask ourselves is are we an economy or are we a country,’ Ms Vamvakinou said. The full hearing programs are available on the Committee website. Hearing details Friday, 12 May 2023 – 9am to 5.00pm – Committee Room 2R1, Parliament House Canberra Tuesday, 16 May 2023 – 9am to 5.00pm – Videoconference Wednesday, 17 May 2023 – 9am to 5.00pm – Videoconference Thursday, 18 May 2023 – 10am to 4.30pm – Videoconference Media inquiries Committee Chair 02 6277 4249 Maria.Vamvakinou.MP@aph.gov.au For background information Committee Secretariat 02 6277 4560 migration@aph.gov.au For more information about this committee, you can visit its website. On the site, you can make a submission to the inquiry, read other submissions, and get details for upcoming public hearings. You can also track the committee and receive email updates by clicking on the blue ‘Track Committee’ button in the bottom right hand corner of the page.

The Joint Standing Committee on Migration will kick off the hearing schedule for its Migration, Pathway to Nation Building inquiry with public hearings in Melbourne and Robinvale in regional Victoria.

Media release issue date: Monday, 24 April 2023

The Joint Standing Committee on Migration will kick off the hearing schedule for its Migration, Pathway to Nation Building inquiry with public hearings in Melbourne and Robinvale in regional Victoria. On Wednesday 26 April, the committee will hear from manufacturers, policy think tanks, academics, migrant advocacy groups, and settlement service providers at a public hearing in Melbourne. The following day, the committee will head to northwest Victoria to speak with local government and fruit and vegetable growers on how migration policy can better support regional economies and communities. Committee Chair, Maria Vamvakinou MP, said that the hearings will provide the committee the valuable opportunity to question witnesses on the details of their submissions made to the inquiry and to see firsthand how Australia’s migration policy settings impact industry sectors, such as primary producers, who rely heavily on migrant labour and regional Australian communities. ‘The committee looks forward to speaking with experts on migration issues and those directly impacted by our migration policy settings’, Ms Vamvakinou said. The full hearing programs are available on the Committee website. Hearing details Wednesday, 26 April 2023 – 9am to 4.30pm – Balmoral Room, Stamford Plaza Melbourne Hotel, 111 Collins St, Melbourne Vic. 3000 Thursday, 27 April 2023 – 1pm to 3.20pm – Foyer/Meeting Room, Robinvale Community Arts Centre, 37 Robin St, Robinvale Vic. 3549. Media inquiries Committee Chair 02 6277 4249 Maria.Vamvakinou.MP@aph.gov.au For background information Committee Secretariat 02 6277 4560 migration@aph.gov.au  For more information about this committee, you can visit its website. On the site, you can make a submission to the inquiry, read other submissions, and get details for upcoming public hearings. You can also track the committee and receive email updates by clicking on the blue ‘Track this Committee’ button in the bottom right hand corner of the page.

The Joint Standing Committee on Migration has extended the deadline for submissions to its Migration, Pathway to Nation Building inquiry. Submissions are now open until Thursday 16 March 2023.

Media release issue date: Friday, 10 February 2023

The Joint Standing Committee on Migration has extended the deadline for submissions to its Migration, Pathway to Nation Building inquiry. Submissions are now open until Thursday 16 March 2023. Committee Chair, Ms Maria Vamvakinou MP, said that the committee took this decision to allow as many individuals, organisations, and businesses as possible to contribute evidence to the inquiry. ‘Many sectors of the Australian community are directly impacted by the policy settings in place for regulating migration into the country. It is vital for the committee to hear from as many of these sectors as possible to gain an informed view of the issues and on ways the system can be improved’, Ms Vamvakinou said. ‘Some industries and certain regional locations are now facing unprecedented labour shortages. Migration offers one means to help alleviate these pressures and the committee is keen to investigate these possibilities and more’, she said. Ms Vamvakinou encourages all interested individuals and groups to contribute their thoughts on this vital issue. More details on the inquiry are available on the Committee website. The terms of reference for the inquiry are as follows: The Joint Standing Committee on Migration shall inquire into and report on Australia’s migration system, with reference to: The role of permanent migration in nation building, cultural diversity, and social cohesion; Immigration as a strategic enabler of vibrant economies and socially sustainable communities in our cities and regional hubs; Attraction and retention strategies for working migrants to Australia; Policy settings to strengthen skilled migrant pathways to permanent residency; Strengthening labour market participation and the economic and social contribution of migrants, including family and humanitarian migrants and the partners of working migrants; The role of settlement services and vocational training in utilising migrant experiences, knowledge, and opportunities; and Other related matters that may assist the inquiry. Media inquiries Committee Chair 02 6277 4249 Maria.Vamvakinou.MP@aph.gov.au For background information Committee Secretariat 02 6277 4560 migration@aph.gov.au For more information about this committee, you can visit its website. On the site, you can make a submission to the inquiry, read other submissions, and get details for upcoming public hearings. You can also track the committee and receive email updates by clicking on the blue ‘Track this Committee’ button in the bottom right hand corner of the page.

Australia is a migrant nation and one of the world’s most successful multicultural societies, with over half the population born overseas or having at least one parent born overseas. Broad and inclusive migration has been a cornerstone of modern Australia’s social, cultural, and economic prosperity.

Media release issue date: Thursday, 24 November 2022

Australia is a migrant nation and one of the world’s most successful multicultural societies, with over half the population born overseas or having at least one parent born overseas. Broad and inclusive migration has been a cornerstone of modern Australia’s social, cultural, and economic prosperity. The role of migration in continuing to shape the nation is the focus of a new inquiry by the Joint Standing Committee on Migration. The Migration, Pathway to Nation Building inquiry will broadly examine how permanent migration contributes to nation building, cultural diversity and social cohesion, and acts as a strategic enabler of vibrant economies and socially sustainable communities. Committee Chair, Maria Vamvakinou MP, says that the inquiry will complement the on-going Government review of the migration system, recently announced by the Minister for Home Affairs, by taking a ‘big picture’ view of migration and through hearing from wide sectors of the Australian community on how migration can continue to underpin Australia’s prosperity and growth. ‘The policy settings we put in place today will help shape the size and composition of Australia’s population for generations to come’, Ms Vamvakinou said. ‘That is why we must consider this issue carefully and get it right’. ‘As a nation, we need to do more to attract and retain the best people to contribute to the Australian economy in the face of fierce international competition for talent and severe labour shortages at home. We need to consider how migration can best contribute to cultural enrichment and social cohesion, and how we can strengthen pathways to permanent residency and citizenship for migrants and their families’, she said. ‘Migrants come to Australia with a wide array of life experiences, knowledge, skills, and unique perspectives. We need to think how we can enable migrants to leverage these attributes for their own betterment and fulfilment, and to contribute to the growth and resilience of the nation’, Ms Vamvakinou said. Ms Vamvakinou encourages all interested individuals and groups to contribute their thoughts on this vital issue. Submissions to the inquiry are open until Monday 13 February 2023. More details on the inquiry are available on the Committee website. The terms of reference for the inquiry are as follows: The Joint Standing Committee on Migration shall inquire into and report on Australia’s migration system, with reference to: The role of permanent migration in nation building, cultural diversity, and social cohesion; Immigration as a strategic enabler of vibrant economies and socially sustainable communities in our cities and regional hubs; Attraction and retention strategies for working migrants to Australia; Policy settings to strengthen skilled migrant pathways to permanent residency; Strengthening labour market participation and the economic and social contribution of migrants, including family and humanitarian migrants and the partners of working migrants; The role of settlement services and vocational training in utilising migrant experiences, knowledge, and opportunities; and Other related matters that may assist the inquiry. Media inquiries Committee Chair 02 6277 4249 Maria.Vamvakinou.MP@aph.gov.au For background information Committee Secretariat 02 6277 4560 migration@aph.gov.au For more information about this committee, you can visit its website. On the site, you can make a submission to the inquiry, read other submissions, and get details for upcoming public hearings. You can also track the committee and receive email updates by clicking on the blue ‘Track Committee’ button in the bottom right hand corner of the page.