Recommendation 1
2.95 The
committee recommends that the Australian Government continue to monitor the
trajectory of visa applications and grants under the Temporary Skills Shortage
(Subclass 482) visa over the next six months, with a view to making any
necessary adjustments to the overall settings for this visa subclass
in 2020.
Recommendation 2
2.100 The
committee recommends that the Australian Government increase the Temporary
Skilled Migration Income Threshold (TSMIT) to a minimum of at least $62,000,
and mandate that the rate of the TSMIT be indexed annually in line with the
average full-time wage.
Recommendation 3
2.105 The
committee recommends that the Department of Home Affairs review and update its
policies regarding health assessments of temporary visa holders, to ensure that
visa applications will not be rejected on health grounds in cases where there
is no possibility of health and social services costs accruing to the
Commonwealth or state and territory governments.
Recommendation 4
3.83 The
committee recommends that the Australian Government publish, in future updates
to the skilled migration occupation lists, its reasons for including new
occupations, moving occupations between the different lists, or removing
occupations altogether that were included in previous iterations of the lists.
Recommendation 5
3.89 The
committee recommends that the Australian Bureau of Statistics prioritise its
review of the ANZSCO framework.
Recommendation 6
3.91 The
committee recommends that the current skills assessment regime for the skilled
visa system be strengthened by:
- ensuring all testing is performed
by an appropriate industry body and not by immigration officials;
- guaranteeing that workers who
currently require an occupational license must successfully complete a skills
and technical assessment undertaken by a Registered Training Organisation
approved by Trades Recognition Australia before being granted a visa;
- introducing a risk based approach
to assess and verify that workers are appropriately skilled for occupations
that do not require an occupational licence; and
- introducing a minimum sampling
rate of visas issued in order to verify that migrant workers are actually
performing the work the employer has sponsored them to perform.
Recommendation 7
3.96 The
committee recommends that the Australian Government consider the establishment
of a new independent tripartite authority to provide advice and recommendations
to government on skilled migration issues.
Recommendation 8
4.85 The
committee recommends that the Australian Government introduce more stringent
evidentiary requirements for labour market testing to ensure that the intent of
labour market testing arrangements is achieved and Australian employment
opportunities are protected.
Recommendation 9
4.88 The
committee recommends that the Australian Government resolve not to enter into
any future free trade agreements that would involve labour market testing
waivers.
Recommendation 10
4.92 The
committee recommends that the Australian Government undertake a review of the
use and effectiveness of labour agreements under Australia's skilled migration
program, and implement any necessary changes to ensure that:
- labour agreements are only
entered into where there is publicly demonstrated evidence of a genuine skills
shortage that cannot be addressed by the Australian workforce;
- all relevant stakeholders are
genuinely consulted during the process of finalising labour agreements and
provided with appropriate feedback in relation to concerns raised; and
- the Department of Home Affairs'
reasons for entering into a labour agreement (or a renewal of any labour
agreement) are made publicly available.
Recommendation 11
5.62 The
committee recommends that the Australian Government guarantee adequate,
additional funding if the income from Skilling Australians Fund levies does not
meet the needs of industry and the vocational education sector to provide
high-quality training to apprentices and trainees.
Recommendation 12
5.72 The
committee recommends that the Australian Government commit to increasing
overall funding levels for TAFE and vocational education and support a
comprehensive and thorough commission of inquiry into Australia's post‑secondary
education system.
Recommendation 13
5.74 The
committee recommends that the Australian Government consider ways in which to
encourage better information sharing between industry, vocational education and
training providers, and potential students in order to encourage student uptake
and local employment in industries experiencing skills shortages.
Recommendation 14
5.79 The
committee recommends that the Department of Education and Training be required
to present a report to Parliament bi-annually on the progress of the National
Partnership Agreement on the Skilling Australians Fund and the extent to which
it is achieving the outcome of addressing skills shortages in the Australian
labour market.
Recommendation 15
5.81 The
committee recommends that the Australian Government work with the Australian
Bureau of Statistics and the National Centre for Vocational Education and
Research to investigate and establish a research instrument to enable analysis
of employer investment in the development and training of their workforces.
Recommendation 16
6.68 The
committee recommends that the Australian Government implement all
recommendations from the Report of the Migrant Workers' Taskforce as soon as
practicable.
Recommendation 17
6.69 The
committee recommends that the Australian Government increase funding for
Taskforce Cadena—or a
similar taskforce—to
ensure that the Taskforce is adequately resourced.
Recommendation 18
6.70 The
committee recommends that the Australian Government require that employers pay
wages for temporary visa holders into an Australian bank account.
Recommendation 19
6.71 The
committee recommends that the Australian Government propose amendments to the
relevant law to make it unlawful for temporary visa workers, including persons
on student visas and working holiday visas, to apply for or to hold, an
Australian Business Number (ABN).
Recommendation 20
6.72 The
committee recommends that the Australian Government consider amending the Fair
Work Act 2009 and the Migration Act 1958 to grant unions standing,
where appropriate, to commence civil actions for breaches of those Acts in
relation to visa work conditions.
Recommendation 21
6.73 The
committee recommends that the Australian Government ensure that unions have
standing to complain to the Fair Work Ombudsman or the Department of Home
Affairs about concerns relating to the exploitation of temporary visa workers,
even if that worker is not a union member.
Navigation: Previous Page | Contents | Next Page