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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/apr/27/albanese-government-to-radically-streamline-australia-migration-with-three-tiered-system-for-skilled-workers
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| Albanese government to radically streamline migration with three-tiered system for skilled workers | Albanese government to radically streamline migration with three-tiered system for skilled workers |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Australian home affairs minister Clare O’Neil unveils reforms designed to cut red tape and reduce delays to permanent residency | Australian home affairs minister Clare O’Neil unveils reforms designed to cut red tape and reduce delays to permanent residency |
| The Albanese government will radically simplify Australia’s migration by bringing in a three-tiered assessment system designed to cut red tape and reduce delays to permanent residency. | The Albanese government will radically simplify Australia’s migration by bringing in a three-tiered assessment system designed to cut red tape and reduce delays to permanent residency. |
| The home affairs minister, Clare O’Neil, signalled at the National Press Club on Thursday that the government would move to scrap labour market testing in favour of new skills assessments and fairer pay thresholds for incoming workers, in response to a migration review. | |
| Reforms will focus on improving the integrity of the visa system, shifting international student visas away from a de facto work visa towards more skilled graduates, and overhauling the points system for permanent migration to benefit those able to make the greatest contribution to Australia. | Reforms will focus on improving the integrity of the visa system, shifting international student visas away from a de facto work visa towards more skilled graduates, and overhauling the points system for permanent migration to benefit those able to make the greatest contribution to Australia. |
| Despite outlining the broad policy direction, the changes will require further consultation on the threshold for the system’s top tier before the government delivers its final migration strategy in late 2023. | Despite outlining the broad policy direction, the changes will require further consultation on the threshold for the system’s top tier before the government delivers its final migration strategy in late 2023. |
| Ahead of O’Neil’s speech, the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, said “the migration system that we inherited was broken”, citing the fact that more than 1 million people were waiting for visas. | Ahead of O’Neil’s speech, the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, said “the migration system that we inherited was broken”, citing the fact that more than 1 million people were waiting for visas. |
| “What we need to do is to make sure that we identify the skills we need, identify the regions where we need additional workforce, and tailor our migration system so that it benefits those people who come to Australia, but more importantly as well, so that it benefits our national interests,” Albanese said. | “What we need to do is to make sure that we identify the skills we need, identify the regions where we need additional workforce, and tailor our migration system so that it benefits those people who come to Australia, but more importantly as well, so that it benefits our national interests,” Albanese said. |
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| The report’s central recommendation is to create three tiers of regulation for migrants: a “light-touch” approach for very skilled migrants on high salaries; a mid-level cohort of migrants who earn above the amount of the temporary skilled migration income threshold; and a lower-wage cohort in sectors with skills shortages such as the caring economy. | The report’s central recommendation is to create three tiers of regulation for migrants: a “light-touch” approach for very skilled migrants on high salaries; a mid-level cohort of migrants who earn above the amount of the temporary skilled migration income threshold; and a lower-wage cohort in sectors with skills shortages such as the caring economy. |
| The government has accepted this recommendation and will work with states, business sector, unions and civil society to determine the pay thresholds. | The government has accepted this recommendation and will work with states, business sector, unions and civil society to determine the pay thresholds. |
| O’Neil said at the press club the new temporary skilled migration income threshold for the second tier would be $70,000, up from $53,900. | O’Neil said at the press club the new temporary skilled migration income threshold for the second tier would be $70,000, up from $53,900. |
| Guardian Australia understands that labour market testing – the requirement for employers to advertise jobs domestically before bringing in workers – will be abolished in favour of better assessments of skills needs by Jobs and Skills Australia. | Guardian Australia understands that labour market testing – the requirement for employers to advertise jobs domestically before bringing in workers – will be abolished in favour of better assessments of skills needs by Jobs and Skills Australia. |
| Changes to ensure students ‘genuinely in Australia to study’ | Changes to ensure students ‘genuinely in Australia to study’ |
| An outline of the government’s response by home affairs department confirms that it will enact reforms to ensure “that all international students are genuinely in Australia to study, including by tightening requirements and by strengthening the quality assurance of education providers”. | An outline of the government’s response by home affairs department confirms that it will enact reforms to ensure “that all international students are genuinely in Australia to study, including by tightening requirements and by strengthening the quality assurance of education providers”. |
| It also committed to reducing the time students spend on bridging visas, with an easier path to graduate visas. | It also committed to reducing the time students spend on bridging visas, with an easier path to graduate visas. |
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| The reviewers said they were “greatly concerned by the way the current system heightens the risk of exploitation faced by temporary migrant workers”. | The reviewers said they were “greatly concerned by the way the current system heightens the risk of exploitation faced by temporary migrant workers”. |
| In particular, employer sponsorship has “created the opportunity for exploitation … because it stifles the ability and willingness of an employee to report non-compliance”, the report said. | In particular, employer sponsorship has “created the opportunity for exploitation … because it stifles the ability and willingness of an employee to report non-compliance”, the report said. |
| The review proposes to allow temporary migrant workers to move from their current job and have up to six months to find work with another employer within the same sector or type of work. | The review proposes to allow temporary migrant workers to move from their current job and have up to six months to find work with another employer within the same sector or type of work. |
| The Albanese government agreed on greater protections, including “increasing mobility” of temporary migrants “without jeopardising their ability to stay in Australia”. | The Albanese government agreed on greater protections, including “increasing mobility” of temporary migrants “without jeopardising their ability to stay in Australia”. |
| “Migrants will have clearer pathways to permanent residence, circumventing the risk of migrants being left in ‘permanently temporary’ limbo,” the government committed. | “Migrants will have clearer pathways to permanent residence, circumventing the risk of migrants being left in ‘permanently temporary’ limbo,” the government committed. |
| The report said “successive governments” had imposed caps on permanent migration – currently 195,000 – while “the temporary migrant cohort has been demand-driven and has doubled in size since 2007 and now stands at 1.8 million people”. | The report said “successive governments” had imposed caps on permanent migration – currently 195,000 – while “the temporary migrant cohort has been demand-driven and has doubled in size since 2007 and now stands at 1.8 million people”. |
| With the Coalition accusing Labor of pursuing a “big Australia”, the Albanese government hopes to improve the social licence for migration by working with state and territory governments to increase investment in housing, infrastructure and services. | With the Coalition accusing Labor of pursuing a “big Australia”, the Albanese government hopes to improve the social licence for migration by working with state and territory governments to increase investment in housing, infrastructure and services. |
| Reforms to improve skilled migration will take priority over family-related migration. Although the government acknowledged the “need for reform of the family program”, the outline said this “will be considered separately” to the final strategy for late 2023. | Reforms to improve skilled migration will take priority over family-related migration. Although the government acknowledged the “need for reform of the family program”, the outline said this “will be considered separately” to the final strategy for late 2023. |