Rizvi said the anecdotal evidence suggests there was a “deadlock” in decisions on visa applications from people outside the country, such as skilled foreign workers.
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“It’s absolutely blocked and complaints are coming from all directions,” he said.
“Migration agents are pulling their hair out. Because of the way Home Affairs deals with the problems, you can’t talk to a human being to find out what’s going on. Without more resources, he’ll get stuck.”
Rizvi said 8,970 skilled foreign workers arrived in Australia in April, but 9,230 left, prompting a net outflow of 260 workers in the 482 visa category at a time when the country has ‘open up and fill the labor shortage.
Australia had more than 195,000 qualified temporary visa holders in Australia in June 2014, but only 96,000 in March 2022, a result that Rizvi blamed on changes under the old government that made visa applications more bureaucratic despite public claims about attracting people to Australia after the pandemic.
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Prime Minister Anthony Albanese acknowledged the issue in his public statements in Jakarta on Monday when he said he believed Australia should be “more welcoming” to visa applicants from Indonesia and other countries.
But the problem is more widespread. Officials have not yet confirmed the extent of the delay and the incoming government has yet to determine whether the solution will require a change in system design, rules administration or departmental resources.
The head of the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Andrew McKellar, said employers reported significant obstacles to finding skilled workers, such as “excessive” visa costs and “extended” processing times.
“More resources are needed to reduce the long waiting times for visa processing. The current delays are not good enough when so many companies run out of staff and therefore cannot afford to stay open,” he said.
“To make the skilled migration system more accessible and responsible, we need to open employer-sponsored migration to all skilled occupations.”
Australian industry group leader Innes Willox said employers could pay up to $ 25,000 for a 482 visa for a skilled worker, making it an expensive process when they could not find enough local workers. He said the previous 457 visa cost about $ 10,000.
“That could mean hiring fewer workers and losing contracts or losing opportunities to grow,” he said.
ACTU Secretary Sally McManus said the priority should be to train local workers.
“Under the previous government, the visa system prioritized the needs of employers above all else and facilitated the widespread exploitation and abuse of temporary migrant workers, including systemic undercutting of minimum wages in many sectors,” he said. to say.
“The visa system should prioritize permanent migration to fill real skills gaps, combined with a renewed commitment to skills training and ensuring that when local workers can take a job or be trained to do so, it is always the first choice “.
Cut to the chase of federal politics with Jacqueline Maley’s news, opinion, and expert analysis. Subscribers can subscribe to our weekly Inside Politics newsletter here.